Games Development

Module overview

This module represents the next step in the development of the Games Design module. You will take forward one of the Game Design Documents (GDD) from the previous module into production. You will choose and pitch for a specific industry role within the production of a “Vertical Slice” from said GDD and, during the semester, work within a team, to realise its development.

You will take an in-depth approach to understanding and translating a GDD into production and utilise methods to realise in depth research and professional team work methodologies, to create the related assets dependant on your role within the team. Weekly Sprints will take place to inform team progress. The teams for each “Vertical Slice” will be set up in the form of a small indie game operation, working under roles of Chief Technical Officer (CTO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO), which will be allocated by staff on the programme.

Your own role will determine the specific nature of your work, be that translating mechanic ideas into code, or concept art into working 2d or 3d game assets.

The work from this module will form a public facing pop up arcade event at which each team will showcase their projects.

Your process documentation and reflective outputs, alongside your portfolio of specific assets, will be produced in an online format, suitable to best communicate your learning, for example as an illustrated blog with associated materials.

Your portfolio should consist of all studio work developed over the course of the semester, including evidence of workshop and tutorial activities, all sketchbooks, research, annotation and preparatory material alongside outcomes as directed.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

knowledge gained from a range of sources and contexts to advance your team project;
how to identify a teamwork role and the characteristics of its practical application;
experimental methods to advance your discipline-specific ideas.

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

test and advance your ideas in a practical and critical context appropriate to your discipline.
confidently use a range of technical skills to realise your Vertical Slice;

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

effectively utilise academic resources and apply appropriate methodologies to your practice.
develop and manage your contribution to a sustained team project;
articulate and summarise your critical reflection of the project;

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

analyse and produce your practical work through sustained engagement and critical awareness of your ideas;
interpret an idea or motivating concept into a self-designed team project;
select appropriate tools in order to support the develop of a ‘Vertical Slice’;
evaluate your teamwork role in relation to its professional contexts.

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include:

talks;
weekly Sprints;
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;
weekly Sprints;
various Tutorial Activities;
peer group learning;
Academic Skills Hub;
self assessment.

Relationship between the teaching, learning and assessment methods and the planned learning outcomes

In this module learning and teaching activities focus on helping you to direct your exploration and investigation of your ideas.

Study time
Type	Hours
Supervised time in studio/workshop	60
Completion of assessment task	110
Follow-up work	80
Practical classes and workshops	60
Wider reading or practice	30
Preparation for scheduled sessions	55
Tutorial	55
Total study time	450