BA (Hons) Game Design with Foundation Year

Within this module you will be introduced to key themes within the area of Computer Games Design within relevant historical and cultural contexts. You will engage with a variety of research methods in order to investigate questions set by module staff. You will present these findings in the form of an online blog where you will engage with feedback and questions from your peer group.      

This module aims to introduce you to an elementary knowledge base and skill set that will enable you to develop as a games design practitioner. Building upon issues developed in both the contextual and practical strands of the course, assignments in this module will encourage considered and knowledgeable approaches to computer games design. Through studio based teaching, you will be encouraged to understand and consider the practical and technical constraints of production relating to set assignments.

This module aims to introduce you to an elementary knowledge base and skill set in the field of interactivity for games. You will be introduced to the concepts and techniques in rapid prototyping and designing casual games that will enable you to develop as a games design practitioner. Building upon issues developed in both the contextual and practical strands of the course, students will develop considered and knowledgeable approaches to designing and creating interactivity for computer games with a strong focus on the iterative design cycle and core game mechanics.

Through class demonstration and instruction, you will learn a combination of 2d and 3d art processes to create fully surfaced 3d model game assets. You will demonstrate organisational skills by building a log which documents this process. By applying individualised and appropriate processes you will aim to balance constraints of gameplay, framerates and design specification.

This research and practice module introduces design and its use within games and animation production. Students will study and practice various design principles through digital drawing and image creation, resulting in a well-researched and contextualised creative portfolio of work.

Intially, you will propose a game level design on the basis of reference to published media and critical texts on game analysis and design principles. You will create a prototype game level or interactive 3D environment. You will demonstrate organisational skills by building a log which documents this process. Finally, you will reflect by comparing the proposal and the artefact, and by contextualising the skillsets you acquired with role definitions from the industry.

The module aims to introduce you to the elementary techniques and concepts in audio creation, manipulation, and editing for computer games. You will be introduced to fundamental theory in audio physics, digital audio theory, and practical techniques in sound recording, post-production and mastering. Through studio based teaching you will develop considered and knowledgeable approaches to audio design for games and consider the broader social and cultural contexts relevant to audio content in games. You will be encouraged to foster creative approaches to specific assignment briefs and work towards the delivery of a finished audio sequence appropriate to a specific assignment brief.

Through seminar sessions and workshops you will deconstruct and critically evaluate the techniques employed to, create immersive atmospheric game experiences. Building upon issues developed in both the contextual and practical strands of the course, you will develop considered and knowledgeable approaches to designing immersive content for current generation computer games and will work towards developing creative solutions for a specific project brief.

In this module you will critically examine various theories, ideas and claims about the role of games and the influences and impacts games may have on people, society and culture. You will engage with controversial aspects of games and games design, e.g. game ethics, values in games, character stereotypes, violence in games, social and political aspects of games. You will also design your own ‘serious game’ that will have a purposeful impact on the player. This can be game that promotes certain ‘values’ or raise the player’s awareness about a social, political or cultural issue. There will be weekly readings outside the sessions followed by discussions and presentations and feedback in class. There are two assignments for this module: “Assignment one:  Students agree their project with their tutor. They will conduct research and produce a detailed design of their game, including concept art, storyboard, character design, environmental design, interaction design, gameplay and game mechanics. All this will be presented in a document that form the basis for the next assignment.” “Assignment two: In this assignment students start building the game that they have designed in assignment one. They will create their models, textures, sounds and write the necessary code for the game interactivity. They will make a prototype and keep testing, adjusting and refining it further until it achieves the desired goal. They will also write a documentation for the game.”  

You will collaboratively generate visual designs, project production timelines and organise project management networks. You will formalise and record team communication in game design contexts. You will also gain a clearer idea of the role specialisms in which you will base your future practice and an individually configured skillset to give character and focus to your portfolio work in the final year of study.

This module offers you the opportunity to consolidate and enhance tyour existing knowledge and skills by experimenting with new ideas and processes in designing and developing an interactive artefact.

This module provides you with an opportunity to work on a year-long practical project. In semester& nbsp;one, you will identify and explore your game ideas and concepts. You will then produce a portfolio of work that includes your& nbsp;proposed game idea,& nbsp;your research,& nbsp;concept designs and a detailed design specification document. In semester& nbsp;two, you will concentrate on making and refining your proposed game. You will also write a short reflective report about your final game and the process of making it. There are two assignments in this Module: Assignment one:& nbsp;& nbsp;you will& nbsp;discuss and agree your project with their tutor.& nbsp;You will conduct research and produce a detailed design of& nbsp;your game, including concept art, storyboard, character design, environmental design, interaction design, gameplay and game mechanics. All this will be presented in a document that forms the basis for the next assignment. Assignment two: In this assignment& nbsp;you will& nbsp;start building the game that& nbsp;you have designed on paper in assignment one.& nbsp;You will create your models, textures, sounds and write the necessary code for the game interactivity.& nbsp;You will make a prototype and keep testing, adjusting and refining it further until it achieves the desired goal.& nbsp;You will also write a documentation for the game that includes a user guide and reflection on your project. & nbsp;

This module aims to give you the experience of a creative, collaborative, detailed and specific game design process. Through group working, you will conceptualise, identify key characteristics and pitch-present to given audiences a game design iterated via pre-production techniques.

Professional Development is an opportunity to investigate your creative future; this module enables you to investigate various roles within creative industries and develop a research portfolio and action plan that strengthens your knowledge and confidence when making career choices. The practical element of this module is to produce a showreel, and a professional online presence. You will investigate and practice self-promotion and branding through presentations, CV development, business cards and mock interviews.