Digital Game Design

The gaming industry is rapidly expanding, with annual revenues surpassing $108 billion. Advancements in mobile phone and internet technologies in recent years have led to the growth of the digital gaming industry worldwide, with a player base of over 2 billion. Therefore, through a digital game development and design program, students will master multiple skills required in all areas of game development.

Turkey is one of the countries that offers a digital game design program within its academic curriculum. The program provides a project-based approach that allows students to develop the necessary skills to create video games in a professional environment, including game design, computer programming, and visual design.

What is a Digital Game Design Program?

A digital game design and programming program is one of the most sought-after academic programs, especially due to the increasing digital advancements and the widespread use of digital games as a medium. The program qualifies students to work in the gaming industry, as well as other industries related to digital technology, such as mobile application development and web development. It also provides them with opportunities to interact with key figures in the game industry and helps them develop career prospects after graduation.

Program Objectives

The Bachelor’s program in digital game design, which will become one of the leading university programs in Turkey, aims to provide qualified human resources in the digital gaming sector and encourage creativity to achieve success in this sector at the local and global level. This is achieved through an academic department that brings together various disciplines such as art, technology, and economics under the umbrella of design, teaching students how to rewrite the rules of the game through the digital game design department.

For the content of the academic program in digital game design, the academic study is divided into practical and theoretical parts, but practical application predominates over the theoretical part. Therefore, universities provide their students with modern computers, the best modern and advanced software to assist them in conducting professional applications in the world of digital game design.

The study materials

The study materials for the program may vary from one university to another, but there are several common subjects taught in all universities. Here is the content of the academic program for the specialization taught in Turkish universities.

First Academic Year:

• Fundamentals of Programming
• Design Thinking
• Game History and Analysis
• Art, Culture, and Society
• Fundamentals of Game Design
• Art History
• Sustainable Development and Cinema
• Digital Game Storytelling and Texts

Second Academic Year:

• 3D Digital Art
• Communication Skills
• Introduction to Game Engines
• Digital Game Mechanics and Design
• Mathematics for Digital Game Design
• Virtual Reality Applications and Digital Games

Third Academic Year:

• Theories of Media and Communication
• Game Production
• Turkish Language and Literature
• Psychology of Visual Perception
• Physics for Digital Game Design
• Game Character Design and Digital Game Coding

Fourth Academic Year:

• Digital Game Design Project
• Practical Training
• Cybersecurity

What Does a Student Learn During the Study of Digital Game Design?

The skills associated with designing, developing, and studying games are related to a wide range of professions, such as instructional design, programming, web and application development, project management, user experience (UX) design, illustration, and 3D modeling. Whether you are seeking a specific career in the field of games (commercial or educational game design) or intend to use games as a means for other professions, this program offers future career opportunities that should not be missed.

The courses in the digital game design program provide a solid foundation in the theoretical and practical aspects of educational technology design (of which games are a part), which is closely related to designing games that target learning and are often called educational games. Due to the variety of digital game types, developing such games requires the ability to program them or at least have sufficient programming knowledge to communicate effectively with the programmers who will develop the games based on design specifications. Therefore, game development courses require learning programming skills that can be applied to games.

Study Digital Game Design in Turkey

Turkey has become one of the important players in the global market for digital games, possessing the necessary infrastructure for innovative work, high-level game development, and digital content production. Turkey is also on its way to exporting games. Due to these factors, Turkish universities are focusing on offering academic programs in digital game design, aiming to increase and develop them due to their significant role in this field.

The digital game design department in Turkish universities aims to educate students and provide them with creative thinking skills and comprehensive knowledge of game design and its techniques. The program enables students to use the language of art and design and build a career in various fields such as writing, games, animation, collecting and analyzing player data, and game production. Throughout this four-year program, students take practical courses that include the necessary technological practices for visual communication, in addition to theoretical practices.

The program in digital game design in Turkey aims to educate qualified professionals who continuously improve themselves according to the sector’s needs by keeping up with technological and artistic innovations. It graduates students with the necessary skills to design a digital game project, develop aesthetic and algorithmic dimensions of digital games, and the ability to work with game design software.

Benefits of Studying Digital Game Design in Turkey:

Thanks to the modern technological revolution, the increase in digital technologies and smartphones, and the growing number of users, especially the new generation, who are connected to digital technology, the importance of digital game developers has increased. Turkish universities are focusing on teaching programs and specializations in digital games to keep up with the modern job market. Therefore, when choosing Turkey to study this program, students will gain advantages and benefits that they may not find in any other study destination. Some of these advantages include:

• Availability of modern devices and advanced tools that meet the students’ practical learning needs.
• Many employment opportunities for students after graduation due to the growing job market in the field of game design.
• The degree obtained from Turkish universities is accredited and recognized in most countries worldwide.
• Turkish universities offer the possibility of studying in either Turkish or English.
• Lower cost of education and living in Turkey compared to other countries.
• Quality education in Turkish universities, especially in the field of game programming.
• Students receive excellent practical training in addition to their theoretical studies.
• Practical training, practice, and hands-on application in addition to theoretical education.

Duration of Studying Digital Game Design Program in Turkey:

Students study the digital game design program in Turkey for a duration of four years, divided into eight academic semesters. Throughout this period, they engage in theoretical study, practical training, and a graduation project in the final academic year. Additionally, there is a preparatory language year for students who haven’t provided a language proficiency certificate for the language of instruction.

Important Turkish Universities for studying Digital Game Design:

1. Bahcesehir University
2. Istanbul Bilgi University
3. Beykoz University
4. Istanbul Aydin University
5. İstinye University

Registration requirements for Turkish universities

• Payment of the university application fee.
• Proficiency certificate in the language.
•  In the case of studying in English, passing the TOEFL or IELTS language test with a score determined by the university is required.
• In the case of studying in Turkish, passing the TOMER Turkish language test or attending a preparatory year is required.

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Required Documents:

Registration requirements for Turkish universities for studying digital game design vary depending on the university and the degree level (undergraduate or graduate). However, there are certain documents that are commonly required during the initial registration phase. These documents need to be submitted by the student in PDF or JPG format to obtain preliminary acceptance into the university. The specific documents may differ between undergraduate and graduate programs, but there are some common requirements. The necessary documents for application include:

For undergraduate and institute students:

• Valid passport.
• Recent passport-sized photo (white background).
• Copy of high school diploma.
• Student’s email address.

For graduate students:

• Bachelor’s degree certificate for graduate students.
• Translated copy of the transcript in English or Turkish.
• Receipt of payment for the application fee.
• Recommendation letters (Master’s, Ph.D.).

 Studying Digital Game Design at Bilgi University:

The Digital Game Design department at Bilgi University offers the first four-year undergraduate program in the field of digital video games in Turkey. The program aims to educate game designers with the ability to integrate creative thinking with technical and organizational skills. The digital video game industry has become competitive and global due to the increasing digital distribution channels and the emergence of new digital platforms.

Therefore, to thrive and succeed in this field, it requires creative and innovative game ideas and applications. This is the goal of the program, to educate designers of digital video games and create a workforce capable of meeting the requirements of this industry at both the local and global levels.

Program Objectives:

1. The Digital Game Design department focuses on play as an interactive communication process that conveys ideas and emotions through players’ experiences. Therefore, students are encouraged to experiment with new and innovative ideas in game design. The program reflects the interdisciplinary nature of game development, where courses and projects intersect with visual communication design and computer engineering.
2. The Digital Game Design department at Bilkent University aims to select students capable of focusing on game development from a design perspective, integrating mathematical thinking with creativity. It strives to expose students to a high level of technical expertise in using standard game engines and other writing tools in their studies. The program emphasizes the player experience as the basis of design. Therefore, during the program, attention is also given to fields such as psychology, sociology, statistics, arts, and digital culture.
3. The Bachelor’s degree program in Digital Game Design aims to create a productive environment for students to apply their theoretical knowledge practically. The program consists of core courses and a set of elective courses that students can choose based on their interests and preferences.
4. The core courses include Game Studio courses that focus on different types of games. In the first year, students focus on analog game design, in the second year, they focus on 2D game design, in the third year, they focus on 3D game design, and in the fourth year, students develop a polished game using standard game development techniques and methodologies on a platform of their choice, based on their previous experiences.
5. The studio courses are complemented by courses focusing on game programming, game art, and game audio. Other courses cover topics such as game culture, the use of games in education, social issues, storytelling in games, player psychology, and game development business and management. Students are required to take courses from three different types of elective courses: general elective courses, complete elective courses, and elective courses from the Video Game Design program.
6. The elective courses in the Digital Game Design program allow students to deepen their understanding of games and their expertise in various areas of digital game design. General elective courses and complete elective courses provide students with the opportunity to take courses from other programs that may intersect with the game programming program, such as visual communication design, cinema and television program, music department, and programs from the Faculty of Engineering.