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◄FdA Games Design for Industry
►FdA Art and Design Practice

  • BA Games Design for Industry

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    • Welcome by Programme Manager | Stephen Howard

    • Dear students, welcome to the longest running HE Level games course in Cornwall. Over the years we have gained an excellent reputation for turning out highly qualified graduates able to hold their own in one of the most exciting and fastest growing industries in the world. I am looking forward to seeing you all soon and starting you all off on your wonderful journey to your chosen career.

      As for myself I have ONDs, HNDs and HNCs in Technical Illustration, Graphic Design and Multimedia along with a Masters Degree in Digital Art and Technology. I began employment within the creative  industries working freelance producing artwork for local businesses along with portraits for clients. I moved to Hamburg Germany to work for Airbus Industries (Eurodoc) creating technical illustrations for their aircraft manuals before returning home to start a multimedia course. Once completed I gained employment in a local E-learning company, CNDL group, producing artwork and games for many large clients such as Pfizer, Tesco, Barclays Bank and the Basic Skills Agency amongst many others. 

      My skills quickly turned to 3D modelling and animation along with video editing and design.  I moved onto working as a helper for a deaf student at Cornwall College where I eventually took over management of FdA Animation and FdA Multimedia Design. Both these courses allowed me to expand my links to industry along with improving my abilities in the gaming field. I then decided to write and manage a HND Games Design course, as this was where my main interests lay. This was quickly followed by implementing level 3 games at Camborne. 

      Due to the success of the HND and the demand of the students for a local BA Games Top Up I set up the final year at Camborne. I am extremely proud of the links my courses have gained within industry and the reputation of delivering highly qualified graduates. Throughout all this time I have maintained my own practice creating 3D imagery for numerous clients. Currently I am collaborating with a publisher on a large triple A RPG based around Cornish Smuggling.

      The purpose of this site is to help you prepare for the coming years with us and give you an opportunity to get ahead in your studies before you start in September. We want to make sure that you are inspired, anchored, prepared, and enabled to succeed. The following guide is designed to provide you with some essential information about the FdA Games Design for Industry programme here, and how you can make the best of your time while studying with us.

      The games staff here have worked extremely hard to develop the course to ensure that it is industry relevant and attractive to students, clients and employers. Our fundamental aim is to provide you with the employability, creativity and technical skills that are needed to obtain a career within the games industry.

      As a challenging yet highly rewarding course selection, I am confident that with the required commitment and work ethic, you will enjoy the material presented throughout your time as a student on FdA Games Design for Industry. 

      Good luck with all your studies.

      Stephen Howard | Programme Manager | BA Games Design for Industry


      Stephen Howard

    • Joining Instructions

    • resource icon
      BA (Hons) Games Design for Industry - Year 1 September 2024 File

    • Welcome to your Final Year

    • Dear student welcome to BA Honours Games Design for Industry, which is a 1 year top up, full time programme, that aims to be innovative and exciting to allow students from the HND or foundation degree (and others where appropriate) to progress to an honours degree to develop an independent, autonomous practice, but with skills, techniques and attributes to be part of any team within any typical games design studio. We aim to facilitate and equip graduates with the expertise and flexibility for a future in developing games and their content. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of Agile, entrepreneurship, team management and the techniques and skills needed by the games industry to get you that dream career.

      We specialise in providing a typical studio set up with small class sizes to ensure you get excellent support and advice for your studies. You will have greater access to staff and resources, as well as practical specialist knowledge to pursue a career in your chosen area of specialism within the games industry.

      Tutors will facilitate your independent research into advanced game design skills and techniques reflecting your particular specialism throughout the programme. Team production of prototypes will be explored, as well as methods to improve immersion, narrative and visual impact. You will be encouraged to investigate design innovations such as virtual and augmented reality, to develop new methods of enhancing gameplay, and simulation whilst receiving career and business advice specifically tailored to your individual aspirations.

    • Modules

    • Module Number/Name

      Short Module Descriptor

      CORC380 

      Honours Team Project 1

      This module enables the student to draw upon specialist and supporting studies to create a coherent integrated major team project. Each student is expected to display analytical and creative skills that demonstrate a level of independent learning, appropriate to level 6 project work. The module will also provide students with opportunities to develop their problem solving and communication skills working both individually and as part of a team. For this module the students will form into creative teams and negotiate and agree a project proposal with their assigned tutor. Roles within the team will be delegated according to relevant career specialism and individuals will carry out intensive research relevant to the framework and concept of their game. Teams will formulate and manage their ideas constructing prototypes before finalising the project proposal and game documentation.

      CORC381 

      Game Worlds, Innovation and Production

      This module will allow students to experiment with both hardware and software, in a chosen area of games development, to produce innovative outcomes that develop both the appearance of the game/s and the personality of the content. Team production of prototypes will be explored, as well as a variety of methods to improve immersion, narrative and visual impact. Students will be supported and encouraged to investigate design innovations such as virtual reality, to develop new methods of enhancing gameplay.

      CORC382 

      Commercial Games Practice and Enterprise

      In this module students will explore, research and consolidate their knowledge and understanding of the enterprise and employment context of the digital games industry. Each student will receive career and business advice specifically tailored to their individual aspirations. Working both as part of a team and individually, on client based briefs, competitions, and/or via the colleges games design company, whilst preparing and producing a launch plan, along with promotional material to brand and market themselves as professionals within the games design industry.

      CORC383 

      Honours Team Project 2

      For this module students will create a large scale game clearly related to, and expanding upon, the games design documents and prototypes they have already created for Honours Team Project 1. Students will draw upon the specialist knowledge and skills found within their creative teams, to complete the design process, from concept to final implementation and testing. Students will review their efforts, reflecting on the production stages of the game and compare their finished artefact to the specifications of their original games design document.

    • Kit and Resources

    • You will have access to industry standard software and hardware such as Autodesk (3D Studio Max, Maya, Mudbox etc), Unreal Engine 5, Construct 3, Substance Suite, Quixel, Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Premiere etc), Oculus and Vive VR headsets, Logitech wheels, Wacom tablets, 3D scanners and printers and a wide range of audio visual equipment.

      At BA level you will be expected to carry out extensive independent research into the various roles and techniques within the industry, whilst learning new software, hardware and techniques. As such you may wish to get ahead by exploring this reading list below. We do not expect you to read everything on this list but dipping into books in each section will help you gain an understanding of the techniques and software you will be using.

    • Reading Lists

    • Honours Team Project 1:

      • Carroll, J. and Morris, D. (2015) Agile Project Management in easy steps, 2nd Edition. Warwickshire: In Easy Steps Limited.
      • Chandler, H. (2008) The Game Production Handbook, 2nd Edition. Sudbury, Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
      • Cole, R. and Scotcher, E. (2015) Brilliant Agile Project Management: A Practical Guide to Using Agile, Scrum and Kanban. Harlow: Pearson.
      • Hartal, L. and Morris, D. (2003) Game Art: The Graphic Art of Computer Games. Watson-Guptill.
      • Kennedy, S. (2013) How to Become a Video Game Artist. New York: Watson-Guptill.
      • Layton, M. (2020) Agile Project Management For Dummies. New Jersey: For Dummies.
      • Lilly, E. (2015) The Big Bad World of Concept Art for Video Games: An Insider's Guide for Beginners. Culver City California: Design Studio Press.
      • Maclean, F. (2011) Setting the Scene: The Art and Evolution of Animation Layout. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.
      • Misra, N. (2015) Learning Unreal Engine Android Game Development. Birmingham: Packt Publishing.
      • Omernick, M. (2004) Creating the Art of the Game. New Riders Games.
      • Platten, J. and Dille, F. (2006) The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design. New York: Lone Eagle Publishing Company.
      • Schell, J. (2014) The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses, 2nd Edition. Boca Raton Florida: A K Peters/CRC Press.
      • Sewell, B. (2015) Blueprints Visual Scripting for Unreal Engine. Birmingham: Packt Publishing.
      • Whittall, R. (2015)The Indie Game Developer Handbook. London: Focal Press.
      • Game Worlds, Innovation and Production.
      • Draper, P. (2008) Deconstructing the Elements with 3ds Max: Create Natural Fire, Earth, Air and Water without Plug-ins (Autodesk Media and Entertainment Techniques). Oxford: Focal Press.
      • Finch, A. (2014) Unreal Game Engine. China: 3DTotal Publishing.
      • Irish, D. (2005) The Game Producer's Handbook. Premiere Press.
      • Kennedy, S. (2013) How to Become a Video Game Artist. New York: Watson-Guptill.
      • Kermanikian, A. (2010) Introducing Mudbox. Indianapolis: Wiley Publishing.
      • Lanning, K. et al. (2009) D'artiste: Character Modelling 3 (D'Artiste). Mylor (SA): Ballistic Publishing.
      • Lilly, E. (2015) The Big Bad World of Concept Art for Video Games: An Insider's Guide for Beginners. Culver City California: Design Studio Press.
      • Maclean, F. (2011) Setting the Scene: The Art and Evolution of Animation Layout. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.
      • Roberts, S. (2007) Character Animation: 2D Skills for Better 3D (Focal Press Visual Effects and Animation). Oxford: Focal Press.
      • Misra, N. (2015) Learning Unreal Engine Android Game Development. Birmingham: Packt Publishing.
      • Sewell, B. (2015) Blueprints Visual Scripting for Unreal Engine. Birmingham: Packt Publishing.
      • Tavakkoli, A. (2015) Game Development and Simulation with Unreal Technology. Florida: CRC Press.
      • Wade, D. (2012) D'artiste Character Modelling 4 (D'Artiste). Mylor (SA): Ballistic Publishing.
      • Whittall, R. (2015) The Indie Game Developer Handbook. London: Focal Press.

      Honours Team Project 2:

      • Amresh, A. et al. (2010) Unreal Game Development. Natick: A K Peters.
      • Bateman, C. (2006) Game Writing: Narrative Skills for Videogames. Charles River Media.
      • Chandler, H. (2008) The Game Production Handbook, 2nd Edition. Sudbury, Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
      • Collins, K. (2008) Game Sound: An Introduction to the History, Theory and Practice of Video Game Music and Sound Design. Massachusetts: MIT Press.
      • Finch, A. (2014) Unreal Game Engine. China: 3DTotal Publishing.
      • Hartal, L. and  Morris, D. (2003) Game Art: The Graphic Art of Computer Games. Watson-Guptill.
      • Kennedy, S. (2013) How to Become a Video Game Artist. New York: Watson-Guptill.
      • Kermanikian, A. (2010) Introducing Mudbox.  Indianapolis: Wiley Publishing.
      • Lilly, E. (2015) The Big Bad World of Concept Art for Video Games: An Insider's Guide for Beginners. Culver City, California: Design Studio Press.
      • Misra, N. (2015) Learning Unreal Engine Android Game Development. Birmingham: Packt Publishing.
      • O’Conner, J. (2010) Mastering Mental Ray: Rendering Techniques for 3D and CAD Professionals. Indianapolis: Wiley Publishing.
      • Omernick, M. (2004) Creating the Art of the Game. New Riders Games.
      • Platten, J. and Dille, F. (2006) The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design. New York: Lone Eagle Publishing Company.
      • Salen, K. and Zimmerman, E. (2003) Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. Massachusetts: MIT Press.
      • Salen, K. and Zimmerman, E. (2006) Game Design Reader: A Rules of Play Anthology. Massachusetts: MIT Press.
      • Schell,  J. (2014) The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses, 2nd Edition. Boca Raton, Florida: A K Peters/CRC Press.
      • Sewell, B. (2015) Blueprints Visual Scripting for Unreal Engine. Birmingham: Packt Publishing.
      • Stevens, R. and Raybould, D. (2016) Game Audio Implementation: A Practical Guide Using the Unreal Engine. London: Focal Press.
      • Tavakkol, A. (2015) Game Development and Simulation with Unreal Technology. Florida: CRC Press.
      • Whittall, R. (2015) The Indie Game Developer Handbook. London: Focal Press.

      Commercial Games Practice and Enterprise:

      • Allen, P. (2000) Realizing eBusiness with Components. Addison-Wesley Pub.
      • Budelmann, K. and Wozniak, C. (2013) Essential Elements for Brand Identity: 100 Principles for Designing Logos and Building Brands (Design Essentials). Massachusetts: Rockport.
      • Dabner, D. and Stewart, S. (2014) Graphic Design School: A Foundation Course for Graphic Designers Working in Print, Moving Image and Digital Media. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
      • Dawson, P. et al (2012) Graphic Design Rules: 365 Essential Design Dos.
      • .Jenkins, S. (2013) Web Design All-in-One For Dummies. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
      • Kent, P. (2015) SEO for Dummies. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
      • NESTA.  Launch Your Own Successful Creative Business: Creative Enterprise Toolkit. 2011 Start-Ups. Start Your Own Business 2013: The most realistic and up-to-date guide to starting a business, Crimson, 2012.
      • Norris, M. and West, S. (2001) eBusiness Essentials, 2nd Edition. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
      • Reynolds, J. (2004) The Complete E-Commerce Book: Design, Build, and Maintain a Successful Web-Based Business. CMP Books.
      • Rickman, C. and Roddick, A (2005) The Small Business Start-Up Workbook: A step-by-step guide to starting the business you've dreamed of. How to Books.
      • Verou, L. (2015) CSS Secrets: Better Solutions to Everyday Web Design Problems. California: O'Reilly Media.
      • Whittall, R. (2015) The Indie Game Developer Handbook. London: Focal Press.
      • Williams, S. (2010)The Financial Times Guide to Business Start Up 2011. Prentice Hall.
      • Wilson, L. (2015) Word Press Web Design For Dummies. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.

      Game Worlds, Innovation and Production:

      • Allen, P. (2000) Realizing eBusiness with Components, Addison-Wesley Pub.
      • Bessan, J. and Tidd, J. (2007) Innovation and Entrepreneurship. West Sussex: Wiley.
      • Birley, S. and Muzyka, D. (1997) Mastering Enterprise. London: Pitman: FT. 
      • Block, M. and MacMillan, I. (1993) Corporate Venturing: Creating New Businesses Within the Firm. Harvard: Harvard Uni Press. 
      • Bolton, B. and Thompson, J. (2000) Entrepreneurs: Talent, Temperament. London: Butterworth.
      • Bridge, S., O’Neill, K. and Cromie, S. (2003) Understanding Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2nd Edition. London: Palgrave, Macmillan.
      • Deitel, M. H. and Deitel, P. J. (2011) e-Business and e-Commerce for Managers. Prentice Hall.
      • Drucker, P. (1985) Innovation and Entrepreneurship. London: Butterworth/Heineman.
      • Drucker, P. (1999) Managing in a Time of Great Change. London:  Butterworth/Heineman.
      • Howkins, J. (2001) The Creative Economy: How People Make Money from Ideas. Penguin Books. 
      • Johnson, S. (2001) Emergence. London: Penguin Books.
      • McRobbie, A. (2016) Be Creative: Making a Living in the New Cultural Industries. Wiley. 
      • Norris, M. and West, S. (2001) eBusiness Essentials, 2nd Edition. John Wiley & Sons.
      • Osterwalder, A. and Pigneur, Y. (2010) Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers. John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
      • Plant, R. (2000) eCommerce: Formulation of Strategy. Prentice Hall.
      • Reynolds, J. (2004) The Complete E-Commerce Book: Design, Build and Maintain a Successful Web-Based Business. CMP Books.
      • Williams, S. (2010) The Financial Times Guide to Business Start Up 2011. Prentice Hall.

    • Recommendations for Reading, Watching and Listening Over the Summer

      As well as exploring the reading list already introduced here there are many magazines and articles available online that would be worth a look. Its important at HE level and beyond to expand your knowledge using a variety of media sources. Don't just play games, watch films, TV, the news and hone your networking and socialising skills by attending any games related events etc.

    • Magazines:

      • 3D World
      • 3D Artist
      • Concept Artist
      • 2D Artist
      • GDC Vault

      Online (Please Click the Titles to View)

    • url icon
      Intro to Level Design | Live Training | Unreal Engine | YouTube URL

      Please click the link above to watch.

    • url icon
      Create a Portfolio in WordPress | Step-by-Step | YouTube URL

      Please click the link above to watch.

    • Student Highlights

    • One of the major unique selling points of the course is our links with clients and the amount of live projects we do.  Very few games courses in this country can offer you this level of work experience that will add veracity to your CVs, showreels and portfolios.

      Please take a look at the Games Design for Industry YouTube channel (please see the link below) to view many examples of student work that have been done in the past. Please subscribe to the channel if possible as the more subscribers we get the more we can do with it.

      Game Design 4 Industry - YouTube (Please Click Here to View)


      Collage of pictures from games design at Cornwall College.

    ◄FdA Games Design for Industry
    ►FdA Art and Design Practice
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    Manager - Colin Smith - Colin.smith@cornwall.ac.uk Learning Technologist - Luda Smith - Luda Smith@cornwall.ac.uk Learning Technologist - Maggie Symonds- Maggie.symonds@cornwall.ac.uk

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