Games and Multimedia

Bachelor’s Programme

The degree in Games and Multimedia offers its students the following training plan:

First year dedicated to 2D game development.
Second year dedicated to 3D game development.
Third year focused on advanced concepts and specialization.

This program has several elective courses, based on students’ preferences. Each year, students take a project-based course. At the end of the program, students can choose between a final project or an internship.

All course units are taught in English.

**“Addyr, High Faith of the Fouled”** Realtime Character – Pedro Albuquerque

Programme Coordinator

Anabela Gonçalves Rodrigues Marto
coord.jdm.estg@ipleiria.pt

Reference

2297

School

Technology and Management

City

Leiria

Language

English

Type

Morning & Afternoon

Length

6 semesters

Vacancies

General contingent: 44
International student contingent: 10

DGES certification

Link to Registration

Objectives

Programme

The bachelor’s programme in Digital Games and Multimedia aims to train professionals specialized in the fields of video games and multimedia production.
Digital Games and Multimedia graduates possess the necessary skills to work in the various stages of building digital games (design, programming, artistic creation, quality assurance), as well as other types of media production (interactive software, web applications, mobile applications, etc.).
Due to the large number of practical projects students have to do during the programme, they will acquire the necessary skills to follow the ongoing evolution of the field, such as a high level of autonomy. They’ll be competitive professionals in a global market where ethics, human relations and entrepreneurship are central to work in multidisciplinary teams.

Intended learning and experience outcomes:

To know the technologies used in digital games and multimedia.
To understand the process of producing a digital game or a multimedia product.
To be able to create a 2D game, through all its stages, from conception to implementation and test.
To be able to create a 3D game, through all its stages, from conception to implementation and test.
To work with professionals and use their digital tools.

Careers Options

Programme

Game Designer
Game Programmer
2D/3D Artist
Game Tester
Multimedia Technician

Study Plan

ECTS: 180

1st Year
2nd Year
3rd Year

1st Year
ID	Name	Semester	ECTS	Length
2297201	Drawing	1st Semester	4	45 h
1. Graphic diary and the importance of continuous drawing practice 2. Introduction to drawing tools and techniquess 2.1. Drawing materials: using pen and pencil 2.2. Line, curve, contour and shape. 2.3. Shading: Hatching and Cross Hatching 3. Observational drawing and perspective 3.1. Human body drawing: proportions and anatomy 3.2. Observational drawing of the human body 3.3. Perspective drawing techniques 3.4. Vanishing point perspective 3.5. Lights and shadows
2297202	Game Design	1st Semester	6	60 h
1. Game Design for games 1.1 Design and market research 1.2 Basic game theory 1.3 Mechanics and game systems 1.4 Introduction to rational game design 1.5 Prototyping 1.6 Academic and professional methods in game design 2. Methods and techniques  2.1 Research techniques 2.2 Intermediary game theory 2.3 Target audience and marketing personas in games 2.4 Rational game design 2.5 Rule systems and contexts 2.6 Basic tools for game testing 2.7 Game design document 2.8 Scope and drive in game design 2.9 Game controls 3. Communication of game design as project planning  3.1 Research techniques in project planning 3.2 Business models and game design 3.3 Unique Selling points
2297203	Introduction to Programming	1st Semester	6	75 h
1. Introduction to programming 1.1. Basics of algorithms 1.2. Variables and expressions 1.3. Control structures and loops 1.4. Classes and objects 1.5. Functions and methods 1.6. Data structures 2. Unity game engine 2.1. Introduction to the editor 2.2. Game Objects and components 2.3. Scripting component development with C# 2.4. Event functions 2.5. Collision detection 2.6. Forces and rigidbodies 2.7. Encapsulation
2297204	Mathematical Foundations for Games	1st Semester	6	60 h
1. Basic concepts of sets, maps and relations 2. Concepts of trigonometry and complex numbers 3. Vector calculus 4. Matrices 5. Linear transformations 6. Coordinate systems
2297205	Digital Image	1st Semester	6	60 h
1. Introduction to digital image 1.1. Software tools for digital art and workspace configuration 2. Adobe Illustrator for vector drawing 2.1. Vector drawing 2.2. Graphical shapes for character design 2.3. Preparing assets for a game engine 3. Adobe Photoshop for game art 3.1. Drawing and painting tools 3.2. Working non-destructively 3.3. Texturing and image adjustments 3.4. Applying effects 4. Creating a visual library 4.1. Photomashing and photobashing techniques 4.2. Concept art for character design
2297206	English	1st Semester	2	30 h
1. English as a lingua franca 2. Informal Conversation 3. Contacts 4. Meetings 5. Negotiating relationships
2297207	Game Programming	2nd Semester	7	90 h
1.Coding standards and best practices 2. Abstraction 3. Encapsulation 4. Composition 5. Inheritance 6. Polymorphism 7. Script Lifecycle 8. Collision detection 9. Optimization
2297208	2D Art I	2nd Semester	4	45 h
1.Concept art 1.1 Environment and scene design 1.2. Character design 2. Digital illustration 2.1. Digital illustration tools 2.2. Composition 3. In Game Art 3.1. Design and setup of characters 3.2. Design of sprites and spritesheets 3.3. Background design 3.4. Textures and tiles 3.5. Level design
2297209	Principles of Animation	2nd Semester	5	60 h
1. Animation Techniques 2. Concepts related to animation techniques 3. Principles of animation 4. Animation pipeline 5. Specific software for 2D animation
2297210	User Interface Design	2nd Semester	4	45 h
1. User interface design for digital games 2. Types of user interfaces 3. Less is more - immersive tutorials 4. Prototype UX – user experience design 5. Visual design UI – User interface design
2297211	2D Game Project	2nd Semester	10	75 h
The subject does not have defined contents, since it depends on the project that each student (or each group of students) develops. In fact, there are multiple proposals: one per group of three students. Any different team size must be treated as an exception and can only be admitted by means of a documented justification. The professor responsible for the curricular unit is accountable for the analysis and the decision making.

2nd Year
ID	Name	Semester	ECTS	Length
2297212	3D Modeling	1st Semester	7	75 h
1.3D modelling environments 2. Representation of objects 3. Modelling techniques 4. 3D representation 5. Color, materials and textures 6. Lighting 7. Rendering 8. Optimization for real-time 9. 3D modelling using Blender
2297213	Game Engines I	1st Semester	7	60 h
1.Introduction to game engines 2. 2D game engine 3. 3D game engines 4. Components of a game engine 5. Unreal Engine 5.1 Interface 5.2 Blueprint Visual Scripting 5.3 Physics 5.4 UI 5.5 Artificial Intelligence Tools
2297214	Visual Effects for Games	1st Semester	6	60 h
1. Particles 1.1. Simulation of the real world 1.2. Simulation of fantasy/sci-fi effects 2. Atmospheric effects 2.1. Wind 2.2. Fog 2.3. Volumetric lights 3. Animated effects 4. Post-processing
2297215	Web Development	1st Semester	4	45 h
1. Basic concepts, technologies and services associated with the Web  2. HTML 5 3. Style Sheets 4. JavaScript language  5. Advanced Web Applications
2297216	Sound Design	1st Semester	6	75 h
1.Introduction to Sound 1.1. Propagation and psychoacoustics 1.2. Digital audio 1.3. Sound spatialization 2. Audio devices 2.1. Electroacoustic systems 2.2. Mixer 2.3. Audio hardware 2.4. Audio software 3. Sound Design 3.1. Recording 3.2. Editing and effects 3.3. Mixing 4. Game audio 4.1. Sound effects 4.2. Music 4.3. Occlusion, reverb, collisions 4.4 Adaptive audio 4.5 Audio middleware
2297217	Photography and Video	2nd Semester	5	60 h
1. Photography concepts       1.1. Basic theory of light           1.2. Photo camera types           1.3. Optics and lenses  2. Digital reflex cameras     2.1. Configuring: color space, quality, WB, ISO, exposure 2.2. Post-production: develop digital negatives   3. Language and Visual Aesthetics for moving images          3.1. Cameras and definitions           3.2. Composition           3.3. Shot scale and camera movements  4. Non-linear editing       4.1. Introduction to editing           4.2. Software           4.3. Script           4.4. Storyboard           4.5. Sequence           4.6. Continuity and narrative
2297218	3D Simulation and Animation	2nd Semester	5	60 h
1.The animation process 2. 3D animation techniques 3. Dynamic behaviour of objects 4. Environments and applications of 3D animation 5. Rigging 6. Motion Capture
2297219	Multimedia Interaction Techniques	2nd Semester	4	45 h
1.Investigation of interaction types and interfaces 2. The importance of user studies and the concept of accessibility 3. Concepts of player psychology applied to interaction and game design 4. Games User Research (GUR) 5. Sensory and cognitive immersion, memory and attention 6. Learning and application of GUR methods 7. User experience (UX) evaluation through playtests 8. Planning, developing and conducting usability tests with users 9. Interaction design for XR experiences
2297220	Option I	2nd Semester	6	60 h
Option I – choose 1 of the 2 following curricular units: Game Engine II / 3D Production Game Engine II 1. C++ Programming Language 2. Extending C++ actors with Blueprints 3. Networking and Multiplayer 4. Profilling and Optimization 5. Plugin creation  3D Production 1. Project planning 1.1. References 1.2. Object scale and proportions 2. Creating a 3D environment 2.1. Space blockout 2.2. Object importing and manipulation 2.3. Importing textures 3. Lighting a 3D environment 3.1. Different light types 3.2. Static and dynamic lights 3.3. Global illumination 4. Post-processing 4.1. Camera effects 4.2. Color grading 5. Materials 6. Vertex painting and Decals
229721	3D Game Project	2nd Semester	10	75 h
The subject does not have defined contents, since it depends on the project that each student (or each group of students) develops. In fact, there are multiple proposals: one per group of three students. Any different team size must be treated as an exception and can only be admitted by means of a documented justification. The professor responsible for the curricular unit is accountable for the analysis and the decision making.

3rd Year
ID	Name	Semester	ECTS	Length
2297222	Option II	1st Semester	30	60 h
Option II – choose 5 of the following 7 curricular units: Cinema / 2D Art II / Visual Effects for Cinema / 3D Art / Computer Graphics / Advanced Game Programming Topics / Artificial Intelligence Applied to Games Cinema 1. Pre-production 1.1 Script writing 1.2 Storyboard 1.3 Animatik 1.4 Project Development 2. Production 2.1 Photography 2.2 Acting 2.3 Directing 2.4 Hair and makeup 2.5 Audio recording 2.6 Art Direction 3. Post-production 3.1 Editing 3.2 Visual effects 3.3 Sound Design e Foley 3.4 Music 3.5 Mixing 3.6 Color grading 4. Cinematography 4.1 Lens and composition 4.2 Camera movement 2D Art II 1. Concept art 1.1. Character and creature design 1.2. Environment and scene design 2. Digital illustration 2.1. Digital illustration tools 2.2. Textures 2.3. Pixel art 2.4. Visual style 2.5. Interpret and obey a specific visual style 2.6. Develop a visual style Visual Effects for Cinema 1. Notions and VFX typologies 2. Basic VFX for cinema: Slow Motion and Overlay Effects 3. 3D Camera System and Other Effects 4. Motion Graphics 5. Cinematic Effects: Cinemagraphs and Parallax 6. Track Motion and Stabilize Image 7. Chroma Key and Masking 8. Experimentation and application of multiple VFX techniques 3D Art 1. Graphic interface 2. Organic modeling techniques 2.1. Modeling from a basemesh 2.2. Modeling from a 3D draft 3. Digital sculpting 3.1. Shapes creation and manipulation 3.2. Applying details to the model’s surface 4. Painting the 3D model 5. UV Mapping for the creation of textures 6. Optimization Computer Graphics 1. Computer graphics 1.1. Viewing in 2D and 3D 1.2. Geometrical transformations in 2D and 3D  1.3. Hidden-surface removal 1.4. Shading and Illumination 2. OpenGL programming with C 2.1. Introduction to the OpenGL API  2.2. GLSL Shaders programming    Advanced Game Programming Topics 1. Introduction to C++  2. Data structures  2.1 Dynamic arrays 2.2 Lists  2.3 Hash tables 3. Game engine programming  3.1 Game loop  3.2 Rendering 3.3 Using a physics engine  4. Performance analysis  4.1 Profiling 4.2 Optimization techniques Artificial Intelligence Applied to Games 1. Introduction to Artificial Intelligence 2. Intelligent agents 3. Nav Mesh Navigation 4. Behavior trees 5. Pawn sensing 6. Search Algorithms 7. Minimax algorithm and alpha-beta prunning 8. Neural Networks
2297223	Entrepreneurship and Marketing Applied to Entertainment	2nd Semester	3	45 h
1.Introduction to entrepreneurship and creativity 2. Entrepreneurship and the new media – evolution of the video game market, economic and social reality 3. Creation of knowledge-based enterprises 4. Designing the business plan 5. Fundamental marketing concepts 6. Marketing research 7. Technological and marketing strategy 8. Digital Marketing – social networks, viral marketing and reputation management 9. Management of intellectual property – trademarks, copyrights, patents and licensing strategies
2297224	Final Project / Internship	2nd Semester	27	640 h
The students may choose one of the two options: Internship The subject does not have defined contents, since it depends on the in-service training. Final Project The curricular unit has no predefined content, depending on the project to be created and drawn up by a group of two to three students. Individual projects may also be accepted.

Entry Requirements

For further information about international students’ applications,
please see International Applicants
or contact the International Students’ Office by email at: estudante.internacional@ipleiria.pt

Accreditation

Status: Accredited
Number of years of accreditation: 6
Publication Date: 28-04-2014
A3ES Accreditation

Application Fee

60€

Enrolment Fee

General contingent: 30 €
International student contingent: 100€

Tuition Fee

General contingent: 697 €
International student contingent: 3000€