Learners will develop an understanding of the games industry and how it operates. They will explore different organisations, job roles, technologies and trends and learn about contractual, legal and ethical obligations in the games industry.
Understand the games industry.
Organisational structure: type of company (indie, AAA), development studios, publishing houses, independent studios; departments (design, production, programming, quality assurance (QA), marketing, distribution, legal).
Job roles: 3D modeller, animator, artist, audio engineer, designer, scriptwriter, level designer, localisation technician, producer, programmer, quality assurance tester.
Levels of responsibility: team member, lead, producer, management, working patterns (office hours, irregular hours, hot-seating, freelance, fixed-term contract, staff).
Indie vs AAA games: cheaper, shorter, smaller, stylised art designs, developed by individuals or small teams, limited finances (crowd funding or personal investment).
Genre: action, adventure, role-play, simulation, strategy etc.
Visual style: game appearance, four types (cell shaded, photorealistic, exaggerated and abstract).
Audiences: segmented by genre, platform and type of gameplay, types of players (achievers, explorers, socialiser, killers).
Describe different organisational structures and job roles in the games industry.
Compare the main styles of games developed in the games industry.
Compare genres, visual styles and audiences for different games.
Understand the role of emerging technologies in gaming.
AR/VR: creates an immersive experience for users, personal interaction with digital environment.
Gaming trends: gaming demographics, consoles ownership, mobile gaming, cloud gaming, game streaming, remastering games/remakes, cross-play options, increasing inclusivity, gaming-as-a-service.
Analyse the role of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality technologies in gaming.
Analyse trends that are likely to define the future of gaming.
Understand regulation within the games industry.
Contractual: types of contract; format holders (licensors, naming conventions, look and feel); negotiating contracts; commissioning processes; costing; scheduling; time management; risk management; subcontracting; outsourcing; working to a brief.
Legal: regulatory requirements; compliance; copyright; trademarks; intellectual property rights; Pan European Game Information (PEGI); British Board of Film Classification (BBFC); implications of franchising; licensors; health and safety policy.
Ethical: policies and procedures; ethical requirements; emerging social concerns and expectations
Professional bodies: The Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers’ Association (ELSPA); The Independent Games Developers Association (IGDA); Women in Games; British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA); The Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF).
Describe contractual, legal and ethical obligations in the games industry.
Explain the importance of intellectual properties and gaming franchises in games development.