Ohio University’s games and animation program has been ranked as the second-best in Ohio.
Although the program provides a diverse overall education by offering classes in video editing and sound editing, some students feel that the program fails to provide sufficient education in virtual reality.
Nathan Poeppelman, a sophomore studying games and animation, and interior architecture; would love to get more hands-on experience with virtual reality if given the chance.
“The world is just very competitive, and anyone can teach themselves how to use different programs,” Poeppelman said. “But if you’re actually learning things inside class, it’s nice to have teachers there who are always giving you projects and maybe having a more stronger education in the area of your major.”
Poeppelman wants longer and more VR classes instead of having 80 minute-long games and animation classes.
“I think longer classes would help,” he said. “Maybe just having us take only one video editing class, so you know the basics if you have to use it, but you’re not getting a diverse education in it because that is not your area of interest.”
In Scripps Hall, there are about 40 workstations and labs for students to work in that make up the OU Game Research and Immersive Design (GRID) Lab. Poeppelman, however, cannot access those resources if Scripps Hall is closed on weekends and after hours.
John Bowditch, the director of the GRID Lab, said he plans to work with the university to put card swipes on the exterior doors of Scripps Hall. Bowditch does not know when the swipes will be installed, though.
“Stuff like that kind of stinks cause I just don’t have access,” Poeppelman said. “If I were to have access, I could just go in there and work and have a little studio space. It would be a good place for other people in the major to come together, too. We can learn from one another and expand our portfolios, too. ”
Poeppelman wants to participate in the OHIO-in-LA program, which would help him build up his portfolio for his dream job with a major company that employs VR in its content — the Walt Disney Co.
Poeppelman recognizes the importance of VR is today’s world, as it engages the audience to give them a real-life experience. He gave the example of how VR can be used to help understand what war-survivors went through.
“(VR) is kind of like movies, but more than movies and film because of first person experience and situations,” he said. “It pulls you from reality and puts you in another space. Very therapeutic almost.”
Bowditch also thinks VR is a highly lucrative field, as all the major companies — such as Microsoft Corp., Facebook and Google, are investing into it.
“I think this is probably the era now where VR is here to stay,” Bowditch said.
Aaron Oehler said VR will be helpful to him as a senior studying biology pre-medicine. He gave the example of how, in his major, research has been going on to train physicians in VR so they can have the patient experience without actually having the patient.
“It’s not just this fun thing that people can use to play games on,” Oehler said. “It actually has a benefit to society.”
Oehler hopes that VR can become cheaper and more accessible to more people in the future.
“Technology’s awesome,” Oehler said. “To create a virtual world in a real world that you can interact with is just beyond me.”
