BIP: Digital Games and VR

BIP on Digital Games and VR is a blended intensive program jointly coordinated by Polytechnic of Cávado and Ave (IPCA), Nord University Norway and TU Wien, Austria. The BIP on Digital Games and VR is a course where you’ll learn the basic aspects of game design, will be introduced to unity as the game engine, and will get to know the characteristics, concepts, and potential and possible drawbacks of virtual reality.

Team management and teamwork methodologies will also be important topics and students will learn how to use them within the given game development setting. Different techniques for developing game ideas, and the use of agile development methods and prototyping techniques to implement them will also be part of this course.

Serious games as a practical example for a game development area and how they are used in different domains with a special focus on the healthcare sector will also be focused. Different techniques for developing game ideas, and the use of agile development methods and prototyping techniques to implement them will also be part of this course. Serious games as a practical example for a game development area and how they are used in different domains with a special focus on the healthcare sector will also be focused.

Students will be introduced to serious games, and methods for the design of a game with a specific purpose and will understand how to measure player inputs gathered from sensors and evaluate these outcomes. All those aspects will be used by students to design and implement a chosen game within a selected team group work (4-5 people per group).

Date: From 13 March to 28 April 2023

Face-to-face week: From 26 to 31 March at Polytechnic of Cávado and Ave (Portugal)

Mode of delivery: Blended

Language of instruction: English

ECTS credits: 3

Academic recognition: To be defined by each higher education institution. Generally, most students will have a certified in their diploma supplement, as a minimal condition.

Eligible participants: students from any study cycle, with a particular emphasis on students with engineering, design.

Deadline for applications: 21 of January 2023

Course structure

The course will be organised as followed, and will be awarded 3 ECTS:

Week 1 and 2: Daily online lessons (overall 27 hours) from 13 – 24 March (group finding, lectures, initial ideas, and brainstorming). Approximately 3 hours a day, beginning at 16h00.

Week 3: Onsite work (overall 27 hours) from 26 – 31 March at IPCA in Portugal (refinement and prototyping of selected game idea)

Week 4–7: Development of a game (overall 27 hours) from 3 April to 28 April – 9 hours per week (development of game and documentation/presentation)

Project After presenting basic concepts and possibilities, students should develop three different ideas from each of the following domains within the first week: Serious Game (Healthcare) Serious Game (non-Healthcare) Classic VR Game On-premise in Portugal, those ideas will be presented and one of them is selected to continue. Within the second week, the chosen topic should be refined, prototyping should be started/continued and the development of the game should start as well.

Deliverables per group Week 1 – 2 Ideas/Slidesets for each of the three topics Week 3 Presentation of all three ideas Low fidelity prototype (e.g. wireframes, mockups, sketches) Game design document (documenting the game and its process) Use case overview (including selected ones for development)

Week 4-7 Final game design document Implemented prototype (selected use cases) Screencast/video of the final solution Final presentation document Final virtual presentation of the game

Application

How to apply: link to form

Deadline for applications: 21 of January 2023

Students are expected to have basic knowledge at least three of the following topics:

development skills (preferable in C# or similar)
team and social skills
artwork/modeling and design
sound design
game design
knowledge in usability
basic knowledge in prototyping
basic knowledge in requirements engineering

Teams will be set up based on individual skills. Motivation letter.

Programme

Contact details

Travel

How to get to Barcelos

The main international airport that serves this region is the Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, located in the city of Porto.

There are several means of transport available to get to Barcelos, whether you come from Porto or Lisbon. Besides the transportation at your disposal, you will find that the locals are very welcoming, and that they will help you anytime you need.

From Porto Airport

By Train

You can take the metro from the interior of the airport. It is a good means of transport, easy to take and affordable. The access to the metro station is extremely simple and practical, being fully signalled.

The metro runs from 6.00 am until 01.00 am, every 20 minutes. (Further information at: http://en.metrodoporto.pt/)

From Porto Airport metro station, take Line E (purple) to Campanhã metro stop. You should exit at Campanhã metro stop, and then have a 3-minute walk to Campanhã train station. The metro ticket costs 2,00€. The trip takes approximately 37 minutes.

At Campanhã train station, you can buy your ticket to Barcelos at the vending machines or at the ticket office, where you can get further information on timetables.

From Monday to Saturday, the operating hours of the railway service are from 6.10 am to 10.10 pm. On Sundays it is available from 8.15 am to 10.10 pm. (Further information at: https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/)

Train ticket prices are around 4€ and 5€. The ticket for Alfa Pendular (high-speed train) costs around 14€ and 20€. The trip to Barcelos takes about 1 hour.

You can find a taxi right outside Barcelos train station. The fare from the train station to the city center is approximately 3,5€ during the week and 3,90€ on weekends. From the train station to IPCA campus, the fare would be about 6€ during the week, and on weekends, the price may increase up to 2€.

By Taxi

There are plenty of taxi companies that serve Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, right outside the Arrivals area.

You can also come to Barcelos by taxi. If you take/call a taxi during the regular operating hours, the cost of the trip to Barcelos will be around 70€-80€. During night time hours, it can be more expensive. Ask the driver the estimated cost. The trip takes 30 up to 40 minutes.

In case you arrive late at the airport, you might also consider staying overnight in Porto, and then come to Barcelos in the morning.

The trip from the airport to Porto city center takes an average of 20 to 30 minutes. The cost of the trip ranges from 20€ to 30€. You should note that the rates go up by 20% in the evening hours (from 9.00 pm to 6.00 am), and these changes are automatically reflected by the taxi meter. The surcharges also apply to weekends and public holidays.

By Uber or Bolt

Uber services are also available for this route. The trip from the airport to Barcelos will cost approximately 35-50€. Uber requests must be submitted directly through Uber’s App. The trip takes 30 up to 40 minutes.