Oscar-nominated Film 'Flow' Highlights Gaming’s Influence on Next-Gen Animation
SHU’s game design program equips students with skills for emerging industry trends
When it comes to this year’s Oscar buzz, the animated film Flow is getting a lot of attention, including for how it was made—with the free, open-source software Blender. It’s one of the same tools that students in Sacred Heart University’s game design & development program use for school projects.
“It is cool to see a full feature film like Flow made with it, given the software’s history,” said Professor Jordan Tewell, who teaches in the program. It’s a free and open-source 3D modeling software tool, initially developed by a Dutch company in the 1990s. After the company closed its doors in the early 2000s, “they could have thrown away the software,” Tewell said, but the nonprofit Blender Foundation was established, and a community of programmers and artists have since kept this 3D modeling software free and accessible to all.
Flow has put a spotlight on filmmakers and game designers who have been advancing their craft and, along the way, innovating animation capabilities across all media.
“In our program, students learn many tools, including Blender to create game characters,” Tewell said. “When you use a 3D art software program, it’s like working with virtual clay. You can use tools to create your character and then optimize their structure so that they perform well in the game and move naturally.”
This is just the beginning. Every student creates a video game from start to finish. Students use contemporary and industry-standard equipment and software, such as Unity and Unreal game engine platforms, to create interactive 3D experiences. They also have access to resources in the Motion Capture Lab and NeXReality Lab, where work and research is done on game design, as well as virtual, augmented and extended reality projects.
This approach provides students with the latest tools, methods and technology to innovate and prepare for emerging trends and opportunities in game design and development. So, whether the future includes working on an Oscar-nominated film or designing games for multiple platforms, Sacred Heart students will find many professional opportunities after they graduate.
Here are some of the trends expected to impact the field of game design and development:
Growing influence of game design on film animation
Tewell said video game creation software is now so advanced that traditional animation filmmakers are using it as part of their production process, such as generating background scenes for films or television shows with game engine platforms like Unreal and Unity.
These digital backdrops adjust and adapt to the live action that is happening, which cuts down on post-production. “In recent years, filmmakers have been turning to game engineers to render their content in real time,” Tewell said.
He said game design and development is a constantly evolving industry. The global video game market is expected to reach $257 billion by 2028, and that revenue is expected to support future research and development. At Sacred Heart, the curriculum constantly adapts to ensure that tomorrow’s game designers work with the latest tools needed to succeed.
Opportunities beyond traditional gaming
With a median annual wage of $99,060 and strong job growth, game designers and developers will find opportunities in the future. But there are other sectors where game designers are also valuable. “Our students may decide to look in areas they might otherwise not consider,” Tewell said. “There’s a demand for their talents in other fields.”
Graduates of Sacred Heart’s game design & development program will have skills that are transferable to jobs in educational game design, simulation development and content creation for digital platforms. For instance, current students and game design & development alumni worked on a guitar-learning game called “Notey’s World,” and a recent graduate has created games that support veterans returning with combat-related disabilities.
Implementation of new technologies
As with other industries, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are impacting game design and development and are expected to make games more immersive, dynamic and responsive. SHU’s game design & development program is rooted in a strong base of programming, 3D object creation, creative writing, virtual reality and computer ethics. Additional courses cover AI fundamentals and real-world applications.
In SHU’s NeXReality Lab, virtual, augmented and extended reality projects are preparing students for a deeply immersive and connected future often called the metaverse—a hoped-for virtual 3D space where everyone will connect, shop and play. The lab supports bold experimentation to enhance immersive learning opportunities for students.
Interested in learning more about SHU’s game design & development program?
Sacred Heart University’s game design & development program has been named one of the best in the country, best in Connecticut and on the East Coast. Students gain a strong foundation in every step of the game creation process. The program is the second in the world to be accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.
Students are encouraged to explore their creativity and gain programming expertise through courses that cover 3D object creation, operating systems and game programming. They can explore creative ways to tell a story through electives in music, art, filmmaking and writing. Additionally, Sacred Heart fully covers the cost of training for the Unity certification exams.
There are several ways to study game design & development at SHU. In addition to the bachelor’s degree, SHU offers a minor in game design & development, a computer gaming design & development graduate certificate and a computer gaming design & development undergraduate certificate. You can learn more about the undergraduate programs by visiting the undergraduate admissions webpage or by calling 203-371-7880. For more information about graduate certificate programs, send an email to graduate admissions, call 203-365-7619 or schedule an appointment with one of the department‘s counselors.
Photo: Students using game design software in the motion capture lab
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