Digital Games Theory and Design MA

4.0
1 review
  • It was above average and teachers were good but social life was boring. I enjoyed it a lot.
    |

Postgraduate

In Uxbridge

Price on request

Description

  • Type

    Postgraduate

  • Location

    Uxbridge

  • Start date

    Different dates available

The video game industry is a vastly growing sector in both the UK and worldwide and the need for highly skilled and educated individuals is in high demand across the globe. With Brunel’s Digital Games Theory and Design MA programme, individuals will engage in, and experiment with, practical game design focussing on the process of devising the gameplay experience itself, including (but not limited to) the creation of rules, gameplay mechanics, narrative, world design and user experience, among many other aspects that make up the art of game design.

Facilities

Location

Start date

Uxbridge (Middlesex)
Brunel University, UB8 3PH

Start date

Different dates availableEnrolment now open

About this course

IELTS: 6.5 (min 6 in all areas)
Pearson: 58 (51 in all subscores)
BrunELT: 65% (min 60% in all areas)

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Reviews

4.0
  • It was above average and teachers were good but social life was boring. I enjoyed it a lot.
    |
100%
4.6
excellent

Course rating

Recommended

Centre rating

Sahand

4.0
28/03/2018
What I would highlight: It was above average and teachers were good but social life was boring. I enjoyed it a lot.
What could be improved: .
Would you recommend this course?: Yes
*All reviews collected by Emagister & iAgora have been verified

This centre's achievements

2018

All courses are up to date

The average rating is higher than 3.7

More than 50 reviews in the last 12 months

This centre has featured on Emagister for 14 years

Subjects

  • Play
  • Mechanics
  • Design

Course programme

Course Content

The MA consists of compulsory modules, a typical selection can be found below. Modules can vary from year to year, but these offer a good idea of what we teach.

Each module will have a range of assessments; some practical, others written.

Game Design 1 (term 1, 30 credits) - practical group design projects (small); written evaluative case study 2000 words; assessed presentation

  • Principles behind the rules and play of games.
  • Detailed study of how games function to create experiences, including rule design, play, mechanics/structure, game balancing, social game interaction and the integration of textual strategies to create the gaming experience.
  • A range of paper-based and/or digitally rendered designs trial ideas provide the focus for an evaluative case study, which is also presented orally.

Critical Approaches (term 1, 30 credits) - 2 x 3000 word essays

The course will:

  • Define and contextualize key concepts that shape the interdisciplinary field of Game Studies.
  • Provide detailed study of the different methodological approaches used in the study of games/videogames.
  • Students will engage in developing a scholarly vocabulary used to critically evaluate videogames and their relation to and distinction from other media.
  • Connections between the theoretical and practical understanding of games studies and design will be made throughout the course as applicable

Game Design 2 (term 2, 30 credits) - 1 x practical design project tailored to a specific platform (large); written evaluative case study 3000 words; assessed presentation

  • Building on the work in Game Design I, students develop individually a design for a game for a particular platform (phone; PC; handheld, console etc). The game can be delivered in digital format for those with technical skills or as storyboard, character profiles, visual 'mood board'/style palette, sound-effects/music profiling. The project will demonstrate practical application of ideas explored in Critical Approaches to show a deep understanding of concepts of pleasure, genre, core game-play values, structure and rules.


Socio-Cultural Contexts (term 2, 30 credits) (1 x 6000 word essays)

Overall, this class provides:

  • Context and framework for discussing the relationship between games, play, society, and culture.
  • Analysis of contemporary demographic data about who plays games, why they play games and how they play games.
  • Studies of the ways in which games influence culture through fandom, media panics, and virtual life.
  • Studies of the ways in which culture influences the creation and development of games through economics/business models and gaming regulatory bodies.

Dissertation in Digital Games Design: Theory and Design - either 12,000-18,000 words or 8,000 words with practical component - delivered in either digital format or as a design document (term 3, 60 credits)

Students are expected to use the MA forum for discussions and are encouraged to participate in extra-curricular support activities such as game jams, local game related and networking events in order to practice the creative and technical skills developed throughout the programme and foster conversation and connections that are an invaluable part of the post-graduate experience.

Read more about the structure of postgraduate degrees at Brunel and what you will learn on the course.

Read more about the structure of postgraduate degrees at Brunel and what you will learn on the course.


Additional information

Teaching and Assessment Assessment Assessment is via a combination of practical games-making work, presentations and essays of varying length.

Digital Games Theory and Design MA

Price on request