What Makes This Course So Special?
Computer Games Design at Newport
focuses on the creative and artistic aspects of contemporary games
production building on the narrative and character development skills
that are well established on our BA (Hons) Animation
course. You are given access to industry standard software, and support
in developing your own creative practice, technical skills and
conceptual understanding essential for a career in the computer games
industry.
Course Intro
With our belief in the
significance of the independent games sector we are pioneering a new
approach to computer games design. Our inventive course focuses on the
creative and artistic aspects of contemporary
games production and we believe it’s up to you to challenge established
notions of gaming and the gamer. We emphasise your ability to think,
research and experiment in combination with traditional design
principles.
Along with our staff
team of internationally respected academics and practioners, the course
has proven links with game industry leaders, providing guest lecturers,
artists, designers and journalists for you
to learn from.
When you graduate from
the course you are fully prepared as a creative practitioner who can
really make a difference. Roles range from the traditional art positions
of character and environment design concept
to model, rigging and animation to level design and project management
for computer games design.
What you study
We will challenge you
from the very start of the course with a series of short, individual and
group projects, where you will explore novel, visual and play aspects
of games design. Along with gameplay sessions
and to ensure that you keep your feet on the ground, there is a
wide-ranging support programme of lectures, talks, seminars, weekly
drawing sessions, and technical workshops. Our advanced support,
masterclasses and access to professional level equipment and
software, are complemented by the School’s partnership in Skillset Media
Academy Wales.
As your thinking and
skills improve we push you further by exploring the key ideas that are
driving the industry. Longer group-based industry focused projects are
vital as you develop your own ideas, visual language,
technical skills and working methods as well as meeting industry
professionals and presenting your work to them.
In the final year we
will expect you to deliver a large-scale professional production,
supported by advanced workshops, seminars and tutorials. We will want to
see you demonstrate your understanding of your work
and its context, in your creative design and in your writing.
Enthusiasm for the
industry is essential at every stage and throughout the course,
professional industry practice is mirrored in attitude and production.
Technical Facilities
Teaching takes place in
our first class studios equipped on high performance workstations with
Maya, Unity, UDK, Gamemaker and Adobe Creative Suite software.
Where Next?
Graduates from the
course find employment in the games industry, primarily in games design,
but also developing concept art, animation and level design. Our
graduates have also found success in contemporary advertising,
motion graphics and illustration. Some of our graduates go on to set up
their own game studios.
Our graduates have gone
on to work for companies such as Blitz Games, Codemasters, Rare, Sega,
TT Games and EA Games, and have won competitive scholarships to attend
game developers conferences and summer schools
in the USA.
Our students have had
major success at Dare to be Digital, Game City, Global Game Jam and in
many competitions, winning BAFTA nominations and industry funding.
Interview Required
At
the interview the Computer Games Design team will want you to
demonstrate your passion for the subject area, in the discussion, your
creative portfolio and in a written interview task. It is also an
opportunity to ask questions and view our first class facilities.
Assessment
To ensure you have the
skills to cope in the industry, we assess you through presentations,
groupwork, development diaries, writing and designing
your games portfolio, providing feedback as you progress.
What Our Students Say
“Being on the course is
a completely unique experience as it focuses on the theoretical,
artistic and technical aspects of being a games designer, rather than
just programming.”
