video game design and animation

Join the exciting industry of game development with a degree in Game Design and Animation. Study technology, artistry and art history as you develop skills to become a whole artist.

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Skills + Proficiencies

Graduates will be proficient in 3D animation and digital arts; game audio and music composition; experimental game design; interactive narrative and game storytelling; artificial intelligence in games; virtual and augmented reality; critical analysis of games, culture, and technology; and animation. Game programming and software engineering are also an option for the student to learn through our Computer Science department.

Technologies

Learn the latest software and hardware:

Software

Autodesk Maya
Blender
Houdini
Autodesk 3D Studio Max
zBrush
Unity 3d
Unreal Engine
Marvelous Designer
Adobe After Effects
Adobe Illustrator
Blender
Cinema 4D
Substance Studio/Painter/Designer
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Premiere Pro
RealFlow
Autodesk Revit

Hardware

VICON Motion Capture Lab
Oculus VR
VIVE VR
MagicLeap AR
Hololens AR
Wacom Tablets
Canvas Tablets
Alienware Computers
Macintosh Computers

Student Portfolio

Careers and Internships

A Game Design and Animation degree allows you to enter various professional fields as a game artist, 3D animator, 3D modeler, character artist, cinematic animator, concept artist, texture artist, user interface artist, world or environment artist, mechanical mesh modeler, mechanical mesh animator or rigger, 2D background artist, art director, effects artist, lead artist, art director, storyboard artist, technical artist, and corporate training and development artist.

Job opportunities by category:

Game Design

Character Concept Artist
Environmental Concept Artist
Video Game Level Designer
3d Modeler
Character Rigger
Animation Artist / Motion Capture
Programmer
Cinematographer

Animation

Storyboard Artist
3d Modeler / Animator
Cartoonist
Sound Designer
Character Designer
Colorist
Matte Painter
Cinematographer

Virtual Reality and Visualization

Scientific Visualization
Military Simulation
Web Designer
Education / Training
Worship Media
Architecture Visualization
Product / Industrial Design
Television Graphic Artist

Required Courses for BA in Game Design & Animation

Art Core Courses

ART 3563 ILLUSTRATION
ART 2063 DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
ART 2263 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
ART 1143 DRAWING AND DESIGN I
ART 1003 ART HISTORY: SURVEY I
ART 3013 DRAWING II (FIGURE DRAWING)

Game Design & Animation Courses

ART 1023 TECHNOLOGY FOR GRAPHICS
ART 2523 3D MODELING I
ART 2623 DIGITAL SCULPTING
ART 2823 TEXTURING, RENDERING, & LIGHTING
ART 2923 INTRO TO GAME TECHNOLOGY
ART 3523 ANIMATION PRINCIPLES
ART 3623 3D MODELING & ANIMATION II
ART 3713 HISTORY OF DESIGN
ART 3723 GAME DESIGN & ANIMATION STUDIO I
ART 3823 MOTION GRAPHICS
ART 4023 GAME DESIGN & ANIMATION STUDIO II
ART 4323 COMMERCIAL STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY
ART 4223 GAME DESIGN & ANIMATION CAPSTONE

People

Jeff Price - Chair, Game Design and Animation

MFA + New Media Virginia Commonwealth University
BFA + Graphic Design University of Oklahoma

Jeff Price received his B.F.A. in Visual Communications from the University of Oklahoma and an M.F.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University. Jeff has an extensive background in game design, electronic media, interactive communications, and graphic design.

Now teaching at Oklahoma City University, Jeff draws from 20+ years of experience as an Associate Professor of Gaming and Animation at Sam Houston State University and Oklahoma State University, Assistant Professor of Interactive Design at Virginia Commonwealth University, and his experience as the owner of Price Media Group. Jeff 's experience in the design and development of websites and web-based communications, as well as interactive multimedia and CD-ROM projects, led him to launch Price Creative Group in 2000. As principal of PCG, Price has won several industry awards in video, animation, interactive, and print design.

Jeff's students have gone on to work at industry giants such as Dreamworks, Sony Imageworks, Digital Domain, ID Software, Imaginary Forces, Magnet Interactive, Organic, Blur, Midway Games, and Big Idea.

Contact Jeff at jprice@okcu.edu

Advisory Board

Tim Wallace - Senior Hard Surface Artist at Respawn Entertainment

Formerly:
Lead Environmental Artist for Treyarch and shipped Call of Duty Black Ops3, Also formerly Lead Environmental artist for Doom 4, ID software

Projects he worked on:
QuakeLive, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, DC Universe, Rise of Nations, The Punisher, Terminator Redemption, Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy, Crimson Skies, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, Xmen Legends, Empire Earth, and Fight Club. His commercial work includes clients such as FOX television, teen choice awards, billboard music awards, scifi channel, MTV, Spike and WB Kids.

He's had 14 years of experience as a professional artist specializing in 3d modeling, texturing and lighting of CG environments, props and characters for the video game and film industries.

Paolo de Guzman - Lead Surface Artist at Dreamworks

Projects he worked on:
How to Train your Dragon 2 &3, Rise of the Guardians, Puss in Boots, Monsters VS Aliens, Bee Movie, Flushed Away, Over the Hedge, Shark Tale, Reign of Fire, Swordfish, Soarin', The Kid, Mission to Mars, Fight Club, Lake Pacid, EdTV, Los Gringos, What Dreams May Come, Titanic.

Studios he's worked for:
Dreamworks, Digital Domain