This document summarizes the BA in Games Design program at Brunel University. It highlights the program's unique focus on game design theory and application, investment in industry-standard facilities, and strong employment outcomes. Students are taught by veteran game developers and industry pioneers. The degree focuses on applying theory to practice through ongoing game projects. Graduates gain experience that prepares them for careers in the diverse games industry or related fields like media and technology.

1. BA Games Design
www.gamesatbrunel.com
@BrunelUni
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2. Why Study
Games
Design at
Brunel?
Unique focus on game design
through theory
Supported by multinational
game companies
Investment in games, labs & facilities
Great graduate employment record
Taught by industry veterans and
pioneers of game studies

3. The Teaching Team

4. Professor Steve Jackson
• 30 years experience in the role-playing and
videogames industries
• Co-founder of Games Workshop
• Co-creator of Fighting Fantasy interactive game
books
• Designed first telephone game (F.I.S.T.)
• Games page of The Daily Telegraph
• Co-founded Lionhead Studios
• Created Battle Cards (collectable trading cards)
• Course fairy-godfather and über-industry contact

5. Justin Parsler
• Over 30 years of professional game design
experience. BAFTA Nominated.
• Senior Consulting Designer at Mediatonic, with
9 games currently in production, including
work for EA, Disney and The Walking Dead IP
• Research focuses on the nature of agency
(choice) and player empowerment
• Published academic work has includes analysis
of World of Warcraft, Lord of The Rings Online

6. Chris Cox
• Background in the creative arts and running
gaming events across the UK
• Game Designer / Lead Game Designer at Lady
Shotgun
• Producer and consultant at Octopus 8, one of
Develop’s 2013 Top 100 New Games Studios
• Teaches the Design and Application modules

7. Matthew O’Dell
• Graduate of CSM Industrial Design MA
• User Interface Designer for Xerox and others
• 3D / 2D game artist for web game developer JailDog
• Many years life drawing in acrylic, water colour, ink
• Freelance vector illustration
• Initially taught Comic Book Art at Chelsea College;
since taught a wide range of Adobe Creative Suite,
video games, various web / mobile / digital graphics

8. Dr Kelly Boudreau
• Player / avatar hybridity in the networked process
of digital game play
• Emerging digital / game research methodologies
• Modes of governance of toxic gamer culture
• Relationship between design and play
experience

9. Dr Ashley Brown
• PhD in Sociology from University of Manchester
• Fan of Role Playing Games (tabletop / digital)
• Board member of DiGRA (Digital Games Research
Association), and founder of UK chapter
• Research interest in nature of sexuality in games
• Active cosplayer and makes own outfits

10. The stuff that really matters
• The enthusiasm / respect we have for games design
• Our deep commitment to student learning – small team, highly
A great time to be studying games…
• In April 2014, EU agreed to UK tax credit of 25% of production
costs. 500 development studios in UK, employing around 9000.
• New generation of hardware (PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, Vita)
• Access to huge, growing market - 1 billion smart phones will be
sold in the coming year
GTA V made $800 million
dollars in it’s first weekend
Flappy Bird made
$30,000 a day
responsive, game jams, internships

11. The Degree Programmes & Possible Routes
Single Honours: BA Games Design – BBB / DDM
Or
BA Games Design and Film & TV studies BBB / DDM
BA Games Design and Creative Writing AAB / D*D*D
inc. English
BA Games Design with Film & TV studies
BA Games Design with Creative Writing
BA Film & TV studies with Games Design
BA Creative Writing with Games Design
Joint
Major
Minor
Note: entry requirements are under review, and likely to increase

12. ProPgrarcaticme-Tmheeor yE Smyntphehsias:sis
Practice informed by theory;
theory informed by practice
Theory Design Application
• Textual / formal dimension –
games as a particular language
• Socio-cultural dimension –
games as products of
societies, cultures
• Industrial dimension – how
games are shaped by
commercial and institutional
structures.
• Practical engagement with
designing games
• Self-evaluation and appraisal
• Creativity
• Pitching and market
• Group work
•Working with industry briefs
and formats
• Communication
• Presenting/pitching ideas
• Prototyping ideas
• Appreciation of the
industrial context of game
production
•Workshops on key skills.
• Industry speakers with
variety of roles.
Underpinned by art and animation skills

13. Single Honours – Additional Content
Additional Strand:
Asset & Story Creation
• Examine a range of
methods for
creating assets for
your games and
flesh them out even
further
• No prior experience
required
• Additional Level 3
project choice
Game-focused
modules in:
• Game Mechanics
• Animation
• Technical skills
• History of Games
Optional crossover
with computing
modules
• Round off your
game projects with
more assets and
spend more taught
time on their
narratives
• Your projects will be
your primary
assessments for the
whole 3 years

14. Ongoing Project Assessment
No exams.

15. Modules (each year worth 120 credits)
Level One
• Reading Games (20)
• Games Design 1 (20)
• Application (20)
(optional for Minor/Joint)
Joint: 40 or 60 credits
taken in other subject.
Single Honours:
• Historical Context and
Asset Creation & Story 1
or
• Film Style and Intro to
Programming
Level Two
• Critical Approaches(20)
• Games Design 2 (20)
• Application 2 (20)
(optional for Minor/Joint)
• Joint: 60 or 80 credits
taken in other subject.
Single Honours:
• Game Mechanics
• Asset Creation & Story 2
• Animation (optional)
Level Three*
• Socio-Cult. Contexts (20)
• Major Design Project (40)
and /or
• Medium Design Project
(20) (Term 1)
and / or
• Major Theory Project (40)
(Terms 1 and 2)
and / or
• Medium Theory Project
(20) (Term 2)
• Single Honours: Asset
Creation Project
* Options to be significantly
expanded and revamped

16. An example student game – “Autoscroll”

17. By the end of the course, you will have…
• gained much experience of making games
• a good understanding of how the games
industry operates
• had contact with a range of people working in
the industry / commenting on it and its products
• the ability to make use of a range of conceptual
models that aid the process of critical,
independent thought and problem solving

18. LudoLab - teaching
• Dedicated computer lab space for BA students
• High-end PCs, each with dual screens, Wacom tablet
• Two Macs, for exporting games to iOS
• Multimedia Fusion 2.5, Adobe Creative Cloud, Autodesk
Entertainment Suite 2014, Toon Boom Studio, Mixcraft 6
• Committed to further investment in computing resources
• 24 hour access
• Kitchen, bathrooms nearby

19. Ludolab - play
• PCs are available for LAN gaming
• Console lounge area with two HDTVs – PS3/4, Xbox 360/One,
WiiU.
• Vintage machines / games available (PSX, MD, DC etc.)
• Free to play / install own games (e.g. via Steam, XBLA)
• Small console game library

20. The Flat Room
• Secondary teaching space
• Large board game archive (£1500+ spent in the last year)
• Flexible layout, with tables to play games on

21. The ‘Ready’ Graduate Attributes Programme
• For first year undergraduates, 200 places available per term (10 weeks).
• 2 hours per week, with 2.5 hours outside work.
• Builds attributes / skills sought by employers:
• Communication
• Financial and other Data Analysis
• Personal Resilience
• Teamwork
• Commercial Awareness
• Organisation and Planning
• Problem Solving
• Time Management
• Work with students and staff from across Brunel along with a wide range of guest speakers.
• Project work reflects Brunel's focus on real-world learning, professionalism, and both local and
global communities.
• More info: http://www.brunel.ac.uk/life/student-guide/ready-programme.
• Enquiries to ready@brunel.ac.uk

22. Careers
• Games industry, in all its diversity – e.g.
designing, testing, producing, marketing
• Media industries, journalism, publishing,
research, critical writing, arts
administration…
• Transferable tech-industry focused skills e.g.
Adobe, Autodesk, Microsoft software;
understanding of programming / computing
concepts.
• Opportunities offered by the other subject
of a joint honours degree.

23. Employment: all this and more!
• Junior Game Designer at Lionhead Studios
• Junior Game Designer at Asylum Entertainment
• Junior Game Designer at Curve
• Junior Game Designer at Nik-Nak
• Internships, Games Designers at Mediatonic
• Game and Level Designers at Supermassive Games
• Games Designer - Creative Assembly (BAFTA winner!)
• Games Designer at Splash Damage Games
• Games Designer at Rebellion Games
• Lead Games designer at Rovio (Angry Birds!)
• Games Designers at Zynga
• Games Designer at Riot Games USA
• Internships at Lionhead
• Internships at Ubisoft, Shanghai
• Localisation at Square-Enix UK

24. Summary: Why games at Brunel?
• Unique programme designed to help students gain
a foothold in the industry
• Proven track record of industry jobs
• Supported by a range of industry affiliates,
including some of the most well-known
developers world-wide
• Internship possibilities for talented students
• Taught by pioneering industry and academic
experts; regular guest speakers from the industry
• Dedicated programme lab – promotes
collaboration and a strong sense of ‘belonging’
• Join a community of game enthusiasts with a host
of different skills and backgrounds
www.gamesatbrunel.com
@BrunelUni #ExploreBrunel