Saturday February 11, 2012 6:34 AM AEST

Starcraft University Course

By Justin Robinson
10:46 Jan 29, 2009 | 10 Comments
Tags: Starcraft | Berkeley | University
Starcraft University Course

We’re not kidding in the slightest, Starcraft fans – this is the real, totally awesome deal.

The name Starcraft is synonymous with the typical RTS, a name that will burn brightly in the nerdy hearts of gamers and strategists for untold years to come.

The very last place you’d expect it to be uttered is the title of a university course, specifically, Berkeley. Held every Thursday at 7pm the lectures cover the strategy of the game, unit makeup and use, how to analyse a replay and many more.

We grabbed the course description from their site, just to see what they were really on about:

"UC Berkeley students with an interest in real-time strategy games and the competitive gaming landscape are encouraged to participate in this class.
This course will go in-depth in the theory of how war is conducted within the confines of the game Starcraft. There will be lecture on various aspects of the game, from the viewpoint of pure theory to the more computational aspects of how exactly battles are conducted. Calculus and Differential Equations are highly recommended for full understanding of the course. Furthermore, the class will take the theoretical into the practical world by analyzing games and replays to reinforce decision-making skills and advanced Starcraft theory.
Class will start with lecture and usually include a special discussion topic having to do with the day’s lecture to inspire new and original thought. At the end of lecture, there may be time to analyze student-submitted replays to illustrate a point or to improve analysis. Homework will be assigned at the end of each class and is due at the beginning of each lecture."


Not only do they do all that, but their mark depends 40% on a final project, 20% on attendance, and 40% on replay submissions and homework. Their homework is actually just to play the game using the strategies covered in class!

They’ve also got actual questions to answer for homework, just a few examples follow:

•"List possible uses for a Terran Barracks."
•"What is the advantage and drawback of selecting two High Templars and casting overlapping Psionic Storms?"
•"Is it more advantageous to attack in a line or to envelop your opponent’s army? Prove your point using flux calculations."


We’re not quite sure if you can apply a flux calculation to Starcraft particularly well, but it seems that math is a big part of it. Apart from all the hard work, we’d take playing games as uni work any day!

Head over to their website to check it out in more detail. We’re going to go pick our jaws up from the floor!

 
 
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10 Comments
morris
Jan 29, 2009 12:02 PM
If this one is successful, what would be the next course?

World of Warcraft course?
FPS?
TheFrunj
Jan 29, 2009 12:17 PM
Why not incorporate Mario into plumbing courses? Who knows what could be next?

It'll be interesting to see what comes of it though :)

-JR
Dysfunctional16
Jan 29, 2009 1:58 PM
And people would actually pay for this? :0
MagnumXY
Jan 29, 2009 2:03 PM
CS:S will be the next one of course!
(pun intended)
Hawkeye
Jan 29, 2009 2:14 PM
Ah, yes... I can see it now...

A CounterStrike: Source Course!

Get it? I kill me.

- DH
slimdog360
Jan 29, 2009 2:38 PM
FINALLY, something that relates mathematics to the real world.
Creator
Jan 29, 2009 4:15 PM
I can see it now:

Lecturer - "Why didn't you do your assignment"
Me - "I was busy playing Dawn of War"
Lecturer - "GET OUT! GET OUT!"
emccat
Jan 29, 2009 11:28 PM
AWESOME.... AWESOME.... they should have this in high school as a class!!!!!!
fliptopia
Jan 30, 2009 7:35 AM
got zerg rush?
Zanken
Jan 30, 2009 9:09 AM
Lecturer - "Why didn't you do your assignment"
Me - "I was busy playing Dawn of War"
Lecturer - "GET OUT! GET OUT!"

I laughed and choked on my cake.
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