DCX101 DESIGN CONTEXTS

Design Context is a foundational subject that introduces students to the designed world and their place within it. Students are encouraged to explore the interconnected nature of design and its capacity to inspire change, drive progress and navigate complex challenges. Through observation, research and iterative approach students will develop a series of creative responses that demonstrate an awareness of the value of design and its ability to create meaningful interactions for people, communities and their environments.

DSO102 DESIGN STUDIO 1

The subject introduces the student to various aspects of the elements of design, e.g. materiality, form and shape, colour, positive and negative space etc. utilised in creative problem solving. Initially students are introduced to a design development process, from the tangible to the digital; through paper model making with its inherent skills development and risk taking, then on to further digital development using newly introduced software. Concurrent, weekly, individual homework tasks focus on understanding and appreciation of materials, their many varied uses, properties and the manufacturing processes related to them. Students will make incremental progress towards choosing a material in which their individual design can be realised. The submission will include a material and colour folio. The final submission will be a model executed in an appropriate material with its function/usage contextualised with all relevant information gleaned throughout the trimester.

ACR101 2D ASSET CREATION

2D Visual Asset Generation utilises traditional art foundation theories and contextualises these practices for the digital domain. Students will create artefacts in digital formats for a variety of uses including concept art, pixel art, in-game assets, colour keys, user interface flow diagrams and more. Practical applications of art specifically for games will also be covered such as the basics of 2D digital animation. Students will receive critique from lecturers and learn to evaluate their own artwork with a critical eye.

GDP102 GAME DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Game Design Principles introduces students to game design foundations, techniques and paradigms through a series of lecture-led and student-led activities. Students will explore game design principles through the analysis of existing game artefacts, applying those findings to the development of their own games. Students are introduced to a variety of analysis, development and presentation techniques encouraging discussion, creation and dissemination of their design choices through prototyping and documentation.

ACR103 3D ASSET CREATION

3D Asset Creation expands on the knowledge gained in the 2D Asset Creation (ACR101) and allows the students to utilise industry standard 3D modelling tools and techniques to communicate complex ideas and emotions. Students will critique artefacts which utilise the concepts or form, function, and silhouette learned through the underpinning knowledge gained in the previous components.

GPF104 GAME PRODUCTION FOUNDATION

Game Production Foundation combines art assets and basic scripting, enabling students to recognise how user experience is affected through art, design, and code. Utilising game development techniques and tools, students will create their own games, which requires a multifaceted approach including the following: project management, art and design theory, user interaction, menu systems, audio integration, scripting, game design and release. These trans-disciplinary artefacts scaffold the student’s knowledge for when they will interact with the Bachelor of Software Engineering students.

CDC101A TYPOGRAPHIC FUNDAMENTALS

This subject introduces students to the building blocks of typography. It develops students’ experience and understanding of the issues involved with communicating through a typographic framework. The subject will look at the fundamental elements of typeface design and analysis, categorisation and usage, in conjunction with introductory design concepts such as balance, composition and hierarchy. This subject requires students to design and construct a publishing outcome that displays their ability to structure visual content through consistent typographic settings and composition, working with short and long body text settings, grid structures and page architecture.

CIN100A DATA VISUALISATION

This subject introduces students to the theory and practice of Information Design. Students will visualise both quantitative and qualitative data from a variety of sources via linear and non-linear typography, signs, icons, pictograms and mapping techniques. They will explore theories and practical approaches that examine instructional systems, methods to convey instructions and complex information systems. Working individually students are required to research a number of given topics. They will analyse and process this information within the context of the LATCH organisational system, demonstrating their knowledge via the design of a series of visual graphics that dramatise both the research they have conducted and the skills they have gained.

CDC100A THINKING VISUALLY

This subject serves as an introduction to communicating with imagery, from initial concepts and quick sketches through to more sophisticated visual responses, utilising a variety of media. With an emphasis on exploration within historical, practical, and technical parameters, ‘Thinking Visually’ aims to enable the student to effectively articulate ideas through both drawing and photography. Students will develop skills in observation, idea generation, and effective visual communication through a combination of theoretical studies, observational drawing and material experimentation.

CDT101A TYPOGRAPHY 2

This subject develops students’ understanding of typographic convention in both traditional and contemporary applications. Students will use their understanding of basic typographic formatting, page composition and layout to explore advanced typographic setting, work flow and content editing across print and digital platforms. Students will also explore the role of typographic narrative within the sequenced delivery of information across a variety of environments. They will be challenged to consider the ‘voice of type’ and develop a greater appreciation and understanding of how content is read and viewed in traditional and non-traditional mediums.

CIM100A DEVELOPING VISUAL VOCABULARY

This subject seeks to develop conceptual and practical frameworks for the generation of visual images, enabling students to create innovative visual responses in their work. It will encourage students to expand their frame of visual understanding and explore idea generation as well as historical approaches to visual representation, resulting in developing skills in the practical interpretation of ideas. This is achieved through sketching, photography, and experimenting with analogue and digital materials.

BID102A IDEAS AND INNOVATION IN DESIGN

This subject examines the way design ideas are generated. Students will explore concepts of assimilation, synthesis and transformation and will develop an understanding of reflective design practice. A foundation language of experimentation, risk-taking and problem solving is introduced, combined with theories of ideas generation and their transformation into a design outcome. In addition, students will investigate a variety of methods and techniques to understand design innovation through individual and group exploration and analysis.

BID104A INTERIOR DESIGN PRACTICE

This subject examines perspectives on models of practice relevant to Interior Design. It examines design practice in response to changing needs and requirements of clients and design briefs. It also explores the strategies used for expressing ideas, and the design skills required to communicate them. The purpose of the subject is for students to gain knowledge in foundation level design practice relevant to Interior Design. The design process workflow from original idea to review of work in progress, revision, presentation and reflection is explored.

SED101 SPATIAL ENVIRONMENT DESIGN 1

This subject investigates the evolution of built environment design. It explores major art and architectural movements throughout history and the development of contemporary design by investigating significant turning points and historic milestones. This subject will focus on developing the students’ understanding of the complexities of designing an area within a spatial environment whilst identifying and activating an urban site, with consideration of the longevity and adaptability of the final design solution. Students will integrate their research and knowledge of environments, identifying design related and environmental imperatives in the realisation of design briefs.

MSP102 3D MODELLING FOR SPATIAL PROJECTS

The purpose of this subject is to introduce the fundamental theories, practices, and methods for developing three-dimensional design. The subject covers 3D concepts and techniques, as well as practice in contemporary industry software. The subject investigates the integration of modelling, texture and light in three-dimensional space. Concept development is practiced in a range of spatial activities, investigating the relationship of spatial projects to a target audience. Development in professional work disciplines for design practice is key to the delivery of this subject.

BID108A SYSTEMS AND DOCUMENTATION 1

Systems and Documentation 1 introduces students to the different construction systems applicable to the design of nominated interiors, and how design solutions are communicated to stakeholders (contract managers, consultants and contractors) through contract documentation. Students will develop a series of documentation drawings for a small scale nominated environment.

IDR207A SYSTEMS AND DOCUMENTATION 2 (RESIDENTIAL)

IDR207A Systems and Documentation 2 (Residential) Systems and Documentation 2 (Residential) continues to develop the student’s understanding of the different construction systems applicable to residential design applicable to small to mid-scale projects. It also investigates how design solutions are communicated to stakeholders (contract managers, consultants and contractors)- namely through documentation, specifications and contract management. Students will develop a complete set of documentation drawings for their nominated residential design proposal. The tutorials and assessments will all be carried out using computer aided documentation.

FA101A FASHION ILLUSTRATION

In this subject, students will simultaneously study the human body and its ergonomics whilst developing the skill of visual representation and communication through the art of drawing. It acknowledges drawing as a fundamental skill of the designer, and its importance in communicating design ideas. Students will cultivate an understanding of human movement, balance, proportion and shape by developing the observational and drawing skills required for fashion illustration. Students will also develop their ability to visually render various surfaces, fabrics and structures as they learn to understand the manner in which different materials and fabrics drape, shape, change and interact with and on the human body.

FA107A INTRODUCTION TO SHAPE & FORM

(Co-requisite FA108A)
This subject introduces the importance of clothing structure, shape, form, line and volume. A variety of cutting, sewing and finishing techniques and terminology are introduced through the examination of constructed garments and the execution of a variety of sewing samples. Through the analysis of a manually deconstructed garment, students are able to familiarise themselves with the various components that make up a garment and the interrelationships between those components. Using this knowledge, students execute and assemble a self-designed garment that addresses an understanding of the structural purpose and interrelationships of individual pattern pieces. Students will be required to make decisions about the most appropriate construction techniques to use based on the relevant market position. Students have the option of participating in a Sewing Skills program – a series of additional sewing workshops that run concurrently with their formal study. These weekly two hour workshops provide students with an opportunity to further develop their garment construction skills, should they so choose.

FA104A INTRODUCTION TO BRANDED FASHION TECHNICAL DRAWING

This subject is twofold e.g. hand drawing and computer drawing skills development. Students develop hand-drawing skills to depict, show their understanding as well as explore technical and construction details for apparel. In addition students demonstrate their understanding of clothing history and fashion by isolating key recognisable garment design elements and principles specific to the identified historical periods. In addition to a folio with hand drawings, students develop a digital folio with fully annotated and proportionally correct garment drawings. In order to transfer their hand skill drawings they are introduced to CAD drawing methods and folio layout specific for branded fashion. By analysing and evaluating their hand drawings they select and synthesis these into a computer generated document.

FA108A FASHION STUDIO PRACTICE

(Pre-requisite FA107A) In this subject students develop foundational design studio practice skills and knowledge in fashion creation. Students acquire specialist practical and theoretical skills and knowledge such as concept development, fabric manipulation and draping. Throughout the subject, students work to develop their conceptual ideas and translate them into a commercial garment design. At the same time students will broaden their understanding of a design studio environment and the interplay between individual and peer responsibilities in a studio context. In addition, students cultivate a broader comprehension of design studio practice through the exploration of 2D and 3D forms and objects. Students gain a deeper understanding of design elements and principles as key design concepts, by conceptualising and producing 2D and 3D design outcomes. The concepts of thermo plasticity, resiliency, dimensional stability and drape are incorporated into this exploration.

FA106A FASHION VS CLOTHING

This subject provides the opportunity for discourse on the “meaning” of fashion, branded fashion and clothing. The students will study various texts and historical periods to develop their sensitivities and understanding of the “fashion phenomenon” and clothing behaviour. Examination of several case studies of fashion occurrences will inform the student of the issues, attitudes and foundations that may lead up to the formation of a fashion, the role of the designer in that process and its effect on general dress behaviour as a result. Students research a variety of historical periods and develop a digital design folio depicting clothing of the studied periods in addition to an essay on a chosen historical period. To compliment this study, students will gain digital design foundation skills and techniques used to present their work.

DIG100A EXPERIENCE, INTERFACE, INTERACTION

This subject provides an introduction to the fundamental theory and practice of interaction design. Key concepts including experience, interface and interaction are explored, along with fundamental technologies, services and platforms pertinent to the design and production of interactive digital media. Students will also investigate the social, cultural and technological frameworks that inform interaction design and identify the relationships between each.

DIG104A MOTION DESIGN

(Co-requisite DIG101A)
This subject introduces the foundational theory and practice of motion graphic design and live action camera production. The unit introduces basic skills in concept development, asset creation, 2D animation and compositing suitable for motion graphic production. The process of developing a live action video piece is also introduced, from pre-production through to post-production, and including fundamental sound design principles. Students will gain basic skills in camera-based production including basics of lighting, sound recording and editing.

DIG101A TIME, SPACE, MOTION

This subject provides an introduction to the fundamental theory and practice of moving image and 3D design and production. Students will be familiarised with a basic set of tools and techniques for creating moving image sequences and 3D visualisations. Fundamental moving image, screen language and spatial design concepts are introduced, and students will use these concepts in conjunction with basic production techniques to communicate and convey narrative. The subject also introduces concept development techniques and materials specific to the development of motion and 3D design outcomes.

DIG105A 3D DESIGN & ANIMATION

(Co-requisite DIG101A)
This subject develops foundational skills in 3D design and animation. Students will undertake character and set design and development exercises, and will generate animated 3D graphic elements. In this way students will develop foundational skills in the principles and techniques of modelling, texturing, lighting and animation required to produce digital 3D characters, environments and props. The subject also explores key concept development stages typical to common 3D design briefs and projects.

DIG103A INTERACTION DESIGN

This subject explores the groundwork theory and practice of user experience (UX), user interface (UI) and interaction design for digital media. The subject covers the core research phases of UX, before enabling students to create UI and web based solutions to identified problems. Students will focus on interpreting and structuring information architecture and will also focus on the visual aspects of UI design and the ways in which visual design affects end-user experience.

DIG102A DRAWING FOR CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

This subject develops foundational skills in drawing, visual perception and exploration. Students engage with the practice and theory of various drawing modes, including life and environmental drawing, in order to enrich the concept development process. In addition to developing general visualisation skills students will also work in concept development forms specific to specialist areas of digital media practice.

CAO201 COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE & OPERATING SYSTEMS

This subject teaches students fundamental concepts of computer architecture and operating systems. Students learn the evolution of computer architecture and related operating systems. It includes computer architectures and their implications to system software design (booting, multitasking, context switching, process synchronization, system kernel, system calls, user mode process and system startup programs).

ICG202 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHICS

(Prerequisite MAT101, ISE102, ADS103)
Students are introduced to the fundamental topics of core computer graphics, 3D graphics programming and the rendering pipeline. Topics included are transformation pipeline, device states, primitive rendering, basic camera systems, lighting, texturing, alpha techniques as well as software engineering design principles and testing strategies. By the end of the subject, students create a project utilizing low-level 3D graphics concepts as introduced in the class.

NDS203 NETWORKING & DATABASE SYSTEMS

(Prerequisite MAT101, ISE102, ADS103)
This subject introduces students to core concepts of Networking and Database Systems. Students learn fundamentals of Database Management Systems and network topology including network architecture. They are introduced to relational database models and learn fundamentals of structured query language (SQL). Students will apply these concepts through completing multiple software engineering projects.

AIP201 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE & PHYSICS FOR GAMES

In this subject, students learn to build artificial intelligence & physics systems for games. They evaluate and discuss various software engineering strategies in the context of artificial intelligence and physics, chiefly by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each strategy. This teaches students how to identify the right tool for the right job. Lecturers provide case studies and theoretical foundations of various contemporary technical solutions. They also facilitate in-class discussions, debates and critiques. A variety of technologies and software development strategies for game development are taught, and students apply their software process skills, knowledge and modelling techniques to create an artefact in the form of a game that has heavy AI and Physics elements.

GPR202 3D GRAPHICS PROGRAMMING

Complex graphical programming topics are explored, and tool construction is introduced. The analysis requirements for tools are discussed to increase the likelihood of designing a useful tool. Students expand on already existing libraries and create plug-ins for pre-existing technologies. Additionally, students will design, construct, test, and evaluate a 3D scene - drawing on a collection of human-computer interaction, visual design, and game design elements to enhance it. Visual and non-visual elements that enable the creation of the 3D scene are evaluated.

GDP204 GAME DEVELOPMENT PLAYSTATION®

This subject provides specialised familiarity on Sony’s PlayStation platform, namely PS4 and PS Vita. Students learn about the architecture and pipelines of these two systems. They learn the proprietary PhyreEngine and learn optimised game development techniques for the PlayStation platform. Students will conclude this subject by creating an optimized artefact for the PlayStation platform.

RGP204 RAPID GAME PROTOTYPE

The goal of this subject is to provide the students with an opportunity to collaborate on a series of projects, enhance collaborative skills working within a team of people across multiple disciplines. Additionally, the assignments in this subject will challenge the student in finding creative solutions to project management and small scale rapid game creation. Students will be asked to create various 3D game prototypes over the duration of the subject and present their work. They will work within a group that will involve Bachelor of Software Engineering students. This will introduce team dynamics where multiple disciplines are involved.

WIL302 WORK INTEGRATED LEARNING

This subject is designed to provide students with professional experience in an area related to their field of study or the career they are working towards. The aim of providing industry-specific opportunities is to enable students to develop skills that will enhance their prospects of gaining meaningful employment and building their career for the future. Much of the benefit of work integrated learning comes from observation, practicing under supervision and reflection. Work Integrated Learning is an excellent way to broaden the students learning environment while they are studying. It allows them to see first-hand how what they are learning in their degree translates into practice, as well as how ‘real world’ practice relates to what they are learning at University.

This subject will develop work ready skills and boost students’ employability while they are studying.

There are two work integrated learning options available to students:

Option 1: Internship

Students are offered the opportunity to work within a professional design environment for an extended period of time. It encourages students to build long-term relationships with the design industry and exposes them to the rigour of applied design practice while building their confidence in adapting to new environments. It also provides a context in which to enhance their communication skills and work collaboratively in a professional arena. Students will undertake a series of research tasks, conducting interviews and gathering data in order to understand the key concepts in managing a professional design practice with emphasis placed on the operation of the professional design environment.

Option 2: Industry Live Brief

This subject requires students to respond to criteria set within the context of an Industry Live Project. An understanding of research methodologies appropriate to professional practice and the documentation of personal creative investigation will be explored. Students will also further investigate and examine entrepreneurial and commercial opportunities through collaborative work practice.
The subject is delivered from a cross discipline perspective and draws on both discipline specific and common design practices. Students are required to work both independently or as part of a collaborative team in order to conduct research, analyse and define project parameters and deliver innovative solutions that expand the notion of an industry live brief.

SEN301 SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

Social Enterprise is an exciting theoretically-based subject that is driven by the desire to create positive change through entrepreneurial activities. These activities harness design thinking and problem-solving processes in the realisation of pragmatic, viable project proposals from initiation to client presentation.

By providing students with a framework to understand business model generation and the skills to source, evaluate, and measure opportunities through systematic research and competitor analysis, Social Enterprise empowers students to conceptualise, develop and propose new ventures and products that focus primarily upon social change for good. In addition, this subject will help students understand and address the practical challenges of working within this environment; to analyse different entrepreneurial business strategies, to explore diverse funding strategies, as well as incorporate theoretical discussions on major trends and issues in the social economy. Social Enterprise enables students to appreciate the power of creativity in problem-solving and the importance of the designer’s role in making a difference and precipitating change.

PPR301 PRE-PRODUCTION CAPSTONE 1

Pre-Production focuses on the skills and abilities required to formulate a group and manage the pre-production of a game development project. Areas of attention will be creative thinking and project scope. The team goal is to reach and agree upon an understanding of the strength and weakness of their chosen team. The said team will decide on the game they choose to develop. The team needs to be able to communicate the project, idea and scope through presentation, documents and a playable prototype. The pre-production submissions are designed to gear the students towards the start of future productions.

PRO302 PRODUCTION CAPSTONE 2

Production provides the framework to allow iteration on the team’s design from Pre-Production (PPR301). The team will need to work efficiently and adhere to a schedule to be successful in this subject. The quality of the implementation, and the development processes undertaken will affect the final grade. Students will utilise the best practices learnt during the course. This subject gives the students the ability to refine, bug fix, and promote their projects, both internally and externally.