Undergraduate BA (Hons) Games Development and Futures Games Design
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Course overview
Turn your love for games into a career and become part of a thriving global gaming industry.
If working out the rules, systems, puzzles and challenges that shape a player’s experience in a game is what you get excited about, then Game Development: Design is for you. You’ll graduate having had extensive experience as a game designer from paper concept to the finished article, with a portfolio of completed games on which you have worked closely with all the other development team disciplines. No specific subject area is required for this specialism in terms of previous qualifications, but a good, passionate understanding of games and the ability to understand and interpret software are advantageous.
Modules
Modules
ACM’s core validated learning provision. These are the building blocks of your degree, through which you will be assessed, accrue credits, and progress towards your final qualification. ACM’s module design blends the rigour of a high-quality academic framework and up-to-date industry knowledge. Students also develop critical professional competencies as they progress through their programme.
Skills Units
Skills units are ACM’s unique delivery model for up-to-date technical and industry knowledge. These are where you will learn everything you need to excel in your chosen discipline, and inform how you approach your assessments.
Modules & Skills Units
GAM401 Introduction to game futures: working practices, technologies and contexts
This module enables students to understand applications and genres of the games industry and to explore how these are being used in other industries to problem-solve and innovate. It examines the principles and terminology used in professional contexts and requires students to research and investigate the potential futures of games.
GAM402 Games, culture and society
This module enables students to understand the cultural and social aspects of games and gaming and to connect the theory with the practice. Students will consider and compare the impact, structure and method of gaming in global culture and societies. The module requires students to identify and explore themes to review a variety of formats and technologies through this lens.
GAM403 Digital storytelling in the creative industries
This module enables students to examine digital storytelling across a range of media. Students will consider and compare the purpose, structure and method of storytelling in different formats and platforms and to different audiences. The module requires students to review creative industries practices of digital storytelling in a variety of formats and technologies.
GAM404 Psychology and biology of games from individual to mass participation
This module enables students to understand the impact of games and gaming on physical and mental health. Students will consider and contrast the potential and actual positive and negative impacts of gaming in different contexts. The module requires students to consider and analyse the components of video games to support or challenge current research on this topic.
GAM405 Games Laboratory: Game design, game engine and programming
This module enables students to engage in developing a game by rotating across the key disciplines and roles on mini-projects or one large project, and are continuously reviewed by the Games Tutors and their student peers for contribution and potential contribution.
GAM406 Games Laboratory: Art and animation
This module enables students to develop their practical skills and contextual knowledge in this discipline within the context of GAM405.
GAM407 Games laboratory: Game play, applied music and audio
This module enables students to develop their practical skills and contextual knowledge in this discipline within the context of GAM405.
GAM408 Games laboratory: Creative business practices
This module enables students to develop their practical skills and contextual knowledge in this discipline within the context of GAM405.
Modules & Skills Units
GAM501 Games laboratory 2: Agile and collaborative indie development
This module enables students to engage in an indie game environment in the following activities:
• Interdisciplinary communication, problem-solving and collaboration: practices and tools for synchronous and asynchronous teamwork.
• Individual and group coaching: in role and on and off project;
• Reflective journaling/logging: recording individual and community problems, solutions and learning, learning how to learn through practice and practice-theory-practice cycles;
• Iteration and testing: agile, design, build, test, refine, deliver, pitch, review;
Individual and Community Games Curation and Lexicon: curating and referencing individual and teamwork to current or historic professional practices within an indie games context.
GAM502 Indie: Game design
This module enables students to focus on discipline-specific skills, first experienced within Level 4, in preparation for the Indie Game Project GAM501. This enables students to further develop specialist practical skills and contextual knowledge in this discipline within the context of GAM405.
GAM507 Games laboratory 3: Agile and collaborative AAA game development
This module enables students to engage in an AAA (major) game environment in the following activities:
• disciplinary-specific communication, problem-solving and collaboration: practices and tools for synchronous and asynchronous teamwork.
• Individual and group coaching: in role and on and off project;
• Reflective journaling/logging: recording individual and community problems, solutions and learning, learning how to learn through practice and practice-theory-practice cycles;
• Iteration and testing in one specific discipline: agile, design, build, test, refine, deliver, pitch, review;
• Individual and Community Games Curation and Lexicon: curating and referencing individual and teamwork to current or historic professional practices within a AAA games context. Each team is responsible for locating ideas, concepts, principles, approaches, strategies, practices and tools within the field of games and game development; Terminology for publishing in the Game community and industry.
GAM508 AAA: Game design
This module enables students to further develop specialist practical skills and contextual knowledge in this discipline, within the context of GAM502 and GAM501.
Modules & Skills Units
GAM603 Games laboratory 4: Game design
This module enables students to engage in developing a game for audiences of the future, working with a non-traditional games environment in the following activities: disciplinary-specific communication, problem-solving and collaboration: practices and tools for synchronous and asynchronous teamwork. Individual and group coaching: in role and on and off project; Reflective journaling/logging: recording individual and community problems, solutions and learning, learning how to learn through practice and practice-theory-practice cycles; Iteration and testing in one specific discipline: agile, design, build, test, refine, deliver, pitch, review; Individual and Community Games Curation and Lexicon: curating and referencing individual and teamwork to current or historic professional practices within an innovative or non-traditional games context. Each team is responsible for locating ideas, concepts, principles, approaches, strategies, practices and tools within the field of games and game development; Terminology for publishing in the Game community and industry.
GAM601 Independent Portfolio
This module enables students to create a portfolio and digital presence that includes course output, work experience, freelance work or volunteering targeted to professional opportunities or further study.
GAM602 Games Industry Critical Review
This module includes a research or practical project that critically reviews one or more current issues, constraints or practices that impact the Games Industry, the application of games to other industry sectors or broader cultural or workforce issues relating to the Games industry.
Fees & Entry requirements
- Minimum age 17+ for Foundation Learners and 18+ for our Accelerated Degree Courses.
- You will be expected to hold A Levels or Equivalent Level 3 Qualification(s) worth 104 UCAS Points or more **
- You will be expected to hold a GCSE in English Language / Literature at C grade/ 4 (or higher)
- Suitability for the programme will also be assessed through an audition. View audition guides
- Fees & financing information can be found on our Fees page
- Term dates can be found on the Term Dates page
If you do not have A-Levels and require moderation, please speak to our admissions team to explore the options available to you.
Progression
Contact our Admissions team to discuss the possibility of switching to an Integrated Masters program or explore a range of our Postgraduate programs here.
Tutors
Abel Quintana
Senior Lecturer & Pathway Lead in Games
Paul Ressel
Specialist in Music Production
Shea Stedford
Senior Lecturer in Production
