November - February
Semester 1
Industry's basic framework and terminology
Game concepts
Game Design Documents
Game pitching
Game prototyping
Winter Session solo assigment and review
March - July
Semester 2
Iteration and scope
Alpha Stage Gate
Beta Stage Gate
Playtesting and bug fixing
Game Demo assignment and review
Graduation
Roadmap Masterclass
It starts with a game idea. You will learn to break down ideas into game mechanics. To combine game mechanics to form gameplay sequences. In parallel, you will learn to develop the idea into rules and structures, so that in the end you can get a playable demo of the concept you started from.
Game Design
01
You will use Unity to bring the idea we started from to life. You learn to set scenes, create interactive elements, add characters, enemies and objects, place cameras, sounds and special effects, but also how to test your game to eliminate bugs that appear during the development process .
Unity Engine
02
Many people start developing a video game, but it is surprisingly difficult to finish one. During this class you will learn processes used by professional game producers to develop their products, to keep their projects on track and to offer a complete, polished video game.
Project Management
03
We mentioned that the number of games started and not finished or launched is surprising high. One cause is the mismanagement of development time. The mentors and trainers you will interact with will share tips & tricks and best practices to minimize these risks.
Time management
04
Developing a video game is one of the most interactive experiences possible. Whether you work on your own, in a small team or in a big studio, you will interact with other developers. Learn how to manage crisis situations, project delays, creative conflicts and performance evaluation.
Communication methods
05
Planning the launch of a game starts the day you decide to work on your idea. You will learn about the "Stage Gate Process", the benefits of "Alpha", "Beta", "Gold" versioning, multiplatform release, marketing, community, crowdfunding, post-lunch, patching and the release of DLC type content.
Launching the game
06
What will you learn?
You will learn to develop computer games, alone and in teams, using production management tools and techniques to deliver a product on time. At the end of this program you will have your own portfolio projects that represent vertical prototypes and you will learn how to present yourself to potential employers through your CV and professional portfolio.
Only 12 places available
November - July
On-site in Bucharest
4000 Euro
Min 17 years + Interview
MASTERCLASS
Discover the most ambitious educational career program that supports you to become a video game developer. 12 seats! 8 months! 3 portfolio projects!
Schedule an interview
We know how stressful the interview process for admission to a program can be, but we want you to have the most pleasant and comfortable discussion with us. This interview is important because it helps us evaluate whether the program suits you or not. We are aware of the time effort and the financial investment it entails and we want you to benefit fully from its experience. It is also useful for us, using the information in the internal process of building the class and adding a variety of students who can continue our mission, goals and enrich the community we are building. As we said initially, we invite you to a pleasant and comfortable dialogue to get to know each other.
Frequent questions
This program is aimed at people over 17 years old, who want to build a career in game dev, to increase their chances of employment or those in the first years of their career who want to accelerate their development and career promotion. The Masterclass program does not replace, but supplements your school or university activity.
The registration process consists of filling out the form on the page dedicated to the Masterclass programme. Due to the limited number of places, the letter of intent is very important. We expect you to mention in detail why you want to participate in this program.
If you meet the mentioned criteria (17+ years and detailed letter of intent) you will be contacted by phone or email to set up an interview with one of the trainers/mentors involved in the program. After this interview, you will receive an email in which we will confirm or deny your participation in the Masterclass program.
In the confirmation email of participation in the Masterclass program, you will receive the link to the payment page. Payment can be made by bank transfer based on the fiscal invoice issued by GameDev Academy. You can also opt for payment in installments.
No, because the courses will take place at the GameDev Academy headquarters in Bucharest. Students and trainers will be in permanent contact in the virtual class on the Discord channel of GameDev Academy, but lectures will take place in our classrooms.
The program takes place during an academic calendar year. This involves physical presence on the days when the course sessions take place, but also online interactions with colleagues and teachers, whenever necessary, on our Discord channel. The curriculum is composed of theoretical and practical modules that will be taught during 2 semesters, as well as 2 exam sessions. The modules are built to provide the necessary knowledge to develop a video game, and the final exam will be represented by the year's project consisting of making a video game demo. Additionally, there will be different projects and optional activities, such as visits to studios in Bucharest, discussion sessions with guests from abroad, game jams, etc.
Of course! We have a positive track record regarding students who got hired shortly after completing the courses they attended. However, we cannot offer guarantees! We are in discussions with the main studios in Romania to offer internship programs or employment support. We also make an effort to help you through consulting in creating your CV and portfolio.
We can't repeat it enough times! It is very important to develop a portfolio, to practice in your free time, to be proactive in class, to ask questions every time you feel that something is not clear to you. And we insist on "practicing in your spare time".
Yes, you will receive a participation diploma issued by us that attests your involvement throughout the duration of the program. In addition to the diploma, you will also receive the result obtained in the final exam, as well as the qualification from us. Keep in mind that you will not receive the participation diploma or the qualification from us if you accumulate more than 5 absences in any semester.
We mention that diplomas certified by the Romanian state cannot be issued, because the vast majority of jobs specific to the game development industry are not officially recognized in Romania.
Dragos Inoan
Game Design Trainer
With over 17 years spent in the game dev industry, 15 of which dedicated to game design, Dragos it's a wealth of knowledge. In his work, he was involved in projects of all sizes, in some of the most important studios in the country, but also as an independent developer.
Zoltan Nagy
Unity Engine Trainer
A good craftsman is the one who, regardless of the tools he has, uses them skillfully. This is also Zoly, who ,in his career of over 15 years as game developer, has worked on a multitude of game projects, from small "casual" games to "AAA" games like "Assassin's Creed".
Alexandru Oprea
Unreal Engine and C++ Trainer
Alex has participated in the first edition of the Game LAB incubator. From 2017 until now, he has added many things to his achievements list, including a Unity certification (where he got the highest score) and a job at Ubisoft, as a Gameplay Programmer for "Watch Dogs".
Ionut Mitroi
3D Modeling Trainer
Open to new things, passionate about strategy and moba games, Ionut started his career in 2013 as a 2D/3D Artist at Ubisoft. Over time, he has created numerous 3D assets for the environment and 2D assets for menus both for mobiles, as well as for PCs and consoles.
Ciprian Bacioiu
3D Modeling Trainer
Cip, the gentlest giant, has accumulated over 15 years of experience in the industry and dozens of released titles. He developed his own game studio where he specialized in coffee-break games as well as porting and adapting games to the Linux platform.
Alexandru Petrescu
3D Modeling Trainer
Alex started his career at Ubisoft, in 2014, in the role of 3D Artist. He developed his skills and versatility very quickly, contributing to the development of some of the most important projects within Ubisoft, both for mobile, PC and console platforms.
Catalin Marcu
Unreal Engine Trainer
Catalin started in the industry over 15 years ago. Over10 years he worked for the Mobility Games studio, where he was involved in the creation and publishing of numerous games on the AppStore and Google Play. Now, he has his own indie studio and many released games.
Cristian Cornea
C++ Programming Trainer
Cristian is a programmer passionate about making, playing and talking about game. He has accumulated 18 years of experience in the industry, 10 of which at Ubisoft. Has worked on different types of games, from "AAA" like "Assassin's Creed" to mobile and indie games.
