I would expect to find Starcraft courses in Korea, but here in the States it comes as a surprise — a pleasant surprise, but a surprise nonetheless. UC Berkeley is offering a Starcraft course that sounds like a pretty serious class:
This course will go in-depth in the theory of how war is conducted within the confines of the game Starcraft. There will be lecture on various aspects of the game, from the viewpoint of pure theory to the more computational aspects of how exactly battles are conducted. Calculus and Differential Equations are highly recommended for full understanding of the course. Furthermore, the class will take the theoretical into the practical world by analyzing games and replays to reinforce decision-making skills and advanced Starcraft theory.
Here’s the course page and the syllabus, which I find interesting.
Week 1: Orientation / Competitive Gaming Industry Overview / StarCraft Boom in Korea
Week 2: Units, Strength, Weakness, Attributes, Stats
Week 3: Fighting Micro and Unit Use
Week 4: Army Movement and Positioning
Week 5: Expo and Macro
Week 6: Building Placement and Base Layout
…
How interesting! This really is a sign of the times. Competitive gaming and gaming in general are taking more and more steps towards mainstream culture and widespread legitimacy. I wonder if UCLA will offer a Counter-Strike course or something.
Update: A commenter notes that it’s a “DeCal” course, meaning that it’s run by other students. Would have been a little more exciting if it were standard, but it still has to be a real course and be approved. Anyway, under what school or department would Starcraft be under anyhow? Xenobiology?
Nice, I should go check it out. Also, I think it’s important to to mention that It is a DeCal course, which is a class taught by other students. These courses can range anywhere from wacky to serious. Students at Cal can start and teach classes on their own, as long as they get them approved.
I noticed that but didn’t mention – thanks for pointing it out. But with a syllabus, homework, attendance grading, and administrative OK, that makes it about as real as any other course. I learned more from other students than the professors in some of my college courses…
Ok where is the onion link :)
Ha ha totally!
My first thought too
A class on StarCraft that’s almost entirely populated by girls? Nice photoshop. Geek’s dream, though…
Nice set of Double Stars leading the class discussion…
Well, I wouldn’t completely but the idea of some people hosting such a class aside, but unfortunately this case seems to be on a loose base :(
For one I am unable to locate any course about starcraft in the decal courses, secondly the screened image seems stumped.
Otherwise seems like a legit story
This looks shopped. I can tell from some of the pixels and seeing quite a few shops in my time.
LOL. I crack up every time I read that on the internets.
It is photoshopped because the class doesn’t exist yet, it is just illustrative of what the class would be like.
Hell yeah its photoshopped. That class is full of girls/women not the typical gamers.
Most definitely photoshopped. Look at the cutout around the teacher’s head…
definitely, that and everyone is Caucasian… isnt this a Korean class? hahah?
that picture is not even from berkeley. tonight’s the first day of class.
Here’s a link to the first lecture. It’s a real class.
http://academicearth.org/courses/starcraft-theory-and-strategy
It might be a real class, but that is definitely not a real picture. check out the StarCraft image… It doesn’t even fit properly on the projection screen.
Are you fucking morons not able to read? He already said that it was photoshopped to represent what it would be like since the class didn’t start at the time of him writing this.
This is a DeCal, or student led course.
Here at Carnegie Mellon, we have student led courses too, and including one on how to watch anime and another on DotA (Warcraft III) strategy. Yes, these are real course, which you register for an all, but they often do not fill any specific requirement of graduation, even if they are worth units.
These kinds of things aren’t uncommon at most techie colleges, really.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0skwNkuhX2U&feature=channel_page
hahaha, good vid, and cool concept for the starcraft
go to Ikariam and sign up in Ny…Tell Everyone!
Cool to see :)
Here are some links to discussion of the course content:
http://www.sirlin.net/blog/2009/1/30/uc-berkeley-starcraft-class-week-1.html
http://www.sirlin.net/blog/2009/2/6/uc-berkeley-starcraft-class-week-2.html
http://www.sirlin.net/blog/2009/2/20/uc-berkeley-starcraft-class-week-4.html
omg are you fucking serious?!?!?! this is what the tax payers money is going to? this will get you nowhere in the REAL world! grow up guys.
what a surprise… very interesting course
Would you like fries with your Zerglings?
I tend to get bored in class anyways…if I can get this to count towards a major I am interested in rather than some tedious, uninteresting class then sign me up!
Blizzard must be feelin’ pretty good about the size of their dicks right about now
seriously, if they offer counterstrike I am so applying.
Damn, such a waste of time and money. I thought asians were productive people…
To the morons complaining of the “waste of money” and “it gets you nowhere in the real world” you are completely missing the point in that the course demands you to use creative thinking and applied mathematics and strategy in a fun environment that will ultimately expand your ability in all these area’s, as psychologists and mind-mappers have been desperately trying to get across to the “learn what’s written in the book by rote” style of most courses. For those of you who can’t grasp this concept, enjoy flipping your burgers at McDonalds…..