BSc Computer Games Technology

1
BSc Computer Games Technology

• Abdennour El Rhalibi
• School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences

a.elrhalibi_at_livjm.ac.uk
2
Content

• Computer Games Industry
• Programme Motivation
• The programme structure
• Job Opportunities in UK
• The School and its facilities

3
Computer Games Industry

• The computer games industry has grown to become
  one of the worlds largest entertainment fields.
• In 1999, it passed Hollywood box-office receipts
  in terms of annual turnover. In the same year,
  Europe overtook America and Japan as the worlds
  largest consumer of computer games hardware and
  software with sales of 6.4bn.
• One quarter of Sony Corporations profits
  world-wide come from Playstation.
• The world video games market is growing at about
  20 each year

4
Computer Games Industry
Rapidly growing market
Source Datamonitor, IDG
1 Includes console, PC software and online gaming
5
Computer Games Industry
2002 - For the 1st time3 console platforms in
the market
6
The Programme Motivations

• BSc (Hons) Computer Games Technology aims to
  develop professional and transferable skills in a
  wide range of methods, techniques and practices
  appropriate for the task domain of a professional
  computer game developer.
• The programme also aims to provide students with
  an education and learning experience that will
  equip them to operate as autonomous computing
  professionals.

7
Current programmes offered by CMS

• HND Computing
• Computing
• Multimedia
• BSc (Hons)
• Computer Studies
• Multimedia Systems
• Software Engineering
• Information Systems Management
• Maths, Statistics Computing
• Applied Statistics Computing
• Business Mathematics

• MSc Interactive Multimedia Systems
• MSc Computing and Information Systems
• MSc Computer Games Technology

8
The programme Structure

• Four year sandwich Honours degree
• Year 3 is spent in professional placement
• Themes developed during studies
• Software development
• Game Architecture and Design
• Multimedia authoring and development
• Computer systems
• Transferable core skills

9
Programme structureLevel 1

• Semester 1
• Introduction to computer systems
• Introduction to computer programming
• Personal development and IT
• Introduction to HCI
• Introduction to Games Technology
• ELECTIVE
• Introduction to multimedia technology

• Semester 2
• Computer architecture
• Computer programming and problem solving
• Introduction to HCI
• Maths for Games I
• Game Programming Workshop I
• ELECTIVE
• Introduction to computer audio
• Web Development workshop

10
Programme structureLevel 2

• Semester 1
• Principles of interactive graphics
• Object-oriented systems
• Data structures
• Maths for Games II
• Computer Games Design
• ELECTIVE
• Internet programming using Java
• Multimedia authoring

• Semester 2
• Computer Animation
• Object Oriented Design for Games
• Game Programming Workshop II
• Computer systems
• ELECTIVE
• Multimedia applications workshop
• Systems software
• Database design
• Low Level Programming

11
Programme structureLevel 3 - Core modules

• Project
• Run over both semesters (24 credits)
• Semester 1
• Advanced Computer Games development
• Advanced Computer Graphics
• User Interface Design
• Semester 2
• Advanced Computer Games Technology
• Game Programming Workshop III

12
Programme structureLevel 3 - Options

• The design of algorithms
• Distributed systems
• Expert systems
• Software reuse
• Computer networks
• Computer supported co-operative working
• Virtual reality
• Sound as a communication medium
• Multimedia networking
• Multimedia development workshop
• Multimedia databases

13
Potential careers for graduates
The course prepares the graduate for a career in
computer games and associated computing
technologies. Many of the skills that will be
developed in the computer games programme will be
applicable in a number of complementary areas

• Infotainment / Edutainment software
  development
• Interactive TV development
• E-commerce development
• Interactive electronic publishing

• Computer games development
• Software engineering Analyst/Programmer
• Multimedia authoring
• Multimedia systems development
• Web site development

14
Outstanding career prospects in IT

• 772,000 extra staff needed in USA during 1999
• In Europe, there will be 1.4 million more IT
  vacancies than staff to fill them by 2002
• Fortune Magazine estimates that 4 of the top 5
  paying jobs in the next ten years will be in the
  IT industry
• Sandwich degree gives a 10 edge over full-time
  degree when applying for jobs (source JMU Careers
  Service)

15
Job Opportunities in Games

• Clusters in UK
• Guildford has the European headquarters of the
  largest publisher, Electronic Arts and
  development studios, including Lionhead Studios,
  Big Blue Box, Lost Toys, Mucky Foot, Simis,
  Creative Assembly, Criterion Studios.
• The North West (Liverpool and Manchester) has
  major studios such as Rage, Psygnosis-Sony and
  Warthog.
• The West Midlands has some of the biggest UK
  studios
• Codemasters, Blitz and Rare.
• Yorkshire has a number of studios such as
  Infogrames (formerly Gremlin) and Krisalis.
• Cambridge has Creature Labs and Sony Computer
  Entertainment Europe.
• London has over 30 development studios plus the
  offices of Sony, Sega, Eidos, Hasbro and Virgin.

16
Summary

• Computer Games Technology is a highly sought
  after discipline
• New programme provides academic grounding,
  practical skills and good job opportunities
• Further study prospects within the School
• MSc Computer Games Technology
• MPhil and PhD by research