Students will continue their learning of the Advanced Games Prototyping, they will continue to develop their understanding of:


Prototyping and Synthesis of design ideas

Unreal Mechanics Design

Analogue Games Design

World Building Design

Photoshop Games Design Diagrams

Mechanics Planning

Game Mechanic Breakdowns and Analysis

Games Research

Development Workflows

Mechanics Presentation

Assessment Component 1 - Game Design Portfolio Prototypes [Learning outcomes 1,2,3]



A portfolio of prototypes set within a games design field weighted at 70% consisting of:

You will complete a Games Design Prototype portfolio that solves challenges in a specific field for example Level or Technical Design. The portfolio is to be posted to the Digital Academy Forum





Assessment Component 2 - Pitching and Planning [Learning Outcome 4]



2 supported pitches with accompanying planning documentation weighted at 30% consisting of:

You will present your prototypes twice; your progress should be supported by evidence posted to the Digital Academy Forum

2 * 3-hour Lecture / Tutorial sessions.

1. Evaluate a range of prototyping issues at the forefront of Games Development.

Knowledge and Understanding


2. Apply a range of advanced research techniques to analyse complex problems in AAA games development.

Analysis


3. Ideate a range of solutions to complex prototyping problems in the field of games design taking into account gaming culture, hardware and software innovation.

Problem Solving


4. Effectively use Oral, Written and Electronic Communication to find information and to explain, debate and present complex arguments, proposals and ideas while adapting to difference audiences and circumstances.

Communication

Games Development Software (Autodesk Creative Suite, Blender, ZBrush, SpeedTree, Substance Suite)

Game Engine Software (Unreal Engine, Unity)

Image Editing Software (Photoshop, Krita)

Video Editing Software (Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere)

Simulation Software (Houdini, Marvelous Designer)

Photogrammetry Software Meshroom

Suitable IDE (Visual Studio, Rider) SDKs

Motion Capture Studio & MotionBuilder

Wacom Tablets

Microsoft Office

Digital Academy Forum

Digital Academy Upload System

Brathwaite, B (2008), Challenges for Game Designers

Gazaway, D., 2021. Introduction to Game Systems Design. Pearson.

Engelstein, G., 2019. Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design: An Encyclopedia of Mechanisms. Routledge.

Fullerton, T., 2019. Game Design Workshop. CRC Press, 4th ed.

Kramarzewski, A. & De Nucci, E., 2018. Practical Game Design. Packt.

Macklin, C. & Sharp, J., 2016. Games, Design and Play: A Detailed Approach to Iterative Game Design. Addison-Wesley Professional.

Norman, D., 2013. The Design of Everyday Things. Basic Books, 2nd Ed.

Schreiber, I. & Romero, B., 2021. Game Balance. CRC Press

Schell, J., 2019. The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses. CRC Press, 3rd Ed.

Sellers, M., 2017. Advanced Game Design: A Systems Approach. Addison-Wesley Professional.

Swink, S., 2008. Game Feel: A Game Designer’s Guide to Virtual Sensation. Routledge.

Zubek, R., 2020. Elements of Game Design. The MIT Press

In Advanced Prototyping you’ll build a series of prototype assets for your portfolio. You’ll work using contemporary industry style approaches and software to solve Games Design challenges using advanced research and problem solving.