The Game Design and Development Lab is a 8-month intensive program broken into two main phases. The first two-month phase will involve two week courses centered around lecture and discussion that is designed to develop soft skills and understanding of the studio environment. During these courses, students will also participate in hands-on labs, where teams work to understand and create game prototypes.After passing this initial phase, students will begin a six-month course that is entirely lab. These labs will include building assets for industry clients, meeting regularly with client mentors, and passing biweekly milestones with instructors to ensure students are creating the highest caliber of work. The assets created during this time will be used directly in the client's product should they meet specification. This gives HOFT students the opportunity to graduate with shipped titles already on their resume.At the end of this six-month lab, students will take a final course on resume and portfolio building. They will also learn about the soft skills involved in networking, and the technical aspects of interviewing. At the end of this course, students will meet directly with industry professionals to have their resume and portfolio reviewed.