Curriculum
Today's Game Designer needs to have skills in many different areas. This program provides students with a well-rounded skill set by addressing game theory, cinematics, art, animation, game mechanics, production methodologies, and especially creative writing and storytelling skills. You delve into design principles and documentation, the creative process and pre-production planning, the processes of video production, motion capture and audio, as well as visual based principles such as interface design, textures, and 3D modeling.
This is all wrapped up with an in-depth look at the production process, project and team management techniques, and the business of games. The program's production focus helps you develop a professional-quality on-line portfolio demonstrating a thorough understanding of game design. You graduate prepared to step directly into the gaming industry as a Game Designer, Level Designer, Quality Assurance Analyst, or Assistant Producer. The combination of creative writing and critical game analysis also provides opportunities to enter the field of video game journalism.
The following is an in-depth breakdown of the Game Design program by term and courses studied. To explore many key Game Design topics in more detail, please visit What You Will Learn.
Program & Term Overview
Weeks 1-8 (Term 1)
The first term exposes you to the essentials of the field, starting with an industry overview in game production and establishing fundamentals in game theory, pre-production techniques, and storytelling. Technical disciplines are introduced, including the basics of visual design principles and the first in a series of courses on level design and coding.
Subjects Covered
- Programming 1
- Game Theory (Analog)
- Game Production
- Level Design Theory
- Pre-Production Techniques
- Cinematics/Storyboarding
- Visual Design Principles
- Storytelling
Weeks 9-16 (Term 2)
The second term builds on your game theory foundation and also introduces game mechanics into the designer's toolbox. Along with learning to work effectively in teams, the specialized aspect of game design continues with level design, game art using ZBrush, critical analysis and coding in Flash. This programming language will allow the designers to create their own mini-games.
Subjects Covered
- Game Mechanics
- Flash
- Game Audio
- Critical Analysis
- Level Design 1
- Game Art using ZBrush
- Game Theory (Digital)
- Scripting 1
- Team Management
Weeks 17-24 (Term 3)
In Term 3, you shift from theoretical to practical work with advanced design documentation and designing front-end interfaces (ie. menus), along with learning the differences in design for mobile and handheld devices. This is the first term where you will start specializing in Coding, Level Design, Game Art using ZBrush, or Story/Writing.
Subjects Covered
- Mobile/Handheld Design
- 3D Modeling 1
- Creative Writing
- Detailed Design Docs
- Environment & Lighting
- Interactive Narrative
- Unity 1
- Environmental Level Design
- Game Interface Design
- Level Design 2
- Advanced Flash
Weeks 25-32 (Term 4)
Term 4 courses solidify your specialized training as you learn more about Coding, Level Design, Game Art using ZBrush, or Story/Writing. In this term, your role as a designer will help expand your imagination with online/multiplayer design, but the core aspect of Term 4 is a shift to focusing on the design of your final project, a major team-based project that will be completed over the final three terms. Along with a course in project management to develop your planning skills and a technical design course focused on "how to build it", the mentored project design course is where your team prepares the materials needed to create a game, leading into building your final project in the last two terms.
Subjects Covered
- Machinima/Cut Scenes
- Technical Design
- Project Design
- Project Management
- Level Design 3
- Mission Design
- Programming 2
- Unity 2
- 3D Modeling 2
- Character Design
- Game Journalism
- Online/Multiplayer Design
Weeks 33-40 (Term 5)
The majority of Term 5 focuses on the student production cycle. Guided by mentors carefully selected from local development studios, student teams conceive, plan, and execute game design projects. While these projects build directly on theories and techniques learned earlier in the program, projects may range from detailed level modifications to mini-games to highly experimental interactive narrative experiences. "Going indie" is another key opportunity for game designers, which is part of the Business of Games course.
Subjects Covered
- The Business of Games
- Project Development
- Quality Assurance for Games
Weeks 41-48 (Term 6)
Term 6 wraps up your VFS experience and prepares you for graduation. You complete your project development and evaluate the process with a post-mortem analysis. You will pull all the work you have created over the year into a professional portfolio and gallery of visual assets. At the same time you are mentored through industry preparation including corporate research and interview training.
Subjects Covered
- Employment Preparation
- Portfolio Development
- Post-Mortem Analysis