Students will further advance their Engine Skills and understanding of the Technical Design pipeline through topics such as:

Games Systems Design

Technical Design Documentation

Co-operative gameplay systems

Procedural Content systems

Game Engine Tools

Games Testing and QA

Assessment 1 Technical Design Project 70%:

Creation of a game project that adheres to a provided technical design brief. The project should evidence developed gameplay loops and efficient implementation of systems and mechanics, aligning with industry standard workflows.

Assessment 2 Documentation Portfolio 30%:

A documentation portfolio containing the following:

A Design Document, detailing the project planning through diagrams and charts
A Development Log, to demonstrate the implementation and iteration of the technical project.
A Video, to present the final technical artefact.

Learning and teaching activities will be delivered through a structured blend of scheduled and independent study designed to support a coherent learning journey. Scheduled sessions will typically include lectures that introduce core concepts and workshops/tutorials that allow students to apply techniques, engage in facilitated discussions, and undertake activities focused on problem solving and peer learning. Independent study will involve research tasks, design tasks, and ongoing development of project work supported by the resources provided.

1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the requirements of a Technical Design Project through industry-standard documentation and planning.

Knowledge & Understanding

2. Integrate knowledge gained through academic research of industry approaches to technical design into a Technical Design Project.

Application & Problem-Solving

3. Apply critical reasoning skills in response to feedback and collaborative testing sessions via an industry standard development cycle.

Critical Reasoning & Collaboration

4. Conduct technical, academic, theoretical and user-based research which informs the design of the prototype game artefacts.

Research Skills
Digital Literacy

Games Laboratories
Unreal Engine
Photoshop
Blender
3DS Max
Maya
Digital Forum
Digital Academy Forum
Digital Academy Upload System

Gazaway, D. (2021) Introduction to Game Systems Design. New York: Pearson. ISBN 978-0137440849

Kramarzewski, A. and De Nucci, E. (2018) Practical Game Design. Birmingham: Packt. ISBN 978-1787121799

Sellers, M. (2017) Advanced Game Design: A Systems Approach. Boston: Addison-Wesley Professional. ISBN 978-0134667607

Swink, S. (2008) Game Feel: A Game Designer’s Guide to Virtual Sensation. Burlington: Routledge. ISBN 978-0123743282

Zubek, R. (2020) Elements of Game Design. Cambridge: The MIT Press. ISBN 978-0262043915

Prototyping for Tech Design will help you launch your Technical Games Design portfolio. In this module you’ll produce Technical Games Design projects within leading Game Engines. Your projects will be supported by excellent Technical Design Documentation and presented by demo reels.