Where Students Can Learn Game Design

When an average gamer watches a famous video game, it becomes evident that it has not only been the work of the programmer and the person behind the storyline but also included certain work of the game designer. As a rule, it often goes beyond the GUI or a part that relates to accessibility because designing a game, one has to understand how each part of the game functions and whether it is possible to cooperate with everyone on your team. Still, if you are new to the field of game design and only plan to have a good start, it is vital to combine several disciplines as you choose your course. If you have a passion for the subject matter, becoming a game designer will require a mix of skills that will be akin to an engineering discipline. 

The trick is to choose those courses and schools where you can get the most out of practical application because the theoretical part will be much easier. You have to think outside the box and understand that your opinion must be polished and clear, yet flexible at the same time because you have to develop and learn how to listen. Without a doubt, every game design college professor will do their best to provide you with the tools and academic assistance to succeed but it will always depend on your confidence and readiness to work hard in a team because game design is always about cooperation.

Where Students Can Learn Game Design: Top Choices

Drexel University

One of the best choices for students who want to consider learning more about game design in a complex. The exceptional part about Drexel's Game Design & Production course is that they offer everything necessary to produce a game, which means that you will not only learn about graphics and programming but will also see how the business and planning parts work as you develop things. It will require some writing work to do as well as you have to analyze things. If writing is not your cup of tea, you can consider top essay writing services to receive professional assistance. Regardless if you need to write a reflection journal or finish your part of the project according to some odd grading rubric, turning for help online will always help you get things done on time.

Bradley University.

 It is often ranked as one of the best among the online reviews that deal with game design studies. What makes it exceptional is the scientific approach that will include the Media Studies section to understand what ideas will be the best for the current society and what old aspects of design are still relevant today. The Game Design course itself is interactive and has a plethora of practical experience, which must be considered. It has it all from animation to JAVA programming to studies of the C++ fundamentals, which makes it possible to focus on every part of the game-creation process. You will also learn the design fundamentals in an online environment with a focus on your customer base and analysis of what is currently in demand.

Cogswell Polytechnic College

Although it is not easy to get enrolled as the competition is quite high, Cogswell is one of the best choices to learn game design. The course includes numerous guest lectures from the top video game developers and designers, which will help you understand the competition and see what additional skills must be present to bring every idea in mind to completion. Cogswell also provides one of the best technical labs to help you participate in various projects as you brainstorm things on your own or along with the other students.

The University of Utah EAE

The Entertainment Arts & Engineering course is one of the top-ranked programs in video game education for those students who would like to have an emphasis on a certain discipline. This program will help you learn in a different way as you approach interdisciplinary informatics. You will learn Art, Humanities, Social Science, and Computational Research. Unlike many game development and design courses, you will start with the creation of the game from scratch and evaluate what parts must be improved before the coding starts. While you may not meet the Utah University in the list of top 5 best design courses for students, it is still one of the best programs that will help you to feel confident regardless of your major's focus, be it Healthcare or Data Analysis.

Worcester Polytechnic Interactive Media and Game Design (IMGD)

Another great choice for those who want to keep things fun and interactive. This course also offers great post-graduation options with internship opportunities and cooperation with the top companies in this competitive industry. You will study communicational skills and the ways how to get one’s message across. As you will design various games, it will range from simple tasks for education to action-driven video games where the design of battle scenes plays a crucial role. If you want to choose a game design curriculum that will always keep things fun and interactive, it is one of the best choices!


Now that we have reviewed one of the best colleges and universities to study game design, let us continue with the game design courses that will be more affordable. It will help you to explore the basics and see if it is your preferred academic field before you get enrolled to understand that it is not something that you would like to do. These affordable (and sometimes even free!) game design courses will help you choose what you would like to learn by keeping things flexible as you continue with your college studies or work without ruining your schedule.

 

Game Design Courses Online

C# Programming – Unity Game Development Certification

This amazing program includes four courses and the final project. If you want to focus on programming, it is one of the most affordable game design courses for beginners. Even if you have no prior programming experience, you can safely get enrolled. You will learn both C# and Unity, which will be limited to several exercises per course to ensure that you understand the concepts. The final project will ask for your own game design where you should use all the concepts that have been studied.

Unity Certified 3D Artist Specialization.

Another course offered by Coursera. It will last for 7 months unless you choose a different schedule. You will have to pass five courses that will revolve around the Unity Certified 3D Artist exam. By completing this course, you will be ready to pass this exam. Your course will deal with two interesting projects. One of them will require a full configuration of the kitchen that is practical and accessible. The second project will be a Sci-Fi video game 3D solution. It will have to include various aspects of materials, lighting, design, ergonomics, and many other factors. If you have been using Unity in the past for your rendering work, it is a good choice. If you want to achieve professional standards, look no further!

Complete C# Unity Game Developer 2D

If you are a complete beginner or someone who has some prior knowledge as a video game developer, this course will be a great fit. You will learn C# from scratch and will create various playable game projects. What makes this course special is that you will learn the basics of coding, problem-solving, and application of your gained skills to various .NET and similar languages. It is one of those flexible and affordable solutions that will provide you with classic concepts and one of the best instructions as Udemy stands for quality.

Computer Science for Game Development.

Offered by edX, this course will take you about six months to get everything handled right. It is one of those solutions where you will receive a broad understanding of computer science, programming, software development, and the leadership skills that will help you work in a team. Since this course is aimed at game design and development, it will focus on such aspects as C#, Python, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, SQL, 3D, and 2D assignments among other things as you will also cover software engineering, security, resource management, and more.

Create Your First Game with Python.

Coming back to Coursera, we can see that you may also create your first game with the help of a dynamic solution called Python. It is a great two-hour course that will help you see how to design a game with the help of an open programming approach. You will use PyGame modules to create a game loop with the image display. If you always wanted to see Python listed in your design resume, it is a great solution to consider!

 

What to Look For in Your Game Design Course

While each course will be different as you make your choice, it is vital to understand that when you start with a more affordable solution to taste what is to come, you will always save funds and will have some background before you proceed with a serious university's choice and major in game design. Here are some aspects that you must consider:

Cutting Edge Technology.

As you will learn all the important concepts of game design, you must ensure that you have access to the latest technology and have a chance to develop them as well because every successful game that you design must provide something unique that will always stand out. For example, you may be learning the use of AI in game design, yet if your university course approaches VR and AR aspects differently, you will learn more than what is usually mentioned in a typical Masters’s or Ph.D. degree requirements. The safest way is to ensure that you have enough practice is to make games and proceed with a dozen of them. Of course, most of these games that you encounter will be in cooperation with the programming engineers.

Hands-On Projects

In other words, you will have to deal with practical work where you approach your assignments in a collaborative environment. You will have to work with at least ten people in a team as you develop your project and offer certain design ideas. Of course, every idea will be evaluated by your college professor, which means that some students will have to adjust their thoughts and support the best ideas with relevant argumentation. Every good designer knows that it will play a crucial role as you work for a good internship at professional video game companies like Dreamworks or any other.

Look For Interdisciplinary Studies

As it has already been mentioned, learning game design means that you should study more than one discipline. Think about Video Games, Design Thinking, Interpersonal Communication, and the Basics of Programming. If you do not focus on the interdisciplinary work, you will not understand how a programmer works or how the fundamental parts of the target machine will handle your ideas. It is a deeply technical aspect that you should understand as you make a final choice for your course.

The Course / Major Flexibility

Let us not forget that far not every designer studying game design programs wants to major in video game design as the primary subject. The most important is to gain creative skills, coding, art, explanatory skills, good writing, analysis, and engineering. You may want to handle video game projects as an entrepreneur or provide your leadership knowledge to help the team of designers meet the deadlines. Therefore, always think about your program to see how you can connect it with your career to provide your best for the development and design aspects.

BIO

Elizabeth believes that creativity and thinking outside the box are what make a good designer successful. Her posts offer simple, yet efficient ideas that can boost one's mind and inspire. Follow Elizabeth to learn something new and consider going beyond your comfort zone as you challenge yourself to grow.