KV5057 - Indie Games Studio

This module introduces you to technologies and processes involved in the production of innovative and creative games and entertainment technologies.

Through this module, you will learn how to work collaboratively and creatively in a studio start-up environment. You will have access to the University’s state-of-the-art software and hardware kits for your learning and be able to hone your skills in building creative technologies using software development toolkits (SDKs) and game engines. In the process, you will gain the ability to prioritise requirements and critically evaluate a creative technology.

The ability to develop games and entertainment technologies attracts the attention of employers from a diverse range of industries, including but not limited to software engineering, graphics programming, 3D modelling, and human-computer interaction. The creative and development skills covered in this module can enhance your employability in those and related fields.

You will be supported by lecturers during the timetabled sessions when you will receive feedback on your work. The University’s state-of-the-art software and hardware kits are accessible for your learning. The University’s eLearning Portal offers remote access to all lectures and workshop materials to reinforce your learning. In addition, the University library offers support for all students through providing electronic resources.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
MLO1 – Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the production of games and entertainment technologies

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
MLO2 – Work in a team to design and implement a game or entertainment system using appropriate software

MLO3 – Demonstrate an understanding of how to prioritise requirements and plan work in the context of a small, independent business or startup.

MLO4 – Critically evaluate the quality and functionality of a game or entertainment technology
Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

MLO5 – Demonstrate effective collaborative work in the development of games and entertainment applications

There will be a single, summative assessment for this module. The assessment (100% of the marks) is a group demonstration of an interactive system that the group has developed, and an individual reflective report. For the demonstration you will be expected to show your work as a group (40 marks) with each member highlighting their roles within the work (40 marks). Additionally, each team member will need to submit an individual reflective report (20 marks) evaluating your own contributions to the work. The demonstration should cover the functionally of the system as well as the quality of the system. The code and assets for your system must be submitted as a single zip file.

You will receive both informative and confirmatory feedback on your assignment.

During each workshop session, students will work on lab exercises as formative assessments. Feedback will be given in class.

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Indie studios are small, independent software companies that are common in the games and digital entertainment industries. Indie studios often lack the financial backing and resources common in larger organisations and therefore require people to work collaboratively and dynamically to quickly build and release engaging products. The advantage of working in an indie studio is that they have much fewer constraints on their creative freedom and their ability to innovate. This module will introduce you to the key concepts and techniques used by indie studies to design video games and other entertainment technologies such as augmented and virtual reality systems. The module draws on recent advances in entertainment computing and offers experience of application development practices using state-of-the-art software and hardware kits available in our CIS labs. You will learn knowledge and skills that not only enable you to build a creative technology people can interact with for but also can enhance your confidence to work in an indie studio or to start your own.