Media Production for Interactive Environments - TFT00018I
Module summary
| Contemporary interactive media experiences are increasingly set within 3D interactive environments, created using real-time engines. Examples include simulations, interactive stories, virtual and augmented reality, games, and virtual film and television productions. This module introduces you to the design of such experiences and how to implement them using real-time engines. In lectures, you’ll learn about how 3D interactive environments work from a technical perspective — studying topics including representing indoor and outdoor scenes, cameras, lighting, collision detection, 3D audio and even some basic AI. You’ll also learn how to design your environments so that they guide the user and present a narrative. In practical classes you’ll put this knowledge into action by creating your own fully functioning interactive environments in the Unity real-time engine. |
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 1 2026-27 |
Module aims
The module aims:
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To develop a fundamental understanding of the technical and practical principles that underpin the development of 3D interactive environments using real-time engines.
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To introduce design principles and approaches that can be used to create interactive media experiences set in 3D environments that achieve creative objectives.
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To provide a realistic forum to develop practical experience of applying design and technical principles in the creation of functional interactive media experiences using a contemporary real-time engine.
Module learning outcomes
Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:
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Understand core technical components of 3D interactive environments — including lighting, cameras, collision, audio, and basic AI — and how they can be implemented and configured in a contemporary real-time engine.
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Understand key principles for designing interactive 3D environments — such as spatial layout, lighting, and environmental storytelling — and how they can be applied to create experiences that realise creative objectives.
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Implement interactive environments using a contemporary real-time engine, applying both technical and design principles to create experiences that achieve creative objectives and are technically robust and efficient.
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Assess the functionality, and design and technical quality, of components and assets from external sources (e.g. from collaborators, repositories, generative AI systems) so that they can be effectively integrated into, and modified in order to form, high-quality experiences that realise creative goals.
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Evaluate the effectiveness of interactive environments in delivering engaging and coherent user experiences.
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Demonstrate ability to evaluate the technical and aesthetic quality of visual and audio assets for interactive media experiences and systems.
- Demonstrate ability to analyse and chose appropriate media production approaches and media types in a given problem domain.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100.0 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100.0 |
Module feedback
You will receive individual oral feedback for the weekly practical lab sessions, during the lab sessions. You will receive written feedback on coursework assignments using a pro-forma identifying key requirements and marks awarded for sections of the assignment, in line with standard University turnaround times.
Indicative reading
- Menard, M. (2014). Game Development with Unity. United States: Cengage Learning.
- Macklin, C., Sharp, J. (2016). Games, Design and Play: A Detailed Approach to Iterative Game Design. United Kingdom: Pearson Education.
- O'Hailey, T. (2018). Rig it Right! Maya Animation Rigging Concepts, 2nd Edition. United Kingdom: CRC Press.
- Williams, R. (2012). The Animator's Survival Kit: A Manual of Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion and Internet Animators. United Kingdom: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
- Sinclair, J. (2020). Principles of Game Audio and Sound Design: Sound Design and Audio Implementation for Interactive and Immersive Media. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis Group.
- Taher, R. (2019). Hands-On Object-Oriented Programming with C#: Build Maintainable Software with Reusable Code Using C#. United Kingdom: Packt Publishing.