Game Animation

Overview

Course description

This course introduces students to the core principles of animation with a focus on essential techniques for game and interactive experience development. Students learn how to design and create two- and three-dimensional game animations using a hands-on approach. Topics include keyframe animation, hierarchical modelling, deformation, and control rigs.

Course content

Foundations of animation

Overview of the game animation pipeline
The fundamental principles of animation, including squash and stretch, anticipation, and timing
Frame-by-frame vs. rig-based animation
Timing, spacing, and motion curves

Two-dimensional (2D) animation techniques

Overview of 2D asset preparation
Hierarchical modelling and bone-based rigging
Use of sprite sheets in modern game engines
Keyframe animation and interpolation
Mesh deformation and vertex weighting
Skeletal control rigs for 2D characters

Three-dimensional (3D) animation techniques

Differences between 2D and 3D game animation
Basic 3D rigging and keyframe animation
Skeletal control rigs for 3D characters
Forward kinematics and inverse kinematics

Visual effects

Particle systems, including fire, smoke, fog, and ambient dust
Layering effects for character animation

Modern game engine integration

Importing 2D and 3D animations into modern game engines
Animation controllers and state machines
Real-time blending and transitions
Debugging and optimizing animations for game engines

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools for pipeline efficiency

Overview of AI tools and techniques for game animation
Automation of repetitive tasks
Ethical considerations in AI-assisted content creation

Learning activities

The topics are covered through in-class lectures, laboratory assignments, projects, readings, and research.

Means of assessment

Assessment will be in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on the following:

Labs	5-25%
Assignments	0-20%
Projects	0-30%
Term Test(s)	20-35%
Final Exam	25-40%
Total	100%

In order to receive a D grade (or higher) in the course, students must receive an overall course grade of at least 50% and a grade of at least 50% on the combined weighted examination components (Term Test(s) and the Final Exam).

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

demonstrate foundational knowledge of animation principles by producing short clips for squash and stretch, anticipation, and timing;
distinguish between two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) animation techniques used in game and interactive experience development;
create and rig animated characters using industry-standard tools and techniques, including keyframe animation, hierarchical modelling, and mesh deformation;
apply forward and inverse kinematics to produce dynamic and responsive character animations;
integrate animated assets into modern game engines, utilizing animation controllers, state machines, and blending techniques to support interactive gameplay;
utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and workflows to increase animation production efficiency;
evaluate and apply diverse animation methods to achieve similar visual outcomes, making informed decisions based on production goals, technical constraints, and artistic intent.

Textbook materials

Consult the Douglas College Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials.

Sample textbooks and materials may include:

Wilhelm Ogterop and Henk Venter. (Current Edition). Unreal Engine 5 Character Creation, Animation, and Cinematics: Create custom 3D assets and bring them to life in Unreal Engine 5 using MetaHuman, Lumen, and Nanite. Packt Publishing.

Requisites

Prerequisites

CMPT 3167 (with a grade of C or better)

Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

September 2026 (Current)

Course Transfers to Other Institutions

Below are current transfer agreements from Douglas College to other institutions for the current course guidelines only. For a full list of transfer details and archived courses, please see the BC Transfer Guide.

Institution	Transfer details for CMPT 4361
There are no applicable transfer credits for this course.