Video Game Design & Development Diploma Program

Digital Drawing 1 introduces students to the fundamental concepts of 2D art creation for games. Students will learn how to create traditional art and transfer it into digital formats for use in games. Specific topics include: line and form, perspective, and texturing and shading in both traditional and digital mediums. Students will apply knowledge gained in this course to conceptualize and develop concept art used in games.

Game Modeling 1 introduces students to the fundamental concepts of 3D modeling. Students will explore 3D software and tools, which will facilitate development of 3D game assets. Specific topics include: high- and low-polygon modeling, 3D geometry and hard surface creation. Students will apply knowledge gained in this course to conceptualize and develop 3D assets used in games.

The elements and principles of design are the building blocks to create effective and functional visuals. This course introduces students to art and design principles applied to games, with an emphasis on color theory and letter typography. Specific topics include color theory, color wheels, space, form, and fonts.

Scripting for Games introduces students to scripting and problem solving. Students will script the basics of conditional structures, iterative structures and other control structures through the usage of a procedural scripting language. Topics include: loops, functions and if statements.

Programming Logic introduces students to the fundamental building blocks of programming. Students will identify the basics of control structures which will assist in solving programming problems for games. Topics include: variables, iteration, and game loops.

Game Platforms 1 introduces students to visual game engines used to develop cross-platform games. Students will combine a variety of art skills and techniques to develop an original game. Specific topics include: asset importing, game logic integration, and game deployment.

History of Video Games presents a historical survey of video games to modern times. Insights into the game industry will be made with identification of past, present and future games and their social and cultural impacts. Specific topics include: game technology, violence in games, and gender and games.

Introduction to the Video Game Industry introduces students to the game industry with analysis of local and international markets. Specific topics include: analysis of game development centers in the world, identification of roles and responsibilities of game departments, corporate structures and game studio organization hierarchies.

Game Testing & Debugging introduces students to game testing for quality control. Students will analyze techniques used to test games for defects and identify solutions to remove bugs. Topics include: test automation, UI testing and performance optimization.

Programming Fundamentals 1 introduces students to object-oriented programming by interpreting OO paradigms and organizing objects using the Unified Modeling Language (UML). Topics include: abstraction, inheritance, and polymorphism.

Cross-Platform Programming 1 will extend students’ knowledge of cross-platform technologies by using a game engine. Students will develop games for multiple platforms by using a programming which generates games variety of hardware devices. Topics include: game logic, events, and device controls

Mathematics for Game Programmers 1 is designed to prepare students for mathematical calculations used to manipulate 2D and 3D graphics. Students will analyze linear algebra formulae and how they apply to 3D graphics. Topics include: matrix and vector operations

Game Design 1will introduce students to the principles of game design and mechanics. Students will examine game genres, by analyzing common game mechanics and elements. Topics include: game genres, game mechanics, and gameplay elements.

Game Production & Pipeline will introduce students to methodologies and development best practices for game production. Through the analysis of game design documentation, students will establish development pipelines best suited for 2D and 3D games. Topics include: asset management, waterfall development, agile and SCRUM production methodologies.

Programming Fundamentals 2 introduces students to concepts in organizational and structured game programming, using data structures and design patterns. Students will apply data structures and design patterns into the game development cycle. Topics include: lists, trees, and graphs.

Cross-Platform Programming 2 will introduce students to 3D cross-platform technologies used to create multi-platform games. Students will develop games for multiple platforms by using an engine which generates games for variety of hardware devices. Topics include: 3D environments and objects, and event systems.

Mathematics for Game Programmers 2 is designed to prepare students for mathematical calculations used to manipulate physics within games. Students will explore calculus techniques to understand and calculate the fundamentals of motion. Topics include: derivatives and integration.

Physics for Game Programmers 1 introduces students to the fundamental concepts of Newtonian physics. Students will use a physics engine to apply physics and view the results of simulated motion. Topics include: collision, motion and projectiles.

Game Frameworks 1 will apply students’ knowledge of 3D engines and development to produce a game in a team setting. Students will design and develop a game by applying project management techniques and development pipelines.

Game Design 2 introduces students to the theory and practise of level design for games. Students will examine layouts and blueprints for levels through the usage of a level editor. Topics include: golden paths, navigation and world building.

Game Business introduces students to the business operations of a game studio. Students will analyze business models and how they apply to the game industry. Topics will include: business models, game marketing and budgeting games.

Graphics Programming 1 examines graphics engine libraries used to create 3D, virtual reality and augmented reality virtual environments. Students will categorize the various techniques used to import 3D models into an interactive environment. Topics include: real-time graphics rendering, object transformations and graphics optimization.

Mobile Game Development 1 will introduce students to native game development for a mobile device. Students will learn how to develop, test and publishing a mobile game through an app store. Topics include: mobile APIs, provisioning and publishing.

Physics for Game Programmers 2 introduces students to the fundamental concepts of kinematics. Students will use a physics engine to apply physics and view the results in a simulated environment. Topics include: forward and inverse kinematics, and joints.

Game Frameworks 2 will apply students’ knowledge of 3D engines and development to produce a game in a team setting. Students will design and develop a game by using a commercial engine and applying project management techniques and development pipelines.

Game Design 3 extends students’ knowledge of level design by analyzing feedback systems. Students will integrate reward systems and narrative through the usage of visual scripting and level editors. Topics include: scripted events, feedback loops and cinematics.

Game Audio 1 will introduce students to technology and tools for game audio development. Students will learn how to design and generate sound effects that can be integrated into games. Topics include: synthesizing, looping, and fading.

Game Portfolio 1 will introduce students to portfolio development for the game industry. Students will learn how to assemble employment material based on industry standards and expectations. Topics include: resumes, interviewing and cover letters.

Graphics Programming 2 extends the students’ knowledge of graphics programming by exploring advances techniques in virtual reality game development. Students will develop graphics and generate photorealistic simulations applied to games. Topics include: culling, space partitioning and quad-trees.

Mobile Game Development 2 will extend students’ knowledge of mobile development by producing virtual reality and augmented reality games for mobile devices. Students will develop and test mobile games, while learning device APIs, provisioning and publishing.

Physics for Game Programmers 3 extends students’ knowledge of physics by analyzing the physics of solids. Students will use a physics engine to apply physics and view the results in a simulated environment. Topics include: ballistics, heat conduction and explosions.

Game Frameworks 3 will apply students’ knowledge of 3D engines and development to produce a game in a team setting. Students will design and develop a game by using a commercial engine and applying project management techniques and development pipelines.

AI Game Programming introduces students to artificial intelligence algorithms for games. Students will learn techniques used to develop autonomous systems for games. Topics include: path finding, autonomous decision making and finite state machines.

Game Design 4 will extend students’ knowledge of game design by introducing story writing and storyboarding. Students will examine the structure of a story, how to visualize and adapt stories for games. Topics include: linear and non-linear storytelling, plots and character development.

Game Audio 2 will introduce students to composing music for games. Students will learn audio tools used to generate ambient music or game soundtracks. Topics include: music composition, sampling and sound filtering.

Game Portfolio 2 will allow students to develop their portfolio with the guidance and mentorship of faculty. Students will use proper procedures for presenting their portfolio on the web and other mediums. Topics include: static rendering, presenting and showcasing portfolios

This capstone course allows students to operate as a game studio and design and develop a game as a team. Students will apply knowledge gained in past terms to produce a game following development phases. In addition, students will showcase their final game to an audience.

Game Portfolio 3 will allow students to finalize development of their portfolio by integrating games and demo reel. Students will use video editing tools to present their portfolio. Topics include: demo reel assembly and editing.