MSc Games Development

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MSc Games Development

University of East Anglia
Logo University of East Anglia
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Description

Why take this course?

Computer games companies have dictated the advancement of computer graphics hardware and software over the last decade. The MSc in Games Development will give you an in-depth knowledge of Computer Graphics foundations, advanced programming techniques for the games industry and how to use state of the art software and technology as part of computer games development and CGI (computer generated imagery). This MSc is an excellent platform to a career in the games and entertainment industries. However, it can also serve as an entry for a PhD Degree in Computer Graphics or in related topics such as Computer Vision, Medical Imaging and Human Computer Interaction.

This course…

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Why take this course?

Computer games companies have dictated the advancement of computer graphics hardware and software over the last decade. The MSc in Games Development will give you an in-depth knowledge of Computer Graphics foundations, advanced programming techniques for the games industry and how to use state of the art software and technology as part of computer games development and CGI (computer generated imagery). This MSc is an excellent platform to a career in the games and entertainment industries. However, it can also serve as an entry for a PhD Degree in Computer Graphics or in related topics such as Computer Vision, Medical Imaging and Human Computer Interaction.

This course is designed for students with a degree in computing* who wish to gain specialist knowledge in advanced Computer Graphics, Virtual Environments and Computer Games Development. Applicants should have some experience in programming (C/C++ or JAVA) whilst graphics programming experience (OpenGL, DirectX, XNA) is a bonus though not essential.

This programme has full Chartered IT Professional (CITP) accreditation (Further Learning Element) as well as leading to Chartered Engineer (CEng) status from the (BCS - The Chartered Institute for IT)

*or a good degree in engineering, mathematics or physics with additional programming experience.

Contact time

Students have on average 15 hours of contact time per week with teaching staff through lectures, laboratory sessions and seminars, though this may vary depending on module choices. Additionally, students should allocate at least 25 hours per week for study, coursework assignments and projects.

Teaching and Assessment

Course modules cover a wide range of topics including games architecture, games engines, games physics, GPUs and shader languages, character animation, motion capture, collision detection and response, specialist input/output devices (e.g. haptic/force feedback, stereoscopic displays, HMDs, motion tracking), virtual environments, advanced rendering, movie animation and special effects. Development platforms taught include OpenGL with C/C++, XNA (Game Studio) with C# (Xbox 360 and Windows Phone 7) and Apple iOS development. 3D Studio Max and Maya are also used for geometry creation and character animation. Coursework exercises and projects are incremental hence leading to a number of final products, including 2D/3D games and animation videos for student’s future portfolios.

Additionally, the course offers two different streams:

Stream 1 - Games Programming: This stream is aimed at students mainly wishing to strengthen their programming skills to prepare them for programming jobs in the games industry.

Stream 2 – Games Modeling: In the past, the games industry merely recruited either programmers or artists. However, during the last couple of years, games companies also have started to recruit employees with ‘hybrid’ skills, i.e. those who have a solid grounding in computing science and some programming skills, but also have decent modeling and/or artistic skills. It is the aim of this stream to hone your skills in each of these two areas. Seminars provided from a games artist's perspective include character animation, texture and face modeling and stop motion.

Video shot of a 3D game developed by the MSc in Games Development students as part of a group exercise. The game incorporates motion captured animation of NPC's.

Some project work may be done with collaborating games companies
A sample selection of recent project/dissertation titles:

  • Virtual humans for crowd simulations
  • Virtual human and avatar technology
  • Controlling vehicle animation
  • Parallel Algorithms: CPU versus GPU
  • Motion capturing for 3D game animation
  • Motion capturing of dance movements to create the ‘dancing avatar’
  • Game-playing for linked image retention in education
  • iPhone/iPad apps development
Career opportunities

The School has an excellent record in both post-BSc and post-MSc placements and most of our recent graduates have found jobs in the entertainment and games development industries, some of which we are in active collaboration with.

AMD Blitz Games Studios

Fx home

After graduation, I opened a game and multimedia company which, four years on, counts over 60 employees. All the work I am currently doing is related to my studies, especially in the field of Computer Graphics at UEA. Recently, I became a part-time news media arts lecturer in three universities.

Yuxi Zhong, former student.

Before attending UEA I never thought I had the capacity of becoming a video game developer. However, the Game Development course has made me think otherwise. It was both demanding and exciting, it has made me understand the core mechanics of game engines and computer graphics. My academic year at UEA has made me gain self-confidence which allowed to obtain a job in the gaming industry.

Olivier Legat, former student. I am glad I worked hard and made the most of my Masters course. It is the best place for someone who wishes to gain a lot of knowledge and greatly improve their technical skills. I found the lecturers in the computer graphics department to be very knowledgeable and encouraging. Definitely a good place for studying computer graphics.

Harish Mandalika, former student.

Studying at UEA was an unforgettable experience for me, especially when it comes to the MSc in Games Development. The course opened new career opportunities for me through its module diversity and large variety in the technologies studied. Moreover, thanks to my lecturers I took part in the games development competition Search For A Star, where I came second in the UK, certainly helping me in pursuing a job in the industry. The result of this one year journey was to get in touch with some magnificent studios around the country and finally get myself a position as a graphics programmer for Neon Play Ltd, one of the best mobile game studios in the UK.

Pantelis Lekakis, former student.


Course Organiser:Dr. Stephen Laycock
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Entry Requirements Degree Subject: Computer Science or a related subject. Degree Classification: Good first degree (minimum 2.1 or equivalent). Students for whom English is a Foreign language

We welcome applications from students whose first language is not English. To ensure such students benefit from postgraduate study, we require evidence of proficiency in English. Our usual entry requirements are as follows:

IELTS: 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in all components)
TOEFL: Internet-based score of 88 (minimum 18 in listening, 21 speaking, 19 writing and 20 reading)
PTE (Pearson): 62 (minimum 55 in all components)
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.

Other tests such as TOEIC and the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English are also accepted by the university. Please check with the Admissions Office for further details including the scores or grades required.

INTO UEA and INTO UEA London run pre-sessional courses which can be taken prior to the start of your course. For further information and to see if you qualify please contact intopre-sessional@uea.ac.uk (INTO UEA Norwich) or pseuealondon@into.uk.com (INTO UEA London).

  • 95% of research activity is classified as internationally leading, excellent or recognised in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise.
  • Teaching of the highest quality; rated “Commendable” in the most recent Teaching Quality Assessment.
  • Our Masters programmes are accredited by the BCS - The Chartered Institute for IT to full Chartered IT Professional (CITP Further Learning Element) as well as leading to Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.
  • The School maintains close links with industry and many of our student assignments relate to real world problems.
  • The School of Computing Sciences leads the university in utilizing its internationally recognized research commercially, through SYS Consulting, its Consulting company and through Knowledge Transfer Partnerships.
  • Our students also use their technical and entrepreneurial skills to play influential roles in the creation of companies such as Travel Republic, Evoke systems, Fyfo and Shoretech systems.
Come and Visit Us

Our Open Days will give you the opportunity to experience the University of East Anglia's unique campus atmosphere.

Fees and Funding Tuition Fees 2013/14
  • UK/EU £5,000
  • International £12,500
Funding
  • International applicants applying to this course can be considered for one Faculty of Science half fees scholarship or one £2000 scholarship. The deadline is 1st April 2013.

Faculty of Science Scholarships
Students wishing to apply should submit an essay answering the following question in 1000 words: 'Has rasterization hampered the development of realistic computer graphics'? Essays should be emailed to the Admissions Office. Please ensure you include your full name, the course you have applied to, and your applicant number in your email.

For more information please contact the Computing Sciences Postgraduate Admissions Office (cmp.pgt.admiss@uea.ac.uk)


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