What Makes This Course So Special?
Computer Games Design at Newport is one of the oldest and most established Games Design courses in Britain. It has an international reputation for its teaching, research, alumni and quality student experience.
Computer Games Design at Newport concentrates on design and creative skills. We follow a rigorous interrogation of the key concepts of games design, from illustration, character design, 3D modelling to game mechanics and conceptual skills to pitching and project management, utilising a meticulous iterative design process throughout. We simulate industry practices that teach you how to be a designer within a team and realise your creative projects through prototyping, testing and development to finished playable games.
Course Intro
With our belief in the significance of the independent games sector we are pioneering a new approach to computer games design. Our inventive course focuses on the creative and artistic aspects of contemporary games production and we believe it’s up to you to challenge established notions of gaming and the gamer. We emphasise your ability to think, research and experiment in combination with traditional design principles.
Along with our staff team of internationally respected academics and practioners, the course has proven links with game industry leaders, providing guest lecturers, artists, designers and journalists for you to learn from.
When you graduate from the course you are fully prepared as a creative practitioner who can really make a difference. Our students can enter industry in a number of roles, from the traditional art positions such as concept artist, modeller, animator, to designers, level designers and many other roles within computer games design.
What you study
We will challenge you from the very start of the course with a series of short individual and group projects. There is a wide-ranging support programme of lectures, talks, seminars, weekly drawing sessions and technical workshops. Our advanced support, masterclasses and access to professional level equipment and software, are complemented by the School’s partnership in Skillset Media Academy Wales. Throughout their time at the University, students will produce playable game prototypes, playtest and realise polished and playable games.
As your thinking develops and your skills improve we push you further by exploring the key ideas that are driving the industry. Longer, group-based, industry focused projects are vital as you develop your own ideas, visual language, technical skills and working methods, as well as meeting industry professionals and presenting your work to them.
In the final year we will expect you to deliver a large-scale professional production, supported by advanced workshops, seminars and tutorials. We will want to see you demonstrate your understanding of your work and its context, in your creative design and in your writing.
Enthusiasm for the industry is essential at every stage and throughout the course; professional industry practice will need to be mirrored in attitude and production.
A programme specification is available for this course.
Technical Facilities
Teaching takes place in our first class studios equipped on high performance workstations with Maya, Unity, UDK, Gamemaker and Adobe Creative Suite Software.
Where Next?
Graduates from the course find employment in the games industry, primarily in games design, but also developing concept art, animation and level design. Our graduates have also found success in contemporary advertising, motion graphics and illustration.
Computer Games Design Alumni have entered employment with industry notables such as Electronic Arts, Blitz, Rocksteady, Rare, Creative Assembly and Lionhead, amongst others. Many of our students have started their own companies and have won awards such as Bafta Cymru, Dare to be Digital and the Welsh graduate Design Awards, releasing their games on steam and mobile platforms.
Interview Required
At the interview the Computer Games Design team will want you to demonstrate your passion for the subject area, in the discussion, your creative portfolio and in a written interview task. It is also an opportunity to ask questions and view our first class facilities.
Assessment
To ensure you have the skills to cope in the industry, we assess you through presentations, groupwork, development diaries, writing and designing your portfolio, providing feedback as you progress.
What Our Students Say
“Great experience and facilities. The lecturers develop your needs as an individual as well as part of a diverse group.”