Game Design
Online Certificate Courses
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Build the foundation of your game design skills for post-secondary study.
Vancouver Film School鈥檚 Game Design Series offers a variety of courses spanning game development. You鈥檒l gain hands-on experience while building the foundation and portfolio necessary to pursue 色狼窝鈥檚 12-month Game Design program. We welcome aspiring game devs, high school students, mature students, and anyone looking to upskill or make a career pivot.
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Game Design Fundamentals (online)
Jump into the world of game design with this exciting introductory course. You鈥檒l be taken through theory, industry 鈥渨ar-stories鈥�, hands-on lessons with simple game design tools, and finish off by outlining and pitching your very own game! Additionally, students with access to a Nintendo Switch will be able to try out their new skillset in Super Mario Maker 2 as a class assignment.
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- Learn about the different types of game designers in the industry and what they do day-to-day.
- Explore the fundamentals of game design theory and some advanced concepts.
- Design a game level on paper and implement it in the 3D software tool Sketch Up.
- Demonstrate proficiency in utilizing spreadsheets to design systems and balance a game.
- Design characters, content, and narrative for an existing game of your choice.
- Create a Super Mario Maker 2 level with level design best practices (alternative Assignment Available for those without a Nintendo Switch).
- Collaborate on a game pitch with other students and present it to the class.
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- Computer with a microphone & camera
- Sketchup (free)
- Google Sheets (free)
- Google Docs (free)
- Google Presentation (free)
- Nintendo Switch console with Super Mario Maker 2 (recommended) 鈥� those who do not have a Nintendo Switch will be able to complete an alternative assignment using Sketchup
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Students are not required to have any previous training or experience.
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Course Details:
Dates: August 4 - September 22, 2026
Instructor:
Duration: 7-week course, one online class per week
Time: Tuesday, 5-8听p.m. PDT
Cost: $950 CAD
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色狼窝 Game Design: VFX for Video Games (online)
Create real-time VFX for video games in Unreal Engine and build your game design skills over just four classes. Through this intensive crash course, you鈥檒l learn how to create particle systems and shaders for visual effects and how to have these effects serve as efficient communicators for players to improve your game鈥檚 feel, aesthetics, and input feedback. You鈥檒l also learn proper optimization 鈥� a crucial element to avoid slowing down your game as you implement VFX.听
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- Learn to create particle systems in Unreal Engine, using Niagara
- Learn to create textures (i.e., noises) with Photopea and MaterialMaker
- Learn to create VFX materials & shaders in Unreal Engine
- Understand best practices for timing and optimization of VFX
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- Computer with internet, microphone & camera
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- *This is an intermediate course. Students should be familiar with at least one game engine and have a general idea of game development pipelines (self-taught game developers welcome).
- Students looking to acquire beginner experience are encouraged to explore 色狼窝鈥檚 Intro to Unreal workshop prior to taking this course.
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Course Details:
Dates: 听September 28 - October 19, 2026
Instructor:
Duration: 4-week course, one online class per week
Time: Wednesdays, 5:30-8:30 p.m. PDT
Cost: $400 CAD
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Creative Coding: Python for Artists (online)
This course introduces Python (high-level programming language) through a project-based approach designed specifically for artists, designers, and visual learners. Rather than focusing on abstract computer science concepts, students learn programming by solving practical problems, automating creative workflows, building simple applications, manipulating images, and exploring modern AI-assisted development techniques.
By the end of the course, students will have developed the confidence to continue learning independently while understanding how programming can become a valuable tool throughout their creative careers.
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- Understand the core fundamentals of Python programming and computational thinking
- Build practical programs using variables, loops, functions, classes, and object-oriented principles
- Automate repetitive creative workflows
- Develop simple desktop applications using Python UI frameworks
- Manipulate images and files through scripting and external Python libraries
- Develop effective strategies for using modern AI tools to accelerate learning, while maintaining strong problem-solving skills
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- Computer with internet, microphone & camera
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Students are not required to have any previous training or experience.
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Course Details:
Dates: 听October 3 鈥� December 5, 2026
Instructor:
Duration: 10-week course, one online class per week
Time: Saturdays, 10 a.m. 鈥� 12 p.m. PDT
Cost: $750 CAD
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Unreal Engine Game Development Bootcamp (online)
This 11-week bootcamp introduces students to professional Blueprint development through practical, hands-on game creation. Rather than isolated tutorials, students progressively build a playable prototype while learning how real development teams structure gameplay systems, player interactions, UI, animation, VFX, persistence, and data-driven architecture. Each week introduces industry-standard workflows followed by practical challenges that reinforce concepts through implementation, culminating in a final playable project presentation.
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- Understand gameplay systems using Unreal Engine Blueprints and professional development practices
- Understand actor communication, interfaces, collision systems, and player interactions
- Create UI systems, player health, checkpoints, saving, and gameplay progression
- Implement animation, Niagara VFX, materials, and player feedback systems
- Develop scalable data-driven weapon and inventory systems using Structs and Data Tables
- Learn debugging, optimization, packaging, and production workflows used in commercial Unreal Engine projects
- Produce and present a polished playable prototype demonstrating industry-ready skills
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- Computer with internet, microphone & camera
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Students are not required to have any previous training or experience.
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Course Details:
Dates: 听October 6 鈥� December 15, 2026
Instructor:
Duration: 11-week course, one online class per week
Time: Tuesdays, 1-3 p.m. PDT
Cost: $750 CAD
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Contact Course
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* Upon successful completion of this SHORT-TRACK course or workshop, the cost can be deducted from any full-time Advanced Production program tuition at 色狼窝. Only one discount may be applied.
**Students must confirm they are at least 16 years old at the beginning of the course in order to register.
***Please note that courses may be cancelled at any time due to low enrolment. Upon cancellation, registrants will receive a full refund.
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If you have any questions, please contact: industryworkshops@vfs.com
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