About Course Curricular Plan

  • GAMES AND MULTIMEDIA

    bachelor degree

  • GAMES AND MULTIMEDIA

    bachelor degree

  • GAMES AND MULTIMEDIA

    bachelor degree

  • GAMES AND MULTIMEDIA

    bachelor degree

Bachelor Degree in Games and Multimedia

The degree in "Games and Multimedia" is a 3-year course that prepares students in the area of video games and multimedia in general. Whether you like more about the artistic side or the more technical side, the "Games and Multimedia" course is the ideal course for you...

Idea

Learn to design a game in a professional way, thinking about the various details.

Design

Learn to create the various graphic elements, using the right tools for each occasion.

Developing

Learn to implement all your ideas, creating a fantastic game.

Tests

Learn to test a digital game, ensuring the quality of the final product.

Business

Learn the business models and marketing needed to succeed.

Did you know

...that an audio software developed by our professors is being used by Hollywood studios in such films as "Steve Jobs", "Batman vs. Superman", "Ninja Turtles 2", "Independence Day: Resurgence", "Ghostbusters" among others.

...3 projects awarded at PlayStation Talents Portugal 2018 were from our students (among 10), and one of them won the “Best Art” award. (+ info soon in Showcase)

… many course teachers are industry professionals, and have created games distributed worldwide.

… our school (ESTG) organized from 2012 to 2014 the "International Summer School on iOS Game Development"? And the e-learning version of the 2012 edition *was made* available on iTunes U, reaching iTunes U's Top 5 in the US and Top 10 in over 15 countries (Canada, USA, Mexico, Brazil, China, India, Israel, Finland , Sweden, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, etc.).

… Portugal was represented at the Nordic Games Discovery Contest 2018 with a game from our students. (+ info soon in Showcase)

… several teachers of the Games and Multimedia course are authors of books used in several Portuguese Universities, including the only Portuguese book on App Development for iPhone/iPad.

… more than half of the Professors of the Games and Multimedia course have a PhD, some of them being taught abroad (UK, Spain, etc.).

… there are scientific works in the area of computer graphics, carried out by ESTG teachers, which have been referenced by some of the best scientific journals in the world (Nature, New Scientist).

… ESTG carries out research and "knowledge transfer" with several international companies, being GOOGLE one of them.

… the course has *a* partnership with Sony Entertainment on the PlayStation First program.

… Several Professors of the Games and Multimedia course are invited regularly to give lectures and workshops in various national and international universities.

Do you want better place to take your degree?

Admission

For the 2018/2019 school year, the Digital and Multimedia Games course will have 44 vacancies.

Institution's code: 3102 - Course code: L055

Admission can be made through one of the following entrance tests: Mathematics, Drawing or Descriptive Geometry.
For international students contact: estudante.internacional@ipleiria.pt

Mathematics

Drawing

Descriptive Geometry

Did you know

...the digital gaming industry is the area of entertainment that generates more money around the world, surpassing cinema or music.

...one of the biggest international festivals in the creative field of digital games, TROJAN HORSE WAS A UNICORN, where the best games and entertainment companies of the world meet with the objective of finding talents, was created in Portugal.

...the Games and Multimedia course is taught in English to prepare you for an international future.

...among all Portuguese higher education institutions, IPL has the second highest number of patent applications.

...Leiria was considered the second best Portuguese city to live in.

Curricular Plan

The first year is dedicated to 2D Games.
The second year is dedicated to 3D Games.
The third year is focused on advanced concepts and specialization.
Each year you have a project subject.
At the end of the course, students will be able to choose between a final project or an internship.
All the subjects are taught in English, in order to prepare you for an international future.
Drawing

1st Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 5 | PL: 45 hours

1. Graphic diary and the importance of continuous drawing practice
2. Introduction to drawing tools and techniques
 2.1. Scratch materials, supports and techniques
 2.2. Linear drawing: line, contour, shape and background types
 2.3. Stain design: types of stain, shape and background
3. Drawing in sight and in perspective
 3.1. Techniques of human body drawing: proportions, anatomy
 3.2. Drawing in sight of the human body
 3.3. Drawing of the movement of the human body: mechanics, center of gravity
 3.4. Perspective drawing techniques
 3.5. Conical perspective and axonometries
 3.6. Lights and shadows
Game Design

1st Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 6 | T: 30, TP: 30 hours

1. History of Videogames
2. Action States and Mind States vs videogames - Fun theories
3. Game Design Treatment
4. ArtStyles applied to videogames
5. UI and how it applies to videogames
6. The GDD
7. Game Design Document
Introduction to Programming

1st Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 6 | T: 30, TP: 45 hours

1. Computers and Software
2. Basics of algorithms
3. Basics: variables and expressions
4. Control structures and repetition
5. Classes and objects
6. Functions and methods
7. Data Structures
Principles of Mathematics for Games

1st Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 6 | TP: 40, PL: 20 hours

1. Concepts of trigonometry
2. Vector calculus
3. Matrices
4. Linear transformations
5. Coordinate systems
Digital Image

1st Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 5 | PL: 60 hours

1. Introduction to Digital Image
2. Adobe Illustrator - Key vector drawing tools
3. Adobe Photoshop for Game Art
English

1st Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 2 | PL: 30 hours

1. English as a lingua franca
2. Informal Conversation
3. Contacts
4. Meetings
5. Negotiating relationships
Game Programming

1st Year - 2nd Semester | ECTS: 6 | TP: 30, PL: 60 hours

1. Coding standards and best practices
2. Abstraction
3. Encapsulation
4. Inheritance
5. Polymorphism
6. Unity
7. Script Lifecycle
8. 2D Animations
9. Collision detection
10. Optimisation
2D Art I

1st Year - 2nd Semester | ECTS: 5 | PL: 45 hours

1. Concept Art
 1.1. Environment and scenery design
 1.2. Character Design
2. In Game Art
 2.1. Digital drawing tools
 2.2. Creating and setting characters for animation
 2.3. Backgrounds Design: Textures and Tiles; Level Design
 2.4. Spritesheet Design
 2.5. Set up and animate a 2D character using 2D rigging in Unity
Principles of Animation

1st Year - 2nd Semester | ECTS: 5 | PL: 60 hours

1. Animation Techniques
2. Concepts related to animation techniques
3. Principles of animation
4. Animation pipeline
5. Specific software for 2D animation
User Interface Design

1st Year - 2nd Semester | ECTS: 4 | PL: 45 hours

User Interface Design for Digital Games:
1. Types of User Interfaces
2. Prototype
3. Visual Design
 3.1. Color palette for UI
 3.2. Typography for screen
 3.3. Icons for digital games
 3.4. Logos for digital games
 3.5. UI Animation
2D Game Project

1st Year - 2nd Semester | ECTS: 10 | TP: 75 hours

3D Modeling

2nd Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 7 | T: 15, PL: 60 hours

1. 3D modelling environments
2. Representation of objects
3. Modelling techniques
4. Colour, materials and textures
5. Lighting
6. Rendering
7. Optimisation for real-time
Visual Effects for Games

2nd Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 6 | PL: 60 hours

1. Particles
 1.1. Simulation of the real world
 1.2. Simulation of fantasy/sci-fi effects
2. Atmospheric effects
 2.1. Wind
 2.2. Fog
 2.3. Volumetric lights
3. Animated effects
4. Post-processing
Game Engine I

2nd Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 7 | PL: 60 hours

1. Unreal Engine for Unity Developers
2. Blueprints Visual Scripting
3. Animation Blueprint
4. Anim Montages
5. Physics
6. AI Path Following
7. UI
8. Mobile & Touch
9. VR
Web Development

2nd Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 4 | PL: 45 hours

1. Basic concepts, technologies and services associated with the Web
2. HTML 5
3. Style Sheets
4. JavaScript language
5. Advanced Web Applications
Sound Design

2nd Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 6 | PL: 45 hours

1. Introduction to Sound
 1.1. Propagation and psychoacoustics 1.2. Digital audio
 1.3. Surround Sound
 1.4. Acoustics
2. Audio devices
 2.1. Electroacoustic systems
 2.2. Mixer
 2.3. Audio Hardware
 2.4. Audio Software
 2.5. MIDI
3. Sound Design
 3.1. Capture
 3.2. Editing and Effects
 3.3. Synthesis
4. Game audio
 4.1. Sound Effects
 4.2. Music
 4.3. Dialogue
 4.4 Audio Middleware
 4.5 Optimisation
Photography and Video

2nd Year - 2nd Semester | ECTS: 5 | T: 30, PL: 30 hours

1. Optics and Lenses
2. Sensors
3. Motion picture (video specific)
4. Cameras
5. Production
6. 3-D Vision
7. Post-production
3D Simulation and Animation

2nd Year - 2nd Semester | ECTS: 5 | T: 15, PL: 45 hours

1. The animation process
2. 3D animation techniques
3. Dynamic behaviour of objects
4. Environments and applications of 3D animation 5. Rigging
6. Motion Capture
Multimedia Interaction Techniques

2nd Year - 2nd Semester | ECTS: 4 | T: 15, PL: 30 hours

1. Interaction design concepts
2. Interaction devices
3. Sensors and actuators
4. Touch and motion based interaction
5. Sensory and cognitive immersion
6. Tools and libraries to support interaction
7. Interaction and software development
8. Usability testing
9. Social interaction
3D Game Project

2nd Year - 2nd Semester | ECTS: 10 | TP: 75 hours

Game Engine II (Option I - choose 1 of 2)

2nd Year - 2nd Semester | ECTS: 6 | PL: 60 hours

1. C++ Programming Language
2. Extending C++ actors with Blueprints
3. Networking and Multiplayer
4. Profilling and Optimization
5. Plugin creation
3D Production (Option I - choose 1 of 2)

2nd Year - 2nd Semester | ECTS: 6 | PL: 60 hours

1. Project planning
 1.1. References
 1.2. Object scale and proportions
2. Creating a 3D environment
 2.1. Space blockout
 2.2. Object importing and manipulation
 2.3. Importing textures
3. Lighting a 3D environment
 3.1. Different light types
 3.2. Static and dynamic lights
 3.3. Global illumination
4. Post-processing
 4.1. Camera effects
 4.2. Color grading
5. Materials
6. Vertex painting and Decals
Cinema (Option II - choose 5 of 7)

3rd Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 6 | PL: 60 hours

1. Pre-production
 1.1. Script writing
 1.2. Pre-visualisation
 1.3. Production design
2. Production
 2.1. Photography
 2.2. Acting
 2.3. Directing
 2.4. Hair and makeup
 2.5. Audio recording
 2.6. Art Direction
3. Post-production
 3.1. Editing
 3.2. Visual effects
 3.3. Sound Design e Foley 3.4 Music
 3.5 Mixing
 3.6. Color grading
4. Cinematography
 4.1 Lens and composition
 4.2 Camera movement
2D Art II (Option II - choose 5 of 7)

3rd Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 6 | PL: 60 hours

1 - Concept Art
 1.1. Environment and scenery design
 1.2. Character Design
2. Illustration and Digital Animation
 2.1. Digital illustration and animation tools: Adobe Photoshop and Unity
 2.2. Textures and Tiles
 2.3. Pixel Art
 2.4. Matte Painting
Visual Effects for Cinema (Option II - choose 5 of 7)

3rd Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 6 | PL: 60 hours

1. Notions and VFX typologies
2. Basic VFX for games: Slow Motion and Overlay Effects
3. Particle systems and other VFX
4. Motion Graphics
5. Cinematic Effects: Cinemagraphs and Parallax
6. Track Motion and Stabilise Image
7. Chroma Key and Masking
8. Experimentation and application of multiple VFX techniques
3D Art (Option II - choose 5 of 7)

3rd Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 6 | PL: 60 hours

1. Graphic interface
2. Organic modeling techniques
 2.1. Modeling from a basemesh
 2.2. Modeling from a 3D draft
3. Digital sculpting
 3.1. Shapes creation and manipulation
 3.2. Applying details to the model’s surface
4. Painting the 3D model
5. UV Mapping for the creation of textures
6. Optimisation
Computer Graphics (Option II - choose 5 of 7)

3rd Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 6 | PL: 60 hours

1. Computer Graphics
 1.1 Viewing in 2D and 3D
 1.2 Geometrical transformations in 2D and 3D
 1.3 Hidden-surface removal
 1.4 Shading and Illumination
2.OpenGL programming with C
 2.1 Introduction to the OpenGL API
 2.2 GLSL Shaders programming
Advanced Topics on Game Programming (Option II - choose 5 of 7)

3rd Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 6 | PL: 60 hours

1. Introduction to C++
2. Data structures
 2.1. Dynamic arrays
 2.2. Lists
 2.3. Hash tables
3. Multithread programming
 3.1. Processes and Threads
 3.2. Synchronisation
4. Performance analysis
 4.1. Profiling
 4.2. Optimisation techniques
Artificial Intelligence Applied to Games (Option II - choose 5 of 7)

3rd Year - 1st Semester | ECTS: 6 | PL: 60 hours

1. Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
2. Intelligent agents
3. Behavior trees
4. Pawn sensing
5. Steering behaviors
6. Minimax algorithm and alpha-beta prunning
7. Neural Networks
Entrepreneurship and Marketing Applied to Entertainment

3rd Year - 2nd Semester | ECTS: 3 | T: 4, E-learning: 41 hours

1. Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Creativity
2. Entrepreneurship and the New Media - evolution of the video game market and the economic and social reality
3. Creation of knowledge-based enterprises
4. Designing the Business Plan
5. Fundamental Marketing Concepts
6. Marketing Research
7. Technological and Marketing Strategy
8. Digital Marketing - Social Networks, Viral Marketing and Reputation Management
9. Management of intellectual property - trademarks, copyrights, patents and licensing strategies
Internship (Option III - choose 1 of 2)

3rd Year - 2nd Semester | ECTS: 27 | E: 640 hours

Final Project (Option III - choose 1 of 2)

3rd Year - 2nd Semester | ECTS: 27 | TP: 45

Partnerships