What You'll Learn

3D Art Asset Creation 1

This specialisation module aims to equip the students with knowledge and skillsets to create more complex 3D models for animation and games. The students will learn to create intermediate level polygonal type of 3D models using hard-surface and organic modelling techniques, including how to establish lighting, and applying texture to 3D models. Students will also be taught fundamentals in 3D production pipeline that is suitable for pre-rendered and real-time 3D projects that encompass modelling, UV, texturing, and presentation methods for 3D works. The knowledge and skills from this will form the foundation that is essential to more advanced 3D production methods in later modules.

Animation 1

Aims to build upon the knowledge of Traditional Animation and expose students to the concepts and techniques involved in 2D animation using professional digital tools. It allows students to produce their work in a significant digital environment in addition to pencil and paper. This module further emphasizes the principles of animation including line of action and solid drawing, and introduces students to modern digital animation approaches such as those for multi-plane cameras and limited animation. Students will then apply these concepts to produce 2d animation within the digital realm.

Drawing

Students taking this module will work with drawing media such as graphite pencils to develop line, shape and tone to arrive at an integrated image. Through drawing exercises that cover areas like value, texture, volume, space relationships, proportion, color, perspective, and composition. Students will learn both analytical and inventive components of the drawing process.

Principles of Interaction Design

This module will introduce students to the fundamentals of user interaction design as basic principles are fundamental to the design and implementation of effective interfaces, whether for traditional GUI environments, the web, mobile devices, wearables, or Internet-connected smart devices.

Visual Narrative

This module introduces students to the creative visual story creation process. Students will be taken through a journey of discovery and tap into various sources of creativity, including their life experiences, to uncover their potential as visual storytellers. Students will experience the process of visual story creation that include story creation and storyboard creation. They will be introduced to the knowledge of film languages that includes basic concept of camera works, visual composition, progression of shots and film editing. Students will also experience the process of storyboarding that includes applying the film language to create the storyboards. In story creation, they will be introduced to the different techniques of brainstorming ideas, story creation workflow and different modes of filmic narration. They will learn how to present a visual story effectively as well as give critique constructively. They will be encouraged to discover their ‘creator’s voice’ and apply the concepts they have learnt to create visual stories that reflect their unique voice and connect emotionally with the audience.

Data Fluency

This module exposes students to the theory and practice of digital photography within the framework of an integrative digital workflow in content creation, including the finer points of digital image enhancement, manipulation & compositing. Students will be taught product and portrait photography and learn the essentials of controlling and balancing artificial lights with natural lights to achieve impactful aesthetics for photography. Students will focus on studio and outdoor digital photography, and be equipped with the fundamentals of preparing digital images and intermediate techniques of image manipulation & compositing. By the end of the module, students would have created a portfolio of photographic fine prints and digital content for commercial applications.

Artificial Intelligence and Its Impact

This module aims to equip students with a very broad overview of Artificial Intelligence, and its societal and ethical impacts in modern society. Students will build a simple AI model with online tools and discuss how to promote good ethics in AI. Upon the completion of this module, students should demonstrate the competency of using AI to address their chosen UN SDG.

Thinking Critically about the UN SDGs

Polywide Elective 1

Sports For Life

Sports for Life (SFL) is a physical education programme that has become part of the Graduation Criteria for ALL Year 1 students matriculated since AY2018/19. During this e-learning Semester, Year 1 students can choose their preferred module from a selection of 9 sports. SFL aims to encourage students to lead an active lifestyle by following a holistic e-learning package with videos and supplementary materials that focuses on acquiring knowledge, rules of the game, basic sports techniques and maintaining fitness. Besides physical activity, the e-learning curriculum also comprises of syllabus on Mental Wellness and Personal Leadership using 7 Habits of Highly Effective College Students.

3D Asset Creation 2

This specialisation module aims to equip the students with deeper knowledge and skillsets to create more complex 3D models for animation and games with medium level of difficulty. The students will learn to create intermediate level polygonal type of 3D models using hard-surface and organic modelling techniques, including how to establish lighting, and applying texture to 3D models. Students will also be taught intermediate level of 3D production pipeline that is suitable for pre-rendered and real-time 3D projects that encompass modelling, UV, texturing, and presentation methods for 3D works. Student will study how to create intermediate level of shader creation and texturing method for their 3D models and their application.

Animation 2

Aims to cover the traditional animation principles in-depth and adapt them for 3D. Through hands-on practical lessons, students will use professional 3D animation software to adopt a proper organized approach to computer animation and learn techniques for creating convincing movement and rigs. At the end of the module, students are expected to demonstrate an understanding of body mechanics, setting up rigging structures such as bipedal character and props, and produce entertaining pieces of 3D animation involving anthropomorphic and basic humanoid characters.

Figure Drawing & Anatomy

This module aims to build upon the concept taught in Drawing with further emphasis on figure drawing. Students will study human anatomy and be taught the techniques for drawing the figures and capturing poses using methods such as contour and gesture drawings. Drawing for weight, force, emotion, thought and movement are stressed. Basic forms of animal anatomy would be introduced.

Mobile Game Development

This module aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills required to produce a digital 2D mobile game prototype using commercially adopted game engine. Students will be introduced to game development terminology and basic programming fundamentals to aid them in creating a prototype or proof of concept, which is an important phase within a typical game production life cycle. Students will also be taught how to infuse design considerations into the development process as part of the training to be a proficient game designer cum programmer.

User Interface & Experience Design

This module will introduce students to the fundamentals of user interaction design and user experience development, starting with the principles of interaction design towards everyday products and unto digital games. Students will then learn the different categories of user experience for digital games and designing games that will provide the optimal user experience for their target audience personas. Principles of interaction design for 2D and 3D games are covered as well.

Sustainable Innovation Project

Work in multi-disciplinary groups to apply the design thinking method and tools backed by research and qualitative data, to tackle local issues mapped to the UN SDGs. You will also tap on what you have learnt in the CCC modules that come before this module to create sustainable and innovative prototype solutions for real-life issues faced by a local community in need. In the process, you will develop empathy for the community you have identified for your project and a better understanding of yourselves.

Polywide Elective 2

Animation & Games Studio 1

Aims to provide students with primary production knowledge in integrating their previously learned skill sets to comprehensively develop, manage and create a real-time technology project.

3D Art Track: 3D Art Asset Creation 3

Aims to build upon the fundamental concepts and techniques of organic modeling covered in Character Modeling and Setup. Students will learn to use advanced digital modeling tools to generate industry level texture maps and sculpt high-fidelity creature model based on original or provided design. This module will also incorporate intermediate level of shader engineering and lighting setup which further amplify the models aesthetic.

3D Art Track: Animation 3

This module will focus on humanoid facial muscles, rigging and blend shapes. Students will study performance acting and translate into CG characters for driven scenario or story. It will expose students to specific approaches for character animation such as facial animation and lip sync. Students will be taught how to make their digital actors act and display convincing emotions.

3D Art Track: Concept Art & Design

This module aims to build upon the concepts taught in drawing fundamentals with further emphasis on figure stylization for character design while building on student’s perspective drawing skills to further develop environment and prop design. Students will be exploring different techniques and workflow in coming up with unique character designs and exploring interior and exterior set designs and props.

Interactive Media Track: 3D Game Development

This module aims to equip students with knowledge to implement digital 3D game prototypes through fundamentals of problem solving and programming. These skills are taught through programming constructs as well as simple object-oriented concepts like objects and classes, inheritance, polymorphism, multi-dimensional arrays, statics, etc. It will allow students to plan, conceptualize, design, script and develop game levels using commercially adopted content creation tools and game engine. Besides using native level construction editor to build 3D levels, interaction with different forms of input devices such as mouse, joystick, hand gestures and so on will be covered as well.

Interactive Media Track: Immersive Media Fundamentals

This module aims to foster an awareness and appreciation for immersive technologies and how it plays a much larger role across different sectors. Students will be introduced to Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Mix Reality (MR) platforms and case studies of their successful applications. During the module, students would be taught to develop simple AR/VR prototypes through hands-on tutorial sessions.

Interactive Media Track: Interactive Digital Design

This module aims to equip students with the know-how in merging the fields of visual designs, digital interface design and human computer interaction. The coursework enables the student to build the essential skillsets needed to create digital resources like web pages, smartphone apps, games, etc. Students will be equipped with foundational skills in computational thinking and skills to make creative aesthetic decisions when designing human centric interactive digital media.

MAD Studio Project

The MAD Studio Project aims to build on the interdisciplinary practices taught in PlayLab in order to further develop students’ ability to generate new ideas and contribute to innovations. Students will work in mixed groups and take on complex, real-world industry projects. They will draw on the domain knowledge and skills from their own tracks, as well as those of their peers from other tracks, in order to gain a deeper understanding of an issue, and transform them into new knowledge which confronts the challenges of the present world. This module is a facilitated time and space for students to explore across the disciplines of creative perspectives, which necessarily includes research and design, problem-solving and communication of ideas. The teaching facilitation will also embrace the design inquiry cycle that enables learners to mind shift and lead into a convergence of viewpoints.

Persuasive Communication with Data Storytelling

Animation & Games Studio 2

Aims to provide students with the opportunity to apply concepts and techniques learned into managing and executing real-world animated film projects. Students may utilise assets created in the Conceptualization & Layout module or generate new story ideas and create an animated film through the production pipeline to final delivery. In addition, the module will include workshops conducted by industry professionals to provide insight and assist students in organizing and producing work in line with professional practices.

3D Art Track: Effects for Animation & Games

Aims to provide students with the opportunity to apply concepts and techniques in creating visual effects for animated films, game cinematics or 2D/3D game projects. Students are to develop and generate 2D/3D effects to enhance the visual performance of digital scenes.​

Immersive Application

This module aims to equip students with the skillsets of various content creation techniques and processes to incorporate assets into different Extended Reality (XR) platforms. Students will learn about the tools, technologies and workflows that enable immersive media to be integrated into applications.

Interactive Media Track: Immersive Application Development

This module aims to equipped students with knowledge for implementation of advanced features commonly used in sophisticated application development including games. This includes algorithm patterns, coding strategies, AI programming, finite state machine, multi-player networking, advanced UI, animation control, etc. Students also got to explore trending and emerging technologies that can enhance user experience. This includes virtual reality, augmented reality and use of various sensory devices through hardware integration. This module is positioned to support students in their Final Year Project to design and develop engaging and innovative applications/games for different interactive digital media platforms.

Transdisciplinary Project

The Final-Year Project is an opportunity for students to integrate, apply and deepen the knowledge, skillsets and competencies (both technical and general) they have gained over the course of their study. Building on the skills taught in PlayLab and the MAD Studio Project, students will work in mixed groups to tackle complex real-world issues through industry projects. They will learn how to research and generate new, innovative solutions that go beyond a single domain, while considering other factors such as meeting a business-end, dealing with resource constraints, as well as taking advantage of social, cultural and economic trends. They will also learn how to communicate with their stakeholders and manage a project. By the end of this module, students will deepen their skills in acquiring and synthesising knowledge from across disciplines and develop resilience and an entrepreneurial spirit in tackling complex problems.

Polywide Elective 3

Internship Programme

This module aims to provide students with work exposure to an industrial environment, with opportunity to relate what is taught in the classroom to actual work situation. This module creates a valuable learning opportunity for students to sharpen their skills and knowledge, as well as contributing to the development tasks of participating organizations.

Personal Branding and Career Agility

Effective Writing for the Workplace