Video Game Design

The 3D Animation & Video Game Art Program is a comprehensive program that puts equal emphasis on the artistic and the technical side of 3D modeling and animation. Courses cover material that will take the student through the whole production process and workflow of 3D animation, from storyboarding and conceptualization to the final delivery of the rendered product. Curriculum spans traditional animation techniques, life drawing and the technical fundamentals of 3D animation and modeling. Classes are taught in a state-of-the-art computer studio with the latest versions of industry-standard software packages. Faculty members have extensive industry experience and their expertise is critical to the success of students in this growing field.

Expectations are once the program is fully operating (by Spring of2021), we could have from 50 to 100 completers annually. The Digital Art &Animation program intends to offer the introductory level courses during both Fall and Spring semesters, building a “pool” of students who can then move onto the more advanced courses in the sequence. Currently, enrollment projections for the introductory classes is 24-32 per section, and we anticipate initially  offering one section per semester. If demand requires it, additional sections will be added to the schedule to accommodate student demand.

Video game design is a rapidly growing field, both nationally and in the Bay Area. The Video Game Design certificate trains students in the skills they need to secure an entry-level position as a game designer, level designer, or associate producer in the video game industry. Curriculum was developed in conjunction with veteran game industry designers and reflects the skills currently in demand in the industry.

Course Requirements:

For students, no prior knowledge of game design or development techniques is required. The course sequence is designed to provide the information they need in a collaborative, interactive format that has them applying the skills they learn as soon as possible. During a student’s progress through the program, they will develop, test, redesign, and debug (where appropriate) several games of different types. Card and board game development is also a feature of the program, since these are quick to develop and test.

Equipment Requirements:

The intent of the program is to stay current with developing trends in the video game industry. Currently, that means training students on the Unity and (to a lesser extent) Unreal game engines. Both of these engines are free to use and develop on for educational institutions, and licenses for multiple software seats have already been acquired by the Digital Art &Animation department.

The 3D and Digital Media labs already in use by the department house equipment that is more than adequate for teaching the software and for students to use for development of their projects.

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
MART 441	Introduction to Video Game Design	3	Summer Yr 1
MART 442	History of Video Games	3	Fall Yr 1
MART 443	Game Design Fundamentals	3	Fall Yr 1
MART 445	3D Game Scripting	3	Spring Yr 1
MART 446	Storytelling with Games	3	Spring Yr 1
MART 447	3D Level Design	3	Summer Yr 2
MART 450	Collaborative Game Production	3	Fall Yr 2
MART 451	Rapid Game Design	3	Fall Yr 2
MART 452	Advanced Game Design	3	Spring Yr 2
MART 452	Advanced Game Design	3	Spring Yr 2
MART 455	Indie Game Development & Entrepreneurship		Summer Yr 3

Selective Courses	Minimum of 3 units
MART 314	Introduction to Computer Graphics	3
MART 366	Color Management and Theory	3
MART 376	Introduction to Digital Imaging	3
MART 420	Introduction to 3D Modeling and Animation	3

While the primary goal of the certificate is solidly CE, students who wish to can transfer to four-year programs in game design such as the one at CSU Chico for additional study and training.

At this time, we are unaware of any similar programs at the community college level, and certainly non within the San Mateo County Community College District. As mentioned previously, CSU Chico offers a Bachelors degree in video game design, as do a number of for-profit colleges in the area. We believe that this certificate can compete favorably with portions of those programs, giving students the skills they need to start their game industry careers. Students interested in further training can avail themselves of the opportunities at four-year institutions as mentioned above.