Module overview
Building on your level 4 research, design and game making skills, this module will introduce a range of specialist game design skills in a series of workshops and activities that bring together your understanding of core skills you will employ to support Games Design Documentation. You will document your learning, process and the activities you undertake online, in a systematic and reflective manner.
You will learn to collate your research and concepts into an industry recognised practice, the creation of a digital Games Design Document (GDD). The process documentation and reflective outputs alongside your GDD will be presented in an online format suitable to best communicate your learning and the GDD, for example as an illustrated blog with associated materials.
The online documentation and GDD alongside any physical work will be your submission for assessment.
Your portfolio should consist of the GDD, process documentation and all studio work developed over the course of the semester, to include evidence of workshop and tutorial activities, all sketchbooks, research, annotation and preparatory material alongside outcomes as directed.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- refer to an appropriate critical context and deploy core techniques to further your work;
- develop and manage a project driven by your decisions.
- create compelling and informative online process documentation;
- articulate the decisions you make to create your work;
Subject Specific Practical Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- test out your choices and skills through user feedback;
- use industry game design documentation standards.
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- ways of resolving work which evidences sustained engagement and critical awareness of your ideas;
- how to apply knowledge gained from a range of sources toward the development of a personal Game Design Document.
- a range of practical methods and concepts specific to Game Design Documentation and support the contextualization of your ideas and influence the development of your work;
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- refine key processes related to different stages of and produce a game design document.
- begin to evaluate some of the concepts and methods within Game Design contemporary practice;
- confidently use a range of appropriate design and technical skills to realise your Game Design Document;
- document your ideas in a clear and concise way;
Syllabus
This module marks the next steps in acquiring and developing practical skills applicable to industry practices. You will create a detailed and clear game design document within industry standards. Researching suitable materials and, within an agreed working method, you will realise your ideas.
Within the module you will produce process documentation and reflective outputs online, for example within an illustrated blog.
During the module you will experience workshops which will include advanced character design, advanced narrative design alongside advanced 2d & 3d asset and code creation. These examples are illustrative and may vary each academic year.
The module will consist of a project that will span the semester to create a portfolio as an individual.
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include:
•talks;
•project briefings;
•tutorials;
•group critiques;
•workshops inductions;
•supporting material distributed via virtual learning environments (VLE) such as Blackboard, Panopto and Bob National.
Learning activities include:
•review and revision of material provided in lectures and VLE’s;
•process documentation;
•workshops;
•using, comparing and evaluating specialist resources for Games Design & Art;
•team work;
•discussion;
•presentations;
•group critiques;
•various Tutorial Activities;
•peer group learning;
•Academic Skills Hub;
•self assessment.
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Wider reading or practice | 40 |
| Tutorial | 78 |
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 55 |
| Follow-up work | 80 |
| Completion of assessment task | 115 |
| Supervised time in studio/workshop | 32 |
| Practical classes and workshops | 50 |
| Total study time | 450 |
Resources & Reading list
Internet Resources
Panopto Recordings (via Blackboard).
Textbooks
Rogers, S. (2014). Level UP: The Guide to Great Video Game Design. Wiley.
Schell, J. (2008). The Art of Games Design: A Book of Lenses. Elsevier.
Assessment
Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
Portfolio Development
- Assessment Type: Formative
- Feedback: Formative feedback is given half-way through the module, in a 1-2-1 session focussed on the content and discussion of the portfolio development. A written feedback document provides guidance on areas to improve for the summative assessment. Individual and group tutorials will provide on-going formative feedback.
- Final Assessment: No
- Group Work: No
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Digital project | 100% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Digital project | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Digital project | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External