Like Gilligan's Island and the American Constitution, everything I know about summer camp, I know from Hollywood movies and occasional references on Friends. My mental image is of a nightmarish health Gulag, with kids herded into remote countryside camps to play 'soccer' and have Wonder Years-style developmental experiences. I didn't think they'd get to learn about games.
From this summer, however, US teens will be able to spend two weeks at Camp Fatal1ty - an educational videogame getaway taking place at Emory University, Stanford University, UCLA and Villanova University, and overseen by successful pro-gamer, Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel. From the press release:
At Camp Fatal1ty students will have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of learning a variety of Unreal Tournament 3 tactics and strategies developed by Fatal1ty and other professional gamers. These strategies have been honed in international competitions. Teens will test their new battle skills against classmates in tournament play.
Additionally, they'll learn to create machinima and build highlight video reels of their best in-game moves and shots. Besides learning how to create games, students can expect late-night NVIDIA-hosted gaming tournaments and LAN parties. To further introduce teens to the world of gaming, students will tour a major game development studio and will learn first-hand how industry professionals create premier commercial games. At the end of the course, each student will take home a Fatal1ty-branded keyboard.
So learn about games all day and play them all night? Parents of America - forget the great outdoors, forget sport, if you love your children this is where they must be sent. It's $3,499 (plus $300 for optional weekend stay) well spent.
