The plan is not only to let the students work with one of the most powerful game development packages ever created, but also to help them develop innovative concepts for new games and realize them. Of special interest will be the usage of the software in the field of “Digital Media”, which in addition to consisting of the field of “Games and Animation” also includes the related fields of “Video Production”, “Sound Technology” and “Interactive Media”.

With the new cross disciplinary program now available under one rooftop, the students will learn to combine different kinds media and innovative types of cutting edge software. For example, the CryENGINE 2 developed by Crytek is not only useful for designing and programming video games; it also allows for the creation of nearly photorealistic virtual movie sets which can be manipulated in real time. With this it is possible for students to direct their “virtual” camera crew and their “digital” actors as they would for a real life movie, and have those instructions immediately realized on screen. Several Hollywood studios have already announced an interest in using the technology this way.

With its focus on the topic of “Games and Animation”, Hochschule Darmstadt is setting the goal of educating experts for the video game industry in the center of the most important region for this activity, the Rhein-Main-District, and to support training and research for a variety of innovations in the field of interactive entertainment.

With its new focus on the field of Interactive Media at the Hochschule Darmstadt, in addition to the fields of Information Technology, Journalism, and Media Arts and Sciences, the collaboration with the technically innovative studio Crytek will provide a further opportunity for students to obtain valuable hands-on experience, and provide a further step in the training of the experts of tomorrow.