Tiga Diploma in Games Art and Animation

Contents:

Section 1 Part A

• Introduction
• The Games Artist and Animator
• What is a Computer Game?

Lesson 1

• Role of the games artist in the games industry
• Tools of the games artist

Lesson 2

• The game art Pipeline
• 3D Max familiarisation
• Basic Primitives

Lesson 3

• Material Editor
• Basic Modelling Techniques

Section 1 Part B

Lesson 4

• Welcome to Photoshop
• Basic Texture Creation

Lesson 5

• Concept Art
• Creating Models from Sketches

Lesson 6

• Polys, Quads and Triangles
• Edge Normals and Smoothing Groups
• UV Unwrapping

Lesson 7

• Photoshop Layers and Selections
• Creating a Tiling Texture
• Alpha Channels

Lesson 8

• Cameras in 3D Max
• Basic Lighting and Rendering

Section 1 Part C

Lesson 9

• Organic Modelling
• Modelling and Texturing a Character

Lesson 10

• Skeletons
• Skinning and Rigging
• Basic Animation

Section 2 Part A

Lesson 11

• Modelling & UV Ocean Flooor
• Intro to Normal Maps

Lesson 12

• Photoshop Layer Effects
• Creating a Normal Map using the nVidia plug-in
• Overview of other methods used (ZBrush & Render to Texture)

Lesson 13

• Image formats & Compression
• Palletised and low colour images
• Billboards & Animated Gifs

Lesson 14

• Intro to ZBrush/Mudbox workflow
• Vertex Colour
• Multiple UV Channels
• Open GL V Direct X Rendering

Lesson 15

• Scene Management

Lesson 16

• Ambient Occlusion

Section 2 Part B

Lesson 17

• Concept Art/Sketchwork
• Character Design (brief look)

Lesson 18

• Organic Modelling Techniques (Intermediate)
• Optimizing Art

Lesson 19

• Advanced Texturing,
• Normal Maps & Spec Maps
• Adding Occlusion Maps to the Shader

Lesson 20

• Good Typology
• Modelling with Animation in MInd

Lesson 21

• Exporting Models to
• Game Engine & LODS

Section 2 Part C

Lesson 22

• Creating a Skeleton

Lesson 23

• Rigging Bipeds
• IK and FK Rules

Lesson 24

• 12 Rules of animation (theory)
• Setting Keys
• Graph Editor

Lesson 25

• Animation Cycles
• Walk Cycle
• Baking Animation
• Importing and Exporting Animation

Section 3 Part A

Lesson 26

• Reference and Using it Effectively

Lesson 27

• Introduction to Enviroment Sketching

Lesson 28

• Subdivisions and Nurbs Modelling

Lesson 29

• Creating a ‘material' from all your texture maps

Section 3 Part B

Lesson 30

• Advanced High Polygon Modelling

Lesson 31

• High Poly vs. Low Polygon Methods
• Intro to Spline Modelling

Lesson 32

• Introduction to Particles
• Particles in 3D MAx and Game Engine

Lesson 33

• Introduction to Physics
• Physics in game vs. 3D package

Lesson 34

• Raytacing &Radiosity vs. Realtime Rendering

Lesson 35

• Common Effects in Game Engines (Bloom, HDR Lighting, etc.)

Lesson 36

• Character Sketching
• Measuring Proportions using ‘heads'

Lesson 37

• Modelling Realistic Proportions
• Advanced Polygon Perameterization and Working Practices
• Cleaning Bad Meshes

Lesson 38

• Displacement Maps & Procedural Materials

Section 3 Part C

Lesson 39

• Advanced Rigging Techniques

Lesson 40

• Motion Capture in Games
• Importing and Cleaning Mo-Cap Data

Lesson 41

• Non-Linear Animation
• Animation Clips

Lesson 42

• Facial Animation
• Rigging a Face
• Blend Shapes & Morph Targets

Lesson 43

• Animation Layers

Lesson 44

• Advanced Exporting (for character/Enviroment interaction)

Lesson 45

• 12 Rules of Animation (for realistic animation)

Lesson 46

• Cameras and Basics of Cinematography

Lesson 47

• Building a Portfolio/Demo Reel

Lesson 48

• Approaching Employers

OBJECTIVES

• To teach current modelling techniques using bespoke industry-relevant software applications and proprietary tools.
• To teach current animation techniques using bespoke industry-relevant software applications and proprietary tools.
• To provide a solid grounding in the world of games art design such that the student is ready to move into the industry and become a games artist.
• To assist the student in the production of a project portfolio as well as game animation projects.
• To help immerse the student in the games industry network through understanding industry terminology and through Train2Game's extensive industry relationships.
• To help enrich the student's knowledge with technical and theoretical lectures from key industry professionals.
• To introduce the student to the workflow of the games development process.
• To help prepare the student for working as a team member in a large-scale game production company.
• To prepare the student for in-depth development fun and committed study.
• To work with the student in developing career opportunities.

KEY FEATURES

• Train2Game is endorsed by TIGA
• Train2Game courses include specialist games industry, proprietary software applications
• Train2Game has a StudentWorld intranet support structure that is available 24 hours a day
• Train2Game has a unique combination of practical and theoretical teaching
• Train2Game offers TIGA awarded Art and Animation Diplomas to successful students
• Train2Game courses allow you to progress at your own pace
• Train2Game use leading industry professionals as guest lecturers to make regular web presentations
• Train2Game students do not have to give up their careers whilst learning