[carthach]

Hi all,

I'd just like to inform you about a new course that is starting soon at Pulse Recording College. Hopefully this information will also be added to main courses pages on the site soon.

Part TIme FETAC Level 5 Games Analysis & Design

The production of modern video games is a huge undertaking and today's game designers need to be multidisciplinary in their approach, displaying a creative flair combined with a strong technical aptitude. This unique course gives an introduction to the main areas in the process of producing games, with the aim of preparing the individual for entry into the industry and/or further specialisation.

Students will learn how to create game art and assets using packages such as 3ds Max and Mudbox. Sound production and editing will be included to train you to design stunning soundscapes and effects. Basic programming will reveal the theory involved in game development. Industry standard game engines and middleware such as Microsoft XNA GameStudio and Gamebryo Lightspeed (used to develop the massively popular Fallout 3) will demonstrate how technologies are combined to deliver a final product.

In addition to receiving the FETAC qualification the student will also receive a Digidesign Certification in Pro Tools 101.

For more information please contact us on: 01 478 4045 or pulserecording<at>pulserecording<dot>com

[jediboy]

Course Link: http://www.pulsecollege.eu/gaming/fetac-level5-games-analysis-design

Can't really see how much (if any) programming is covered. Are there module descriptions available? (Weights? Duration? Credit break-downs, etc?)

How many hours a week (taught/instructed? self-directed?)

B.
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[aphra]

These are rather expensive courses - the full time course costs €6,770 - but they are condensed into less than one year - runs from Sept to June.

A FETAC level 5 is a certificate - so we are not talking about a degree here which would be level 7 - and level 5 should include work experience although I am not sure that is actually structured in if you read the outline

for more on FETAC levels see http://www.nfq.ie/nfq/en/about_NFQ/framework_levels_award_types.html

the course in St John's Cork and Ludo in BCFE are FETAC level 5s too.

These are vocational training courses so I suspect if you wish to train up in particular software this might be the way to go.

Very different from other college and university offerings but these types of courses have a role to play too

Agree B Not much detail on the website on design or programming ..

Aphra.

[jediboy]

Condensed learning is something I see is becoming more common especially in private institutes. I'd imagine there are some strong case studies that vouch for its application.

In my opinion, at least with software engineering / game programming, there's a certain amount of "digestion time" required. At least that's always how I (and many of my comp sci buddies) often talked about. Time to sit in a library with my peers, and work through examples on the board, prototype, sit down and discuss further works with tutors, guest lectures, etc. And then maybe do some prototyping / further research over the three months summer break before returning for year 2,3,4.

Not sure if "immersive/condensed" learning works better (or is better suited) to audio/art disciplines.

Any students out there with any experience in this sort of thing, care to share their thoughts?

€6,700 is a big ask alright. I'd expect quite a course...

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[Clevercelt]

Maybe its just me but before forking out I'd also expect at least some semblance of info on trainers / tutors / teachers / experts / lecturers, guest experts / etc and their relevant 'game analysis & design' experience.
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Clevercelt

Led by a star ?
Led by a bottle more like it !

[Matthew]

Very little info on it tbh. Not clear if any of the images are past work or info on the people who run it. Past industry experience is a must really for games.

escape studios in London costs a lot more but just from the web site alone its clear what you are getting.

[jediboy]

Yep, ESCAPE have a pretty robust reputation, and I think they have incubation space / industry placement built into their courses, and last time I checked they were very vocal about the people they have on staff.

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[obrien_jimmy]

I was at the open day for this yesterday, and I have to say the place seemed quite impressive Im looking at the part time course cuse soon ile be living in dublin city. its 3grand though which Is less expensive but still expensive.

I did the 2 year games course in Ballyfermot afew years back and got noting from it to be quite honest, which makes me cautious about taking on this course for such a price... especially in the current times were living in.

I was however speaking to some of the people involved in the course and sat an informal interview for a course place. some were involved with the lego games that have been released eg indiana jones, star wars, batman. so they had credentialls to them which were appealing to me.... just cuse they had experience obviously.

Alot of the stuff they list on the course brief in mentioned also in the ballyfermot brief for both ludo and dmh or cghnd as it was called when I was there....3d model animation and rigging was supposed to be done in bcfe... we never even touched it when I got into the course! . So last thing I want is a repeat of this especially after shelling out 3 grand for it instead of 360 or whatever it is in bcfe.

Pulse also say they teach z-brush and mudbox which is a plus like I think these are GREAT tools and I dabble in them myself but would love to know how to do such things as mappping a high poly mesh map onto a low poly. this stuff is industry standard now for gods sake. whats the point in me having a great looking high poly mesh if I cant use it like.?

Anyways... afew other things about pulse.. the part time games course is tuesdays and thursdays from 6:30pm to 9pm with a continuous assesment layout instead of end of year exams it runs from march 9th till december (32 weeks) Id love some other peoples input into this as im undecided if i should take the plunge cuse Ive a fulltime job (NO NOT IN GAME..... i should be so lucky all i want is a modelling gig and id be delighted) and moving preety soon to the city so im in a very 50 50 place especially after doing a previous 2 year course in games. which was also a fetac level 5 but the guys at pulse seem to be more connected with industry contacts then say ballyfermot.. we were waitng for 2 years and still didnt get the engine they promised us at the start of first year.

Im not slating or ripping on ballyfermot college id great times and enjoyment there but at the open day in pulse the equipment was all up to scratch and the place was really well maintained eg audio labs green screen labs i think 2 or 3 recording studios and a mac and pc lab. they record u2's music and all there its called temple lane recording studio.

[jediboy]

i suppose its all about your expectations, what role and companies do you want to work for?

Have you sent them samples of work? Did they give you feedback? Areas to improve? If those are covered on the course, then it may be the way to go.
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[JohnMonkey]

@obrien_jimmy

What year did you do CGHND in? I did the same course myself and we covered, rigging, modelling, texturing and animation etc. The main thing I can say about Ballyfermot is that it is a DESIGN course, so there is not the focus on art work or art techniques. I've still modelled and animated characters while there, and it has proven to be a useful skill for me in the industry, but art is definitely not a core focus for a design course or any one looking to enter the industry as a designer. By and large I found Ballyfermot prepared me quite well for working as a designer, but there is not a hope in hell of me ever getting an art gig.

As for industry contacts from pretty much any course in Ireland, it's a tall order. In my experience just trying to get companies to consider visiting an open day in Ireland is an EPIC challenge. It's too much hassle, so if you're thinking of doing the pulse course mainly for those make sure you get all the info up front and that everything is rock solid. I left Ireland and did an MA in the UK primarily because it was the best way for me to make industry contacts.
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[kyotokid]

Carthach, can you give us some info on the course tutors?
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www.linkedin.com/in/kyotokid

[Roganski]

It's always good to see new training opportunities like this pop up. Though the balance of 3rd level training in games vs. jobs in games just got even more out of kilter. Not much has changed since the 80s, we are still training people for export.

I'm a big fan of condensed courses in 3d software over longer more detailed courses. What ever gets you creating art for your portfolio quickest right? Though you would probably get more from these condensed courses if you had already dabbled in the software being taught. I did a two week crash course in Maya in the UK after a month messing with it and was able to use it in my job as a 3d games artist, even though I'd only used Max prior to that. It was a great course.

[obrien_jimmy]

sorry,

Havent been on in awhile. @john monkey. I was in it in i think 2004 to 2006 it was when the course was initially started and I was in the introductory years of the course in ballyfermot.

I decided to take the plunge and do the course in pulse recording for the games course albeit just part time it should be preety interesting.
Only thing i hope and want to get from it is alittle more insight in 3D programmes such as zbrush / mudbox and what not which ive being kinda tutoring myself on in the past few months.

Im nuts into 3d and even since I started using it years ago just making basic random stuff and then being overly ambitious making charecters, enviornments, cars and god knows what else.

I think i just find that, seeing the actual result being literally made in real time from your own imagination to on screen in a matter of hours and being able to change it and have so many uses for it like making it playable as a game medium. or have it in a cg movie or mixed with real actors and that is appealing on so many levels. It's just a shame its kept kinda hidden away for only a select few people to know about really.