Game production schools nc

It's a small, public, four-year university in a small city. In , 17 Music Production students graduated with students earning 17 Bachelor's degrees. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In , 6 Music Production students graduated with students earning 4 Bachelor's degrees, 1 Certificate, and 1 Master's degree.

It's a small, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In , 43 Music Production students graduated with students earning 23 Bachelor's degrees, and 20 Master's degrees. East Carolina University offers 3 Music Production degree programs. In , 47 Music Production students graduated with students earning 31 Bachelor's degrees, and 16 Master's degrees.

Western Carolina University offers 2 Music Production degree programs. In , 27 Music Production students graduated with students earning 27 Bachelor's degrees. Because the field of game design is so specialized, it can be challenging to find attractive entry-level jobs in certain parts of the country.

Attending a school that provides some job placement assistance can make it easier to secure a long-term position immediately after graduation. Working at a software development or game development company while completing a degree or certification program can provide invaluable work experience, hands-on training and help a student build a professional network — incredibly important in the gaming world.

Many companies are seeking creative, ambitious and imaginative interns to join their design team and work directly with designers to implement game entities, develop ideas, create game levels and review game mechanics. Many game design schools offer two or more specialization tracks for advanced training of in-demand career paths, such as game programming, multimedia art, game production and audio design. A portfolio showcasing a variety of gaming projects and skills is an asset to any game design school graduate.

Choosing a school that offers portfolio development training and related courses can help a student build an attractive portfolio and participate in a variety of projects to learn the key concepts and skills needed to succeed in this industry. Students interested in a career in game design can complete a 2-year degree program, 4-year degree program or a certification program from an accredited school.

Two-year programs typically include introductory courses in animation, digital video and programming, and many schools require students to complete a portfolio project as well. Some schools offer 2-year tracks in areas such as game development and simulation programming or basic video game design. The curriculum for 4-year degree programs are more comprehensive in scope and may include specialized courses in character sketching, game economics and usability.

These programs may range between 10 and 15 credits and up. An Associate of Science in Game Design or Associate of Arts in Game Development can prepare students for a career as a game designer, character designer or animator. Students with a 2-year degree may be able to secure entry-level jobs and complete on-the-job training to advance in their careers.

They are introduced to game design processes and learn how to work within a team of designers and other professionals. The game design school may also give students a chance to develop 2D and 3D graphics using digital media. Graduates of these programs can apply for jobs as junior game designers or junior animators. Usually a project-based course, students learn the basics of working on a computer game with a team.

Topics of study include game architecture, software engineering, game physics and computer graphics. This course teaches students how to create a prototype of a game utilizing various design techniques and skills learned in other classes. This introductory course teaches students the basics of digital image manipulation, color management, layering and retouching.

A 4-year degree in game design may be either a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree program of up to credits. Students enrolled in this type of program learn how to apply computing and software engineering techniques to the digital media world. Some game design schools offer the opportunity to specialize in a certain area, such as animation, computer science or digital arts. Students develop strong skills in a number of areas, including character design, game architecture and computer programming.

These programs cover a range of topics in technology, psychology, narrative, audio and digital arts to help the designer bring characters to life. Students learn the fundamentals of design principles for developing digital worlds by breaking down different types of games to learn about game mechanics, intensity curves, visual aesthetics, and the sequence of actions, controls and rewards within a game.

All game designers need to have a strong skill set when it comes to using the latest technologies and computer software programs employed by leading companies in the industry. This course introduces the student to file formats, databases, audio engines, computer networking and artificial intelligence typical in the industry. Students learn how to design and implement 3D games and create one or more levels using skills and knowledge acquired from other courses. Topics may include player guidance, lighting, texturing, scripting and 3D game mechanics.

All students should graduate with a complete portfolio of work that includes samples of projects in both paper and digital form. Portfolio development courses cover a variety of topics, including advanced interviewing techniques, voice-over video production and writing resumes relevant to the industry.

Computer programmers, graphic designers, game developers and entrepreneurs interested in breaking in to the field of game design may be able to complete a game design certificate program to round out their professional career.

These programs expand upon the principles and foundational skills of modern game design so that professionals can gain hands-on experience in game development. Completing a game design certificate program can help students develop specialized skills to develop both digital and non-digital games for various markets. Certification programs may be nine months to a year or more in length, depending on the school. Courses may be completed online or on a campus setting. Examples of certification courses may include:.

This course covers foundational topics such as the history of gaming, interface design, writing narratives for games and social game interaction. The course may also include the basics of writing a game design document. Students learn how to apply project management skills to the field of game design and work on a prototype with a team. They learn how to work within the constraints of a business model, design a user interface, and manage activities such as storyboarding, plot and character development, and visual design.

This course covers the basics of systems design, social games, and business models for different types of games. Students learn what it takes to make a game successful using different production methods and platforms. These programs are typically up to 40 credit hours and cover a range of topics and in-depth study of human behavior, computer game editing, simulations and game production.

Students may take a set of core courses and concentration courses to specialize in a certain area. Courses may be a mixture of theory and applied practice to prepare students for the modern game design industry. Students explore software architecture and computer games engineering in depth. They may study frameworks for game development, techniques for managing resources, and different gaming platforms.

One of the most essential components of a computer game, students learn how to implement artificial intelligence components to a game using different types of algorithms.

This course will cover engine components, architectures, and designs. Topics include asset management, resource management, event management, memory management, timelines, multithreading, network architectures, and game object models.

A sequence of programming assignments will lead students through the implementation of their own game engine, which they will use to design their own game. Principles of computer game development with emphasis on 3D first-person game engines.

Topics include: advanced character behavior control, procedural content generation, large scale mulit-player game design and infrastructure, serious games for education, training and other applications, the game production pipeline and project built on top of a commercial game engine.

Consideration of the game production pipeline, including project pitches, requirements and design detail. Programming project with written and oral reporting is required.

Enrollment open to CSC majors only. In this course we will examine Artificial Intelligence [AI] techniques that are used in the design of computer games. The course will begin with a discussion of general AI, common algorithms, data structures, and representations.

From there, we will cover topics in character movement, pathfinding, decision making, strategy, tactics, and learning. In a sequence of programming assignments students will create increasingly sophisticated AI implementations. Students will also critically review the projects conducted by graduate students enrolled in CSC CSC majors only. Application of software engineering principles and basic computer science to the total development of a software system. Consideration of the software system design process, including requirements and design detail.