Game Design and Development BA (Hons)

Bachelor's degree

In London

Price on request

Description

  • Type

    Bachelor's degree

  • Location

    London

100% of this course is devoted to the study and development of video games. Taught in a specialist game studio featuring high-spec PCs and game consoles.

Facilities

Location

Start date

London
See map
103 Borough Road, SE1 0AA

Start date

On request

Questions & Answers

Add your question

Our advisors and other users will be able to reply to you

Who would you like to address this question to?

Fill in your details to get a reply

We will only publish your name and question

Reviews

Subjects

  • Industry
  • Project
  • 3D
  • 3d training
  • Sound
  • Art
  • Programming
  • Sound Design
  • Media
  • Play
  • Animation
  • 3D Modelling
  • Drawing
  • Production
  • Team Training
  • IT
  • Design
  • IT Development

Course programme

Modules

Methods of assessment for course overall: 83% coursework

Year 1
  • 2D Game design
    In 2D Game Design you'll learn the key elements involved in production by creating a 2D game. As a group, you'll develop a concept and then - in teams that mirror key industry roles (producer, artist, designer, sound engineer, programmer) - realise your game vision. Integral to the module is familiarising you with the professional skills crucial to the game development process. These specific skills will be built upon in subsequent modules within the course: managing the game asset pipeline, strategies for meeting deadlines, game development project management techniques, and team work.
  • Art and sound design
    You'll learn art and sound design techniques and processes integral to art and sound design in video games. Specifically, you'll learn to observe, record, express and represent both objects and sounds. Through this process you will explore the relationship of the visual and audio in video game development.
  • Memory games (theory module)
    You'll take a critical personal journey, reflecting on the games people play: see why they began to play games of all kinds and explore what it is about each game that makes it compelling to the player. Central to this voyage of discovery will be recognising the crucial role the past plays in shaping the games developers are going to create in the future.
  • 3D modelling
    3D Modelling introduces the process of creating models in three dimensions. Through making, you will explore the connections between 2D design and 3D modelling while examining challenges of perspective, and processes including texturing, rendering and lighting.
  • Industry and professional practice
    What's it like to work in the games industry, and how do you get a job? Through a series of innovative master classes you'll gain insight from a diverse group of leading industry experts on the games industry. At the same time, you'll learn the essential insider knowledge to help you get a job in the UK’s expanding games industry.
  • Convergent media frameworks
    Working in games development means understanding the tremendous impact and influences games have on related fields such as film, sound design and social media. Through lectures from experts and external visits to key London museums and galleries, this module encourages an in-depth critical understanding of the ways in which the convergence of art, media, and communications is taking place.
Year 2
  • Story design
    Love stories? In this module you'll learn how to construct stories for games, drawing on principles and practice used by both the game and film industries. You'll acquire essential video game storytelling methods and writing techniques. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the role of the video game designer-writer. Together with Organic Modelling and Animation, the Story Design module provides material for you to incorporate into your own game development project work in the 3D Level Design module.
  • Organic modelling and animation
    In this module you'll embark on one of the essential game art tasks: creating an animated story. You’ll learn advanced 3D Modelling techniques and become proficient in the animation production pipeline. Throughout the year, to support the development of traditional drawing skills— an essential requirement for game artists - you'll attend bi-weekly observational and life drawing sessions, This is how all the greatest animators, from Disney to Aardman Animations (who created Wallace and Gromit) have learnt their craft.
  • 3D level design
    Stepping up a gear, you will enhance your design skills by creating a game level in 3D. You'll need to think consistently and critically about ideas of play and playing and will be expected to incorporate the theoretical concepts and practical work produced in the complementary Level 2 modules Story Design and Organic Character Modelling and Animation. Throughout the creative process, you'll apply the knowledge and critical awareness you gained in the Level 4 theory modules Memory Games and Convergent Media Frameworks.
  • Re:creation part one (theory module)
    Re:Creation marks the halfway point of the degree by building upon and expanding ideas discussed in the hands-on game development modules and in the core video game theory modules. Crucially, the Re:Creation module helps you develop the critical abilities required for achieving the two key requirements for any advanced undergraduate degree-level study: the 10,000 word dissertation and the Advanced Game Project. To this effect, you'll identify a potential area of interest for the dissertation, synthesize the various kinds of theory that you have encountered so far on the course and, prepare a dissertation proposal. In doing so, you’ll effectively create a research specialism for yourself that will be essential to your job search and differentiate you from other potential candidates.
  • Re:creation part two (practice)
    The module also offers a fun way to develop your professional practice, while planning for the future. You'll prepare for year three's Advanced Game Project module by playing a year-long business game which sees you preparing for a game development venture. In doing so, you'll undertake one of the most challenging formal communication tasks in the game industry: pitching a game concept to a Dragon’s Den team of investors.
  • Game programming
    Every game requires coding. In this module you'll explore key concepts in programming and learn how to apply them to their own game project. Throughout the module sessions you will not only develop your understanding of the fundamentals of game programming, but also further develop your understanding of the game production processes you learned in year 1. You'll also be expected to schedule and accurately track game programming tasks. The module will not only provide you with a conceptual understanding of the programming of games, but will provide you with key project planning and management skills that you can then apply to next year's Advanced Game Project work.
  • Collaborative practices
    One of the advantages of studying in the School of Arts and Creative Industries is that students have access to all of the student talent enrolled at the school. The Collaborative Practice module sees students across multiple creative media disciplines—film, photography, sound design, games, digital design-- working in development teams to create a compelling and marketable project from initial idea to completion. In doing so, you’ll learn how to respond to a brief set by industry and gain essential knowledge about areas related to games. An added bonus is making contacts that you’ll most likely keep for life.
Year 3
  • Advanced game project (triple module)
    In this module you run a small game development in which you develop the game you pitched in year two. In doing so, you’ll demonstrate your skills as a game designer and producer. Moreover, you’ll further develop your particular game specialism (e.g. artist) by freelancing on other students’ projects. During the module you define a clear brand for your company, plan carefully, protect your assets, manage freelancers and ensure that everything gets done on time. Further, each week you are responsible for demonstrating progress to and documenting feedback from a ‘publisher’ team comprised of industry specialists.
  • Tangible play
    In this module you will respond creatively to a ‘live brief’ from a real industry client who will give you an outline to work on. You will produce an innovative accessible game prototype and also a unique hardware input device for playing the game you've designed. This module asks you to push the boundaries of play and innovation and to consider the everyday landscape as a limitless playground, whilst meeting the requirements of an external client.
  • Dissertation (double module)
    University-level study involves high-level advanced thinking. This is one of the key factors that differentiates university study from general game training courses. In this module, you'll have the opportunity to conduct original research in an area of your passion or interest directly related to your chosen games specialisation. Drawing on the theoretical and practical understanding you will now have at this point in the course, you will explore a specific subject area of your choice under the guidance of an experienced supervisor. The final dissertation is seen as the expression of your intellectual development, but it’s also a good way of demonstrating your ability to a potential employer.

Modules are assessed through individual and group projects, development work related to industry roles (e.g. 3D model or game script), critiques, oral presentations and pitches, written reports and essays.

Game Design and Development BA (Hons)

Price on request