When Elite creator David Braben and other luminaries lamented a general skills gap between videogame courses and industry requirements, Plymouth University responded in style. It launched a BSc (Hons) in Computing & Games Development, created an in-house studio and forged direct links to industry to ensure the programme produced skilled, creative developers. Here, course creator Dan Livingstone explains how Plymouth aims to ensure students are kept up to date while future-proofing their skillset.
Why choose Plymouth?
Our university has invested heavily in new buildings and facilities on the main campus. We have five-star research groups contributing specialist modules to our undergraduate programmes and we have a reputation for enterprise and supporting student initiatives. We have an in-house development team, the Interactive Systems Studio, which is active in the indie scene through developer meet-ups, game jams and exhibitions. We also develop products using the tools and methodologies we teach our students. We know what it takes to take a project from an initial concept to a viable product and all the stages in between.
What can students expect from your core degree?
We offer a BSc (Hons) in Computing And Games Development, a full-time course over three or four years with either a paid summer internship or a one-year paid industrial placement before entering the final year. We also accept direct entry into our final year for students with strong programming ability and a games-related portfolio. Our USP is that we preach what we practice and practise what we preach. We generate small studios, startups and indie developers with highly transferable skills for new and emerging games-related sectors, from small indie releases to serious games, simulation and training.
What other courses do you offer?
As a School of Computing and Mathematics we also have a BSc (Hons) Computer Science degree with which we share some core programming modules. We also have courses in Information Security, Networking, Robotics and so on.
How do you respond to such a fast-changing industry?
In many cases, [formal education] moves far too slowly. And numerous courses jump on the bandwagon seeing an opportunity to boost student numbers, but fail to understand this fast-evolving sector. That’s why our course is structured with a balance of core programming modules delivered by Computer Science specialists and development workshops featuring guest input from industry veterans and our in-house team who are active in the sector. We’re building products for internal and external clients using the tools and services currently used in the industry. Our first indie release for iOS is due later this year and features an original core mechanic, a strong graphical style leveraging Unity for the base engine, Scaleform for UI and Articy:Draft to structure and balance game elements and pivotal tracker.
Do you think students should focus on technical or creative skills?
It’s a symbiotic relationship. I like to think we generate creative developers who have a technical edge, but understand the complexities of making a great product. They will have tried their hand at every role involved in making a game, from concept art, modelling, gameplay and level design to programming, debugging, testing, quality assurance, project management, client handling, revenue modules and distribution. They respect and value the full team contribution required to make an impact in the sector. In a nutshell, there is a balance of concept, design and implementation with engaging core gameplay and robust efficient code.
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