BA (Hons) Game Art

Bachelor's degree

In St Helens

£ 7,500 VAT inc.

Description

  • Type

    Bachelor's degree

  • Location

    St helens

  • Duration

    3 Years

  • Start date

    Different dates available

The BA (Hons) Game Art degree has been developed and designed by computer games experts. The degree gives specialist training to become a professional 3D games artist, along with theoretical and core skills equipped to fit into a modern creative games studio. It's the ideal degree for creative individuals who want an arts orientated career which utilises computer game processes.

The degree is delivered through workshops, demonstrations and lectures, investigating excellent software techniques and supported through game theories. You will engage in personal tutorials to develop your individual skills.

Facilities

Location

Start date

St Helens (Merseyside)
St Helens College Water Street St Helens, WA10 1PP

Start date

Different dates availableEnrolment now open

About this course


The degree is delivered through workshops, demonstrations and lectures, investigating excellent software techniques and supported through game theories. You will engage in personal tutorials to develop your individual skills.


You will be industry ready upon graduation. With core skills and the required self-understanding so that you will be able to effectively fit into a team, and learn new processes and software in an entry level role in the computer games industry.

The Northwest is an important centre for the game development industry. University Centre St Helens has important links with the local industry, being located centrally in a region that has a cluster of games companies. In the last three years, graduates have gained employment with Rebellion and Sony in Liverpool, Travellers' Tales in Knutsford and TT Fusion in Wilmslow.

For 2017 entry you will need a UCAS tariff score of 80.

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Subjects

  • Art
  • 3d training
  • 3D
  • Project
  • Drawing
  • Industry
  • Production
  • Game Art
  • Character Modelling
  • Game Culture
  • High Polygon Modelling
  • Game Art Preproduction
  • 3D asset creation

Course programme

What will I study?

Year 1

The first year will provide underlying knowledge and skills that are needed in the games industry and relevant areas. You will gain a fundamental understanding of practical principles and methodologies. Industry software packages are introduced showcasing methodologies and good practice through 3D asset creation and model making, 2D texture creation and the development of game engines. You will also foster your academic skills in preparation for the next two years.

Year 2

The second year will develop your art skills further with a critical understanding, and methodologies needed in the games industry, with more advanced model making techniques and game engine production. You will develop your own creative approach to your practice and to the module outcomes. More complex procedures will be developed from previous skills and knowledge. In this year students will explore and participate in a major group project replicating industry experience of working as a team.

Year 3

The third year encourages self-directed learning and gives the ability to create personal goals and establish the means to achieve them. This year will see the student specialise in a field within the games industry, choosing a project that is personal to them and will showcase their desired area of game art with a well-developed portfolio.

Year 1 (Level 4) Visual Studies (20 credits)

Visual studies aims to enhance observational and visualisation artworks. It explores through life drawing and still life traditional drawing skills that are crucial top visual communication. This leads to developing digital drawing and painting skills towards developing characters for concept art.

Modelling for Game Art (40 credits)

Modelling for game art demonstrates the fundamental modelling in polygons, how to unwrap and create a model, including how to implement a number of textures to produce one complex material. You will also learn how to present work with creative lighting for rendering. This module develops modelling to a high level through investigating user controlled assets (such as a weapon or vehicle).

Level Creation (40 credits)

Level creation introduces the development process for creating a fully working game level, through research theory and the creation of a design document, students will design, build and implement a creative game level to a high standard.

Game Studies (20 credits)

Game studies will give you the opportunity to familiarise yourself with games and related industries. It will encourage confident use of electronic communications to expand personal experience and also communicate with a wider audience.

Year 2 (Level 5) Character Modelling (40 credits)

Character modelling demonstrates advanced modelling and texturing techniques in the production of a mid-polygon character. This will encourage good topology, an understanding of proportions and develop an eye for detail. You will then apply a skin and rig the 3D character, in preparation for animation and to pose for render.

Advanced Level Creation (40 credits)

Advanced level creation expands on year one level creation module and enhances the level of playability through the use of key events, enemies and goals. This module will also simulate the process of working in a games studio encouraging you to contribute as a team to create a modular group level. You will build a complete game level using a 3D game editor. You will further develop modelling skills when building 3D assets and utilise light, sound and other effects that add appropriate atmosphere and tension.

Game Culture (20 credits)

Game culture investigates popular culture and how it impacts upon the game industry. You will be able to distinguish between popular and scholarly source materials. It also provides research, academic skills and methodologies needed for the extended contextual essay and further scholarly study.

High Polygon Modelling (20 credits)

High polygon modelling allows you to build on an existing model and working in detail to enhance the overall quality and look of the model. You will be introduced to new processes and techniques within existing software and also new high-poly modelling packages (Using Autodesk Mudbox). This module will introduce the opportunity to produce a strong "showcase" piece, which will aid greatly in the production of a graduate portfolio.

Year 3 (Level 6) Game Art Preproduction (40 credits)

Game art preproduction is the first part of the self-directed project brief that provides you with the opportunity to synthesise established skills and theories into an industry standard piece of creative work. Students will present the work so it communicates visually and verbally the scope and depth of the initial concept.

Game Art Production (40 credits)

Game art production is a follow on from the preproduction module. A final creative outcome will be produced that will be a definitive piece of specialist creative work that is of a professional standard. This piece of work will be displayed as a finished portfolio piece, appropriate to the initial concept. A critique of the development will be documented supporting the visual production process.

Game Culture in Context: (40 credits)

Game culture in context enables the student to pursue a significant piece of individual academic writing in the form of an extended contextual essay. You will collate an independent body of research. The synthesis of this acquired knowledge and its evaluation will form the essay. It will encourage an articulate and comprehensive understanding of the significance of computer games within contemporary culture. Initial lectures will identify the framework for the study and provide guidance on the stylistic demands of this level of scholarly activity.

BA (Hons) Game Art

£ 7,500 VAT inc.