What You Will Learn
Do you have a passion for developing and design, and are looking to learn the skills it takes to create games you want to play or to influence others for a good cause? Then consider studying the Game Development program at CCM. Game Development is a multidisciplinary skillset that includes design, programming, testing, 3D modeling, 2D and 3D animation, user interface design, project management, and audio creation. Everything you see in a game is created and proofed by an artist. Everything you read is written by a writer.
At CCM, you will develop diverse, full-fledged experiences from start to finish, including digital, non-digital, and simulation games, organize a large magnitude of tasks with a team of your peers, understand the impact play and gaming has on societies, and identify, discuss, and solve systemic problems in the game industry. CCM students have made and published over 100 games on platforms like itch.io and Steam. Check them out at https://bit.ly/playccmgames.
Curriculum
Our Game Development program houses a 36-credit core including Computer Science, Data Structures and Algorithms, Software Engineering, Game Design Concepts, Critical Game Play, Game Programming, Game Production, Media Aesthetics, Animation, and six open credits for CIS/MED electives.
Careers in the Field
An Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Game Development can lead you to many different job opportunities including:
- Animator (3D or 2D)
- Character Artist (3D or 2D)
- Game Tester
- Junior Programmer
- Level Designer
- QA Engineer
- User Experience (UX) Designer
- User Interface (UI) Artist
Many of our Game Development graduates attend nearby New Jersey public and private institutions like Bloomfield College, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Montclair State University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Ramapo College of New Jersey and Rutgers. Other students have recently attended out-of-state schools such as Becker College, Digipen Institute of Technology, Full Sail University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Savannah College of Art and Design and School of Visual Arts (NYC).
The department and CCM Transfer Services is here to help you with this process.
Popular career paths upon earning a bachelor’s degree includes:
- Engine Programmer
- Environmental Artist
- Game Designer
- Gameplay Programmer
- Hard Surface Modeler
- Lighting Artist
- Software Engineer
- Special Effects (FX) Artist
- Tools Programmer
Why Study Game Development at CCM?
- Dedicated and diverse faculty and student body.
- Faculty have industry experience to give you a real world understanding of the field.
- Small class sizes so you get individual attention from faculty.
- Active learning classrooms where you work in teams to solve problems.
- Pick a game from our massive library and play on campus or link up with classmates in our Discord server.
- Extra-curricular activities including the Game Development Club, plus tournaments and other fun events that allow you to get to know others in your field and learn outside of the classroom.
- Cultivate your network with long-lasting connections.
- Growing eSports athletic team.
- Supportive campus environment with free tutoring and faculty office hours.
- Flexible terms and class schedules that fit into your busy life.
Paying For Your Game Development Education
Earning an associate degree in game development is a powerful investment that will pay off over the course of your life, in both increased earnings and job satisfaction. But what is the upfront cost, and how do you afford it?
There’s good news: Money is available to help you pay for school! Our Financial Aid staff can provide lots of information about the process of finding funds to help pay for your education.
Featured Courses
Game Design Concepts
This course provides the student with an introduction to fundamental game design concepts. The range of topics includes game worlds and settings, character creation, storytelling, game audio, game art and animation, gameplay and user interface design. In addition, the history of the game industry, social impact and the future of gaming are discussed. Students analyze various games and genres and create their own game design document.
Critical Game Play
This is an introductory course designed to increase games literacy and foster a shared understanding of the history of games, culturally and aesthetically. A thorough knowledge of the games that have shaped this industry is integral for all students considering entering the field. The class covers a wide spectrum of digital and analogue games. Students will take part in discussions and lectures. They will compose a short analyses of different games and justify their stances in group-wide presentations. The primary activity of the class is critical play – playing games and analyzing them in order to better understand the medium on a personal and professional level.
Game Production
Working in teams, students combine their game design and programming skills to explore the practical challenges of managing the development of games. Industry-standard software and advanced programming are used in this capstone course to develop a functioning game of the highest professional quality. Emphasis is placed on the game design document, storyboarding, the game production process, user interface and game design, interactive storytelling, character development, 3D animation, special effects, audio, the collaborative process, and usability testing.
Resources
Your Game Development Faculty Advisors
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Your Game Development Faculty Advisor
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