Welcome to the UCLA Game Lab Summer Institute’s 2022 Student Game Art Exhibition! Our virtual gallery showcases the wonderful, quirky, surprising, inspiring, challenging, and downright fun games and game art projects completed by our students this year. You’ll find all completed student works presented in the gallery below, organized by course title: Game Design, Character Animation, World Building, and Game Programming.

The UCLA Game Lab Summer Institute introduces high school students to game-making as a form of artistic practice, teaching them the techniques and tools that will help them develop analog and digital games that reflect their own creative voice and vision. As you’ll see from the game art projects exhibited below, our students this year have learned a lot about the aesthetic and technical foundations of making games—but just as importantly, we hope they’ve discovered in themselves a life-long ability and desire to express their own, personal ideas through game-making and game art.

Congratulations to all of our students (and their parents!) for their hard work and can-do spirit. And a big thank you to Eddo Stern, founder and director of the UCLA Game Lab, to our instructors—Sam, Lena, Michael, and Nick—and to our teaching assistants—Hua, Rachel, Delaney, Kat, Ainsleigh, Natalia, Alex, and Miller,—for their experience, expertise, and dedication. Finally, we also want to acknowledge Co-Directors David O’Grady and Tyler Stefanich for developing, implementing, and overseeing all aspects of the Summer Institute program. We hope you all enjoy the exhibition!

Game Design

Instructor: Sam Malabre, Teaching Assistants: Hua Chai, Rachel Kim

About the course

Game Design introduced students to the fundamentals of game design, such as creating playable characters, designing conflicts and choices, and giving players compelling motivations and goals. Students create their own tabletop game with a focus on game systems, game flow, creativity, and aesthetics. Students not only produced an original game, but they also developed an understanding of game design as a creative discipline and as a mode of artistic expression.

About the instructors

Sam (they/them) is an MFA candidate in Design Media Arts at UCLA. Sam works at the UCLA Game Lab where they run and research tabletop roleplaying games. They received their BFA in the Studio for Interrelated Media at Massachusetts College of Art & Design (MassArt). Sam’s recent projects have taken the form of video essays, computer games, digital publications, and tabletop games. Their work has been shown at MassArt, UCLA, DIY spaces in Boston, University of Pittsburgh, and CultureHub ReFest. Sam currently lives in Los Angeles, California.

Exhibition note: All completed student games are presented here as downloadable .pdfs.

Character Animation

Instructor: Lena Weiss, Teaching Assistant: Delaney Kough

About the course

Character Animation provided students an introduction in how to create playable characters through modeling and animation. Students developed a character or avatar, which they brought to life through stylized visualization and movement. Students began by learning how to conceptually create compelling characters—and then translate their qualities, attributes, and motivations into visual representation and animation. The final results were animated in After Effects.

About the instructor

Lena Weiss (she/her) is a visual artist, game developer, animator and recent MFA graduate from the Design Media Arts program at UCLA. Lena has taught at UCLA Design Media Arts, and currently creates web content for the UCLA Game Lab. She is also a freelance animator creating music visuals for clients including Steve Aoki, Travis Barker, Fever 333, Yo Gotti, The Used, PartyNextDoor, Wiz Khalifa and Saweetie. Lena’s games have been featured on major media outlets including Dazed Digital, Kotaku, and Rhizome.org, and have received awards at international game festivals IndieCade and the Hand Eye Society Wordplay Festival.

Exhibition note: All completed student character animations are presented here as looped animations.

The Eyes of Wrath / Otto Ockula
by Adam Stall
Aggy Legend
by Aggy Siddharth Karwankar
Aither
by Ali Sorenson
Fieri
by Angela Qian
Lymo-Neo
by Angelina Zhang
Mika
by Anna Shlykova
Marcus
by Anthony Qi
Sorus
by Arlo Jacobs
Pips
by Asher Stone
Timothy Archa
by Branden Orellana
Dolly
by Caelin De Leon
Dan the Depressed Balloon Man
by Caleb Neujahr
Luna
by Collin Nguyen
Azorel
by Conner Siou
Little Shard
by Denys Liptchinsky
Mudge
by Dora Zhang
Shrimpley McGumbo
by Douglas Muir
Lumin
by Drake Fruhauf
Lilith
by Elise Thio
Tom
by Ethan Martinez
Unit-1050
by Gabriel Golamco
Riel
by Grace Ren
Bnuuy
by Gregory Fan
Lily
by Hellen Ou
Tee Vee
by Ian Bunsirisert
Bessie
by Ian Kreider
Diamondback
by Ian Stretch
Scoot
by Ichiro Bai
GentleBot
by Jasper Cheng
Calypso
by Jude Gargash
Angel
by Jude Kouyate
Lawrence Albalister
by Kaito Tabor
Herale
by Kaylene Wang
Celestia
by Kristal Cruz
Hannah Alexander
by Lauren Peirson
King Bolumpsky
by Leo Krinsky
Henry Quiffle
by Lex Chaudhry
Karra
by Lizzy McNeil
Nima
by Loys Fernandez
Pamelia
by Lucia Bonat
Chun
by Lucy Xi Lu
Zar
by Mason O'Brien
Lanbo
by Melinda Sun
Lucille
by Michelle Bartolotta
Jakob
by Nate Weinstein
Jeff
by Nathan Chan
Arethusa
by Nicole Liao
Zaria
by Nicole Tsioutsioulikli
Sir Salaman
by Owen Jensen
Sherrif Jayce
by Peter Sanford
Capybara
by Philip Cai
Serpardner
by Raghab Baruah
Devourer of Gods
by Raju Wolfe
Josephine, Madame Verdure
by Richard Lu
Larry Longlimbs
by Rishi Jani
Amir
by Rithik Narayan
Guy
by Ronald Dong
Dale Sakai-Rosier
by Saira Hamid
Kip
by Sam Kennedy
Jerry and Phoebe
by Sidney Ross
Stelle
by Simon Policy
Aisha
by Sophia Phillips
Mizu
by Sophie Hughes
Jimothy
by Sophie Tau
Hoodie Eddie
by Tony Liang
The Flame Keeper
by Trent Coulston
Emmy
by Turin Burdick
The Gatherer
by Tyler Hall
Auxo
by Tyler O'Byrne
Mc Anderson
by William Han
Ray
by Yitong Liu
Duckquavious
by Zein Zakaria
Daikon
by Zelu Wang

World Building

Instructor:Michael Luo, Teaching Assistant: Katrina Sung

About the course

In World Building, students developed the ability to create dynamic, interactive 3D game environments. Students used the game engine application Unity and a kit of assets to make gameworld prototyping quick and fun, while still learning how to use professional game-development software. Key lessons included using prefabs, materials, lighting, sound, motion, and level progression to create a navigable game world by the end of the course.

About the instructor

Michael Luo (he/him) is a game maker and artist in the UCLA Game Lab. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and growing up in Southwestern China, Michael draws on his multicultural background to make computer games about diasporas, hallucinations, and other subjects and themes that challenge and transcend the limitations of mainstream gaming. His game projects often embrace confusion and provocation as techniques to undermine traditional conventions and assumptions about games and culture. Michael’s work has been exhibited at CURRENTS: International New Media Festival in Santa Fe, NM; A MAZE.- International Games and Playful Media Festival in Berlin; and the international Electronic Literature Organization.

Exhibition note: All completed student gameworld projects are presented here as “walkthrough” videos.

SL - 4
by Adam Stall
No Way Out
by Aggy Siddharth Karwankar
Elysian Forest
by Ali Sorenson
Weird Bridge Tree Thing
by Angela Qian
Unnamed Space
by Angelina Zhang
Within The Walls
by Anna Shlykova
Dream Worlds
by Anthony Qi
Ruined Snow-scape
by Arlo Jacobs
The Extraplane
by Asher Stone
Baked Sewers
by Branden Orellana
Tame Tame West
by Caelin De Leon
Elements
by Collin Nguyen
The Forest
by Conner Siou
Untitled
by Denys Liptchinsky
Dream Island
by Dora Zhang
Medieval Town
by Douglas Muir
The Tunnels
by Drake Fruhauf
Idle
by Elise Thio
My Inspirations
by Ethan Martinez
The Halls
by Gabriel Golamco
Portal
by Grace Ren
Landfill by the Shore
by Gregory Fan
The Glowing Willow
by Hellen Ou
Firefly Forest
by Ian Bunsirisert
City Adventure
by Ian Kreider
Sunrise
by Ian Stretch
Untitled
by Ichiro Bai
A Sunken Realm
by Jasper Cheng
Desert Exploration
by Jude Gargash
Heroes' Reunion: Intro
by Kaylene Wang
Hills and Mushrooms
by Kristal Cruz
Aisling of Fire
by Lauren Peirson
Island Explorer
by Leo Krinsky
A Wander Through The Wispy Forest
by Lizzy McNeil
Mount Olympus
by Loys Fernandez
Lighthouse Grave
by Lucia Bonat
Nightmare
by Lucy Xi Lu
Saldem
by Mason O'Brien
Unmanned Island
by Melinda Sun
Valley Adventure
by Michelle Bartolotta
Literature of the Colony
by Nate Weinstein
Shot Down
by Nathan Chan
Hellscape
by Nicole Liao
Complexity
by Nicole Tsioutsioulikli
The Lighthouse Castle
by Owen Jensen
The Maze
by Peter Sanford
Spacescrapers of Humanity
by Raghab Baruah
Dead by Night
by Raju Wolfe
Beacon of the Castle
by Richard Lu
Lords of the Ring
by Rishi Jani
Desert Coin Collectors
by Rithik Narayan
Ashkfgiuesaa
by Ronald Dong
Forest
by Saira Hamid
Eastbrook
by Sam Kennedy
Wake Up
by Sidney Ross
Silly K1rby World
by Sophia Phillips
Mystic Isle
by Sophie Hughes
Bello
by Sophie Tau
Notsosunnyvale
by Syd Scott
Farmer Hill
by Tony Liang
Valley of Lost Warriors
by Trenton Coulston
Temple of Neptune
by Turin Burdick
The Ruins
by Tyler Hall
Starswept Tropics
by Tyler O'Byrne
Misty Mountains
by William Han
A Place Close to Home
by Yitong Liu
Zein's Scary Adventure
by Zein Zakaria
Out of Border
by Zelu Wang

Game Programming

Instructor: Nick Crockett, Teaching Assistant: Ainsleigh Douglas, Natalia Beltran, Miller Klitsner

About the course

In Game Programming, students learned the fundamental programming concepts and coding techniques behind making playable, interactive games. Students worked with the game engine application Unity and were introduced to coding lessons using C# scripting to create movement, animation, collisions, NPC behaviors, sound, and text. By the end of the course, students emerged with a complete, interactive 2D game reflecting their own game design ideas.

About the instructor

Nick Crockett (he/him) is a teacher, artist, animator, and game developer from the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Nick has an MFA from the Carnegie Mellon School of Art and has been a long time member of the UCLA Game Lab. He has exhibited games and animation internationally at screenings, festivals, and exhibitions including at the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh; the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Northern Spark Festival, Minneapolis; Now Play This Festival, Somerset House, London; the GDC Wild Rumpus Party, San Francisco; Amber Platform Festival, Istanbul; and the UCLA Game Art Festival at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles.

Exhibition note: All completed student games are presented here as “playthrough” videos.

Ghost Light
by Adam Stall
Pick Up Ducks
by Ali Sorenson
Set Fire to Your Rapidly Accumulating Debt
by Angela Qian
SkyDash
by Angelina Zhang
Within The Walls
by Anna Shlykova
Venturer: Solitude
by Arlo Jacobs
Obb Survives
by Asher Stone
No Emojis
by Caelin De Leon
Slimy Dungeon
by Caleb Neujahr
Dodger
by Collin Nguyen
Fruit Escape
by Conner Siou
Cyber Hell
by Cyber Hell
Pig-Pen
by Dora Zhang
Chronicles of Man
by Douglas Muir
Puddul, The Infestation Of The Lake.
by Drake Fruhauf
Knightfall
by Elise Thio
Big Ol' Evil Eye
by Ethan Martinez
Lumino
by Gabriel Golamco
Bnuuy and his Slug Friend
by Gregory Fan
Run Away
by Hellen Ou
Nightmare
by Ian Bunsirisert
Egg Quest
by Ian Kreider
The Kicking Dead
by Ian Stretch
Wiggleton Park
by Ichiro Bai
Nameless Cat
by Jack Wang
Arena Shooter
by Jasper Cheng
Hell's Adventure
by Jude Gargash
Drone Destroyer
by Jude Kouyate
Samurai Ghost Girl Kill
by Kaito Tabor
Star Hunt
by Kaylene Wang
Save the Chrysalis!
by Kristal Cruz
Yurp's World
by Lauren Peirson
Slime Dungeon
by Leo Krinsky
Pink Dog
by Lizzy McNeil
Alien Clash
by Loys Fernandez
Alt Tabs
by Lucia Bonat
Get Out
by Lucy Xi Lu
Civilly Under
by Mason O'Brien
Ghost Hunter
by Melinda Sun
Dungeon Hearts
by Michelle Bartolotta
A Rat's Adventure
by Nathan Chan
Sakura
by Nicole Liao
Ferret Runner
by Nicole Tsioutsioulikli
Sheldon Ring
by Owen Jensen
Unnamed Burger Game
by Peilin Cai
No Happy Endings
by Peter Sanford
Super Snail Game!!
by Raghab Baruah
Disorder Destruction
by Raju Wolfe
Bomb Dungeon
by Richard Lu
Harold's Hectic Holiday
by Rishi Jani
Escape From The Birds
by Rithik Narayan
The Soldier's Journey
by Ronald Dong
Carrot Top
by Saira Hamid
Spellbook Seeker
by Sam Kennedy
Hop Home
by Sidney Ross
Avoid the Living
by Simon Policy
Silence of the Sheep
by Sophia Phillips
Cloud Escape
by Sophie Hughes
Fire Shooty
by Sophie Tau
Specialman's Fort of Sadness: Cyborg Penguin Break-In
by Syd Scott
Collect the Ants
by Turin Burdick
Fuzz
by Tyler Hall
Nautilus Adventure
by Tyler O'Byrne
Revenge of the Slimes
by William Han
The Path of Worship
by Yitong Liu
A Wizard's Adventure
by Zein Zakaria

You’ve reached the gallery exit!
Thank you for visiting the Student Game Art Exhibition, brought to you by the UCLA Game Lab Summer Institute class of 2022!
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