Game Design - University

X06

X
Game Design

Hi,

I was wondering if any one could help me out here.

Do any of you (from frontier, or otherwise) know any well recognised universities for game design (uk preferably). I know there are a few, but i didnt know if game companies have a well respected one?

Thanks
 
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Michael Brookes

Game Director

Sir Philip

S
rob said:
Hi,

I was wondering if any one could help me out here.

Do any of you (from frontier, or otherwise) know any well recognised universities for game design (uk preferably). I know there are a few, including Sheffield Hallam, but i didnt know if game companies have a well respected one? Thanks Alot, Rob :)
Click to expand...
Digipen, hands down - if you can run the yard. My co-conspirator Alex and I have joked about "nobody ever coming out of Digipen to work for anyone except Nintendo". Stay away from Full Sail. Enough said. Also, don't expect any of these programs to do anything but enable you to work efficiently with whatever natural talent you do posess. Everything you can learn at one of these schools can be learned by self-study and discipline, impelled by emotional interest. The best, most exciting and rewarding way, by far, is find people and build an actual company. Ultimately you will either be a cyborg working at a company like EA, at a small development studio, or on your own.
 
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David Braben

CEO & Founder
Frontier
rob said:
Hi,

I was wondering if any one could help me out here.

Do any of you (from frontier, or otherwise) know any well recognised universities for game design (uk preferably). I know there are a few, including Sheffield Hallam, but i didnt know if game companies have a well respected one?

Thanks Alot,
Rob :)
Click to expand...

This is a tricky question I get asked a lot.

To be a good games designer, you need a thorough understanding of games - how they work, how they are made, and so on. I am not currently convinced (sadly) that there are any particularly good courses in game design 'out there'. Before the howls of protest start, I don't mean no one good has done these courses, I mean the course does not add a great deal, and in some cases they may be considered a 'soft' option.

For someone to get into game design it can be quite hard, but I would recommend studying a subject that has direct application - eg Computer Science (not Computing, or one of the many other courses that teach computer use). This will help give an understanding of the way the eventual code of a game will need to work; something that is becoming increasingly important.
 

X06

X
Ok, thanks for all your help :)

I wouldnt mind games design, but i may go for a more specific course in computer animation, software design, cad/cam. I need to start deciding :confused:

Thanks
 
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vin209

V
Hey chaps,

This is obviously a bit after the event but here's a link to the course I'm currently attending.

http://www.nsad.ac.uk/courses/foundationgamesdesign.php

The advice I was given before I took this option was that qualifications can't hurt. At the very least it shows you have commitment, some degree of skill and a willingness to learn.

Oh, and before you choose a course make sure you do your research!

good luck.
 

junior

J
hi i want to do a games designing course and was wondering if you need to be good at maths to do the course and if you need to be able to draw also can someone reference a good uni thanks
 

Michael Brookes

Game Director
A good grounding in maths is useful, although for game design it is probably less important than if you are looking at getting into some of the programming specializations like AI or physics. A basic understanding of statistics and statistical analysis can also be useful for game design.

I can't help with the uni recomendation I'm afraid.

Michael
 

Macchiao

M
Hey all,
Saw this post while trying to do research and was also wondering if anyone could give me some advice.

As said above I have found a few courses that are specialised such as the animation etc, but are more towards the artistic side.

There is also a new course opening up nearby me, essex university and the course looks pretty good ( but to close to home), I was mainly looking to stay at university, get the real uni life.

My main intrests are 3d modelling and animation, but I also have a good programming and concept art background. I am coming near to the end of my course and have DDD through (hopefully) but was wondering if any student at university could give me some tips on how they found their course ( game deisgn ) games development etc :)

any advice is appreciated

Thanks

Aaron
 

Birkeley

B
Hi there,

I was lurking and spotted this thread, so I thought I'd throw in my tuppence. :) I went to Teesside, which I would recommend - it wasn't the best place when I first arrived there, but over the years I was there they added some fantastic new buildings, equipment and resources, and it's a great place now. Middlesbrough itself is less so, but I'm happy I went there. I believe Bournemouth, Abertay and Teesside are considered the best by the games industry, so it's worth looking at all of those. Be very wary of any university or college with a "new" games course. A lot of places are starting to add these courses because they are popular, but without any experience behind it the course is likely to be awful.

One word of caution regarding course structure - I would strongly recommend an animation or modelling course specifically, rather than one which tries to cover every aspect of games art (drawing/modelling/animation/effects/etc), as I've seen a lot of students frustrated by this approach. There's so much to cover in all of these areas that it results in the student graduating without a specialism, which is generally what companies are looking for.

It's also important to remember that, whatever course you choose, with games art you are going to need to do a lot of self-directed learning, because however good the tutors are, their job is an "overview" of the subject and there's a good chance you'll end up knowing more than them about the specific areas you're good at (at least, if you're doing it right!). Teesside's best resource in my opinion was their massive library of tutorial DVDs from Gnomon, Digital Tutors and other excellent tutoring organisations; I learned far more from these than from the lectures!

Good luck. :)
 

starman

starman
X06 said:
Game Design

Hi,

I was wondering if any one could help me out here.

Do any of you (from frontier, or otherwise) know any well recognised universities for game design (uk preferably). I know there are a few, but i didnt know if game companies have a well respected one?

Thanks
Click to expand...


interesting talk. Also big ED player.

Met him once.

Maybe the better statement would be

Dear Frontier

Can you give me a job.

I have very good tea/coffee making skills.

Thankyou.

I am effectively working for them as a games tester/designer as well as Microsoft.
It's the same experience as being in a one sided relationship.

I designed and built a 'video game' for my olevel computer science project.
It's 2019 so I'm supprised anyone still needs to ask this question.
 
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starman

starman
I was told at school by the computer science teacher that I couldn't be a programmer if I didn't go to university. It's entirely possible to design a game with no coding skills and even implement them since there are so many game tools available.

Some people just what to go to 'uni' and spend three years being 'drunk'.

I a bit concerned given the available of information these days these questions still needs tobe asked.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Level-Guid...rds=game+design&qid=1558459052&s=books&sr=1-1

For some reason the 'youth' think they were the first to be 'young' or have knowledge of 'popular culture' and creative activities.
 
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starman

starman
Macchiao said:
Hey all,
Saw this post while trying to do research and was also wondering if anyone could give me some advice.

As said above I have found a few courses that are specialised such as the animation etc, but are more towards the artistic side.

There is also a new course opening up nearby me, essex university and the course looks pretty good ( but to close to home), I was mainly looking to stay at university, get the real uni life.

My main intrests are 3d modelling and animation, but I also have a good programming and concept art background. I am coming near to the end of my course and have DDD through (hopefully) but was wondering if any student at university could give me some tips on how they found their course ( game deisgn ) games development etc :)

any advice is appreciated

Thanks

Aaron
Click to expand...

Yes isn't it annoying when your parents live right next to great universities. Just imagine how those whos family home is in Oxford or Cambridge Harvard etc.
There will no doubt one day be a university on the Moon or Mars, where Earthlings can go there to get away from Earthlings only to find other Earthlings doing the same.

I went to study Astronomy and Science Fiction in South Wales which was a bit like going to another planet and encountering 'alien' life forms. It's a good job ED was not released otherwise it would have taken up all my time.

They also have a game development degree, which I actually suggested over dinner at the time.

After watching Alladin the standard answer to these type of questions will be - Find a magic lamp. Rub it/ When the genie appears and give you your three wishes 'Say make me a Game designer'.

You will be then left with the issue of what to do with the other 2 remaining wishes.
 
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lysan

lysan
Oh
David Braben said:
This is a tricky question I get asked a lot.

To be a good games designer, you need a thorough understanding of games - how they work, how they are made, and so on. I am not currently convinced (sadly) that there are any particularly good courses in game design 'out there'. Before the howls of protest start, I don't mean no one good has done these courses, I mean the course does not add a great deal, and in some cases they may be considered a 'soft' option.

For someone to get into game design it can be quite hard, but I would recommend studying a subject that has direct application - eg Computer Science (not Computing, or one of the many other courses that teach computer use). This will help give an understanding of the way the eventual code of a game will need to work; something that is becoming increasingly important.
Click to expand...
David, I knew you were a wise fellow, but it’s so refreshing to get it confirmed once in a while. Game design is not something you can study, it’s like how to be a good story write or movie maker, sure you can learn the technical part of the trade but as any trade you can’t learn to make a good game, just as you can’t lean to write a good book.

Most game designers take all the numbers and look at what gamers like, then they make a game, 99% of the time they fail, why? Because it’s not a good game, it’s just a soulless representation of the polls made to make a game.

Why was the Witcher a good game? Because it told a great story, yes it was a developers hell, however it was a good game, all good games start with a good story, a story you as the creator want to write or let the gamers experience, you can’t study that.

EDIT: DA$&# I just realize now it’s a necro post ARRRRRRHHHH
 
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Iron Golem

Iron Golem
lysan said:
Oh

David, I knew you were a wise fellow, but it’s so refreshing to get it confirmed once in a while. Game design is not something you can study, it’s like how to be a good story write or movie maker, sure you can learn the technical part of the trade but as any trade you can’t learn to make a good game, just as you can’t lean to write a good book.

Most game designers take all the numbers and look at what gamers like, then they make a game, 99% of the time they fail, why? Because it’s not a good game, it’s just a soulless representation of the polls made to make a game.

Why was the Witcher a good game? Because it told a great story, yes it was a developers hell, however it was a good game, all good games start with a good story, a story you as the creator want to write or let the gamers experience, you can’t study that.

EDIT: DA$&# I just realize now it’s a necro post ARRRRRRHHHH
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Ha I was in here liking things and agreeing with Sir Braben then I realized its from '06 lol. Maybe the oldest necro Ive ever seen.
 
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