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In order to successfully finish a game design school or game design program, students must be dedicated to learning both the creative aspects of the industry as well as the business side that will make them seasoned professionals. That’s why at Centennial College, applicants to the two-year Game Art and Design offering are subjected to a rigorous application process. Interested aspirants who wants to join schools game design must have completed at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. They must also have the compulsory English 12C or U credit, a skills assessment or equivalent. Also mandatory is the submission of a portfolio that features 10 to 15 life drawings, sketches, paintings, sculptures or digitally produced artwork. Preference for the program will be given to applicants who can demonstrate some familiarity with one or more graphics applications such as Photoshop, Illustrator, 3DS Max or Maya. If students do not submit digital artwork, they will be tested to determine their level of computer proficiency. The Game Design program itself is housed at Centennial College’s Centre for Creative Communications. This is the hub for all creativity-based offerings such as Advertising, Art and Design Foundations and more. Therefore, students have the opportunity to network with peers from similar industries. More importantly, basing this program at this campus gives students the advantage of having access to the latest technology in state-of-the-art computer labs. Additionally, students of the Game Design School have the opportunity for several hours of one-on-one help from their instructors with each project as class sizes are purposely kept small. Because this course was actually created by industry professionals and instructors with a forward-thinking approach towards the next wave of interactive games, its curriculum is grounded in optimum hands-on participation with an emphasis on both game design and creative story development skills. This course include topics like Compositing, Post Effects and Material Editing, Lighting, Digital Painting, Character Design, Architectural Design and more, students learn to build 2D and 3D art assets for games, develop environments and characters, and express personal creativity. All of the topics covered in the Game Design program are taught by industry professionals who are as passionate about gaming as students are. To balance the practical application and theory aspects, students of the Game Design School also gain valuable experience and industry contacts through studio visits, industry events and field placement. This field placement allows students to apply their knowledge to real-life situations. As a Game Art and Design program participant and a potential candidate for placement work, students are expected to send their portfolios to the company of their choice to show their work. This is part of the professional experience, and is standard protocol for those seeking internships and or jobs. They are also expected to be proactive and seek out companies themselves and relay their information to the coordinator, who will assist them in obtaining a placement. Once they complete the game design program, graduates go onto hold positions as character modelers, character animators, level designers, environment and effects artists, texture artists, game concept artists, and more.
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