FlexiMasters in Game Design, Art and Technology

Principles of Game Design (3 AU)

Principles of Game Design refers to the development of a game’s playable context – its visual language, player engagement, rules and systems and game dynamics. In this course, learners will be introduced to the core terminology that forms the central principles for an engaging game. Working with fundamental game mechanics such as goals, feedback, user interface, player agency, progression, balance, loops, and player reward, a comprehensive understanding of these principles will provide and equip learners with a skillset to develop original games and a strong vocabulary to communicate and collaborate with colleagues from other disciplines on game design projects.

At the end of the course, learners will be able to:

• Describe how principles of visual language, player agency, game mechanics and game systems contribute to the design and experience of games.
  
• Develop proficient understanding of game mechanics and systems to create player engagement and balanced gameplay systems.
  
• Apply principles of visual design and game systems together to create and present a game concept suitable for development.
  
• Create a game demo prototype that demonstrates visual design, capable game mechanics and systems, and player engagement.

Art-Tech Collaboration (3 AU)

This course prepares learners for art-tech integration in the context of game development, where learners will master interdisciplinary workflows, blending creative design with technological feasibility to develop original game concepts. Addressing the gaming industry’s need for professionals who bridge art and technology, this course is applicable to roles such as technical artist, creative lead, or design lead. Through teamwork, prototyping, and iterative refinement, learners will have the opportunity to develop and practice industry-standard pitching and presentation skills, culminating with a team presentation of a viable game concept that could be continued as a capstone project.  

• Describe artistic and technological processes used in interdisciplinary teamwork environments suitable for developing game concepts.
  
• Develop proficiency with merging creative artistic thinking with creative technological thinking.
  
• Apply an effective interdisciplinary collaboration process to develop an innovative and viable game concept.
  
• Create a game concept pitch demonstrating artistic originality and technological innovation. 

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Artificial Intelligence Generative Art (3 AU)

This course explores how generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) can enhance creative workflows in game development, enabling innovative outcomes. Applying prompt engineering and Gen AI principles in art allows for the shaping of visual and textual outputs while critically examining its ethical and industry implications. As AI transforms game art and design, this course upskills learners for roles like AI or generative artist, digital content designer or creative technology strategist, preparing the learner for emerging job demands in a competitive, tech-driven industry. Through hands-on practice, learners will master AI-driven art creation, input optimization and refinement, and workflow integration, future-proofing careers in an evolving digital landscape.

At the end of the course, learners will be able to:

• Describe the principles, techniques, and tools of generative AI, along with its implications for artistic workflows, originality, ethics, and industry practices.
  
  
• Develop proficiency in manipulating input methods, particularly language-based programming, to guide generative systems to produce visual and textual outputs.
  
  
• Apply AI processes into creative workflows with judgement, enhancing artistic outcomes with control over advantages and limitations.
  
  
• Create innovative game design elements by applying generative AI tools to produce visually engaging video assets that align with game development goals.

Foundation for Art and Creativity (3 AU)

A creative professional in the game development pipeline needs to possess the ability to effectively communicate original ideas through compelling visuals. Every game is defined by its unique artistic style, and the artist’s creative expertise plays a pivotal role in determining the visual identity and experience of the game. This course will introduce learners to the essential principles of artistic ideation, creative thinking, visual development and motion principles. Through exploration of a range of mediums and techniques, learners will cultivate artistic talent, focusing on foundational art skills, fostering creativity and originality, applied to the context of art and creativity for games. The skills learned in this course will enhance learners’ capability as a game artist, an important component of game design and development.

At the end of the course, learners will be able to:

• Describe the essential principles of artistic ideation, creative thinking, visual development, and motion principles as they apply to the creation of visual language in game art.
  
• Develop foundational art skills and techniques across a range of mediums to cultivate creativity and originality in artistic concepts.
  
• Apply artistic dexterity to translate conceptual ideas into compelling visual assets suitable for a game development pipeline.
  
• Create a collection of art assets that contribute to the visual theme of a game, demonstrating artistic competence and technical proficiency.

Foundation for Technology and Coding (3 AU)

This course equips learners with foundational programming skills for game development, focusing on computational thinking, algorithmic problem-solving, and structured coding using object-oriented programming. Introducing core coding concepts and applying them in the context of game design, learners will develop a strong foundation in the use of core data structures and gain practical experience through hands-on exercises and prototype-building using a modern game engine (e.g., Unity). This course is an essential for entry-level game developer roles (e.g., gameplay programmer/engineer, tools developer, technical artist, virtual reality/augmented reality software engineer), also benefiting those transitioning from other fields into game technology careers.

At the end of the course, learners will be able to:

• Apply core programming concepts and algorithmic thinking to analyze problems, break them into logical steps, and design structured solutions relevant to game design and development.
  
• Develop simple interactive programs using object-oriented principles and structured coding techniques.
  
• Design and prototype basic game components that demonstrate functional and logical coding solutions.

These courses are part of:

• Graduate Certificate in Game Design, Art and Technology (9 AU)
• FlexiMasters in Game Design, Art and Technology (15 AU)
• Master of Science in Game Design, Art and Technology (30 AU)

Learners will receive their Statement of Accomplishment (for a grade of D and above) or Certificate of Participation for each course—dependent upon their assessment performance.

Singapore Citizen (SC) and Permanent Resident (PR)

(Up to 70% funding)

Singapore Citizen aged ≥ 40 years old SkillsFuture Mid-career Enhanced Subsidy (MCES)

(Up to 90% funding)

Dr Teoh Bak Koon
Coordinator for: 
Construction Management
Construction Technology

Prior to joining Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, Dr Teoh Bak Koon was the Deputy General Manager (Engineering) in Sembcorp Marine, heading a team of 100++ multi-disciplined engineers and designers, supporting Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Installation, Commissioning (EPCIC) business that design and build offshore processing platforms/wellheads/accommodation facilities, Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) topsides and modules for Liquid Natural Gas plants. His personal experience includes engineering management, design and construction, loadout, transportation and installation engineering for the topsides, jackets, pipelines, and other subsea installations located at Southeast Asia, India as well as North Sea, for topsides of weight more than 16,000 metric tonnes and jackets weight more than 15,000 metric tonnes.

Assoc Prof Robert Tiong
Instructor for:
Project Financing
International Construction & Marketing

Assoc Prof Robert Tiong is an Associate Professor in School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, as well as Deputy Director of Centre for Infrastructure Systems at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. He is the Program Director of the MSc Programme in International Construction Management since its inception in 1991.

Assoc Prof Tiong graduated in 1981 from the University of Glasgow with First Class Honours in Civil Engineering, with specialisation in management. He obtained his M.Eng on Construction Engineering & Management, from the University of California, Berkeley in 1987 and his PhD in 1994 from NTU. His research and consulting interests focus on integrated risk analysis and economics, financing, management, and project procurement for infrastructure projects. More recently, he has focused on catastrophe risk management, alternative risk transfer and financing for natural hazards and catastrophes such as floods and earthquakes.

He has published extensively including a monograph on “The Structuring of Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Projects”, a research report on “Evaluation of risks in BOT projects”, and a book chapter on “Public-Private Partnership for Infrastructure Projects: An Asian Dimension”. He was also a reviewer for the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Guidelines for the Development, Negotiation, and Contracting of BOT Projects.