BSc (Hons)Computer Games Technology

Core modules

Computer Games Programming

This module provides sufficient software design and development skills to undertake a small computer games development software project. The module introduces key concepts in computer games development such as rendering, user input, bitmaps, animation, and collision detection.

Software Engineering for Games: Methods and Tools

This module explores the strategies and techniques that can be applied to meet customer expectations, timescales and budget. This draws on three related themes: the software process, the software quality process and software project management.

Console Development

The module introduces key concepts in console development such as the console development environment, console game specific considerations (e.g. managing a wide range of television types), as well as various cross-platform development considerations.

Engine Architecture and Tools

Through this module you will gain a solid understanding of how games and other modern software are architected, and the tools are that form the development pipeline.

Producing Games

This module will concentrate on the knowledge and skills needed for computer game designers to become effective game producers and project managers. Students will learn the approaches to project management while working on a project, and analyse them based on their experiences working in a large team.

Optional modules

Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.

Gameplay and Game Design

This module will concentrate on the skills needed to produce the concept document and the design document (central to developing a commercial game), with a supporting library of artefacts to generate a comprehensive description of a new 2D game.

Gameplay Systems Programming

On this module you will improve your gameplay programming skills by building incrementally more complex gameplay systems on multiple game engines.

Core modules

Professional Development

The Professional Development module has been designed to develop three key areas that are vital for professional success. The three areas are: graduate skills and employability; professionalism; career and personal development.

Software Engineering for Games: Professional Practice

This module will help you to develop an understanding of the techniques used in the construction of larger-scale software systems and projects built by multi-disciplinary teams.

Game Technology Project

This module provides you with the opportunity to plan and manage a project of significant scale and complexity. The project should reflect theory and practice drawn from the Computer Games Technology course and reflect your particular interests.

Optional modules

Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.

Artificial Intelligence for Games

This module explores the role of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) in delivering software solutions to real world problems. Emphasis is on those subjects that have immediate application, especially in the development of novel solutions within the games industry.

Advanced Graphics Programming

This module extends the computer games programming skills developed at level five, and includes techniques such as; graphics shaders, games-specific object-oriented design patterns, image post-processing, scene management, per-polygon collisions and performance optimisation.

Experiential Design

This module will concentrate on the skills and knowledge needed for computer game designers to effectively utilise experiential design approaches in their work. Students will iteratively design and prototype games as they develop their experiential expertise.

Studio Practice

This module takes the concept of producing games further by having the entire class work as a studio formed of Artists, Designer and Programmers. Students reinforce learning from other modules by putting concepts into practice while working collaboratively to publish a small but polished game.