Summer School Alum Story: “If you’re interested in game design, there’s no place like this”

Aaron Misra is currently studying Product Design at Atlas Skilltech University in India. Before joining the Game Design course at Aalto University Summer School, Aaron didn’t have any specific expectations. He wanted to find like-minded people and a community where people could discuss gaming and game design. 'I’m really happy to say I ended up getting exactly what I wanted: I met professors and industrial experts with deep knowledge and expertise in the field that truly expanded my view on the topic,' Aaron says. 

Aaron found that the best thing about the course was the knowledge he gained. Talking with teachers about the topic immersed his learning experience even more, and at the same time he gained a lot of hands-on knowledge by making a board game from scratch and learning how to use new software for game production. 

Aaron’s favorite memory from the course was a visit to the gaming company Rovio. 'My mom really loves Angry Birds,' he says with a laugh. During his free time in Finland, Aaron rode the roller coasters at the Linnanmäki amusement park, and visiting a hot sauna in Finland was also “definitely a must.” 

What was challenging about the course? 

Although many of us don’t come from a game design background, I’ve always been interested in the subject. I knew it would be challenging, but for me it’s less about the end goal and more about the learning process; gradually building skills and developing my own way of understanding the field.

Do you have any advice for students considering taking the course? 

Try to get to know people. Don’t worry about what you’re going to make or whether it’s good or not; focus on whether you’re learning something from it. Does it add to your knowledge, and do you feel like you are gaining something from it? I met a lot of new friends and also learned new things about games, such as what it means to create games and what a game truly consists of.

After the summer course Aaron is excited to continue exploring game design.  

'I had so much fun on the course, and to spend time with people who also are very passionate about the topic was priceless. I feel like a piece of me will always remain at Aalto,' Aaron concludes. 'If you're interested in learning about game design, there is no place like Aalto for it.'