James Bell
I am a Lecturer in Games Development at Belfast Metropolitan College, based at the Castlereagh Campus. I am also the Course Coordinator for the Level 3 Games Development programme, where I lead the technical and creative direction of the course.
Lecturer & Course Coordinator
My role involves designing and delivering an industry‑aligned curriculum that prepares students for progression into higher education or entry‑level roles within the games and creative technology industries.
As Course Coordinator, I oversee curriculum planning, assessment strategy, quality assurance, and the integration of professional workflows that mirror real‑world game development studios.
Level 3 Games Development – Course Overview
The computer games industry is one of the fastest‑growing creative sectors globally, offering careers across PC, console, mobile, VR, and AR platforms. At Belfast Met, students follow one of two specialist pathways depending on their interests and strengths.
Castlereagh Campus – Game Development Pathway
This pathway focuses on the technical and interactive aspects of game production. Students develop the skills required to design, build, and programme playable game experiences.
- Unreal Engine mastery and Blueprint scripting
- Gameplay mechanics and technical systems design
- 2D, 3D, VR, and AR experience development
- Game audio creation, including sound design and implementation
- Project‑based studio practice and problem solving
Industry‑standard tools are used throughout the course, including Unreal Engine, Autodesk software, Blender, ZBrush, Adobe Creative Suite, and professional audio tools.
Titanic Quarter Campus – Game Art & Design Pathway
The Titanic Quarter pathway is ideal for students with a strong interest in creativity and visual storytelling, focusing on the artistic side of game development.
- Concept art and visual development
- 2D and 3D modelling, animation, and environments
- User interface (UI) and UX design
- Professional portfolio development
Teaching Philosophy
My teaching approach is centred on learning through making. I emphasise practical development, iteration, and experimentation, helping students understand not only how tools work, but why design decisions matter.
I aim to create an inclusive, supportive learning environment that mirrors industry practice and develops confident, independent, and creative problem solvers.
Online Content
I also share educational and course‑related content through my YouTube channel:
youtube.com/@gamesdeveloper_belfast
Student Resources
New to the course? Start here: Day One induction guide — timetable, key policies, and the reflective log task.
Student Code of Conduct guide — a plain-English walkthrough of the College's Code of Conduct, with a quiz and a digital sign-off form.
Save Point: GitHub for Unreal projects — set up Git, Git LFS and GitHub so you never lose work, with hands-on drills for committing changes and reverting mistakes.
Unreal and C++: An Intro — a taster session covering the basics of programming by building a small game in C++ only, with a playable demo and the full source.
Ship It: GitHub and your course portfolio — get a GitHub account, learn HTML and CSS from scratch, and finish with a live portfolio site hosting your showreel and first-year work.
The Squint Test: your visual identity — Unit B1. Colour, type, hierarchy and readability, with a palette builder that checks your contrast, a bench that stress-tests your logo, and the full evidence checklist.
Contact
For academic or course‑related enquiries: