Game Design Degree at University of Advancing Technology

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SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND CONNECTIONS FOR GAMING INNOVATION

UAT has one of the only fully accredited game design programs that boasts connections to a full continuum of game studies degrees, including: Game Design degree, Game Art and Animation degree and Game Programming degree. Game Design degree students at UAT enjoy the ability to build and create complete game design projects with fellow students and faculty collaborating from across the game studies program family.

The Game Design program focuses on the design principles, skills and techniques required to create mechanics, game documentation and functioning prototypes for innovative game projects.

Game Design students will utilize industry-standard toolsets and resources, including game programming, scripting and asset creation. The coursework emphasizes design skills such as design documentation, systems design, level design, game balancing, play-testing, interactive storytelling and user experience design.

UAT Game Design students have earned top industry acclaim and leadership positions by harnessing the unique innovation environment. Students are offered all the tools an resources necessary to develp an impressive professional portfolio with innovative game designs using advancing technology and systems. The Game Design degree program will focus on the design principles, skills and techniques needed to create the industry's most innovative game projects.

Students will also take a critical approach to the study of gameplay, player interaction and community dynamics, taking into account the unique features of multiple platforms, including PC, console, mobile and virtual reality.

Working with artists and programmers in team-based projects, Game Design students apply all elements of the game creation process, developing the mentorship and leadership skills required to bring a project from initial concept to a final published product.

UAT offers more than a leading Game Design degree, they provide a culture that fosters game innovation and connection to the industry. UAT Game Studios is an independent game studio and production pipeline that supports game development and provides students the opportunity to ship completed works. The suite of UAT game studies degrees is comprised of more than just academic coursework; it is a culture of experiential learning derived from a multidisciplinary collaboration of video game design students and others across undergraduate and graduate degrees, both on-ground and online.

Within the ever-advancing video game industry, qualified and talented game designers are in growing demand. With a Game Design degree from UAT, you will be ready to apply your game design education in real-world settings while conquering and innovating the video game industry and beyond.

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DEGREE FEATURES

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GAME DESIGN DEGREE OBJECTIVES

Prototype and complete original games for multiple platforms following the full game production pipeline.
Create and implement game elements, systems and play mechanics using industry standard tools, techniques and production methods, including art and scripting/programming applications.
Demonstrate effective game design practices and techniques within the project scope and context, such as genre, style, platform and audience.

Demonstrate the ability to evaluate game designs for a variety of gameplay mechanics, game applications and game genres.
Effectively articulate game design elements and mechanics across disciplines utilizing written and verbal communication skills.
Establish collaboration, mentorship and professional leadership skills by working with other disciplines to deliver highly polished and completed projects.

Curriculum Sneak Peek

Power-Up Your Education with our Evolving Course Lineup

Check out some of this semester’s Game design courses and gear up for fresh challenges. Unlock new skills and power up your education.

FEATURED COURSES:

GAM200: Critical Game Studies

This course is an introduction to advanced critical techniques and approaches to game design, analysis of games and game theory. Using techniques of critical theory, ludology and semiotics, students will explore the structure of games, interaction with the user and how games balance rules with freedom and risk with reward. This course will also delve into interface design, user control issues, data representation for the gamer and feedback loops. Present and future game genres will be examined and compared and contrasted among different platforms and styles of play.

GAM218: Game Scripting for Designers

Game scripting is a basic requirement for the development of games of all genres and sizes. From basic level scripting to AI, games have many layers of high-level scripting in them. This course aims to teach how designer will integrate their scripts into a game, and how they can have a direct impact on the game’s direction and play through their high-level scripting. Through the class, the students will use multiple scripting languages to directly modify pre-existing games. Game projects will include standalone projects and mods to previous games.

GAM310: Level Design

This project-oriented class involves producing game levels for a variety of 2D and 3D engines with a focus on pacing, risks vs. rewards, designing for difficulty level and storytelling. Students will create and concept several projects and learn basics of geometry, texturing, lighting and interactive scripting as well as playtesting and optimizing for various engines and environments.

GAM352: Game Systems Design

In this course, students will take on the role of a game system designer. Game system designers are responsible for developing the core gameplay mechanics and systems of games. Students will design game mechanics and systems for new and existing games across multiple genres and platforms. Students will also learn how to model complex systems and economies both visually and mathematically and apply systems thinking to balance game systems.

GAM395: Monetization Design and Strategies

Game monetization involves building games that must earn money to survive. As the industry moves forward, monetization strategies change and this puts a constraint on the design process. Being able to recognize these processes and constraints allows the design to embrace monetization design and create games that work within the new and evolving monetization models. This course will explore both the design patterns used for different types of game monetization as well as monetization deployment strategies used by the game industry.

GAM418: Deployment Strategies and Project Constraints

Game development must accommodate constraints from many aspects of development. These include the deployment of the project for a public release as well as internal processes and practices, from business needs to technology concerns. This course will explore what is needed to deploy game projects on multiple platforms and services. It will also look at the processes linked to SKUs. localization, ratings, regulations, and other external constraints that a developer must deal with when publishing a game project. Internal aspects such as business, advertising, and technology constraints will also be addressed.

Meet our skilled faculty

Educating the next wave of innovators, our faculty leverage their experiences to mentor students to lead innovations and solve challenges in advancing technology.

EXPLORE OUR DEGREES

Synchronic Learning: superior graduates, mentored education, flexible Syncflex learning.

WHY UAT?

UAT’s Synchronic Learning model provides an education framework that prepares superior graduates to become tomorrow’s innovators. This model embodies UAT’s methodologies, curricula and community dedicated to fostering an environment of innovation that promotes demonstrated mastery and job readiness.

How does UAT prepare superior graduates? Students are required to participate in projects that solve real problems. UAT requires students to innovate and create a working proof of concept that’s never been done before. Students complete internships, community projects and apprenticeship experiences to cultivate their ability to succeed in the workplace.

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