Game design education extends beyond the classroom: up-to-date, comprehensive courses are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to a well-rounded game design education.(SPONSORED EDITORIAL)

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

What if you could be a game designer in only one year's time? And not just any game designer--a professional who is well educated, an efficient and effective team player, and trained in and knowledgeable about all facets of the game-development workflow, from initial idea to final delivery. What if, during that year and beyond, you had the opportunity to learn from, collaborate with, forge relationships with, present your ideas to, and perhaps even work for local and global industry players?

Students of various ages, cultures, and walks of life are doing precisely that in the Vancouver Film School's (VFS's) Game Design program. Students in the eighth graduating class may have just embarked on new career paths, but they entered the industry long before graduation day. Even while attending classes, students at Vancouver Film School are entrenched in the industry, each step of the way.

Industry Exposure

Vancouver Film School's Game Design program is headed by David Warfield, a 15-year veteran of Electronic Arts, a leading independent developer and publisher of inter active entertainment software. Warfield oversees a faculty comprising 30 part-time instructors who simultaneously hold positions in the game industry at companies such as Radical Entertainment, Electronic Arts, Next Level Games, Propaganda Games, Backbone Entertainment, Nokia Games, and Relic Entertainment. The faculty members' roles in the industry and regular contact with local companies ensure they provide students the optimal training and education to fill the role of game designers.

This capable staff also gains valuable input from an advisory board made up of top executives in game companies large and small. "The advisory board is regularly polled about the curriculum and where things are going in the industry," explains Warfield.

The school also hosts guest speakers from game-development businesses who share their experiences, advice, and knowledge. Game company leaders, designers, and development staff often visit and talk about their process, providing students with valuable insight into the inner workings of successful game-development businesses.