SPA1000 Introduction to game art and game development
- Course codeSPA1000
- Number of credits30
- Teaching semester2026 Autumn
- Language of instruction and examinationEnglish
- CampusHamar
- Required prerequisite knowledge
None
The course gives an introductory exploration of the creative and technical aspects of artistic production related to digital arts and game development. The students get a foundation to the creative and technical part of digital arts and game development. Students will explore the essential principles of game design, storytelling, and visual communication through hands on experience with industry standard tools and workflows. Students will be introduced to the different specialisation tracks, different disciplines in a game production.
Learning outcome
A candidate who has completed the course has the following learning outcomes:
The candidate
- has knowledge of the foundational principles of digital arts and design processes
- has theoretical and practical knowledge of fundamental game design principles
- is familiar with the historical development of the game industry
- has knowledge of project management processes in game development
- has knowledge of basic concepts in game design, including mechanics, rules and player experience
- has knowledge of how to use basic tools, software, and techniques relevant to digital artistic production
- has knowledge of how to approach creative problem-solving within a digital art production workflow
- can reflect on their own work through feedback, critique and iterative development
The candidate
- understands how to utilise fundamental tools and software effectively in digital art
- has skills in how to experiment with and implement creative solutions to simple production challenges
- has skills to collaborate with peers in a multidisciplinary environment using introductory communication and workflow methods
- has skills in how to analyse and improve their own work based on foundational feedback and critique processes
- can specify and operationalise a game design with a view to creating a specific game experience
- can write an analytical academic text
The candidate
- can adapt their work practices to meet industry standards and project requirements within a collaborative production environment
- can justify the professional choices made in the development process both in writing and orally
- has theoretical and practical experience through analysis and testing of games, and design and re-design of new and existing games
The students work both individual and in groups to solve given assignments. Teaching is mostly done through pre-recorded videos, presented reading material and through learning activities in class, individual or in groups.
One group assignment will be in interdisciplinary groups together with students from Bachelor in Game Technology.
Supervision will be conducted both at an individual level and in groups.
- 2 individual assignments
- 1 group assignment
- 80% attendance in teaching and 100% attendance in specific learning activities according to the teaching plan
| Form of assessment | Grading scale | Grouping | Duration of assessment | Support materials | Proportion | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portfolio examination | Passed - not passed | Individual | 100 |