Game Design, BA

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Game development is an exciting multidisciplinary field that requires intense creativity, as well as professional discipline and strong collaborative production skills. Students in the Game Design major take a wide variety of engaging courses that help them develop a deep understanding of the aesthetics, tools, skills, process, theory and culture of games that informs their work and encourages them to develop and produce new and original ideas.

All students in the Game Design major enroll in core courses that emphasize the fundamentals of game design theory and process, cultural and societal aspects of game development, media theory and aesthetics, as well as introductory programming theory and practice. Students then select one of three concentrations - Game Art, Game Development or Sound Design - providing the depth of specialization that the game industry demands.

Students in the Game Design major complete the Interactive Arts and Media core before enrolling in Game Design courses that accentuate the cultural aspects of game design, game design theory, and concept development. Students select one of three concentrations in Ar/Animation, Game Development, or Game Sound, providing the depth of specialization that the game industry demands. Students seeking to be game programmers should investigate our Game Programming degrees.

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Concentrations

Game Art

The Game Art Concentration provides fundamental introduction to computer art and animation concepts to students with little or no previous experience. Students learn computer generated character modeling, environment modeling, level design and motion capture animation for Game content. Students will emerge with an understanding of the Game industry’s workflow techniques, the 3D gaming community and game types, concepts and strategy for designing and modeling 3D characters, concepts and strategy for designing and modeling 3D environments, the process of directing, capturing and editing motion capture performances and acquiring an advanced ability to use specific 3D software packages to produce 3D game art and animation for a cross-major production.

Program Requirements

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Game Development

The Game Development concentration provides an environment for students to creatively author a wide range of games including real-time games, engine-based games, and simulations. After completing the Game Design core students begin the concentration with an introduction to the industry and to developing original games, followed by a series of production courses. The Game Development track prepares students to produce and develop in a team setting as they work with animators, sound designers, and programmers to build either a large-scale game or a small team/independent game in the senior capstone courses.

Program Requirements

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Sound Design

Sound design in games is reaching new heights. More and more gamers are building extensive audio configurations to satisfy the sound requirements and demands of the next ground-breaking game. The concentration in sound design at Columbia College Chicago focuses on the technical and aesthetic issues surrounding the sound designer’s job. These include knowledge of acoustical and digital audio theory, music theory, aesthetics of sound and picture and the techniques of field recording. Graduates will emerge with the skills needed to work in a professional sound design environment, and a broad knowledge of the game design industry.

Program Requirements

Transfer Students: View a Transfer Planning Tool for this Concentration