> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://varndean-game-dev.gitbook.io/home/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://varndean-game-dev.gitbook.io/home/welcome-to-games-development-at-varndean-college.md). # Welcome to Games Development at Varndean College! Your qualification is the **RSL Creative Digital Media (Games Design) Level 3 Extended Certificate**. This is a qualification with the same value and UCAS points as an A-level or BTEC vocational qualification. This qualification has been created fairly recently, and features **no external exam**. You will be solely marked on coursework completed through the year, so try to be as consistent and diligent as possible throughout the year. Every piece of work counts towards your final grade! You will study and complete **six units** throughout your two years of study: ### Year 1: * 302 Creating Digital Games * 320 Creating Digital Graphics * 318 Creating 3D Digital Art ### Year 2: * 321 Creating a 3D Environment * 312 Designing UI * 344 Using a Game Engine ## Creating Digital Games Your first unit requires you to plan and produce a 2D game using the beginner-friendly engine of Construct 3. The purpose of this unit is to give you a gentle introduction into games development, and also demonstrate the end-to-end process of building your first game. After this unit, you will then deep-dive into these areas in more detail, helping to illustrate the best career path for you. You will cover game design principles, 2D art generation, game development and marketing, and finally self-reflection. By Christmas, you will have made a complete game, and you will be in a position to market yourself with a short trailer. Your coursework will specifically be: * A report on game design concepts, tools and processes. * A completed game, alongside a game design document, describing the game you produced. * A 30-second ‘pitch video’ to advertise the game on social media. * A reflection of the strengths and weaknesses of your game, as well as a plan to improve your knowledge and skills. ## Creating Digital Graphics Your second unit requires you to produce two packs of royalty-free 2D art assets within a specific style. You will explore the way 2D art assets have been used and created over time, and develop artwork within an aesthetic you are interested in. The unit will also give you a solid foundation in 2D art creation for other disciplines within games development, such as texture painting 3D models. You will also analyse existing 2D art, identifying strengths and weaknesses of artists for your favourite media products. Your coursework will specifically be: * A report on digital art concepts, tools and processes. * Two 2D asset packs in contrasting styles. * A reflection of the strengths and weaknesses of your concept art, as well as a plan to improve your knowledge and skills. ## Creating 3D Digital Art The third and final unit of the first year requires you to produce a package of 3D models. You will explore the way 3D models have been produced over time, and develop best-practice skills in the production of 3D models using Blender. You will ensure 3D models are aesthetically appealing and performant, balancing the density of polygons and textures on a model for a game environment. This unit specifically links to the 3D environment unit immediately after the summer, as you would be building assets in preparation for the production of an environment. You will also analyse existing 3D models for a range of destinations, identifying strengths and weaknesses of a variety of models. Your coursework will specifically be: * A report on 3D art concepts, tools and processes. * A collection of 3D models to fit a specific style and brief. * A reflection of the strengths and weaknesses of your 3D assets, as well as a plan to improve your knowledge and skills. ## Creating a 3D Environment Your first unit of the second year focuses on creating a 3D level or environment in the Unity game engine. The unit balances level design concepts with practical 3D production skills, including 3D modelling, texturing and animating. You will also explore the uses of 3D environments across a wide range of media and game destinations, and analyse the different requirements of each destination. Your coursework specifically will be: * A report on the concepts, tools and processes of producing 3D environments. * A portfolio of images and videos from your 3D environment, alongside evidence of its production. * An assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the environment, alongside a plan to improve your skills and knowledge in the future. ## Designing UI This unit focuses on the design and production of user interface elements for your proposed game. The unit will allow you to explore different methods and rationales for giving the player information, finally designing and presenting the user interface for the game. You will need to create visual assets that would be included in your user interface using Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. Note that this is a shorter skill unit, requiring only two pieces of coursework: * Designing and creating a UI concept * Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of your UI concept, and making a plan to improve your skills and knowledge in the future. ## Using a Game Engine This unit, completed in teams of 2 to 4 students, sees you programming and producing a ‘vertical slice’ game demo using the Unity game engine. You will be focusing on the practical usage of C# and Unity, managing character movement, enemy AI, animation and game logic. The term vertical slice here means that the game should showcase the design of the planned game without being the entirety of it. Your coursework will be: * Explore the concepts, methods and processes of using a game engine, both 2D and 3D. * Create a game vertical slice of game concept. * Explore the strengths and weaknesses of the vertical slice, and make a plan to improve your skills and knowledge in the future. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. 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