BDes in Game Design | (4 Years)

Programme Specifications
Duration: 4 Years (8 Semesters)
Eligibility: 10+2 or equivalent from any Recognized Board/University
Awarded By: Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (Institution of National Importance by Act of Parliament No.35/2012)
Entrance Process: General Aptitude Test, Creative Ability Test, Statement of Purpose & Interview
PROGRAMME OBJECTIVE
The Media & Entertainment Industry in India is not only rapidly growing but is also undergoing major transformations in the manner in which it reaches and communicates with its audience.
The growth and development of new digital technology, its accessibility to large segments of the Indian population specially the youth have created new patterns and expectations in the manner in which they engage with digital content.
In recognition of the proliferation of new media such as comics, graphic novels, video games and virtual and augmented reality, the programmes offered by the School of Animation and Video Games include the design and production of video games.
The objective of the course is to educate and train students to develop content across the digital platform in these areas for diverse applications in entertainment, education, medicine, architecture, e-commerce and other areas.
This is a unique multi-dimensional course. The first year focuses on creating a strong foundation in the art and technique of 2D and 3D animation; graphic novel design; and video game design, art and development.
This intensive 4-year, 8-semester course in Game Design covers areas of design, development, 2D and 3D Digital art for games and courses in coding.
In addition, it provides courses in the history of games; Board Game Design; study of significant and path breaking games, game design documentation; enquiry into alternative and emerging technology.
The course informs students about art in various cultures, music, production design, film and digital art as part of its contextual studies or general education programme.
The core subjects include a strong foundation in drawing and digital art; design; development and production of games; gameplay, prototyping and testing.
Students receive instruction through a powerful integration of projects, classroom theoretical instruction, screenings and analyses, workshops and interaction with industry professionals.
They receive intensive theory and practical instruction in video game design. They are taken through the process of developing projects, writing scripts, storyboarding and the entire preproduction, production and postproduction pipeline of their chosen area of concentration.
Students are encouraged to formulate and develop their own approach, style, perspective and vision. The course also promotes individual professional conduct, communication skills and leadership qualities.
Course Structure
This is a unique multi-dimensional 3-year, 6-semester course in Game Design. This intensive course focuses on creating a strong foundation in the art and technique of 2D and 3D animation; stopmotion animation; motion graphics; graphic novel design; and video game design, art and development in the first year.
The second and third years provide an intensive project-oriented programme. This provides a framework in which students acquire skillsets that are unique and suited to their interests and strengths.
There are four types of courses.
- General Education – These offer a context to students learning, enabling them to understand historical developments in their specific areas of interest as well as allied areas such as classical and folk art, cinema, photography, urban mythology and digital art etc. These are 30 credits overall during the 4 year programme.
- Theory Courses – These are courses that provide a theoretical framework and understanding of the core elements of each stream. Students need to choose these as per their interest in the second and third years of the programme. These are 28 credits in total during the programme.
- Practical Courses – These provide students a hands-on skill development that enables them to execute their ideas. These are a mix of introduction to various digital tools, their application, the design process and production pipeline. Demonstrations by faculty and hands-on learning and practice through exercises and assignments form the major part of the course. These are 48 credits in total of which 24 are obtained during the first year Foundation. Students’ need to complete 24 credits in all – 12 credits in semester 3 and 12 credits in semester 5.
- Projects – There are a number of short projects in each semester leading to the capstone project in semester 6. These are simulated real-world situations where students work individually or in teams to conceptualize, write proposals and design documents and execute (within given constraints of time and resources) a project of their choosing. Faculty and resource persons mentor these projects.
Curriculum
The Curriculum in each of the years of the programme is a mix of general education and skill development components.
General Education and Theory Component:
The general education and theory component emphasises and offers courses that provide holistic development. However, it will not exceed 40% of the total curriculum.
Skill Development Components:
(i) The focus of skill development components shall be to equip students with appropriate knowledge; practice and attitude, so as to become work ready. The skill development components should be relevant to the industry as per its requirements.
(ii) The curriculum will necessarily embed within itself, National Occupational Standards (NOSs) of specific job roles within the industry. This would enable the students to meet the learning outcomes specified in the NOSs.
(iii) The overall design of the skill development component along with the job roles selected will be such that it leads to a comprehensive specialization in one or two domains.
(iv) The curriculum will focus on work-readiness skills in each of the three years.
Adequate attention will be given in curriculum design to practical work, on the job training, development of student portfolios and project work.
The curriculum will be designed in a manner that at the end of year-
1, year-2 and year-3, students are able to meet below mentioned level descriptors for level 5, 6 and 7 of NSQF, respectively:
Level | Process required |
|
Professional knowledge |
|
Professional skill |
|
Core skill | Responsibility | ||||
Level
5 |
Job that requires well developed skill, with clear choice of procedures in familiar context | Knowledge of facts, principles, processes and general concepts, in a field of work or study | A range of cognitive and practical skills required to accomplish tasks and solve problems by selecting and applying basic methods, tools materials and information | Desired mathematical skill, understanding of social, political and some skill of collecting and organizing information, communication. | Responsibility for own work and learning and some responsibility for other’s works and learning | |||||||
Level
6 |
Demands wide range of specialized technical skill, clarity of knowledge and practice in broad range of activity involving standard/
non-standard practices |
Factual and theoretical knowledge in broad contexts within a field of work or study | A range of cognitive and practical skills required to generate solutions to specific problems in a field of work or study | Reasonably good in mathematical calculation, understanding of social, political and, reasonably good in data collecting organizing information, and logical communication | Responsibility for own work and learning and full responsibility for other’s works and learning | |||||||
Level
7
|
Requires a command of wide ranging specialized theoretical and practical skill, involving variable routine and non-routine context | Wide ranging, factual and theoretical knowledge in broad contexts within a field of work or study | Wide range of cognitive and practical skills required to generate solutions to specific problems in
a field of work or study |
Good logical and mathematical skill understanding of social political and natural environment good in collecting and organizing information, communication and presentation skill | Full responsibility for output of group and development | |||||||
- Professional knowledge is what a learner should know and understand with reference to the subject.
- Professional skills are what a learner should be able to do.
- Core skills refer to basic skills involving dexterity and use of methods, materials, tools and instruments used to perform the job including IT skills needed for that job.
- Responsibility aspect determines the (i) nature of working relationship, (ii) level of responsibility for self and others, (iii) managing change and (iv) accountability for actions.
Examination and Assessment
Assessment of students will be done both on a continuous basis as well as at the end of the semester.
Continuous Assessment
Theory courses will be assessed through given assignments and exercises given to the students during the course of the semester.
Practical courses will be assessed on students demonstration of the required skill in the practical exercises given by concerned faculty.
End of Term Assessment
Theory courses may be assessed by means of a written exam or a written submission and viva.
Practical courses will be on the submission of the student project and presentation of student learning in a viva conducted by at least 2 faculty members.
- Semester-wise distribution of Credits
Sem | Theory Credits | Hours | Practical Credits | Hours | GE Credits | Hours | Total Credits | Total Hours |
1 | 6 | 90 | 15 | 450 | 2 | 30 | 23 | 570 |
2 | 4 | 60 | 15 | 450 | 4 | 60 | 23 | 570 |
3 | 4 | 60 | 16 | 480 | 4 | 60 | 24 | 600 |
4 | 4 | 60 | 17 | 510 | 2 | 30 | 23 | 600 |
5 | 2 | 30 | 17 | 510 | 4 | 60 | 23 | 600 |
6 | 4 | 60 | 15 | 450 | 4 | 60 | 23 | 570 |
7 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 540 | 4 | 60 | 22 | 600 |
8 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 600 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 600 |
TOTAL | 24 | 360 | 133 | 3990 | 24 | 360 | 181 | 4710 |
Theory 1 credit = 15 hours
Practical 1 credit = 30 hours
Syllabus for B. Des in Animation
Course Code | Type | Course | Theory Credits | Practical Credits | Total Hours |
ANGE 3201 | GE | Folk Art of India | 2 | 0 | 30 |
Total GE | 2 | 0 | 30 | ||
ANBC 1102 | Core | Introduction to Sequential Art | 2 | 0 | 30 |
ANBC 1202 | Core | Character Design | 2 | 0 | 30 |
ANBC 1203 | Core | Imaginary World of the Story | 2 | 0 | 30 |
ANBC 1113 | Core | Drawing and Character Fundamentals | 0 | 4 | 120 |
ANBC 1111 | Core | Introduction to Motion Graphics | 0 | 3 | 90 |
ANBC 1106 | Core | Introduction to 2D Animation | 0 | 3 | 90 |
ANBC 1112 | Core | Comic Book Design | 0 | 3 | 90 |
ANBD 1101 | Core | Designing Board Games | 0 | 2 | 60 |
Elective Total | 6 | 15 | 540 | ||
Semester Total | 8 | 15 | 570 |
Course Code | Type | Course | Theory Credits | Practical Credits | Total Hours |
ANGE 2201 | GE | Classical Indian Art | 2 | 0 | 30 |
ANGE 1204 | GE | Art of Colour | 2 | 0 | 30 |
Total GE | 4 | 0 | 60 | ||
ANBC 1101 | Core | Screenwriting for Animators 1 | 2 | 0 | 30 |
ANBC 1103 | Core | Introduction to Game Design | 2 | 0 | 30 |
ANBC 1204 | Core | Stop Motion Animation | 0 | 4 | 120 |
ANBC 1205 | Core | Introduction to 3D Animation | 0 | 3 | 90 |
ANBD 1201 | Core | Introduction to Game Engines | 0 | 3 | 90 |
ANBC 1211 | Core | Foundation Project | 0 | 5 | 150 |
Total Core | 4 | 15 | 510 | ||
Semester Total | 8 | 15 | 570 |
Course Code | Type | Course Name | Theory Credits | Practical Credits | Total Hours |
ANGE 2102 | GE | Western Art | 2 | 0 | 30 |
ANGE 2103 | GE | The Philosophy of Aesthetics | 2 | 0 | 30 |
Total GE | 4 | 0 | 60 | ||
ANBD 2101 | Core | Study of Video Games | 2 | 0 | 30 |
ANBD 2121 | Core | Creating Game Design Documents | 2 | 0 | 30 |
ANBD 2122 | Core | Game Programming Basics | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Practical Electives: Any 2 of the following | 0 | 4 | 120 | ||
ANBA 2105 | Elective | Character Concept Art | 0 | 0 | 0 |
ANBP 2102 | Elective | Previs for Animation and Games 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
ANBA 2104 | Core | Sound and Music Design | 0 | 2 | 60 |
ANBD 2103 | Core | Game Design and Development Studio 201 | 0 | 10 | 300 |
Elective Total | 4 | 16 | 540 | ||
Semester Total | 8 | 16 | 600 |
Course Code | Type | Course | Theory Credits | Practical Credits | Total Hours |
ANGE 2202 | GE | Superhero | 2 | 0 | 30 |
Total GE | 2 | 0 | 30 | ||
ANBC 2102 | Core | World Building | 4 | 0 | 60 |
Practical Electives: Any 2 of the following | 0 | 4 | 120 | ||
ANBA 2201 | Elective | Environment Concept Art | |||
ANBP 2102 | Elective | Previs for Animation and Games II | |||
ANBD 2206 | Elective | Game Programming Intermediate | |||
ANBD 2205 | Core | Game Design and Development Studio 202 | |||
Elective Total | 4 | 17 | 570 | ||
Semester Total | 6 | 17 | 600 |
Course Code | Type | Course | Theory Credits | Practical Credits | Total Hours |
ANGE 3102 | GE | Japanese and Chinese Art | 2 | 0 | 30 |
ANGE 3103 | GE | Digital Art | 2 | 0 | 30 |
Total GE | 4 | 0 | 60 | ||
ANBD 3103 | Core | Writing Game Narratives | 2 | 0 | 30 |
ANBC 3103 | Core | Studio 301 | 0 | 17 | 510 |
Elective Total | 2 | 17 | 540 | ||
Semester Total | 6 | 17 | 600 |
Course Code | Type | Course | Theory Credits | Practical Credits | Total Hours |
ANGE 2203 | GE | Still Photography | 2 | 0 | 30 |
FMGE 1105 | GE | Culture Studies I | 2 | 0 | 30 |
Total GE | 4 | 0 | 60 | ||
ANBD 3101 | Core | Alternative Technologies and Platforms | 2 | 0 | 30 |
ANBD 3201 | Core | Business of Games | 2 | 0 | 30 |
ANBD 3104 | Core | Game Design and Development Studio 302 | 0 | 15 | 450 |
Elective Total | 4 | 15 | 510 | ||
Semester Total | 8 | 15 | 570 |
Course Code | Type | Course | Theory Credits | Practical Credits | Total Hours |
ANGE 4104 | GE | 20th Century and Contemporary Art | 2 | 0 | 30 |
FMGE 1109 | GE | Culture Studies II | 2 | 0 | 30 |
Total GE | 4 | 0 | 60 | ||
ANBC 4101 | Core | Graduation Project Development | 0 | 8 | 240 |
ANBD 4101 | Core | Game Design and Development Studio 401 | 0 | 10 | 300 |
Elective Total | 0 | 18 | 540 | ||
Semester Total | 4 | 18 | 600 |
Course Code | Type | Course | Theory Credits | Practical Credits | Total Hours |
ANBC 4201 | Core | Graduation Project | 0 | 20 | 600 |
Elective Total | 0 | 20 | 600 | ||
Semester Total | 0 | 20 | 600 |