Game Design Courses: Fees, Syllabus, Career, Scope

The Gaming market globally is worth $455 billion. The rise in the gaming industry can easily be identified by the Xbox and Playstations flying off the shelves from all entertainment stores. As video games come with improved graphics, better art, interactive characters, and stronger storylines, it is becoming the most sought-after entertainment entity in the world.

The potent tool behind these improved modifications in video games is Game Design. Game Design is the reason behind this stratospheric rise in the gaming industry. So, what is Game Design? Let’s find out.

What is a Game Design Course?

Game Design is a creative endeavour that amalgamates art, technology, psychology, plot, and a storytelling narrative to create an engaging experience. A Game Design course caters to that endeavour by imparting the required skills to a designer. The Game Design course at Strate School of Design enables a student to learn how to design and develop a game.

It teaches students about video publishing, storytelling, level designing, game mechanics, character development, user experience, and scripting, among other things. A game designer will learn about art design history, modelling, animation, texturing, etc.

Why Pursue a Game Design Course?

As mentioned above, Gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry currently, and it is only expected to grow larger. Owing to that, Game Design is set to be one of the most exciting and in-demand design courses around the world. The career prospects of a Game Designer are thriving.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that jobs in Game Design, including special effects artists and animators, will increase by 16% by 2030. And with lucrative salary packages, Game Design will automatically become one of the most popular design courses.

But it isn’t just the money and job options that push students towards pursuing a Game Design course. Game Design is a passion-fueled creative space of work, where creators enjoy every moment of their work. Game Design adds an extra layer of fun and frolic to the already enjoyable creative field i.e. Design.

Gamers and Gaming Influencers are rising by the day, which in turn creates more demand for game designers. Game Design course isn’t just a lateral design field anymore; instead, it sits right alongside other courses like Transport, Product, and Space Design.

Therefore, if you enjoy building large, immersive worlds that fuel the creative bug inside you, then Game Design is for you. If you like working in a team atmosphere, where one compliments the other and builds off of the other’s positive energy, then Game Design is for you. A designer can earn a minimum of 9 LPA in a decent Design firm and they will be doing what they love – designing games using art, technology, AI, and other tools.

Game Design Syllabus

Although the Game Design syllabus may vary from institution to institution, here are the subjects that will covered in a Game Design course broadly:

• Fundamentals of Design – Principles of design, visual composition, photography and material handling, sketching etc
• Fundamentals of Game Theory – History of Game Design, Character Design, Board Games, Intro to Visual Scripting, Strong 3D characters and character animations etc.
• Details of Game Design – Game Interface Design, Programming of Games, Game Engine Unity / Unreal, Creatures and Environment, Immersive Game Technology etc
• Advanced Game Production – Sound Design for Games, Games testing, etc.
• Internship – Opportunity to explore and get exposure to Industry trends and skills via internships.

Key Skills Gained in a Game Design Course

Some of the key skills gained while pursuing a Game Design course are:

• Technical Skills

  A Game Designer will work with interesting industry-standard tools like Unity, Unreal Engine, Blender, etc. within the virtual world. They will also learn coding and programming.

• Creativity

  Game Design, by its nature, is a creative field. Designers always fuel their imagination to create enormous worlds within the virtual world. They work with art, characters, graphics, and sound to make something imaginative that will engage gamers.

• AI & Problem-Solving

  Game Designers utilize AI at multiple steps of the development process to solve their problems. At any stage of the development process, a video game might meet a dead end. A designer will know how to find the exact solution using AI.

• Collaboration

  Game Designers will work in large teams of like-minded, creatively fueled people. It is the brainstorming in meetings that often leads to greater designs. It also improves the Communication skills.

• Time Management

  Gaming companies often announce the release date of a video game before the completion of its development. This often leads to Game Designers working under tight deadlines perpetually, and almost always meeting it.

Top Game Design Courses

Few Indian Colleges offer game design either full-time for an undergraduate degree or short-duration courses. Typically a full time game design course fees for 4 year duration ranges from INR 3 – 7 lakhs/year. The top Game Design courses are at

1. MIT Art, Design & Technology

The college offers a 4-year B.Des program for Game Design. It focuses on Game Art, Design and production including programming.

2. STRATE School of Design

The college offers a 4-year B.Des program for Game Design. The course covers in-depth knowledge of game design and development.

3. Amity University

The university offers 3-year B.Sc program for Animation and Game Design. The course is structured around digital entertainment.

4. Pearl Academy

It offers a short duration course of 11 months. The course equips students to create games across platform

5. Jain School of Design & Media

The college offers 3 year B.A program for Interactive Game Art, Design and Development. It focuses on interactive entertainment.

Apart from full-time, short courses which cover a few modules of Game design are offered online through various universities/colleges.

6. Epic Games Game Design

A beginner program with a 3-6 month duration is offered by Epic Games. The student will get an in-depth introduction to game design, UX/UI design etc

7. Game Design and Development with Unity 2020

A beginner program with a 3-6 month duration is offered by Michigan State University. The student gains skills to design and develop 2D and 3D games.

8. Gamification

A mixed program for students at different skill levels with a 1-3 month duration is offered by the University of Pennsylvania. The course teaches especially about the mechanics of game elements & techniques for non-game problems.

Scope & Career Opportunities after a Game Design Course

Pursuing a Game Design Course opens up a wide range of job opportunities for candidates. The scope of jobs in Game Design is at an ever-increasing curve. With a focus on emerging technology and AI, and with industry mentorship, Game Design graduates and post-graduates can pursue any of the following designations:

• Game Designer
• Game Developer
• AI Game Developer
• XR (Extended Reality) Developer
• Technical Artist
• User Experience (UX) Designer
• Game Tester/QA Analyst
• Independent Game Developer/Entrepreneur

The Future of Game Design: Trends to Watch

The future of Game Design is largely going to be driven by the rise of AI. At the moment, Game Design has jumped leaps and bounds to provide the most realistic experience to gamers. From interactive characters. Intelligent NPCs (Non-Performing Characters), Enemy AI to lifelike graphics, animation, design, and voices, gaming provides the most immersive entertainment experience. However, there is still a lot of scope for improvement.

The development of AI is the biggest trend to watch out for in the future. Already existing AIs like Ghostwriter by Ubisoft are already taking care of the repetitive minor tasks in Game Development. This frees developers to work more precisely on the high-level narrative work. This will make video games far more engaging and interactive than ever before.

Another highly anticipated trend is Cloud Gaming. It will allow players to access a variety of games on a variety of devices without the worry of storing them in a device. VR and AR are getting more and more enhanced by the day, thereby reducing the gap between reality and fiction.

Metaverse Designs, Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Designs, and Monetization Models are just some of the other trends to watch out for in Game Design’s future.

Financial Considerations: Scholarships and Funding for Game Design Courses

Scholarships and funding for Game Design courses vary from one institution to another.  At STRATE School of Design, a student can get upto 100% scholarship based on eligibility criteria.

How to Apply for a Game Design Course in STRATE?

To apply for a bachelor’s course in Game Design at Strate School of Design, a student has to pass Class 12 from any school affiliated to State / CBSE/ ICSE with at least 50% aggregate. He/She can then appear for a formal test and an interview/portfolio post for admission into the course.

Here’s the detailed process by which you can apply:

• Fill out the application form and submit it alongside an application fee of INR 2000.
• Appear for an interview with the dean or program head.
• Pay 10% of the first-year game design course fees and secure your seat.
• Finalize the admission after paying the remainder of the first semester fees.

Visit www.strate.in for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between game design and game development?

Although both endeavours are intricately related disciplines that go hand-in-hand to create a video game, there are technical differences between the two. The difference between a game developer vs game designer is –

A Game Designer works on the creative aspects of the game, such as graphics, story, art, characters, voice, and aesthetics. A Game Developer is more concerned with the technical side of things, such as coding, programming, debugging, and troubleshooting.

2. What is the typical duration of a game design Course?

There are typically two types of programs involved in a Game Design course. A B.Des in Game Design is a 4-year course, and a Masters in Game Design is a 2-year course. However, there are short duration courses which cover specific modules for Game Design

3. What is the salary for a game designer?

The Game Designer’s salary in India varies depending upon the company and the experience of the individual. However, generally, the fresher base pay range of a Game Designer in India ranges somewhere between 4-12 LPA.

4. Do I need coding skills to join a game design Course?

No, you do not need coding skills to join a Game Design course in any institution. However, if you do possess good coding skills, then it will be a huge advantage for you to navigate the various complexities while pursuing the course.

5. What software tools should I learn for a career in game design?

Some of the Game Design tools that are a prerequisite in pursuing the course are Godot, Unreal Engine, Blender, Unity, and Gamemaker Studio.

6. Why should I consider Strate for pursuing a Game Design program?

Strate School of Design has been around for 30 years, with an enviable record of producing the thinkers, innovators, and designers of tomorrow. In India, it has existed for 8 years now, bringing the same vision into place. It provides a UGC-approved B.Des degree in association with Alliance University (NAAC A+). It is ranked as one of the top 50 design schools in Europe and one of the top 60 design schools in the world.

It provides global exposure though the yearlong exchange program and international immersion program. The curriculum includes a mix of theory and practical learning. With industry at its hear, there are industry projects for real time learning apart from Masterclasses and workshops by Industry experts.