Game Design
& Production

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Unleash your creativity in Game Design & Production

Game designers are the visionaries and evangelists for a game development project. They thrive on new ideas and are always thinking about how users will interact and enjoy the experience that they’ve created. A great game designer possesses a combination of technical knowledge, artistic skill and most importantly, the ability to communicate and understand people.

Game designers spend significant amounts of time writing detailed documents specifying game mechanics, environments, playable characters and the game’s nemesis. This detail extends right down to how a particular item might behave, be animated and sound.

Game Design is a two year, full-time course written by experienced game designers, in consultation with local and international studios, to produce innovative graduates who will lead the next generation of game development.

Why study game design with AIE?

Practical Skills

Develop the skills demanded by industry
making you immediately employable.

Courses are made by industry practitioners and developed to teach you industry relevant skills and prepare you for immediate employment.

Specialists

Learn from experienced industry professionals
who have insights and connections.

AIE teachers are award winning instructors with industry experience and a passion for educating the next generation of learners.

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Equipment

AIE provides state of the art,
cutting-edge, game technology.

studio environment

You will use the latest, industry standard, hardware and software to create your own unique entertainment experience.

Multiple Award Winners

AIE delivers highly specialist education for games, visual effects and animation.

AIE was the first video game school in the world and developed the world’s first accredited game development qualification. AIE has been at the forefront of delivery through specialist education and achieving great graduate outcomes for over 27 years.

Not for Profit

AIE is the world's first non-profit
specialist games and visual effects educator. 

We support industry

We invest in our students, grow the industry and support graduate career opportunities.

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Graduate Placement

Follow in the footsteps of AIE graduates working
on the top games and films worldwide.

Get a Job!

Graduates can be found working in some of the worlds leading games studios, independent games studios and also creating their own digital content through the AIE incubator.

Other graduates are working in serious games/simulations for Defence and simulations for major mining companies.

Industry software you will learn

Your career in Game Design starts through the hands-on Advanced Diploma, closely developed with the game industry and leverage the latest game industry software including:

  • Unreal Engine

    Game development

  • Unity Engine

    Game Development

  • Maya

    3D Modelling, rigging, animating, lighting and rendering

  • Perforce

    High-detail sculpting and texturing

  • GIT

    Project management and version control

  • Source Tree

    Project management and version control

  • Adobe Photoshop

    Concept art and texture maps

  • Visual Studio

    Programming tools

  • MonoDevelop

    Programming tools

  • Microsoft Office

    Project management and planning

Program Details

Stage One

The first year of the course begins by covering grounding in terminology and mechanics and roles of designer. Students will work on visualising ideas, prototyping, learning the fundamentals of 3D content creation and game programming as well as designing game levels, creating user interfaces and crafting game play experiences.

Towards the end of the year, game design students will work with programming students to develop projects with game design, production and quality assurance.

Stage Two

Second year focuses on the psychology of games, market research, exploring thinking and decision making processes along with understanding the producer’s role in managing and coordinating game projects. Students will be making more game prototypes around a range of different game types, genres and platforms.

During the major game project, game design students will collaborate with game art and game programming students to create an innovative original game to showcase their capabilities.

Students graduate at the end of Year 2 with an extensive portfolio with several games they have designed and produced, mechanical prototypes, large amounts of documented design ideas expressed in visual and written form.

Stage One

  • Introduction to Game Design
  • Health and Safety in the Office
  • Level Design Fundamentals
  • Design Prototyping Fundamentals
  • Narrative Design
  • Testing and Quality Assurance
  • Production Planning
  • Production

Stage Two

  • Psychology and Economies
  • Time to Make a Game
  • Designing the User Experience
  • Production for Clients
  • Proof of Concept
  • Sustainability
  • Major Production
  • Online Professional Portfolio

Advanced Diploma students work in industry-simulated studio environments and complete one subject at a time, building upon knowledge as the learning pathway progresses.

Students complete practical game design tasks and projects based on industry standards and briefs. Accompanying projects students record their process through development journals and other documentation.

Graduates can be found working in some of the worlds leading game companies and smaller independent studios.

Game design graduates are also sought after in the growing field of ‘gamification’ as well as managing interactive initiatives for training, simulation, customer engagement and advertising.

  • Game Designer
  • System Designer
  • Narrative Designer
  • Level Designer
  • UI Designer
Program Name Advanced Diploma - Game Design and Production
CIP Code 50.0411

Entry for this course is based on an interview to assess your suitability for the course and understand your current skills and interests through looking at your portfolio of related work.

For more information, please see our interview and portfolio page.

Hear from our graduates

I will never forget the amazing time and valuable experience AIE have given me, they really helped me shine to be more than who I thought I was, I am now a Game Designer creating fun innovating games for the future generations

CEO
Dark Shadow Studios

Casey Thomas

AIE gave me the opportunities to learn industry relevant skills that made it possible for me to get a job in the industry. The teachers were fantastic and incredibly motivated.

LEAD MODELLER
Scanline VFX (Oscar winning VFX studio)

Damien Lam

AIE was the best choice I made when deciding my career path, the course structure and the connections I made there is what put me in the position for most of the jobs I've gotten.The teachers go above and beyond for their students!

CHARACTER ARTIST
SMG studio (indie game studio & creators of death squared)

Kellie Lautier

What I enjoyed about AIE the most was being taught by people that actually have industry experience. My teachers at AIE really helped me figure out the necessary paths and helped me be the best that I could be when I graduated.

SENIOR ENVIRONMENT ARTIST
Cloud Imperium Games (Creators of Star Citizen)

Josh Van Zuylen

AIE provided me with the building blocks to take my art career to the next level. I learned about the industry, made connections, mentors and friends, asked questions, and viewed my work as an evolution rather than a destination.

OUTPUT DESIGNER
Funko Inc (creators of funko pops)

Beverly Crock

AIE gave me the specific tools to learn what I needed to know to get into the games industry. AIE taught me a valuable skillset which I have been able to apply to my career.

LEAD CHARACTER ARTIST
Splash Damage

Ben Davis

AIE has proved to be an invaluable catalyst for my career. The industry veteran teachers and staff went above and beyond. I would not be anywhere near where I am if it wasn't for my AIE family.

VISUAL EFFECTS ARTIST
Bungie

Vinessa Mayer

Game development for many graduates is just a dream. The AIE provided me with the skills and knowledge to realise that dream. With such close ties to industry, AIE is a foot in the door to network directly with game companies to help land that elusive job.

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
League of Geeks

Tom Johnstone

Meet the teachers

Meet The Teachers | Game Design and Production Course

Campus Life

Campus Life | AIE

Alumni Projects

AIE Student Work | Game Design and Production Course