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The best Computer Games Design course/uni?

Title says it all really. I've been doing loads of research (so much stuff to get my head around :s-smilie:) for 2010 entry. I'm into games and would love to specialise more in the design aspects and I'm looking for a good undergrad degree course in this area.

So far I've come up with the following:

Glouchestershire Uni - Interactive Games Design
Staffordshire Uni - Computer games design/Games concept design
Swansea metropolitan uni - Creative Computer Games Design
Southampton Solent uni - Computer games design
Worchestershire uni - Computer Games & Multimedia Development (not sure about this course)

Can anyone give me any advice on these courses/uni's or suggest any alternatives?

I've read alot of stuff about how most games courses are sub-standard and I want a 'decent' course :cool:

Any help would be appreciated :o:

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Reply 1
You don't need to take a games design course to learn how to program games. A games design course will not be as respected as a computer science course, in which you will learn to program elegantly and more broadly making you more appealing to employers and broadening your programming skills. With a computer science degree you can still learn game design in your spare time and you will have the sufficient programming skills required.
The only course i personally know about, is the Computer Science course at Brighton, for which there is a specialist games course, as well as a more general one. The first year modules are standard between the two, to give you the same computer science grounding, so it will give you good thought for what degree you want to specialise.
I didn't take the course, but knew people who did, who got quite a lot out of it, but that the courses are so specialised does mean you are more restricted at the end of it as to what you can do. What i will say about Brighton though, they offer really good 4 year sandwich courses, with a years placement in industry, and have good links to companies which you might be able to use as a starting point for future employment. If this area is something you are certain you want to go in to, i would say its worth looking at.
Reply 3
I don't really want to know how to program games really but I suppose I might be better off doing something more specialised, dunno.

EDIT: Ninja'd by eru :smile:

Yeah, I did look at brighton but I wasnt sure about the course. I'd really like to do a sandwich course though so I might give it another look. That's another thing I forgot to look at with my research :s
Reply 4
Usually a degree in Computer Science (straight) specialising in the more visual modules in year 3/4 (if you take an MEng) would give you a better chance at getting into game design/programming etc than a specialised course from a not so well ranked uni.
Reply 5
I don't really have a clue how you get into games design. I don't think there's really any particular type of university course that's best suited to it. You'd probably be judged more on your portfolio. Which of course you may get the chance to develop as part of a university course.
I asked my boyfriend who has worked in the games industry about this and he said that most of the game designers that he worked with got in through the testing route. They got the jobs by being smart and envolved and working really really hard.

I think a specialised degree in a University with good industry links would be useful as then you would get a grounding in good design principles and hopefully chances at getting work experience.
Reply 7
Thanks for the input all :smile:

I'm looking more at the design/art route so I think something based on that instead of programming is really what I'd want. Most of the places I've looked at require you to have taken an art course or have a portfolio (or both) which is fine for me.
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(edited 13 years ago)
Reply 9
nikki-jones2009
im also applying for game art cource for 2010:smile: the three unis which have appeald to me were :
hertfordshire
teeside
and leicster de montford. maybe you should take a look?


I've had a look at all of them :biggrin: , the ones I have decided to apply to are:

Staffordshire - Games Concept Design
Swansea Metropolitan - Creative Games Design
Teeside - Games Art
Glouchestershire - Interactive Games Design
Worchester - Computer Games and Multimedia

I would definitely recommend Staffs if you havent applied already, the course there looked far better than the other's I've visited :smile:
Reply 10
If you can get the grades Imperial's Games Vision and Interaction MEng is pretty decent.
mituozo
Usually a degree in Computer Science (straight) specialising in the more visual modules in year 3/4 (if you take an MEng) would give you a better chance at getting into game design/programming etc than a specialised course from a not so well ranked uni.

Spot on
Reply 12
sunspoon
If you can get the grades Imperial's Games Vision and Interaction MEng is pretty decent.

That probably is quite good. I always thought that having games related streams in a computer science/computing course is better than having a whole degree course for it.
Reply 13
The problem with games design courses are they are not respected as straight computer science ones. The reason to why is because games programming and design is very heavily Maths based and in many cases developers often seek those with straight Maths degrees rather than those doing courses specifically around designing and programming games :smile:.
mistermojo
I've had a look at all of them :biggrin: , the ones I have decided to apply to are:

Staffordshire - Games Concept Design
Swansea Metropolitan - Creative Games Design
Teeside - Games Art
Glouchestershire - Interactive Games Design
Worchester - Computer Games and Multimedia

I would definitely recommend Staffs if you havent applied already, the course there looked far better than the other's I've visited :smile:

i would recomend hertfordshire there animation work is the best ive seen so far. they have a forum thing where u can see there wrk its amazin. and the uni is rather attractive. i was debating wether to choose staffs or not...i decided not to. and i kno teeside is suppose 2 b good
Your best getting a hardcore computer science/ maths degree.

If i have a pound the every stupid person who took computer games design and could not get a job i would be very rich.
Reply 16
Any feedback on how it went and what you chose in the end mistermojo ? I know a lot of people have said straight computer science and others have said specialise if thats exactly what you want to do so i thought i would take the Games computing course at lincoln (MCOMP) as its a games computing course years 1/2 are identical to computer science. I also took this course because i cannot afford post grad so this offers an extra year to study more and get a better portfolio. The main reason i chose not to take computer science was that some of the modules just did not interest me/were dull or irrelevant to games programming. Also this course offers optional modules in years 2+3 for advanced software engineering which should help. I am still worried i should've took comp science though although i know a lot of people have had success in getting a good job doing games computing so we'll see i suppose.
Reply 17
Original post by mituozo
Usually a degree in Computer Science (straight) specialising in the more visual modules in year 3/4 (if you take an MEng) would give you a better chance at getting into game design/programming etc than a specialised course from a not so well ranked uni.


There's always one person ¬¬
Reply 18
Original post by nojoegohome
Your best getting a hardcore computer science/ maths degree.

If i have a pound the every stupid person who took computer games design and could not get a job i would be very rich.


Bull****, mate. If you apply for a job in games, in most cases they don't give a **** about your education, but your experience. One who has a degree in Computer Science but can't make game is less likely to get a job than someone with a High School qualification who can. It's all about your portfolio. Calm down.
Reply 19
Original post by Splice
Bull****, mate. If you apply for a job in games, in most cases they don't give a **** about your education, but your experience. One who has a degree in Computer Science but can't make game is less likely to get a job than someone with a High School qualification who can. It's all about your portfolio. Calm down.


You do realise he wrote that over 2 years ago right?

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