Diploma of Game Design
Prepare yourself to become part of a community of enthusiastic game lovers who share your passion for gaming by enrolling in the Diploma of Game Design at AIT. With this program, you will have daily opportunities to create a range of 3D assets before integrating your own designs into a cutting-edge game engine.
Our Game Design Diploma has been carefully crafted with significant input from the industry, ensuring that you learn all the necessary professional, personal, and technical skills that modern game design studios demand. Critically review game theory, genre, history and context, and learn to construct your own game levels and assets.
What To Expect
With our in-depth knowledge of the game design industry, we’ve modelled our Diploma of Game Design after the top professional games programming studios. We provide guidance and support as you embark on the path to your envisioned game design career. Get ready to step into your game design future with confidence.
Skills You Will Gain
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Technical Instruction - Experienced knowledgeable educators -
Creative Teamwork - Teams of like-minded collaborators -
Current Knowledge - Current software, technology and insights -
Professional Skills - Embedded employability training -
Skills practice - Practical hands-on learning -
Project work - relevant project-based assessments
Softwares You Will Master
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Unreal Engine -
ZBrush -
Maya -
Adobe Creative Cloud
AIT Campus
Two-thirds of your classes will take place on campus, where you’ll work alongside like-minded creatives in our industry-grade games design studios. Today’s games design production is heavily reliant on technology and software, which is why we invest in providing the latest professional-grade animation and game design software and hardware.
With access to high-end computers, state-of-the-art post-production studios facilities, green screen rooms, and audio studios, you’ll have the appropriate tools you need to create fundamental concepts, masterpieces, and to render your own games to the highest industry standards.
Our program encourages a range of diploma level experimentation, creativity and practical experience so you can make your magic and start making games that meet the demands of the industry.
Our Cloud Campus
Our course material is available on our cloud campus, a space that’s specifically designed for high-quality online education.
With access to our cloud campus, you’ll have access to all game design course content, including videos, interactive activities, discussion boards, video meeting facilities, email services, library resources, assessment support, study support, technical support services, and welfare services.
We understand that choosing where to study in Australia is a big decision, which is why we encourage you to explore our campuses before you enrol. Come and see for yourself how AIT can provide you with a comprehensive and engaging learning experience.
Student work: ‘Rose, Revolutionary Leader Sculpt’ by Tarik Takasu
Course Content
Trimester 1 - Learn
Learn the entire design and development process (3D pipeline) needed to create your own custom-designed 3D characters. You’ll explore various areas, including props and background development, industry-standard 3D software, 3D interface navigation, fundamental 3D theory, character design, modelling, texturing, lighting, skinning, camera animation, and rendering.
By acquiring these skills, you’ll have a strong foundation for designing and producing 3D objects and characters. Get ready to elevate your 3D design capabilities with our comprehensive program.
Key professional skills development:
- Project management basics
- Presentation skills
- Naming conventions and file management
You will be introduced to game theory, genre, history and context in the Game Design Mechanics subject.
Research and report on the nature of the game industry and analyse game mechanics, critically reviewing case studies of a variety of games, with gameplay taking a leading role in discovering several classes of games, their structures and characteristics.
Key professional skills development:
- Collaboration
- Self-reflection
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking
This subject introduces the necessary technical skills and concepts required for game level design. You will learn foundational skills and the principles of level design, progression and gameplay, as well as exploring the elements required to create effective environmental narratives.
Follow an industry-standard production process, and construct a high fidelity game level using pre-built assets during this subject.
Key professional skills development:
- Understanding iterative design
- Responding to a brief
- Reflecting and adapting after feedback
Trimester 2 - Refine
Refine your skills in this introduction to the core concepts and fundamentals of games scripting. You’ll gain essential knowledge of game-specific programming languages, learn how to manipulate data types using functions and variables within those languages, and develop an understanding of scripting game logic.
As you progress, you’ll have the opportunity to build game functionality and create games within a game engine, a crucial skill for aspiring game designers.
Master the art of game scripting and enhance your game design capabilities with our program.
Key professional skills development:
- Problem-solving skills
- Debugging
- Professional communication
- Peer evaluation
- Iteration, and application of feedback
Expand your existing 3D skills and extend these to animation. The principles of animation will be applied to 3D characters, props, accessories and background assets, using advanced 3D industry standard software.
Fundamental animation theory and techniques will be explored and applied, so that students can create convincing body mechanics and engaging, stylised performances.
Key professional skills development:
- Time management
- Communication skills
- Balancing workload with deliverable due dates
- Presenting work for feedback.
Learn what it takes to bring 3D models to life, utilising the fundamental theories and practises of animation rigging to create a skeleton for organic and hard surface models.
You will apply controllers to the skeleton to create an animation-ready rig that could be used in interactive or cinematic media.
Key professional skills development:
- Problem solving and planning skills
- Communication skills when presenting your work
Trimester 3 - Produce
Immersive Game Design Experience
In the Game Development Lab you will design a range of 3D assets and integrate them into a game engine. The project will be planned and implemented in response to a brief and will involve identifying game development team roles and 3D sculpting of models using industry standard 3D modelling software.
Models will be textured, then undergo optimisation and retopology to ensure their effective operation in a game engine environment, where introductory level game engine programming will be applied.
You will utilise a production cycle, modifying assets through multiple iterations in response to testing and peer review. Ethical considerations will be taken into account and applied to the design of game assets.
Key professional skills development:
- Collaboration
- Planning
- Project management
- Agile methodology
- Presentation and professional communication skills
- Responding to feedback
Course Outcomes
- Gameplay Mechanics Designer
- Level Designer
- Gameplay Programmer
- Character/Environment Artist
- Games Animator
- Unreal Engine
- Maya
- Zbrush
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- Games Design
- Gameplay Programming
- Animation
- Rigging
- 3D Modelling
- Sculpting
- Texturing
- Games Project Management
- Design of a full game level mechanically and visually using high-quality game assets.
- A 3D character, modelled and textured.
- A range of environment assets.
- A range of rigged and animated characters & weapons game assets.
- A fully-scripted Top Down SHMUP.
- A first person shooter game demo developed in a team and scripted gameplay mechanics.
Student work: ‘You’re Fired’ by Phillip Lim
Our Student Work
Read our Student Testimonials
“I am so glad that I chose the right school – AIT. AIT gives me support and direction. For an overseas student, the learning environment of AIT allows me to quickly adapt to the Australian environment and atmosphere. I found that at AIT, effort and hard work is never overlooked, and your work is always honoured and respected.”
“AIT has provided exceptional support and tolls to pursue my passion successfully, and I am proud and confident to be a woman in STEM.”
“AIT has been one of the best experiences for me, I was able to learn all about the fundamentals in 3D and even became an Enrolment Advisor for AIT. If you are looking for a place that provides great opportunities with a close-knit environment, then AIT is the way to go. ”
“Interesting courses in a well-formed subject table, it's so cool having teachers that actually work in the industry as well!”
How to apply
Here at AIT, we care about your creativity, not your ATAR. If you’re a domestic student, then you can apply directly to AIT or via UAC and VTAC. If you’re an international student, then our registered agent partners can help you to organise everything you’ll need for your AIT application and your application to study in Australia.
Find out exactly what studying at AIT will cost, with our transparent list of student fees plus learn more about the generous scholarships for both international and domestic students.
Student work: ‘Clockwork’ by Kate Nelson, Joran Apap, Amy Murtagh, Anna Truong and Sang Nguyen
