Game Design Degree

Learn to design and create AAA combat and action games for PC and console. Merging the theory of design for fast-paced gameplay with an understanding of the principles and processes associated with creating a game vision in Unreal engine, you will be tasked with creating an elaborate and detailed gameplay prototype for a first-person combat game. You’ll have opportunities to analyze what contributes to player enjoyment by focusing on game mechanics, player quests, enemy intelligence, and level layout.

Discover the ways stories are crafted through single, multiple, or moving images. Beginning with the origins of storytelling, you will examine the fundamental concepts and principles that underpin visual storytelling. Literary elements like story arcs, hero's journey, Aristotle's three-act structure, linear and non-linear plots, visual metaphors, motifs, and symbolism are explored, and you'll get to analyze plot structure and character development.

In Identifying and Solving Problems, you will tackle everyday challenges with a foundation in theoretically sound problem-solving. Delve into the principles of creative reasoning, encompassing argument presentation and addressing unconscious bias. You will also explore frameworks for analyzing and reviewing artistic works, along with identifying and resolving creative, technical, and ethical issues in creative projects.

Delve into advanced level design, integrating complex player movement, expanded combat mechanics, and detailed quests. Explore the conceptual frameworks underlying game playability, user interface navigation, visual coding, and level design theory. Focusing on level and game design, you will craft visually stunning and engaging levels with photorealistic terrains, real-world lighting and weather systems, and 'kitbashing' assets for rapid gameplay development.

Delve into two essential elements of compelling storytelling in film and games: cinematography and lighting. Cinematography and lighting are used to evoke specific moods or aesthetics; cinematography employs shot framing and camera angles, while lighting uses direction, quality, color, and environment. You will study the theoretical concepts and principles of lighting and cinematography, applying them to visual storytelling and photography in both real-world and digital contexts.

Realizing and delivering a film or game — on time and within budget — requires strategic thinking and strong organizational skills. Build your knowledge in complex management processes, asset pipelines, and project management systems that streamline the delivery of complex creative projects. You'll also study the processes and tools used to pass digital information through the pipeline, including how assets and shot sequences are managed.

Build an understanding of what makes game environments feasible, readable to the player, and aesthetically pleasing to explore. Study the underlying principles of playability and concepts relating to artificial intelligence as well as user navigation through large maps, interiors, and exteriors. You will also develop a range of NPCs—non-playable characters—to interact with the player on a level and script complex artificial intelligence behaviors for user interaction.

This subject delves into self-assessment, team dynamics, conflict management, performance optimization, and effective leadership. With a creative business emphasis, examine ethical and inclusive practices and their impact on the performance of a business. You will also analyze case studies, hypothetical scenarios, and leadership strengths and weaknesses, learning from others' experiences to define success for individuals and companies.

Gain valuable insights into the financial and legal obligations and responsibilities associated with running creative businesses and projects. Examine case studies and simulated scenarios representative of sole trading enterprises, partnerships, and large studios. You will also learn about budgeting and finance, taxation, superannuation, cashflows, profit and loss, bidding, IP, trademarking processes, and how to quantify your creative value.

Throughout your degree, you will have built a comprehensive body of theoretical, technical, creative, and cognitive disciplinary knowledge and skills pertaining to game design and development. In Capstone Portfolio, you'll reflect critically on and review your catalog of work to plan, edit, and curate your best pieces into a cohesive portfolio/showreel that showcases your professional, artistic, and technical abilities and helps you confidently prepare to apply for roles in the video game industry.

Adaptability and openness to new technologies are crucial in the dynamic industry of film and games. In Stepping Into Industry, you will employ a PESTLE (political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental) analysis to explore current and future trends in the creative sector and identify potential career paths. You are encouraged to reflect on their strengths, values, and adaptability, helping shape your future career choices.

Learn essential marketing concepts and how to shape a personal brand that aligns with your beliefs and values in order to stand out in a global digital market, whether working as a freelancer or at a studio. Acquire an understanding of target markets, customer needs, integrated marketing, handling challenges, and exploring motivations for success. You will also gain insights into managing the diverse, cross-cultural landscape of film and games.