Learn to build your own games, worlds, and fun experiences in Rec Room!
In this course you will learn:
How to create with the maker pen
Basic to mid-level circuits
Design tips
How to build a room with a team
Course Layout
A new class will kick off once every two weeks. The full course lasts 6 weeks.
Three classes total. Class 1 starts July 15th, Class 2 starts July 29th, Class 3 starts Aug 12th.
36 students in a class.
Projects: 6 groups of 6 people each.
6 teachers for each class of 36 players. 3 art teachers and 3 circuit teachers. One primary teacher and two backup teachers for both art and circuits.
Sign up and more info
Two things to consider before signing up for this course; this is intended for players who are new to the creative tools, and you will need to be able to dedicate some of your time over the course of the class. It is not especially demanding, but we will not let you complete the course if you do not complete the exercises leading up to the final project.
You can sign up via the Rec Room Art Discord at https://discord.gg/jh9XbPN Classes / availability will fill up on a first come first served basis. You will be assigned to a class if there are any spaces left and can ask the instructors any questions you might have in the #bootcamp-general channel! Announcements will be made in the #makerpen-bootcamp channel.
The course will consist of three weekly meetings (only one of them mandatory) over a total of 6 weeks. Assignments begin on Monday and are expected to be completed the following Saturday. You will start off learning about basic tools and circuits with several exercises. After the exercises are complete you will be separated into teams of 5 - 6 people to complete 3 different projects. Once all exercises and projects are complete, your team will be given a final project with a theme. Once your team has completed the final project successfully, each member of the team will be given a unique bootcamp version of the upcoming graduation gown avatar item!
Additionally, you must also be respectful to others in the class. Remember, everyone learns differently and at different paces, so keep the ego out of the class. If not, you will be removed from the class.
All classes will be held in ^MakerPenBootCamp: https://rec.net/room/MakerPenBootCamp
Note: This is an early test to measure interest and to see how well our initial syllabus works out. If we see more interest than we can handle with the current class sizes we will look to expand into a free online video course in the future.
Schedule
You will start off learning through several different exercises
Week 1 - First exercise
Monday Meeting: Receive assignments, build a door with teacher, opportunity to ask questions about assignments.
Wednesday Meeting: Opportunity to ask questions about assignments and review the work done so far.
Saturday Meeting: Present all exercises, expected to be done at this time, but can continue working to catch up. Teaser about next week’s assignments (circuit doors)
Week 2 - Second exercise
Monday Meeting: Receive assignments, build circuits to make your door move with teacher guidance, have opportunities to ask questions about assignments.
Wednesday Meeting: Opportunity to ask questions about assignments and review the work done so far.
Saturday Meeting: Present all exercises, students are expected to be done at this time, we want students to be done with all exercises before moving on to projects. Teaser about the first project.
Week 3 - First Project
Monday Meeting: Split students into groups. They must have completed the exercises by this point. Give out project assignment. Some time to work and ask questions.
Wednesday Meeting: Opportunity to ask questions about the project, and review work so far.
Saturday Meeting: Each group presents their project. Teaser about next project.
Week 4 - Second Project
Monday Meeting: Assign next project (can rearrange teams if necessary). Some time to work and ask questions.
Wednesday Meeting: Opportunity to ask questions about the project, and review work so far.
Saturday Meeting: Each group presents their project. Teaser about next project.
Week 5 - Third Project
Monday Meeting: Assign next project (can rearrange teams if necessary). Some time to work and ask questions.
Wednesday Meeting: Opportunity to ask questions about the project, and review work so far.
Saturday Meeting: Each group presents their project. Teaser for final project.
Week 6 - Final Project
Monday Meeting: Assign theme for final project. Go over rules and guidelines for final project. Some time to work and ask questions.
Wednesday Meeting: Opportunity to ask questions about final project, and review work completed so far.
Saturday Meeting: Each group presents their final project. Celebrate completion of class.
Exercises
Week 1 - Basics Maker Pen art
Basics on the tools
Exercise 1: Make a door - use colors, textures, shapes and snap. Go over all the tools together Show some example.
Exercise 2: Build a room - how to conserve space and use props. Homework:a
Save, restore, create a back-up, change room environment, set room permissions/roles, and publish your room. Pro tips for creating invisible walls.
Exercise 3: Build a basic terrain - Build off snap, use tubes, change room environment, room permissions/roles, and publishing a room.
Week 2 - Basics of Maker Pen circuits
Going over basic circuits
Exercise 1: Make your door move - state machines, buttons, trigger zones, and gizmos. Split up into two different rooms. Pro tips and the end
Exercise 2: Add life to your room using - Lights: turn on and off, door movement, trigger zones, and sounds.
Exercise 3: Make your terrain become a game - Team rule chip, respawn points, adding weapons. (talk about gameplay and what makes it fun)
All exercises must be completed in the class before moving on to the projects.
Projects
All creators who have successfully finished their exercises will move to projects and be separated into teams of 5-6 people max, 3 people minimum. 10 teams max at a time.
While you are working in a team please be respectful and helpful while working on your projects. Teams are not competing on the projects, just working together to finish, learn, and have fun.
Week 3 - Project 1
Work together to build a medium size, team-based pvp map by using your creative skills and gadgets that you have learned to use in the exercises. Put it all together to create an exciting experience for players.
Your room must contain:
Working team framework
Testing and game balancing
Set an event
Week 4 - Project 2
Work together to build a story map by linking subrooms and guiding players on a unique experience.
Your room must contain:
One working holotar
Subrooms
An invention award/photo room
Sounds
Set an event
Week 5 - Project 3
Be creative and create a total of 3 escape rooms linked together. Your escape room should have objects that players need to find, and puzzles that players have to solve to work their way to the end.
Your room must contain:
Combination locks
Tagged objects that unlock doors
A door that requires multiple objects to be gathered before it will open.
Trigger zones with set rules that allow players to jump high
An invention award/photo room
Set an event
Week 6 - Final Project
Build something based on a theme with a new team that will be assigned (Max 6 people, minimum 4 people, 10 teams max) with a max of three to four subrooms.