Course Descriptions

This lecture course serves as the entry-level course for incoming freshman entering the 3D Animation and Game Design program. The course will cover curriculum issues, University culture, and services, industry norms and standards, curriculum expectations, and industry standard practices.

This lecture course provides an overview of traditional elements of design (i.e. color, line, shape, texture, space, form, unity, balance, hierarchy, and scale) and their application to digital art including film and games. Students will learn the language of design, how to judge design and its execution and resources for further design studies.

This studio course is an introductory level course covering the planning, management and principles of 3D modeling for video games and animation. Students will gain a practical understanding of the design and production processes behind level development. This will include UV wrapping and material creation, working independently in the research, documentation and construction of assets, scenes and levels.

This studio course provides an entry-level survey of game engines. This survey includes basic environment creation, player control mechanisms, in-game animation engines, basic AI, UI, and VR creation. The basics of programming for games will also be explored.

This studio course provides an entry-level survey of character sculpting and modeling techniques. These techniques include anatomically correct sculpting, polygon topology as well as hard surface techniques.

This studio/lecture course focuses on the core principles of animation. Using prebuilt rigs, students will study and create animations illustrating the principles of character animation through effective body mechanics in film and video games. This is primarily a keyframe-based exploration.

This lecture course is a survey of the history of animation and special effects. Overview includes traditional, experimental, and digital media. Emphasis is placed on the history of U.S. animation; however, international animation will also be covered extensively.

This lecture course applies the concepts in visual literacy towards understanding core concepts of narrative structure. How to create mood and message through lighting, music framing, composition, and duration will be analyzed through film vocabulary, cinematic technique observation, and film history overviews. Fee.

Prerequisite: ANGD 1301, 1311, 1302, 2311

This lecture course is a survey of the history of games and video games with an emphasis on game theory and mechanics. Overview includes ancient games, board games, and video games of all platforms. This course will examine the elements of game play, the evolution of rules and game play mechanics and how these evolved into the board game and video game conventions of today. Finally, the course will survey the contemporary game companies that are currently influential in the gaming industry.

Prerequisite: ANGD 2330

This lecture course is required for ANGD majors. Emphasis is on exposure to industry trends, personalities, representation, and presentation. Includes lectures by local and national industry leaders in animation and game design. There will be 8-10 meetings each semester, students will have the opportunity to hear from animation professionals. The lectures will serve to expose students to emerging styles and ideas in the animation and games marketplace. In addition, access to these professionals is given to the students for questions and feedback. Instruction will all be lectures by professionals in the field of 3D Animation, Film, and Video Game technologies.

Notes: Instruction will all be lectures by professionals in the field of 3D Animation, Film, and Video Game technologies.

This lecture course lays the foundation for the Senior Thesis project. Research, concepts, character and set designs, narrative threads and animation tests will be developed.

Prerequisite: ANGD 2431, 2311

This studio/lecture course is the final course for the ANGD degree. Emphasis on preparation and enhancement of a professional portfolio. Topics include job-seeking strategies, presentation skills, and interview techniques and networking with professional organizations.

Prerequisite: ANGD 4421. NOTE: This course should be taken during the student's last semester at UIW.

This lecture course covers how the communication design industry is structured and issues related to work as a professional designer. These include estimating and billing, legal, ethical and tax issues, running a studio, professional resources and other issues likely to be encountered in a design career.

This studio/lecture course is the first in a two-course series (along with ANGD 4450, Senior Thesis Production II) in which a complete narrative project or game is conceived, designed, produced and submitted for festival consideration. It is the culmination of technical skills gained through the first two years of the ANGD curriculum. This will be completed as a team project. Fee.

Prerequisite: ANGD 3350, 4140

This studio/lecture course is the first in a two-course series (along with ANGD 4440, Senior Thesis Production I) in which a complete narrative project or game is conceived, designed, produced and submitted for submission at festivals. This project is completed as part of a team. Fee.

Prerequisite: ANGD 4440

This lecture course is an introduction to the biological systems that are important to animators. Specifically, nomenclature and function of these systems and how they are illustrated in 3D models in both game and TV/film.

This studio/lecture course offers an introduction to character rigging. FK and IK animation within the context of bipedal and multipedal characters using effective principles of body animation mechanics will be explored. Efficient rigs including effective skin weights will be created.

Prerequisites: ANGD 1321

This studio course is focused on creating believable full body character motions with a focus on correct human body locomotion. Appropriate biomechanics, weight distribution, anatomical realities in movement, and plausible movement arcs will be explored.

Prerequisite: ANGD 1312, ANGD 1313, ANGD 1314, ANGD 1314

This studio course is focused on creating animations that are used in games. Content will include both animation loops for game play (first-person, third person, and others) and animation performance for use in cinematic sequences.

Prerequisite: ANGD 2340

This studio/lecture course provides anatomical study and rendering techniques important for animators, modelers, and character designers. Includes extensive lab time and work with models.

Prerequisites: ANGD 1301, ANGD 1311, ARTS 1301

This studio course is focused on creating full body character animations with an emphasis on acting and evoking emotion through the character’s body movement. This will occur through studies on effective biomechanics, movement studies, and effective anatomy application of bipedal movement.

Prerequisite: ANGD 2342

This studio course focuses on creating believable character dialogue performances with an emphasis on acting. Assignments will include full body & facial animation. Performance animation is animation used in film, TV, or game cinematic sequences that are part of the narrative structure of these media.

Prerequisite: ANGD 3341

This studio course is focused on learning the programs, tools, and techniques animators used when editing motion capture. Taking a motion capture shot to a final animation will be explored.

Prerequisite: ANGD 2342

This studio course focuses on previsualization through creating storyboards that translate into functional 3D scenes for TV, film, and games. These previsualization products are used in planning sequences for game play, cinematics, and narrative flows.

Prerequisite: ANGD 2342

This lecture course is an introduction to the biological systems that are important to animators. Specifically, nomenclature and function of these systems and how they are illustrated in 3D models in both game and TV/film.

This studio/lecture course offers an introduction to character rigging. FK and IK animation within the context of bipedal and multipedal characters using effective principles of body animation mechanics will be explored. Efficient rigs including effective skin weights will be created.

Prerequisites: ANGD 1321.

This studio course builds on the principles from ANGD 1312 Hard Surface Modeling of modeling, texturing and UV wrapping in the production of detailed environmental set pieces for video games and animation. Students will advance their skills in areas such as physically based materials, modular construction and scene polish and presentation.

Prerequisite: ANGD 1312, ANGD 1313, ANGD 1314, ANGD 1315

This studio course that will direct students' skills through the rigors of producing architecture through a range of briefs. Advanced modular construction principles, and architectural challenges will provide students a solid foundation in environmental construction for animations, video games and architectural visualizations.

Prerequisite: ANGD 2333

This studio/lecture course offers an historic overview of period art, architecture, graphic design, furniture design, and costume. It is meant to prepare 3D animators and game designers with the visual design background to more effectively design and produce period animations and games.

This studio course is focused on introducing and practicing full character creation workflow. Detailed human body topology will be created (nose, eye, mouth, hand and feet). Detailed head, hand and body anatomy will be explored. Basic UV, texturing, and renderings techniques will be introduced in the context of character creation.

Prerequisite: ANGD 1312, ANGD 1313, ANGD 1314, ANGD 1315

This studio/lecture course provides anatomical study and rendering techniques important for animators, modelers, and character designers. Includes extensive lab time and work with models.

Prerequisites: ANGD 1301, 1311, and ARTS 1301

This studio is an advanced level course that will advance students abilities through the creation of an immersive video game environment. Advanced modular construction principle and practice will be combined with high end lighting, physically based material creation, visual effects and game engine utilization.

Prerequisite: ANGD 2332

This studio is an advanced level course that with allow students to polish their skills, honed over the program, in the creation of high end animation quality environments. Students will refine existing abilities in the creation of clearly defined environmental aesthetics, utilizing a range of high end techniques to achieve the specified scene atmosphere.

Prerequisite: ANGD 3331

This studio/lecture course provides the ground-work for programming and scripting for contemporary game engines. It focuses on specific scripting for selected game engine that will allow for game mechanics to be built and implemented in future game project.

This studio course is focused on techniques of detailing characters through advanced tools to create hair and cloth creation and simulation, hard surface modeling (armor, weapons, etc.), texture projection, surface detailing, and displacement techniques.

Prerequisite: ANGD 2361

This studio course is the final level of character modeling. The focus is on creating demo reel-ready characters based upon techniques covered in ANGD 2361 and 3361. The workshop structure creates student led, but instructor guided asset production.

Prerequisite: ANGD 3361

This lecture course is an introduction to the biological systems that are important to animators. Specifically, nomenclature and function of these systems and how they are illustrated in 3D models in both game and TV/film.

This studio course gives students an expansive overview and working knowledge of careers representing all aspects of animation and game production, from administrative to production jobs. Some careers covered include: producing, directing, editing casting talent, timings, voice acting, voice overs, voice manipulation (Vo-Co), recording, music, sound design, sound effects, character designs, storyboarding, creative, script ideas, scriptwriting, motion capture, etc. Also included are segments on presentation, pitch materials, attributes for success and excellence, job hunting and interviewing skills.

Prerequisite: ANGD 1101, ANGD 1102, ANGD 1312, ANGD 1313, ANGD 1314, ANGD 1315

This studio course examines the role of producer in media production, primarily from the Production Studio, and Line Production perspective. This includes an emphasis on analysis of scripts and treatments to determine production costs, crewing requirements, staffing needs, office/space needs, personnel/hiring considerations and all relevant tasks associated with general media production costs. The course also explores production management in specific areas of specialization, including animated studio, and independently produced feature films, animated shorts, TV series and one-off specials, commercials and music videos.

Prerequisite: ANGD 2351

This studio course focuses on introducing and practicing the production pipeline of modeling for games and animations. The fundamentals of modeling and texturing will be taught, various workflows and practices will be explored, and the production details including workload, time factor and cost will be discussed.

Prerequisite: ANGD 1101, ANGD 1102, ANGD 1312, ANGD 1313, ANGD 1314, ANGD 1315

This studio course focuses on introducing and practicing the production pipeline of modeling for games and animations. The fundamentals of modeling and texturing will be taught, various workflows and practices will be explored, and the production details including workload, time factor and cost will be discussed.

Prerequisite: ANGD 1101, ANGD 1102, ANGD 1312, ANGD 1313, ANGD 1314, ANGD 1315

This studio course covers various aspects of production management for animated games, augmented and virtual reality projects. It will also serve as an introduction to computer games, and mobile games Project Management. The course aims to address the growing skill set and needs of a project manager in the increasingly convergent environment of animation and games. It will explore the significant differences between managing a game or Augmented Reality or Virtual Reality project and an animated traditional media (film/video/TV) production. However, it will also look at cross-over skills that apply to both mediums and includes discussion of the tangential marketing and distribution business sectors as they relate to Production Management. In addition to lecture and discussion format, the class will include participation by guest speakers to cover specific areas of domain expertise.

Prerequisite: ANGD 2352

This studio course applies techniques and information acquired in pre-requisite Production Management I, II, and III courses. Students will produce a virtual animated production. The virtual project entails creation of all aspects of a project from their concept through script, storyboarding, character design, actors/audio/voice-over, sound design and EFX, scene element breakdown, budget estimation on AICP forms through pitching project. In addition to lecture and discussion format, the class may include participation by guest speakers to cover specific areas of domain expertise.

Prerequisite: ANGD 3351

This studio practicum course provides hands-on experience managing the production of an animated short film and/or video game produced by students in ANGD 4440 and ANGD 4450. This process will use industry-standard methods, pipeline processes, and tools. This course is the sister course to ANGD 4151 and is to be taken as part of a unified cohort with student colleagues in the other ANGD concentrations.

Prerequisite: ANGD 3352

This studio practicum course is a continuation of the processes used in ANGD 4150 and provides hands-on experience managing the production of an animated short film and/or video game produced by students in ANGD 4440 and ANGD 4450. This process will use industry-standard methods, pipeline processes, and tools. This course is the sister course to ANGD 4150 and is to be taken as part of a unified cohort with student colleagues in the other ANGD concentrations.

Prerequisite: ANGD 4150

This studio/lecture course offers an introduction to character rigging. FK and IK animation within the context of bipedal and multipedal characters using effective principles of body animation mechanics will be explored. Efficient rigs including effective skin weights will be created.

Prerequisites: ANGD 1321

This studio course will cover foundational knowledge of programming for games, with the goal of providing students with a minimal proficiency at designing and implementing simple game mechanics, as well as beginning to foster an understanding of programming in general. The course will begin with a broad introduction to the chosen programming language followed by its integration with a third-party game engine. Basic algorithms and data structures and data persistence will be taught, along with a beginning overview of object-oriented programming. The use of external collaboration tools will also be taught, and will be required for turning in any applicable assignments.

Prerequisite: ANGD 1312, ANGD 1313, ANGD 1314, ANGD 1315

This studio course builds on the topics covered in Game Programming I. Students are taught to build more complex game effects and systems, allowing the creation of more compelling game experiences. It is the second part of a series of courses designed to train practical skills that will help prepare students for work in the video game industry.

Prerequisite: ANGD 2371

This studio course builds on the topics covered in Game Programming I and II. Students will learn advanced game programming topics, such as procedural content generation, game design concepts, and interaction with online systems. It is the third part of a series of courses designed to train practical skills that will help prepare students for work in the video game industry.

Prerequisite: ANGD 2372

This studio course builds on the topics covered in Game Programming I, II, and III. Students will implement more advanced game features and systems, experiment with newly emerging technologies, such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) and delve into end-of-development tooling and polish. It is the final part of a series of courses designed to train practical skills that will help prepare students prepare to develop games professionally.

Prerequisite: ANGD 3371