Jennifer Gutterman, visiting professor of animation and game design, holds a master of fine arts degree in Visual FX, focusing on 3D modeling and concept development from the Academy of Art University and a bachelor of fine arts from Syracuse University, with a double major in computer graphics and painting.
Jennifer’s primary research interests are in 3D development for animation, analog and digital games, and accessibility and intersectionality of world building and concept development for games and animation.
Jennifer developed and runs the Game Design Program at Manchester Community College in Manchester CT and is a freelance artist and game designer. Jennifer has spoken at Metatopia and PAX Unplugged on topics such as Queer Worldbuilding, Eat, Drink, Be Merry: Developing Cultural Touchstones for Immersive Worldbuilding, Queer Game Design: More Than Just Representation, Latinx Game Designers, Games and Education, and How to Pitch: Pitching Games at Every Level of Development.
Currently Jennifer is working on several projects that include hybrid games utilizing digital and analog elements, a cooperative board game introduced at Metatopia 2018 and freelance work on several in progress projects in both analog and digital games.
Recent and Upcoming Courses
- World Building: Creating Dynamic Worlds for Games and Animation
In this course, students will learn to create dynamic worlds with diverse populations, mythology, and characters for games and animation. Students will use a variety of techniques and work flows to develop and design worlds for their concept. World building gives a rich and dynamic canvas on which to develop characters, obstacles, motivations, macro and micro issues, and conflicts and resolutions. Such practice allows for more robust and consistent worlds in which to set singular or serial events in linear and non-linear ways. Using visual and written content, students will develop characters and environments that are influenced by both created and existing cultural and historical content. Students interested in tabletop games, RPGs, and/or digital games are all welcome.
- Introduction to 3D Modeling
In this course, students will focus on workflow and techniques for creating polygonal surface models for game assets, character models and 3D environments for animation and video games, as well as 3D prototyping for physical game assets. This class will focus on poly resource management, modeling workflow and the creation of 3D assets from conception/reference art through modeling, basic materials, lighting and rendering. Project requirements will range in complexity and detail, and students are expected to work outside of class to apply in-class demonstration of techniques to projects and assignments.
- Introduction to Game Design
This course provides an introduction to the history of games, terminology and principles of game design and game mechanics. We will also explore the development of analog games and game systems from inception through play-testing and prototyping. Students will learn to analyze, design, prototype and document different non-digital games using professional work flows for game development of non-digital and digital games.
