Study Guide

Objective

After completing the module, the student is able:
- to understand the technical asset pipeline for 3D game graphics
- to create 3D content for video games other digital media
- to use various software for content creation
- to understand the roles and tasks for 3D graphics in the game industry

Content

- 3D modelling and animation for game engines
- 3D asset creation
- Character modelling
- Modular design
- Lighting and texturing techniques and tools in game engines
- Modern approaches for 3D content creation for game engines

Materials

Lecturer's material and live sessions. Software manufacturer specific online references and materials
Group chat on Discord. Additional material and reading material shared through Itslearning for each week's theme.

Teaching methods

The course will be delivered through contact sessions and the core learning will take place in a tutorial fashion with laboratory assignments and homework.

Although peer-assisted learning is encouraged, students are expected to produce individual deliverables (in other words, no group work).

The students are expected to give peer feedback on specified laboratory assignments and homework.

The course will be using Itslearning as the learning platform.

Exam schedules

There are no exams for this course.

This course does not have any retake possibilities. Failing the course means that students will have to repeat it the following year.

International connections

This course leans on CDIO principles and takes a project-based learning approach.

Completion alternatives

Competence demonstration, if you have experience from industry or experience that is compatible with the course content contact the lecturer.

Student workload

This course requires students to work 135 hours and is divided as follows:
- Contact sessions and instructed laboratory work 49 hours
- Individual homework 86 hours
All the course work is individual.
Mandatory participation for 70% of the sessions.

Content scheduling

Course starts on 28.10.2024 and ends 12.12.2024. The course will be held onsite at game laboratory. Tasks and guidance are given at the laboratory classroom. Mandatory participation for 70% of the sessions.

Each Monday and Thursday contact session in the laboratory C3031. The laboratory assignments and homework are related to the topic of the week.

Week 44 Course Introduction, 3D Graphics in Games, Game engines & tools, content creation inside game engine.
Week 45 Unity: Render pipelines, asset preparation, shader & VFX graph
Week 46 Unity: Lighting in Unity, post process etc
Week 47 Substance Sampler, Authoring PBR materials & Substance in Game Engines
Week 48 Substance Painter & game asset pipeline
Week 49 Substance Painter & game asset pipeline
Week 50 Substance Designer
Week 51 Personal work on assignments.

Assignment changes each week and assignment needs to be returned before next week’s live session. Late submission will affect negatively to the evaluation. Last assignment must be returned before 19.12.2023.

Further information

All communication trough Itslearning.
This course is prioritized for Game and Interactive Technology Students. Additional students can join only if there are available seats in the game lab.
Recommended Prerequisites:
Game Development Essentials
Introduction to Game Development Tools
Project Course in Game Development
Strong recommendation for basics of 3D Modeling

Mandatory participation for 70% of the sessions.
Participation is mandatory due: laboratory oriented approach, software licence requirements, peer assisted learning, immediate support and feedback, engagement and motivation, consistency and discipline.

Evaluation scale

H-5

Assessment methods and criteria

The assessment will be based on the individual assignments submitted in the Itslearning workspace.
The lecturer evaluates each assignments from 0-5. To pass the course, students are expected to submit at least 70 % of the assignments. Final grade will be average of assignment grades multiplied by return percent (non-returned assignments are counted as 0). Active participation to the course, discussion and assignments will affect positively.

The students are expected to give peer feedback on specified laboratory assignments and homework. Failing to participate to the peer feedback will result -1 grade to the final evaluation.

Assignment changes each week and assignment needs to returned before next weeks live session.No feedback for late assignment submissions. Last assignment must be returned before 19.12.2024

Assessment criteria, fail (0)

Student submits less than 70% of the assignments and participation is less than 70% to the sessions.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

The student hast participated at least 70% to the sessions.
The average is of the submitted assignments and the submission percentage equals 1-2.
The quality of the submitted assignments are poor and it is visible that the student has not spent the required time with the assignment.

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

The student hast participated at least 80% to the sessions.
The average is of the submitted assignments and the submission percentage equals 3-4.
The quality of the submitted assignments are good and it is visible that the student has spent the required time with the assignment but the student has not challenged his/her skills or the assignment lacks the final effort to improve it.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The student hast participated at least 90% to the sessions.
The average is of the submitted assignments and the submission percentage equals 5.
The quality of the submitted assignments are excellent and it is visible that the student has spent the required time or more with the assignment. The student has challenged his/her skills and researched more about the topic to improve the end result.