Game - Design

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Courses - September 2023

Level 1

Course details

Creating the Story - Game Design
ARTS1900

Description:

A strong story enriches the narrative in any experience, keeps the audience engaged, emotionally invested in the characters, and provides a foundation for a game. The methods used to visualize the story are unique to the medium and require a special approach. With a compelling story as the base, the challenge of a player's movement throughout a game is heightened. In this course, students will draw on the visual language of film, as well as developing characters and their environments for games.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

College Reading & Writing Skills
COMM1085

Description: This course introduces students to the reading, writing, and critical thinking skills needed for academic and workplace success. Students will analyse a variety of texts and apply the steps of planning, writing, and revising to produce writing that meets the expectations of selected audiences and purposes. The course prepares students for college-level writing tasks, research, and documentation by asking them to produce clear, informed, and purposeful documents relevant to both academic and professional contexts.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Conestoga 101
CON0101

Description: This self-directed course focuses on introducing new students to the supports, services, and opportunities available at Conestoga College. By the end of this course, students will understand the academic expectations of the Conestoga learning environment, as well as the supports available to ensure their academic success. Students will also be able to identify on-campus services that support their health and wellness, and explore ways to get actively involved in the Conestoga community through co-curricular learning opportunities.
  • Hours: 1
  • Credits: 0
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Game Design
DMED1480

Description: From the earliest game of Pong to the latest Triple A release, you will study the influence of games from a historical perspective, their impact on the industry, and look toward future trends. Game structure and the mechanics of play will be explored by constructing basic games. Principles of design and strategy will be applied to your work.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Sound Design for Gaming
DMED1490

Description: This course will introduce you to the technologies and techniques used in audio production relating to gaming applications. You will learn about sound fundamentals and theories including basic editing techniques, digital audio formatting, mixing, editing and working in online studios and workspaces, as well as game specific concepts such as multitrack music and SFX (special effects), looping and branching audio with primary migration, and application to mobile devices/environments. The role of audio within a game environment and its impact on player experience will also be examined.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Game Engine Lab I
DMED1525

Description: Building a game is complex and laborious and the overall management of this process within a game engine requires the study of production of a game across its lifespan. Assembling assets, managing game-play, animation, simulations, and game programming are all parts of this process which will be emphasized in this class. Proper design processes and programming techniques provide an authentic, high quality interactive environment
  • Hours: 56
  • Credits: 4
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

2D Asset Creation
DSGN1340

Description: When developing games, it is often easier to show other developers’ ideas and concepts instead of trying to describe them. This class will teach students game-focused techniques for the creation and integration of 2-dimensional art assets, employing various techniques to allow for the development of different styles, supporting a student’s artistic vision.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Media Studies for Game Design
MDIA1080

Description: An important element of designing games is an understanding of how past media was created to invoke specific feelings in their audiences. In looking back on former media efforts using both technical and artistic lenses, students will acquire tools to look at their own work critically, reflecting on style, technique, themes, emotions, and message.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Level 2

Course details

Data Focused Game Design
DMED1540

Description: To produce the dynamic and engaging videogames, game designers need to handle large amounts of digital information. In Data Focused Game Design, students will learn how to generate, manage, and balance gameplay information and integrate it into their own designs. Students will also learn how to generate data from playtests and use it to influence the design of their games.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Interaction Design
DMED2040

Description: User experience design is one of the most critical facets of gaming today. One of its key components, interaction design will be studied through the use of exercises, tutorials, and projects. You will develop an understanding of user behaviour with interactive products, while learning to use tools such as story mapping, mental models, and user testing to better understand the users of the products they are designing. You will learn about prototyping their designs in varying levels of fidelity, and the value of rapidly iterating through proposed solutions. User interface design and its application to various gaming platforms and genres will also be discussed.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Game Engine Lab II
DMED2050

Description: Building off previous courses, game development concepts will be covered for both PC-oriented and embedded, or console-oriented gaming environments. You will continue honing skills in world building and level design. More intricate programming scenarios will be explored to enhance your skills in game construction. Virtual reality (VR) environments and visualization will also be explored.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites: DMED1520 OR DMED1525
  • CoRequisites:

3D Modelling and Texturing I
DSGN1420

Description: Integrate 2D design with 3D construction to build digital sets, props, and characters for your games. Techniques focusing on proper surface topology and optimization for rigging and animation will be explored and will lead into UV unwrapping and texture painting to deliver complete and game-ready assets.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Environment Constructs I
DSGN1450

Description:

Creating believable game environments contributes to the overall visual effect and storytelling process. You will research, design and create environments that align to the characters and actions associated with their storyboarded concepts. This course builds off skills and knowledge from previous and concurrent courses, which form the basis for the game environments utilized in your final product.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Game Studio I
DSGN1460

Description:

Studio courses are designed to provide you with the opportunity to work on projects that demonstrate the integration of skills and knowledge acquired from concurrent courses and emulate the real-world of work production pipeline. You will work independently and/or in teams to create the projects. This course relies on the practical application of the essential employability skills of time and project management, self-awareness, and interpersonal skills, with the additional focus on problem solving design-thinking challenges.

  • Hours: 70
  • Credits: 5
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:
Electives: General Education
Student must pass 1 Course(s), selected in the Student Portal from available course options

Level 3

Course details

Game Design Player Agency
DMED2070

Description: As we construct design and build games, understanding those that partake in experiences we create is necessary. Game Design – Player Agency allows students to investigate, develop, and plan strategies to build game elements with an understanding of what makes people enjoy the things they do. Students will integrate and playtest changes to design better games.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Dynamic Game Systems
DMED2080

Description: Designing systems that construct themselves will allow developers to create truly custom events, environments, and elements; allowing their players to have unique experiences. Students plan elements that are responsive and mutable based off actions of players. Students will also design and build systems that take a small handful of variables and grow them to create procedurally generated items, experiences, and worlds.
  • Hours: 56
  • Credits: 4
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Surfacing
DSGN1430

Description: Surfacing is the combination of textures and shaders, or the material properties of an object, to develop a cohesive environment within the game engine. Textures, how they are layered, and the material settings need to be balanced to the lighting within a game environment to provide a seamless and feature-rich experience for the user. You will explore these concepts with industry standard software and hardware.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Environment Constructs II
DSGN2360

Description:

Building off previous courses, you will create unique environments that reinforce the storyboarded concepts they identified in their project briefs. Consideration towards the relationships between individual characters and assets, along with the impact on visualizations and rendered dynamics will be examined. You will work independently and in teams to create a series of environments that can be used in gaming applications.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites: DSGN1450
  • CoRequisites:

Game Studio II
DSGN2385

Description: This second Studio course builds on previous and concurrent course work to provide you with the opportunity to work on projects that demonstrate the integration of skills and knowledge acquired and emulate the real-world of work production pipeline. You will work independently and/or in teams to create the projects. This course relies on the practical application of the essential employability skills of time and project management, self-awareness, and interpersonal skills, with the additional focus on problem solving design-thinking challenges.
  • Hours: 84
  • Credits: 6
  • Pre-Requisites: DSGN1460
  • CoRequisites:

Safety in the Workplace
OHS1320

Description: This course focuses on developing awareness and skills for the student to safely manage and conduct him or herself within a variety of employment settings. Through the units of the course, participants will have the opportunity to enhance their understanding and knowledge of general Health and Safety guidelines, including WHMIS, Fire Safety and Workplace Violence. The unit on Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act will instruct the student on the requirements for Accessible Customer Service and Integrated Accessibility Standard Regulations. General information on Safe Driving, Privacy of Information and Hand Washing will be addressed as well. The course also provides participants with critical information regarding their insurance coverage (WSIB or other) while employed. As well as guidelines to follow in the event of an injury. Participants will receive a printable Record of Completion upon successful conclusion of this course, in order to demonstrate awareness of safe working practices to their employers.
  • Hours: 14
  • Credits: 1
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:
Electives: General Education
Student must pass 1 Course(s), selected in the Student Portal from available course options

Level 4

Course details

VFX and Simulations
DMED2060

Description:

Splashes, sparks, explosions, and smoke are a major contributor to the immersive quality of the game player’s experience and this is where it starts! This course is an introduction to generating visual effects and simulations with advanced 3D software. Working with many different file types and processes to achieve compelling results, your results will be imported into game engine software and incorporate them into game play.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Game Engine Lab III
DMED2100

Description:

This course will contribute towards the final capstone project. You will design and create a unique game that demonstrates advanced level skills and knowledge in game design, with specific focus on efficiencies associated with rendering solutions. You will analyze and determine the interaction technologies required to meet the project brief.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites: DMED2050
  • CoRequisites:

Game Studio III - Capstone
DSGN2390

Description:

This final Studio course builds on previous and concurrent course work to provide you with the opportunity to work on final capstone projects that demonstrate the integration of skills and knowledge acquired and emulate the real-world of work production pipeline. You will work independently and/or in teams to create the projects. This course relies on the practical application of the essential employability skills of time and project management, self-awareness, and interpersonal skills, with the additional focus on problem solving design-thinking challenges.

  • Hours: 112
  • Credits: 8
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Portfolio Development and Presentation
ETR2250

Description: This course focuses on the preparation of a professional portfolio that demonstrates your skills and capabilities. After a review of career goals, you will learn how to identify and select examples of work that emphasize your personal strengths. You will be taught how to customize a portfolio specifically aimed at the game industry and to practice your presentation skills. You will have the opportunity to participate in classroom presentations prior to making the final evaluated capstone presentation of your personal portfolio of work.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Field Placement (Game - Design)
FPLT2220

Description: This course prepares students and facilitates a placement experience with a company/agency which has been approved by the program. Students will review employability skills in class and then practise these skills as they take an active role in securing a placement. Students will refine self-marketing techniques to establish cohesive branding of themselves at a professional level. Engaging in the work environment of a professionally relevant company/agency will allow students to apply their education and skills contributing to their mutual benefit. Appropriate workplace behaviour and etiquette is expected as students use this opportunity to expand their network of industry contacts and effectively market their personal brand. Through this experience, students can cultivate confidence, escalate awareness of industry practices, add to their resume & portfolio, and contribute to their own career success.
  • Hours: 80
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites: OHS1320 AND OHS8320
  • CoRequisites:
Electives: General Education
Student must pass 1 Course(s), selected in the Student Portal from available course options

Program outcomes

  1. Identify the differences in game genres in order to develop games that meet the needs of specific markets
  2. Situate emerging trends within a historical context of games and interactive media to adapt relevant concepts, vocabulary and frames of reference
  3. Identify and relate concepts from a range of industry roles, including programing, design and art to support the development of games
  4. Contribute as an individual and a member of a game development team to the effective completion of a game development project
  5. Develop strategies for ongoing personal and professional development to enhance work performance in the games industry
  6. Perform all work in compliance with relevant statutes, regulations, legislation, industry standards and codes of ethics
  7. Use game concepts to support the ongoing iteration, creation, design, and development of games.
  8. Apply game design elements to support the ongoing iteration and creation of unique gaming environments, levels, characters, assets, and props.
  9. Support the development of evolving and iterative game design documents that align with standard industry expectations and/or company practices.
  10. Conceive, prototype, develop, test and evaluate procedures for the ongoing iteration, creation, design, and development of games.
  11. Contribute to world building and level design in a game engine.