Welcome to Introduction to the Video Game Industry: History, Genre and Ethical Issues. You will be introduced to the world of video games through videos, student presentation and class interaction. A deep understanding of the industry’s history, both local and abroad, as well as exposure to ethical issues concerning video games and video game addition, and appreciation of the different video game genre’s will create a positive impact to you as a future game developer. This course will require you to use the internet, critique presentations, be involved in class discussions and reporting as well as play testing and dissecting video games.
This course will introduce students to the different facets of information technology. This subject will discuss a general overview of topics related to game development such as game analysis and design, art concepts, animation, programming, project management, networking, tools, methodologies, process and ethics as well as discuss how these concepts may be applied to different game genres within the industry.
Drawing fundamentals are the backbone of every illustration. This course aims to train students in the fundamentals of both traditional and digital illustration in order to build a foundation for the more advanced illustration and design skills needed in succeeding art subjects. Emphasis will be placed on both quality and quantity of work and students will be guided on how to create drawings from start to finish.
To animate is to create the illusion of life! Animation is a major part of videogame visuals and is vital to bringing characters and environments to life. This course aims to train students in the basics of animation, starting with traditional hand-drawn animation and its principles. This knowledge is valuable as it serves as the foundation all types of animation including 2D and 3D.
This course is designed to present relevant topics in Trigonometry. It discusses trigonometric functions and identities, solutions of triangles and their applications. Exponential and logarithmic functions are included. The course is intended to enable students to acquire the necessary skills to analyze, solve and interpret problems.
In this course, the students will learn database design concepts as well as get first-hand experience on how their database design will impact their programming activities and game asset management. They will understand the general advantages and the disadvantages of the database design implementation that they are using for a specific database application / game database program. The students will also learn different database design techniques to equip them to develop databases.
In this course, the students will learn basic programming from ground up. They will have a first-hand experience on how to write simple programs in C++. They will understand the basic principles of programming. The students will also learn on how to effectively apply these basic concepts. This course will help shape the student to slowly develop the discipline in programming and analytical skills before they create an actual game.
In this course, the students will learn how to create programs which requires a complex interaction between objects/entities that wasn’t present in BASPRG1. In order to reach this goal, this course will focus on commonly-used data structures, memory management, and the basics of Object-Oriented Programming. This course includes inheritance and polymorphism for Object-Oriented Programming. This course also aims to teach students on how to write flexible code required to develop maintainable games.
In this course, students will be given an introduction to computer graphics as well as how they may be applied to create 3D graphics programs. The learning approach of the course is to introduce computer graphics and its mathematics through a top-down approach focusing more on the theory of 3D graphics as well as its relation to 3D game engines found today.
In previous programming courses, students mostly deal with manipulating and storing small amounts of data without even thinking of efficiency and computer performance. This course will show how having a good understanding of data structures and algorithms would help make a system have a good architecture that is flexible and efficient in handling even large amounts of data. Students will improve their prior knowledge about arrays, and learn more about existing data structures such as Stacks, Queues, Linked Lists, Trees, and develop algorithms that work hand-in-hand with said data structures.
STORYTELLING is humankind’s most ancient and important form of communication. A Story is a World, as are the environment and characters within a Game. It’s a World of infinite possibilities which draws in the listener and the viewer and makes them a Participant. A story entertains and educates and conveys emotions and empathies which can influence and change every aspect of the ‘Real World.’ But to achieve this, the Story must not be superficial or vacuous or ill-thought-out and lacking in direction, depth or dimension - the best stories and the most successful games have higher purpose and meaning. This course analyses and explores the techniques and devices involved in great storytelling; it examines plot development and design, the construction of characters, and the psychological and emotional manipulation of the Participant through words, pictures and sound. It deals with the importance of communication and teamwork, and aims to equip the Students with a holistic and in-depth approach to what is the essence of successful game design and development – namely, the Story. Additionally, the lessons learned from this course can be applied to many other disciplines; copywriting, film-making and animation, journalism, publicity, advertising, presentations and public speaking, acting, arts and design and more - but better yet, the skills it teaches will enable the Student to achieve greater success in their professional lives.
3D modeling and animation for games is essential. This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of using the basic but primary internal tools of 3D applications
specifically Autodesk Maya. This learning program will emphasize on how to use the tools, why it is necessary and when
it is perfect to use. Though this course is very basic and simple, it is actually the most critical phase of learning 3D Art
development where all students must learn perfectly before proceeding to Advance level.
Game Studies is a course for the discussion of theories, philosophies, and case studies which relate to the activity of designing games, and to the content of these games. The learners will be introduced to different perspectives under several categories of study: Theories of Identity, Media and Communication Theories, Aesthetic Theories, and Theories of Narratology and Ludology. The learner is also enjoined to engage these theories and how these are applied into our daily experiences, and consequently, in our game designs.
In this course, you will analyze existing digital and non-digital games, and learn how they function by taking them apart. You will also create a numberof non-digital games in order to learn the basic game design elements common to all games regardless of their format, and explore concepts likemechanics, iterative design, and playtesting among others.This course teaches the practice of game design in a hands-on manner. The challenges represent real-world problems that professional designers facein their daily practice and you will start acting the way you will as a game designer working in a professional game studio.
Welcome to Introduction to Design and Production. You will learn about the processes involved in the game development pre-production phase.These lessons will be vital in deeply understanding how to create a game with a relevant project objective in mind. This subject now applieswhat you have learned about creating theoretical frameworks, as it introduces research methods. It is required that you participate actively inthe reflective discussions, research about the game concepts and industry trends, create documents that support the feasibility andmarketability of your game concept, and build a game in line with the methodologies that will be taught in this course.
This User Experience course is about understanding the gamer’s brain. You'll learn about human capabilities and limitations to anticipate how a game will be perceived, the emotions it will elicit, how players will interact with it, and how engaging the experience will be. By the end of this course, you will be equipped with neuroscience knowledge and user experience guidelines and methodologies. You will finally craft your own game demonstrating the concepts covered in class and delivering a solid and empowering user experience for your players.
GameBiz is a course on the application of business concepts in the Gaming Industry. These concepts include market research, marketing (4Ps), business models in the gaming industry, and platforms (place). The goal of this course is to equip the students with the necessary knowledge and skills in business in relation to the Gaming Industry. Understanding business concepts leads to sustainability and progress in game design and development.
This course aims to increase students’ level of moral awareness by providing them with the frameworks to make moral and ethical decisions within organizations. The course will also introduce the students to the Information Technology Code of Ethics and will discuss the ethical dilemmas confronting Game Design and Development professional today.
Welcome to Introduction to Design and Production. You will learn about the processes involved in the game development pre-production phase.These lessons will be vital in deeply understanding how to create a game with a relevant project objective in mind. This subject now applieswhat you have learned about creating theoretical frameworks, as it introduces research methods. It is required that you participate actively inthe reflective discussions, research about the game concepts and industry trends, create documents that support the feasibility andmarketability of your game concept, and build a game in line with the methodologies that will be taught in this course.
This course examines several quality assurance methods in relation to various game genres. Students will learn testing techniques for both the project processes and the end products. This also outlines the roles of game testers, as well as the various responsibilities that can be assigned to quality assurance teams. This also covers how to apply software test engineer methods from other IT industries into game development.
In this course, students will understand the concepts and mathematics involved in game development algorithms. These topics include geometric tests for collision detection of simple shapes, a review on the Cartesian coordinate system and linear transformations and matrix operations for 3-dimensional angular displacement. By this subject, students should be able to implement these mathematical concepts in a program or a gaming application
In this course, students will learn plan, design, and develop games for Android platforms. They will learn to apply beginner and intermediate programming concepts to mobile game development. Thsi course also serves as an introduction to the Unity engine, and students will learn how to navigate its interface and use its tools to create finished game projects.
Have you ever noticed that the ghosts in the famous video game Pac-Man have different behaviours? Have you ever wondered how your avatar finds its path from point A to point B after clicking a point on screen? Have you ever lost in a chess battle versus a computer? All of these and several other games use Artificial Intelligence to simulate human-like intelligence to improve the overall experience of the game. This course will teach you the foundational and fundamental concepts in building a game with Artificial Intelligence.
This course focuses on guiding the students learn the techniques and technologies used for programming games on the iOS platform. Students will use the knowledge in developing their own 2D game on iOS. This course will mainly focus on programming aspects including best practices on game programming, code planning, touch input, events, oop, and design patterns.
This Game Development Physics course will provide you with a broad understanding of the physics concepts that govern natural phenomena. You will have the chance to work with and implement core physics algorithms such as friction, buoyancy, gravitational attraction, pendulum movements among others. You will review key math concepts including vector maths and trigonometry in order to fully enable your physics exploration. This course teaches the practice of physics in a hands-on manner. The challenges represent real-world problems that professional designers might face in their daily practice and you will start acting the way you will as a programmer working in a professional game studio.
In this course, the students will learn how to create programs which requires a complex interaction between objects/entities that wasn’t present in the BASPRG series subjects. In order to reach this goal, this course will focus on commonly-used data structures and the basics of Object-Oriented Programming. This course includes inheritance and polymorphism for Object-Oriented Programming. This course also aims to teach students on how to write flexible code required to develop maintainable games.
In this course, the students will learn how to implement a three dimensional environment through the understanding of mesh data structures and hierarchies which are fundamental in creating an involving game. The subject also teaches basic camera, basic state machine, basic AI and input control concepts as well as concepts for implementing world boundaries.
In this course, the students will learn how to implement a three dimensional environment through the understanding of mesh data structures and hierarchies which are fundamental in creating an involving game. The subject also teaches basic camera, basic state machine, basic AI and input control concepts as well as concepts for implementing world boundaries.
The Graphics Programming course is focused on creating advanced graphics programming effects using programmable shaders in GLSL and Unity ShaderLab. You will use trigonometric functions and linear algebra to create various types of shapes, gradients and patterns. Some of the topics will include shaping functions, noise, geometric shapes, distance fields and post-processing effects among others. By the end of this course, you will be comfortable creating a large variety of effects involving shader programming for your own projects.
This course focuses on guiding the students to learn the techniques and technologies used for programming games on the web. The students will use the knowledge in developing their own 2D games in HTML5. This course will mainly focus on programming aspects. Topics include drawing graphics, text and image display, interaction events, event loops and audio playback.
This Level Design course will provide you with a hands-on application of game design concepts directly in digital format, through the creation of actual playable levels. You will be re-exposed to several concepts first introduced in Game Mechanics, this time within the realm of digital games and the practice of level design creation. Topics will include teaching mechanics and user experience, flow, level construction, player guidance, risks and rewards, and visual storytelling, among others.
Students will earn how to create games using Unreal Engine and its visual scripting feature, the blueprints.
This course trains the students on the intermediate to advance methods of planning, coordinating and implementing a project, especially involving game development. Core skills such as communication, leadership, team building, and conflict resolution are covered as well as budgeting and scheduling.
Digital Drawing is foundational introduction to drawing as a basic practice that underlies all visual art making. In this course, students will investigate the basic elements of visual language (including mark, line, gesture, contour, edge, value, form, volume, mass, density, proportion, scale, linear perspective, order, pattern, rhythm, texture, and the illusion of space) through a series of observations, exercises, and projects. Emphasis is placed on drawing from observation. Computers and the role of technology in observation and visual research will be discussed.
Composition is all about placing or arranging of visual elements or 'ingredients' in a work of art, as distinct from the subject in focus. This course aims to teach the basics of composting; preparing and correcting images, meshes and other assets, grading them to depict a games theme, and using composition techniques to create a dynamic and engaging scene.
Concept art is the foundation of a game’s visuals. Every aspect of a game’s world begins with designs for characters, environments and props. This course aims to train students in fleshing out their game ideas with character and environment designs that will guide their projects visual tone and direction. Emphasis will be placed on both quality and efficiency and students will be guided on how to produce large amounts of appealing designs effectively.
This course aims to teach advanced techniques in 2D animation, focusing on streamlining the animation workflow and using bones and cutout assets to interpolate animation for faster and better looking animations for games.
This course is an introduction to digital imaging. Students will learn how to edit and manipulate images using Adobe Photoshop, and how these techniques are applied to creating 2D game assets such as title logos and user interface buttons and icons. Additionally, this course covers the basics of lighting and color theory to help students create convincing images.
This course is an introduction to the industry standard level of 3D Game Art production. This basically covers 3D asset development that evolves from basic game art for an average smartphone (2012-2015 era) up to high-end triple A game projects for Xbox One, Playstation and powerful Desktop computers. The learning program does not focus on art alone but also provides the whole class to present itself as an entire studio that will experience in handling a simulated project with a fictional client, complaints, development cost and penalty. This simulation will push the students to understand the essence of quality control, team collaboration, independent thinking, file management, and other professional values.
In this Level Art course, you will create a small environment from scratch, similar to a vignette. You will learn about low polygon and high polygon modeling, baking texture maps, sculpting assets as well as procedural texturing. You will start from a concept art, then move on to the blockout phase before getting ready for production. Finally, you will learn how to present your scene inside of a game engine. By the end of this course, you will be equipped with a working ability to create game-ready environment from start to finish.
This course introduces students to sculpting high-poly 3D models. Starting with a digital ball similar to a ball of clay, students will learn to mold the materials into their own, intricately detailed creations. The course also serves as an introduction to ZBrush, and students will learn how to use its tools and how the digital sculpting process fits into the game production pipeline.
This course is an introduction to the 3D animation pipeline. Students will learn how to rig a set of digital bones on a static 3D model in Maya to prepare it for animation. The course also focuses on how to avoid distortions and deformations during the animation process.
The Lighting and Special Effects course covers the discipline of lighting for games following a pragmatic approach in Unreal Engine 4. Every week, you will be working with a particular environment or level provided by your instructor. The techniques and methods covered in this course will demonstrate a workflow used in triple A production. We will focus on the art of lighting, and therefore use an engine-agnostic approach whenever possible. By the end of this course, you will be comfortable lighting any game environment from the ground up. Topics such as exposure, static lighting, dynamic lighting, player pathing and reflections among others, will be covered during this class.
This course teaches intermediate to advanced methods of planning, coordinating, and implementing a game development project. Students will learn core management skills such as communication, leadership, team building, conflict resolution budgeting and scheduling.
This course introduces the student to the basics of the role of Audio in Games. Hopefully allowing the student to gain an apprecia;on of how the process of game audio is done. And allowing them to start writing their own original background game music through the use of MIDI.
Textures and materials are some of the most important parts of immersive game environments. These involve not just the over-all look of a game asset, but also how it behaves under different forms of lighting. This course focuses on how to create different types of textures and materials using Substance Painter and how these are applied to the game production pipeline. Students will learn how to utilize Albedo, Occlusion, Roughness, Height, Bump, Displacement and Normal Maps in Maya and Substance Designer. Students will also learn how to utilize these maps and bake them into the model to achieve a realistic look.
In this course, students develop the advance design knowledge, the ability to create anatomically correct characters for their own 3D game, conceptualize and paint production environmental images to support the vision of the world this character inhabits focusing on color and composition.
A present Industry standard approach and a better understanding of digital sculpting a Human Anatomy, that includes technical discussions, and features in-depth techniques for adding life and realism to characters. By the use of Maya to Zbrush work- flow, Students will have a better scope on how to create an effective Anatomically correct Human Characters. 1 st part will be the use of Maya software creating and preparing 3D asset that to be sculpted in Zbrush. 2 nd part will be the use of Zbrush software creating and sculpting the block mesh from Maya, with a comprehensive description of how to develop anatomy while adding weight, balance, and realism to your character. This lecture is intended for all students who wish to strengthen their character work through furthering their knowledge of human anatomy.
Anatomical knowledge is a fundamental skill and is one of the foundations of game art. From concept design of characters and creatures to 3D modeling and animation, proper anatomy is important in order to give a game’s visuals a good level of believability. This course aims to provide students with the knowledge and application of anatomy in figure drawing. Emphasis will be placed on constructing figures from the ground up using gestures, basic shapes and knowledge of the proper placement of muscles.
Students will learn the concepts and mathematics involved in game development algorithms, and implement them in games.
This is not a typical 'modular' course. Along with the co operation of some of the other specialised GDD tutors, the Students' mission will be to split into teams, then, together, to write, design and produce a complete Interactive Decision-Making Game with the title: Life's Hard, Then You Die. It may even be possible to have the game commercially released - but they'd have to commit and work very hard to achieve this.
Welcome to Introduction to Pixel Art. In this course, you will be introduced to the practice of pixel art graphics creation. Students will learn the fundamentals of creating pixel art illustration and animations efficiently and develop a portfolio of pixel art assets. Students will learn about the development of pixel art through the history of video game graphics.
The Shader Effects in Unreal course is targeted to game programmers with an artistic knack, as well as artists with a technical mind. It aims to introduce you to practical shader effects used in modern triple A games through the use of Unreal Engine 4. You'll learn about procedural materials, custom vertex and pixel shaders, non-photorealistic rendering techniques and you will create specific visual effects such as explosions, dust, smoke or fire etc. Topics such as offset bump maps and tessellation materials as well as custom post-process techniques will also be covered during the course. By the end of this course, you will have created a personalized and optimized scene demonstrating the techniques covered in class.
Students are trained under actual workplace conditions. The program aims to strengthen the implementation of the local internship through collaborative effort of the academe-industry linkage among participating HEIs and partner institutions/establishments and to establish the harmonious collaboration/linkages between higher education institutions and the Host Training Establishments for the effective implementation of the program to support the educational environment of the student interns.