DigiPen

A Tradition of
Excellence
As the world’s first college to offer a bachelor’s degree program
dedicated to game development, DigiPen Institute of Technology
has long been the top choice for students pursuing a career in
the digital interactive media industry. The performance-driven
nature of the industry has set high standards and created fierce
competition for graduates entering the job market today. In order
for its students to succeed, DigiPen prepares its graduates to
join the industry well-equipped with a solid academic foundation,
team project experience, and an understanding of the complex
relationship between user and experience. “DigiPen is committed to providing a
comprehensive educational experience
Founded in 1988, DigiPen continues to be a leader in computer
for those pursuing a serious career in
simulation, video game development, computer engineering, and
game development. and animation.”
production animation education. The Institute’s comprehensive
degree programs combine highly academic curricula with team- CLAUDE COMAIR,
FOUNDER
based projects, taught by a world-class faculty with many years
of industry experience. The DigiPen Bilbao campus offers the
following programs:

Degree Programs
Bachelor of Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Production Animation

ProjectFUN Workshops
Video Game Programming
3D Animation

The excellence of DigiPen’s education is demonstrated by the

number of award-winning independent games produced by the
Institute’s students. DigiPen students have won 32 awards in
worldwide competitions and events, including 27 awards from
the world-renowned International Game Festival (IGF). No other
university in the world has won as many awards in the field. Due
to their exceptional knowledge and abilities, DigiPen graduates
are continuously in high demand by companies in the industry.
DigiPen faculty and engineers have also achieved awards of
distinction from technology industry leaders. Boeing, the world
leader in aerospace manufacturing for both commercial and
military applications, has 10,800 suppliers worldwide. From these
suppliers, DigiPen was awarded as Boeing’s “2008 Supplier
of the Year – Technology Category” for software that DigiPen
developed for Boeing. In addition, DigiPen was also awarded
a 2008 Boeing Performance Excellence Award. According to
Boeing, “merging the best of simulation technology from the
software development, aerospace and defense industries,
DigiPen’s innovation has provided Boeing with the capacity to
prototype new ideas and technologies, to evaluate their value and
to mitigate risks before fully investing in them.”

The combination of a highly academic curriculum, real-life project

experience, and an outstanding award-winning faculty gives
DigiPen students a clear advantage to become successful and
valuable members of the digital interactive media industry.

Jenna Smith 2009

2
 CONTENTS
Get to Know Bilbao 4
History 5
Game Industry in Europe 6
Why DigiPen 7
Bachelor Degree Programs 8-9
Real-Time Interactive Simulation 8
Production Animation 9
Industry Response 10
Alumni 11
Graduate Success 12
Award Winning Games 13
Summer Workshops 14
Applying and How to Learn More 15
Blight - 2010 Student Game

Student environment project

2009

3
 Get to Know
Bilbao!
Bilbao, the capital of the province of Biscay,
is the largest city in the Basque Country,
Spain. The Greater Bilbao area has a
population of approximately one million,
which is almost one-half of the Basque
Country’s inhabitants. Greater Bilbao is
spread along both sides of the Nervión
River, where many towns, businesses and
factories are located, making it an industrial
and economic center. Since the Nervión
River runs through the city of Bilbao to the
Atlantic Ocean, Bilbao is also considered an
important seaport. Furthermore, the city of
Bilbao provides a connection hub to roads,
highways, and railways that join Europe with
Spain and Portugal. It is the most financially
and industrially successful city of the Greater
Bilbao area.

In addition to its vital role in Spain’s economy,

Bilbao is also considered a center for culture,
art, and architecture. The Guggenheim
Museum is an internationally recognized
DigiPen Institute of Technology Europe - Bilbao is located at Alameda Rekalde 50, Bilbao, Bizkaia.

Moyua Square

Provincial Government of Bizkaia, in main street Gran Via Don Diego Lopez de Haro

architectural masterpiece, and together with the

Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, they display formidable
collections of Spanish and international works of
art. The city also has several theaters and concert
halls to host cultural events, including its own
Bilbao Symphony Orchestra.

Bilbao seeks to further extend its leadership by

© FMGB Guggenheim Bilbao Museoa, Bilbao 2010. Photo:
Bilbao Chamber of Commerce.
Find out more about our fascinating city at:
http://www.visitbilbao.info/ingles/home_i.html
developing advanced technologies, industries,
and education, entrepreneurship, and a culture of
innovation. The Bilbao Chamber of Commerce, in
cooperation with DigiPen Institute of Technology,
has opened DigiPen Institute of Technology
Europe – Bilbao in an effort to build the area into
the European leader in the digital simulation
industry.

4
Long-standing
history...
1988 DigiPen Corporation, a computer simulation and
animation company is founded in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.

1990 DigiPen begins offering a 3D animation

program and collaborates with Nintendo of America
to create a post-secondary program for video game
programming.

1994 With Nintendo’s support, DigiPen Applied

Computer Graphics School accepts its first class of
video game programming students.

1996 DigiPen offers B.S.Degrees in

Real-Time Interactive Simulation – the world’s
first bachelor degree program dedicated to
1998
DigiPen moves its campus
computer and video game development. from Vancouver, B.C. to
Redmond, WA.

DigiPen Timeline 1988 - Present

1999 Associate
of Applied Arts in 3D
Computer Animation
degree is offered.

2000
DigiPen awards diplomas to its
first class of R.T.I.S. graduates.

2004 DigiPen adds Bachelor of Science in Computer

Engineering, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Production Animation and
Master of Science in Computer Science programs.

2008 Bachelor of Science in Game Design and Bachelor

of Art in Game Design programs are added.
DigiPen opens a campus in Singapore.

2010 DigiPen proudly

announces the opening of the
new campus in Bilbao, Spain.

5
 The Game Industry
in Spain and Europe 3.7

Success in the computer and video game 4

2.9
2.8
and animation industries is dependent
3.5
on innovation, creativity, and technical
excellence. The market for highly qualified 3

production and development personnel is

2.5

BIllions €
very competitive across Europe, resulting 1.4

in a shortage of talented European 2

manpower. This leaves many European
1.5
companies unable to find qualified
domestic employees and forced to pay 1
the high cost of relocating foreign workers
0.5
from the U.S. and Asia to Europe. There
are over 25 game development studios 0
in Spain alone and hundreds more across United Kingdom France Germany Spain

Europe. DigiPen seeks to solve the

problem by educating and growing a base
of skilled engineers and artists in Europe
1 in 3
households in Spain
Spain is the fourth largest consumer of interactive
software and hardware in Europe.*

to meet the demands of the expanding

have at least one game
digital interactive entertainment industry. Many world-renowned game
console. Nearly 60%
of Spanish household developers, such as Sony,
have a computer. Codemasters, Ubisoft, EA,
Among Spanish people
Rockstar, and Crytek, have
Europe is the third between the ages of
7 and 34, over 45% internal development
largest gaming play video games.* studios in Europe.
market in Hardware
DVD
10%

the world.** 25%

Box Office
29%

Software
Recorded music DVD
28%
8%
Box Office
In 2009, the audiovisual and interactive entertainment sales in Recorded music
Software
Spain totalled over 2.3 billion euros with video game related sales
Hardware
accounting for more than 1.2 billion euros.*

2009 Game Sales in Spain by Genre*

Find Out More! Strategy

6%
Other
4%
Action
The Entertainment Software Association Sports 34% Action
www.theesa.com 23% Adventure
Racing
Spanish Association of Distributors and Publishers Sports
of Entertainment Software Strategy
www.adese.es Other

Interactive Software Federation of Europe Racing

www.isfe-eu.org 11% Adventure
22%
GameDev Map
* Balance económico de la industria del videojuego 2009 by the ADESE
www.gamedevmap.com
** Interactive Software Federation of Europe
6
Why
DigiPen Recognition
 DigiPen offers the world’s FIRST game development degree
and holds a strong reputation for offering established and
quality interactive digital media education over the last two
decades.
 Since 2001, DigiPen has received 27 student game awards
at the Independent Games Festival – more than any other
school in the world. DigiPen is the only academic institution to
have its students’ games placed in the professional category.
The Game Developers Conference (GDC) is the world’s
largest professionals-only game industry event.

Specialized degree programs

 DigiPen programs make up a highly specialized curriculum
that emphasizes deep, fundamental understanding of
game development alongside animation concepts and
techniques. This instills a depth of knowledge far beyond
that of a traditional school and prepares students to become
INNOVATORS rather than users of technology.
 Students obtain education in digital entertainment production
that can also be applied to many fields.

Applied-focused education
 DigiPen education goes beyond mere theory and applications.
It’s not enough that our students learn about games – they
have to make them. At DigiPen, students work on group
projects where they create everything from scratch, be
it complete game engines, AI or storyboard and sound
development.

Proven results
 The success of DigiPen’s teaching philosophy is evident in our
graduate and internship placement records. While graduates
Student Team Animation - 2008
at the U.S. campus have been hired by top game developers
to work on some of the biggest games in the industry (Portal,
Call of Duty, Metroid Prime, Half Life 2, Counterstrike,
M.A.G., etc), some freshman students at the Singapore
campus have also obtained internship opportunities with
the Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R), a member of the
Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) family,
and Ubisoft Singapore during 2009.
 Two students were also selected for the MIT-Gambit Game
Lab program in Boston in June 2009.

Experienced and dedicated faculty

 DigiPen faculty members are made up of academic experts,
as well as experienced game and animation leaders. DigiPen
RevEng - 2010 Student Game education aims to simulate fast-paced industry conditions
rather than plain rote learning or iron-clad pedagogies. Our
instructors emphasize critical thinking, flexible methodologies,
aesthetic discernment and a variety of practical, viable skills
that will give students that competitive edge.

Strong industry connections

 DigiPen’s close links with the industry, government bodies
and community ensure that the curriculum is constantly
updated to stay relevant. These strong connections have also
led to collaborative opportunities.

7
 Bachelor of
Science in
Real-Time
Interactive
 Blockbreakers - 2009 Student Game
Simulation
The R.T.I.S. program is a computer science pro-
gram that focuses heavily on the technical area
of graphics and simulations used for a variety
of applications from video games to military or
medical simulations.

CURRICULUM
1. In the first year of the program, students
study core subjects in computer science,
math, physics, and comple-
mentary courses in the hu-
manities and social sciences.
2. Throughout the program,
R.T.I.S. students take a series
of projects classes in which
they create complete, playable
Bachelor
games that become increas-
ingly complex and sophisticat-
ed each year.
3. DigiPen has found games to
be the perfect medium for
students to directly apply
Progr Discover which
their theory and coursework.
This is because games are may be rig
very complex pieces of soft-
ware that require students to
have an understanding of a
variety of skills, such as algo-
rithms for artificial intelligence,
graphics, audio, physics, user interface de-
sign, code architecture and optimization.

Kabloom Attack of the 50 ft. Robot! CAREER OUTLOOK

- 2009 Student Game  - 2009 Student Game
DigiPen’s R.T.T.I.S. alumni have been contribu uting
to the videeo game industtry since its early yearrs
and are creditted on manyy of the top-selling titles
of the lastt de
ecade. While most of our gradu uates
have purssued d roles with hin the game indu ustryy,
they are fully y capable off applying their kn now wl-
edge in anny software engineering field. A fe ew of
the specifi
fic ro
oles for R.T.I.S. graduates are:·

 Game
eplaay Engineer
 Tools Eng
gineer
 Softw
ware
e Developme
ent Engineer
 Graph
hics Engineer
 Physic
cs Engineer
 Artificial Intelligence Engineer

8
 Bachelor of
Fine Arts in
Production
Animation
Starting 2011  2009 Student Digital Painting
 Jennie Nguyen - 2009

The focuss of the B.F.A. program is on deve elop

p-
ing a solid
d fou
undation in fine arts and animaation
technique es with practiccal production exxperri-
ence. Stu udennts are not restricted to any par-
ticular sofftw
ware package e and can thus easily
apply and adapt their skills to a broad rang ge of
technologies and develo opment environme entss.
DigiPen’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in Producction
Animation n deegree prograam is designed to pre e-
pare studen nts to enter as pro
oducc-
tion artists and animators in nto a
broad range of careers in tradi-
tional and digital media, inclu
uding

r Degree video game

and more.
es, cinema, the web b,

rams
degree program
CURRICULUM
1. The first year of the B.F.A.
program focuses heavily on the
development of foundational fine
arts skills.
2. B.F.A. students apply founda-
tional skills to concept and design
ght for you… work in 2D and (beginning in the
second year) 3D.
3. In addition to individual proj-
ects and assignments for regular
courses, B.F.A. students also take
project classes where they have the op-
portunity to create a short animated video
or work with a team of programmers on a
student game.
 Ryan Miller - 2009
CAREER OUTLOOK
Some of the potential job titles for B.F.A. gradu-
ates include:

 Concept Artist
 Storyboard Artist
 Character Designer
 3D Modeler
 Animator
 Cinematic Animator

9
 What are “ DigiPen is leading the
academic community by
providing a starting point
for those wishing to pursue
employers a career in the country’s
fastest growing entertainment
industry. From the
saying Valedictorian of DigiPen’s first
graduating class to the seven
graduates who produced
about 2007’s Game of the Year,
Portal, DigiPen has become
DigiPen a leading source for finding
new and talented employees
at Valve.
graduates? ~ Doug Lombardi
VP of Marketing, Valve

“ Because of DigiPen’s
focus on game design/
development and
real-world approach to the
game development cycle,
graduating students have a
clear leg up on other college
students seeking jobs in the
games industry.
~ James Pfeiffer
Test Manager Microsoft
Game Studios
“ ArenaNet has had
a consistent success rate
in hiring DigiPen grads.
DigiPen’s curriculum has
evolved with the industry, and
continues to supply students
with the skills that make them
attractive to the entertainment
industry. For this reason,
ArenaNet is proud to continue
employing new DigiPen grads
every year.
~ Sonia Dociu
Recruiting Coordinator,

“ ArenaNet, Inc.

“
10
Alumni
{ Innovation
and Excellence }
Brittany Aubert
Assistant Producer - 5TH Cell

“Being involved with my team, meeting with them, and working out
problems with my team was the highlight of my DigiPen experience. For
this reason I was strongly drawn to going into a production role when I got
out of school. The RTIS program gave me a strong technical background.
I can communicate with my programmers about problems as they arise
and better understand how long tasks will take when scheduling. This also
helps when we’ve hit a technical hurdle. Because of my programming
background, my programmers have an easier time explaining to me why
things aren’t working the way they intended.”

Advice to Incoming Students:

“Take every situation you’re thrown into as a learning experience, and
approach every challenge with the desire to grow from it. Know your limits
so you can exceed them and never be afraid to ask questions.”

Pat Jandro
Cinematic Animator - Bungie
“I really love the amount of creative freedom I get to have when it comes
to my work. Working in cinematics, where our main goal is all about telling
a good story, allows me to explore a multitude of different avenues when it
comes to how that story is going to unfold. Each scene is a different puzzle
with many unique pieces that need to be imaginatively put together to
create a final narrative.”

Advice to Incoming Students:

“Be prepared to work. Getting the skills necessary to have a competitive
edge over all others is no small feat to accomplish by any means, and it
requires some serious investment from yourself to grow as an artist. But
instead of seeing the end result as one mountainous goal, you should
maintain your optimism and figure out the small steps first while keeping
your long term goals within reach.”

11
 Grad Success at
IGF and Beyond
Since 2001, DigiPen has won 27 student game awards from
the Independent Games Festival (IGF). IGF is a competition
for independently developed games held at the U.S. Game
Developers Conference (GDC). Furthermore, because of the
exemplary quality of DigiPen’s student games, DigiPen is one of
the very few schools that has been able to submit student games
into the professional category.

From Narbacular Drop to Portal

IGF 2006 Student Showcase Winner to
2007’s Game of the Year!

BFA graduate, Jenna Smith's "Marie Antoinette" was

selected to appear in art annual Spectrum 2009.

Top Prize!

Seven DigiPen students landed the opportunity of their

lifetimes when Valve picked up the entire team to turn
their DigiPen senior game, Narbacular Drop, into a
professional game, Portal, to be bundled in “The Orange
Box” with Half-Life 2. Portal was honored at GDC 2008,
winning Game of the Year.

Joshua Maiche, Brian Lee, Mike Halbrook, Ben Frazier, and

Andrew Hall accept their $100,000 check at the 2010 Indie
Game Challenge.

The Independent Games Competition

Brad Rasmussen, Zach Peterson, John Jensen, Steve
Chiavelli, and Ben Smith win the IGF award for Best
Student Game in 2007 for their game Toblo.
(I.G.C.) is a new award ceremony
attached to the industry’s most
prestigious conference, Design,
Innovate, Communicate, Entertain
(D.I.C.E.). In 2010, Joshua Maiche, Brian
Lee, Mike Halbrook, Ben Frazier, and
Andrew Hall took home the $100,000
prize in the Non-Professional category
at the Indie Game Challenge for their
student game GEAR.

12
 DigiPen’s
Award-Winning Games
The following is a partial list of award-winning
DigiPen games, for a complete list from all years,
visit the Game Gallery: www.digipen.edu.

Dreamside Maroon - 2009 Junior

Winner - IGF 2010 Student Showcase
Finalist - Indie Game Challenge 2010, Non-Professional

GEAR - 2009 Sophomore

2009 2010
Winner - Indie Game Challenge 2010, Non-Professional

Igneous - 2009 Junior

Winner - IGF 2010 Student Showcase

 Igneous - 2009 Student Game Tag - 2008 Junior

Winner - Best Student Game 2009
Winner - IGF 2009 Student Showcase

Synaesthete - 2007 Junior

Winner - Best Student Game 2008
Winner - IGF 2008 Student Showcase
Finalist - IGF 2008 Excellence in Visual Arts
2008

Professional Category

Empyreal Nocturne - 2007 Senior

Winner - IGF 2008 Student Showcase

Toblo - 2006 Junior

 Dreamside Maroon - 2009 Student Game
Winner - Best Student Game 2007
Winner - IGF 2007 Student Showcase
Finalist - IGF 2007 Innovation in Game Design
Professional Category
Finalist - Slamdance Guerrilla Gamemaker Competition
Winner - Intel Games Demo 2006 Best Game on the Go

Base Invaders - 2006 Senior

Winner - IGF 2007 Student Showcase
2007

Finalist - Slamdance Guerrilla Gamemaker Competition

Gelatin Joe - 2006 Sophomore

Winner - IGF 2007 Student Showcase

Toblo - 2006 Junior

First Place Audience Award - Northwest Games Festival
 GEAR - 2009 Student Game
Rumble Box - 2005 Senior
Finalist - IGF 2006 Innovation in Game Design
Professional Category

“ These games exemplify the dream

of DigiPen president Claude Comair.
Recognition achieved by the team that
created Tag is a testament to not only
Winner - Slamdance Physics Award
Finalist - Slamdance Guerrilla Gamemaker Competition

Narbacular Drop - 2005 Senior

Finalist - IGF 2006 Student Showcase
this dream, but also the dedication of Finalist - Slamdance
DigiPen’s students, faculty, and staff. Finalist - Slamdance Guerrilla Gamemaker Competition
Raymond Yan - DigiPen C.O.O., U.S.A. Sea Of Chaos - 2005 Junior

“
2006

Finalist - IGF 2006 Student Showcase

Orblitz - Junior
Finalist - IGF 2006 Student Showcase 13
 Is a career in the game
or digital media industry
right for you?
Consider participating in DigiPen’s ProjectFUN
Workshops. Designed specifically for students ages 17
and up, these workshops are an excellent introduction
to the digital interactive media fields. No experience is
required, and the hands-on nature allows participants
to fully understand the production process. These two-
week long workshops are offered during the summer
at DigiPen’s Bilbao campus and at a variety of off-site
locations in the United States and across the world.

Academically, these workshops help students

develop problem-solving skills and enhance their
thinking processes. In addition, students discover
the role of mathematics, physics, art, and the
importance of the integration of these academic
topics in the field of software engineering.
Visit www.digipen.es/workshops
for more information.

Workshops are offered in:

Game Programming
3D Animation

14
Applying to
DigiPen
DigiPen works on a rolling admissions basis, enrolling
new students each fall. In addition to standard application
elements such as an application form, transcripts,
Selectividad, and a personal statement, there are additional
requirements for specific programs:

 Bachelor of Science in Real-Time

Interactive Simulation  Paper War - 2010 Student Game
Grades in mathematics will be evaluated.
 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Production Animation
Art program applicants must submit an art portfolio
with between ten to twenty samples of work, of which
at least 50% are drawings from direct observation.

For a complete list of admission materials and

requirements, or to begin the application process online,
please visit DigiPen’s website at www.digipen.es.

You can also contact DigiPen Europe Bilbao by phone

at 94-4706400 or 94-4706500 or by e-mail at
admissions.es@digipen.es. DigiPen admission
representatives can address questions about DigiPen’s
various programs and preparatory coursework that should
be completed prior to applying.

Learn More!
Visit our website at www.digipen.es to request an information
package, to get up-to-date news and information, or to visit
our gallery and download some of our students’ award-
winning games.

Speak to an Admissions Representative

Call and speak with one of DigiPen’s admissions
representatives at 94-4706400 or 94-4706500, or email
admissions.es@digipen.es to have your questions answered
or to arrange a one-on-one meeting.

Attend an Open House

DigiPen Europe Bilbao will offer in-person open houses and
online information sessions. Please visit DigiPen’s website for
information on dates and how to register for either event.

15
DigiPen Insttitutte of Technolog
gy Europe - Bilbao
Alameda Re ekalde 50
48008 Bilbaao, Bizkaia
Spain
Tel. 94-4706
64000 or 94-4706500 0
Fax: 94-470664011
www.digipen.es