Computer Games Design

Introduction To Texturing For Games

This module covers the skills required to produce hand painted texture assets for the games industry. You'll learn to generate textures from scratch, manipulate images, target UV mapping techniques to environments and characters and apply fundamental art skills to texture creation.

Module code: GAME40187

Introduction To 3D Games Engines

Students will cover the basics of a games engine, how they have evolved over time and how all the elements of a games engine function as one entity. They will also be introduced to a games engine's software development kit (SDK) toolset that will cover the following elements whilst relating to resources and balanced functionality.

Module code: GAME40213

Narratology For Games

Within this module, you'll be looking at understanding narrative in games, from analog and table top roleplaying games, to modern character driven games, along looking at the history of interactive fiction and it’s future. We’ll also be developing interactive narrative games in twine, as well as looking at the role of the narrative designer in the industry today.

Module code: GAME40246

Introduction To 3D Modelling For Games

This module introduces you to the pipeline for creating games art assets. You'll learn how to model and texture assets using the latest industry standard techniques and software. You'll be introduced to high detail modelling and the painting of PBR materials. By the end of the module you'll be modelling assets ready for today's PC and console games

Module code: GAME40400

Introduction To Games Design

This module focuses on the theoretical side to games design and covers a wide variety of topics ranging from level design and development to mechanic exploration and breakdown. The assignment consists of a series of task-based learning and problem solving as well as covering some of the essential software in games design.

Module code: GAME40214

Introduction To Animation & Motion Capture

This module focuses on the fundamental techniques of key frame animation and the study of working with motion capture data to produce animations to be imported into a game engine.

Module code: GAME40212

Rapid Games Prototyping

Students are taught from scratch how to design, develop and enhance their own game prototypes using rapid prototyping techniques, scripting and an industry standard game engine. The emphasis is on demonstrating core gameplay ideas within short timescales.

Module code: GAME50253

3D Games Design And Development

This module focuses on working with game prototypes and industry standard documentation. You'll develop skills in the field games design, level design and game engines resulting in games design documentation, playable projects and demo videos.

Module code: GAME50185

Game Interface Design And Implementation

In this module you will analyse current user interfaces and heads up displays being used in modern games and investigate the design process for menus, options and other elements of user interface design. You will then design and create a user interface for a specific game genre before implementing your design into a game engine.

Module code: GAME50261

3D Character Modelling For Games

You'll begin a journey through Character Art development for games. You will develop skills in modelling, texturing and presentation resulting in the creation of Character Art portfolio pieces.

Module code: GAME50168

3D Environment Modelling For Games

This module covers the skills required to produce realistic game environments. You'll learn to project manage, organise construction into modular elements, implement specific 3D modelling and sculpting / texture workflows, and integrate assets into games engine.

Module code: GAME50186

3D Hard Surface Modelling For Games

This module focuses on learning techniques to produce hard surface models such as weapons and vehicles. Students will produce a portfolio of weapon and vehicle assets to varying specifications and implement them into a games engine.

Module code: GAME50356

Character Animation And Motion Capture

This module focuses on the study of character animation. The work looks at locomotion cycles, body mechanics and blending of animations. The module also features the use of motion capture data to produce animations for a playable character in a games engine.

Module code: GAME50265

Junior Collaborative Game Development And Testing

Students will work in a junior role in a team comprised of departments as in a games studio. They will work with other juniors and level 6 seniors to make a vertical slice of a game as either an artist, designer or tech/scripter.

Module code: GAME50170

Advanced 3D Games Engines And Scripting

This module creates an understanding of the importance of utilising an embedded scripting language within an engine. This will be used to create simple game entities and later on in the module, a simple game.

Module code: GAME50180

2D Game Art

This module introduces the core concepts of pixel art, from low resolution 16 colour sprites to industry relevant creation of larger tiles and higher requirements, with the assignment focusing on development of tile sheets and developing pixel art for modern engines such as Unreal Engine 4.

Module code: GAME50649

A.I. Scripting For Games

Students will focus on the challenging art of designing and implementing Artificial Intelligence systems. Through scripting complex custom entities, students pit their developed AIs against a series of challenging scenarios including competitive arena-based combat and multi-agent tasks.

Module code: GAME60248

Senior Collaborative Games Development & Testing

Students will work in a senior role in a team comprised of departments as in a games studio. They will work with other seniors and Level 5 Juniors to make a vertical slice of a game as either an artist, designer or tech / scripter. The senior roles carry additional focus on mentoring and project management.

Module code: GAME60247

Individual Games Technology Project

This individual project, of your design, allows you to produce work for your portfolio that directly relates to your future career aspirations.

Module code: GAME60193

Advanced 3D Modelling

Students will work towards the creation of several industry standard 3D art pieces. You'll work with a variety of industry standard software with the goal to create stunning portfolio ready pieces.

Module code: GAME60174

Advanced Games Technical Design

Module code: GAME60514

Individual Games Technology Portfolio

This employability focused module looks at a number of specific aspects with web presences, social media and industry engagement, while also allowing you the chance to add more work to your portfolio to fit your future career plans.

Module code: GAME60271

Cinematic Animation & Motion Capture

This module builds upon the previous animation & motion capture modules to introduce students to facial animation and cinematic presentation. Students also have the opportunity to explore the technical side of facial motion capture.

Module code: GAME60400

Advanced Games Design And Production

In this module, students will focus on the completion of game prototypes within a modern industry setting. Students will learn the practical and theoretical techniques necessary to produce professional documentation, excellent prototypes and community-designed topics.

Module code: GAME60510

Military Games Design, Development & Philosophy

This module examines military based games and simulations. Students will study what it means to design, play and market military based games and how they have changed not just our understanding of conflict but how they have changed warfare in the 21st century. Military based games are not only the most popular of games on the market but are also now used as military training tools. We will examine how games are now replacing traditional simulations and table-top wargames for military training, and study how they have been used to model nuclear warfare, and now cyber warfare, and what this may mean for games design in general.

Module code: GAME60282

Game Theory & Mechanics

This module introduces students to the fundamentals of level and games design. This is achieved by investigating existing games and deconstructing mechanics and systems along with designing levels and creating testing strategies. Assignments are split into two semesters, the first focusing on level design and testing, the second on mechanic design and explanation.

Module code: GAME30160

2D Games Engines

This module introduces students to the Unreal 4 game engine. By utilising custom frameworks, students will lean the fundamentals of level construction and start to explore scripting in Blueprint – UE4’s scripting language. Assignments are split into two semesters, each focusing on a different framework and game style

Module code: GAME30400

Photoshop For Games And Animation

This module introduces you to the workflows and techniques used within Adobe Photoshop to create Game Art based content. You'll be getting to grips with Photoshop by putting yourself in the position of a Games UI/Texture Artist creating User Interfaces designs and game-ready textures.

Module code: GAME30501

Introductory Modelling And Rendering

This introductory module introduces students to the 3D modelling pipeline for computer games using industry standard software such as 3DS Max and Photoshop. Assignments are split into two separate semesters which are designed to build up the necessary skills required to create assets independently without the need for tutorials.

Module code: GAME30268

Mmog Design, Communities And Narratology

This module takes an in-depth look at massively multiplayer online games, the stories they tell and the communities they build and manage. Students will utilise play based research to examine the vast virtual worlds of MMOGS from within the stories and communities that they create. We will look at how narratives and communities must be uniquely tailored for, and how the intricacies of these designs are unique in games design due to the need for complex interactive storytelling to be achieved.

Module code: GAME60177

Computer Games Marketing

This module explores the marketing elements of the computer game industry. Students will look at topics such as how the game industry works, marketing independent games, as well as designing a marketing strategy.

Module code: GAME60235

Advanced Games Technology Project

Module code: GAME60515

Experimental Gameplay

Module code: GAME60114

Advanced Games Prototyping

Students are given a large-scale, studio-like framework created for a single player 2D space battle game. They are to design and develop their own custom gameplay using this framework which entails creating additional assets, prototypal features, in-game effects and systems, tools, game modes and missions.

Module code: GAME60249

Games Funding, Publishing And Community Engagement

Lectures and case studies on the following operational areas of the Games Industry. This module will look at areas such as key dates in the games industry calendar, making Games Industry connections, key people in the Games Industry, Gaming Sites and developing a Games Community.

Module code: GAME60281