Training supported by
the Ministry of Culture and the CNC
Laureate of the national investment plan
"France 2030 - La grande fabrique de l'image"
Your career
in video games
starts here !
A school supported by
The video game is the first cultural industry in France and in the world!
An intense artistic and technical training to work in video game studios.
5 years of studies.
Our vision
A new paradigm is being born by bringing together video games, animation and live action.
Our professions are hybridizing, our creative tools are harmonizing, and our young creators are now crossing these professional paths without hesitation.
It seems essential to us, as part of the development of our school, to participate in these artistic and technical connections, allowing our students to be always at the forefront of the evolution of our professions.
While preserving the particularity of each field, the training provided on our various campuses is enriched by the multiple skills that are at work every day.
Making video games means mastering a set of trades with multiple skills.
Our strengths
Our school is recognized as one of the best in its field. Our mastery in the creation of computer graphics and in the conception of narrative projects makes us a place of choice for students wishing to integrate a high level training, mixing ethics and professionalism.
Our non-profit structure ensures that all our energy is put into pedagogy, and only pedagogy. A transparent approach where all stakeholders, students, parents, employees, and the teaching staff, participate in the school's development. A framework of trust, conducive to the development of our students.
The video game industry is based on solid knowledge, which requires rigor and a strong passion. The skills to be acquired are complex. They require constant curiosity and versatility. It is an eminently technological sector that confronts the arts, computer language and the creation of digital images on a daily basis. Our lecturers, all of whom are active in the professional world, ensure this transmission on a daily basis. They participate in maintaining an active technological watch, transmitting know-how that is up-to-date with the realities of the studios, and encouraging the cross-fertilization of perspectives that is essential for each student to find his or her own path.
These challenges require students to invest fully in their studies. To take advantage of these years to give themselves every chance of a successful professional career... and there are many. To know how to put down the joystick to give themselves the means to go to the other side of the screen, to the side of the artists and technicians who work daily to create these digital works. Our ability to project ourselves into the future of these images, in close collaboration with the University of Avignon and the companies in the sector, allows us to envisage the evolution of our professions, to anticipate the needs of the job market.
We are here to set a framework, and it is up to you, students and future students, to seize this rare and beautiful opportunity to work in a sector that you are passionate about. This chance requires a strong commitment and maturity. It's up to you to show us who you are!
Video games, the world's leading cultural economic sector
A pedagogy built in 3 steps
1
A first period devoted to the acquisition of artistic and technical bases
This period is essential to grasp all the skills needed to create video games. Artistic practice, general culture, visual design, 2D and 3D digital arts, and an introduction to computer languages structure this first multi-faceted approach to the video game profession.
The objective is to structure the work of the students and to develop a professional approach to the different professions. This time is necessary to allow students to discover the extent of their skills and to be able to choose a professional specialization.
Each student receives methodical and rigorous support to help them develop and structure their work.
2
A second period devoted to increasing competence in a targeted area
2 specialties :
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GAME PROGRAMMING
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GAME ART
1 common core :
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GAME DESIGN
GAME PROGRAMMING
The study of computer languages is essential to the design of video games. The mastery of algorithms, syntax, integration in game engines such as Unity and Unreal Engine, are the main issues of this specialty.
GAME ART
This specialty is dedicated to learning the technical and artistic tools necessary for the visual creation of video games.
GAME DESIGN
This is the structuring of the video game. From the synopsis to the scenario, through the creation of the game mechanics and the elaboration of the different levels, the Game Designer plays the role of conductor.
3
A third time devoted to professionalisation
The work experience allows students to concretize their learning through multiple production projects. Working in a team, managing the production stages and presenting their work to the biggest video game studios are the steps to take in order to prepare for their professional future.
We organize professional meetings that allow students to meet video game companies, ask them questions and project themselves into their future careers.
Throughout the program, students will be required to work in teams, to collaborate on the creation and design of video games.
A professional diploma jury, composed of artists, technicians and creators from video game studios, evaluate the students' projects. This is an extremely important moment that marks the end of a training cycle and the beginning of professional life.
At the end of Year 1, a workshop to create a board game
Encadrés par Éric Randall, créateur de jeux, nos étudiants conçoivent et fabriquent leur premier jeu de plateau. Mécanique du jeu, définition des règles, design, infographie, etc., c'est une première approche de tous les enjeux.
The programming department in the video game industry
Game Programmer
The game programmer analyzes, codes and creates the events and interactions that make up the game. Also called "game developer" or "game coder", he is an essential element in the creation process. His skills in computer languages and tools will allow him to give life to the video game. He integrates the graphics, interfaces, menus, soundtracks and videos created by the rest of the team and interacts them with the player, working with the entire production team to make all the elements work together. Using his coding skills, he analyzes the game's computing needs and translates them into code language, regardless of the computing medium he is working on. The final objective is to maintain the coherence of the game and ensure its performance and optimization.
Tools Programmer
He is between the artist and the designer, he is the one who facilitates their work so that they are more efficient and creative. He works on the graphic interface and the programmer code: he imagines the interface graphically by placing the components, making an ergonomic solution, then creates it on his computer using the code.
On a daily basis, the tool programmer spends most of his time coding and the rest of his time on common tasks such as meetings or code reviews. His technical challenge is to give players the best possible experience using the most extensive technology processes.
Gameplay Programmer
By performing several interactions during a game, the user experience of the player will influence the interest of the game, its comfort and its quality. This is why the role of the Gameplay Programmer is fundamental during the design of the video game and its programming. His role is to make sure that the elements defined by the specifications are respected. The tone of the game, the dynamism, the playability, the quality, etc. he will be vigilant on all these aspects. He is the guarantor of the link between the actions taken by a player and the behavior of his character for example.
With his mastery of computer tools and code (among others) his mission goes even further. He can be brought to realize the maintenance of the game, correct and adjust the possible problems, but always with the objective of proposing the best quality for the player.
A.I. Programmer
He intervenes, among other things, on the programming of a player's behaviors with his character, or on that of the computer which can make decisions by itself. He creates a unique and coherent game experience based on the principles of artificial intelligence.
AI can facilitate the production of games, the expensive blockbusters that are widely distributed. The level of detail in the worlds and the realism of their graphics requires a large amount of development time. Procedural generation, the creation of digital content on a large scale, in an automated way and following a set of rules defined by algorithms, can speed up the creation of these worlds.
The "Game Art" department
Concept Artist
The role of the Concept Artist is to transform an idea into a visual creation so that it is seen and understood by the general public. He will use the trend book and the graphic elements thought by the art director to think about the aspect of the different details of the project.
Thus, the concept artist puts into images the directives given by the art director, the project manager or even the director himself, so that all the technical and artistic interlocutors have the same vision of the universe to be created. His mission is then to think and draw places, characters, vehicles, creatures... and to give life to the atmosphere of the project.
You have to know how to use your imagination!
The Concept Artist's drawings must perfectly illustrate their story within the film or video game. The Concept Artist must be able to step back and constantly question the coherence of all the elements that make up the project's universe. On a daily basis, he/she has to do a lot of research in order to find sources of inspiration to produce his/her own concept art.
However, he cannot always let his imagination run free, as specifications must be respected and technical constraints exist. On the same project, the designer may have to modify and revise his creations if they do not respect what was requested by the art director and the project manager.
Character Designer
A character designer imagines and designs characters according to the expectations of the creation studio and the players. To do this, he draws the character and then brings it to life using various computer graphics programs.
On a daily basis, the character designer carries out graphic research, designs set elements, imagines future characters and brings them to life using computer-aided design. To carry out his mission, he works in direct collaboration with graphic designers, computer graphics artists, scriptwriters and video game programmers.
Thanks to his curiosity and his good vision of the sector, the missions of the character designer also consist in anticipating the technical constraints or favouring the use of his creations within the video game.
Technical Artist
The Technical Artist is responsible for the design, implementation and monitoring of artistic processes. He is responsible for optimizing the workflow during the production of the video game. For example, he or she can ensure that the digital files work efficiently and that the designs are always up to the required visual quality. The Technical Artist is responsible for ensuring that the artists have all the software and tools they need to do their jobs. The Technical Artist has a supervisory role within the studio in which they work and always works closely with the art and technical teams.
A transversal job!
The Technical Artist's job also has an educational dimension, as he or she must lend a hand to new artists to help them develop their skills, but also help the team he or she is part of to learn about new technologies and new work processes. By constantly juggling artistic and technical aspects, the Technical Artist has a transversal view of game production and demonstrates great versatility and a sense of teamwork.
3D Modeler
The objective of the 3D modeler is to create three-dimensional models of products, either using various computer programs and/or by directly modeling the material. The 3D modeler can work in different sectors such as the automotive, aeronautical, luxury, household objects, architecture or animation and video games.
Depending on the field in which he works, the models to be made differ between cars, objects, or characters. His work is situated between the still image created by computer graphics and computer programming. In the field of video games, he also designs the interfaces and sets up the dynamic lighting in the game.
A job between art and technology!
Under the designer's direction, the modeler creates digital sculptures as well as materials and textures. In addition to respecting the specifications, he must also obey the laws of physics. The 3D modeler has a wide range of knowledge in various fields such as anatomy, art history or architecture.
In addition, they must keep abreast of the latest innovations by following an artistic and technological watch. From now on, the modeler is not a simple executor but can show initiative and make proposals to develop the designer's project. The modeler is a privileged partner of the designer. He knows his way of thinking, he understands and shares his language.
2D/3D Animator
This computer graphics professional is able to give life to a character, an animal, an object or a setting. To put them in motion according to the objectives of the artistic direction while remaining faithful to the story, to the gameplay. He must therefore be a fine technician who masters 2D and 3D software, but also knows anatomy, architecture and traditional drawing.
A common core
"Game Design"
The game designer intervenes once the video game's audience has been targeted, the type of game and the budget have been defined. It then designs the gameplay, i.e. the rules of the game, the functions to be used and all the interaction possibilities offered to the player.
The game designer's job is to translate a written scenario into a virtual game, with characters, scenes, situations and settings. The whole must include actions, interfaces, distinct game phases, surprising protagonists and different levels of difficulty.
The game designer begins by writing the game design document (GDD), which details all the recommendations to be followed by the entire production team. Producing a game is not a job for a solitary genius, but a real team effort! He must constantly consult with the info-designers, animators, graphic designers, sound designers and testers.
By constantly monitoring development costs and respecting the client's request, the game designer intervenes throughout the development process in the logic and interactivity of the game, to create a fun and captivating universe.
It's up to the game designer to build puzzles, to imagine the behavior of the heroes, to find new challenges... It's important that the game moves and that the player remains involved in the game!
He is also involved in the overall design. To do this, he must show both imagination and great technical mastery. He has an excellent knowledge of computer graphics and 3D computer graphics software. He also masters several programming languages.
Level Designer
Under the responsibility of the game designer, the level designer elaborates the different mechanisms of each level and the gameplay settings (concept and rules of the game). Based on a set of specifications, the level designer imagines and develops the player's journey by varying the pace, diversity and difficulty of the game. His objective: to build a pleasant game experience while keeping the player at the heart of the universe proposed by the game.
Level design, a rigorous and artistic process
Like a game architect, the level designer maps the game's settings and integrates a series of elements (characters, obstacles, puzzles, bonuses, etc.) that will give rhythm to the player's progress and allow him to evolve from one level to the next.
Once the levels have been drawn on paper, he uses specific software called level editors to create the different maps of the game, to model the levels, to adjust the characters' behavior and to integrate obstacles. He then tests the game's playability (the interface, the intuitive game controls, the ease of use...) and makes the necessary adjustments. He works in close collaboration with all the actors of the production chain such as computer graphics artists, sound designers, and developers.
A passionate teaching team,
talented professionals
This is the DNA of our school, a professional training given by working professionals. We are happy to welcome people with varied backgrounds to the school who participate alongside us in defining artistic and technical issues.
Our speakers (non exhaustive list)
Frédéric Bast - Programming / Unity integration
Yvan Bladet - Programming / Unity integration
Frédéric Conil - 2D Computer Graphics
Léo Brunel - 3D Computer Graphics
Xavier LE DANTEC - 3D Computer Graphics
Matthieu Grospiron - 3D Lighting
Nicolas Reinhard - 3D Graphics / Unity
Marie Le Bon - 3D Computer Graphics / Unity
Reynald Gareneau - 3D Sculpture
Benoît Viougeas - Animation
Tommy Ha Phuoc - History of video games and game design
Laure Nollet - Game Design
Paul Vandermaessen - Game Design
Karl Fayeton - Game Design
Aurélien Rousse - Game Design / 3D Computer Graphics
Alice Donnet - Narrative Design
Eric Randall - Game Design
Fabrice Cardot - Academic Design
Daniel Ballin - Character & Environment Design
Olivier Fiquet - Drawing
Jean-François Evrard - Video
Pierre-François Renouf - Sound Design / Sound Editing
Stéphane Vaillant - English
The video game in a few figures
2021 was the best year in the history of video games in France. In "L'Essentiel du jeu vidéo" published in March 2022, the Leisure Software Publishers' Union shows that the sector grew by 1.6% compared to 2020, which was already a record year, to reach 5.6 billion euros in sales. When, for comparison, it was at €2.7 billion in 2013 (the first year of analysis for The Essential of Video Games, 2014 edition).
This meteoric rise is the result of several factors: the evolution and democratization of the practice, the rise of new-generation consoles, the ever-growing development of the mobile market, the dematerialization of games, cloud gaming (offering the possibility of playing games via internet streaming from any screen), and still the sale of physical video games.
In a few years, the sector has become the first cultural industry in France, but also in the world.
Un cadre propice au développement des étudiants
We are developing this video game program with respect to the issues that have always motivated us:
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A controlled number of students to encourage a quality exchange with each student.
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A non-profit association structure, to work in a framework of trust, with the assurance that all energy is put at the service of pedagogy, and only pedagogy.
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A control of the costs of schooling which makes it possible to propose a reasonable rate.
Teaching provided by a professional teaching team experienced in the transmission of knowledge, in pedagogical structuring and always in touch with the realities of the professional world.
The city of Carpentras is a city of art and history a few kilometers from Avignon. Rich of its historical past, it never stops looking forward. Its developments in the digital field make it an ideal location for our campus specialized in video games.
Courses sample
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Art History
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Video game culture
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English
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Video & photo workshops
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Narration
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2D graphics
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Illustration
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Project follow-up
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Animation
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Sound design
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Academic drawing
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Programming
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3D computer graphics
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Real time engines
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Character design
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Environment design
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Etc.
Applications are made outside Parcoursup.
Candidates register via our website.
Access to the course is subject to an entrance examination.
Prerequisites :
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1st year: all types of baccalaureate, arts preparatory courses, etc.
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3rd year: 2 years' higher education or equivalent professional experience.
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Your level will be assessed during the entrance exam, so that we can offer you the right orientation.
Curiosity, passion, open-mindedness and rigour are the keywords of our courses.
Academic year: 2023-2024
Enrolment fee: €80
Cost of course: €7,400 / year
