Unit 1: Intro to Game Design

OVERVIEW

You will explore the following topics:

  • Game Design Overview (i.e. How are games created? Who creates them?)
  • Game Genres (e.g. first-person shooter, platform, racing, strategy)
  • Game Editor Introduction (e.g. projects, packages, navigation, views)
  • Game Element Overview (e.g. players, goals, narrative, decisions, balance)
  • Game Play Overview (e.g. rules, interactive modes, challenge types, level design)
  • Project Management Overview (e.g. charters, work breakdown structures, projects)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • Identify basic game design principles, reciting common (visual, audial, interactive, narrative, etc.) choices, styles, and/ or aesthetics.
  • Demonstrate the ability to review and summarize contemporary video games; examining intent, form, and functionality.
  • Implement the fundamental concepts of project management within the context of the interactive application and video game development process.
  • Utilize the game editor user interface to open and organize a simple project or scene.
  • Differentiate primary components within the game editor; examining their purpose and function.
  • Distinguish contemporary game genres and platforms.
  • Devise systems to organize and illustrate the interactivity and player immersion that exist within contemporary video games.
  • Reconstruct the rules of contemporary games, in order to improve the game play experience.
  • Critique contemporary video games; providing adequate arguments and justification.
  • Interpret the role of game narrative and game play; evaluating its impact on the interactive storytelling environment

COURSE OUTLINE

1. Game/Application Design Overview

a. What is a game/application and how is it created?

b. What makes a game enjoyable?

c. Knowing the players

d. Game genres

e. Game Platforms

2. Game Element Exploration

a. Narrative formation

b. Game design

c. Objectives

d. Player options

e. Sequences

f. Mechanics

g. Game aesthetics

h. Dramatic elements

i. Multimedia inclusions

3. Game Play

a. Game theory introduction

b. Balance

c. Challenge development

d. Level design

4. Game Analysis

a. Game play critical analysis

b. Functionality

c. Aesthetics

d. Game play

5. Project Management for Game Development

a. What is Project Management?

b. Why is Project Management important?

c. The Four Phases of Project Management (model)

6. Unity Editor for Game Creation

a. Setting up a new project

b. Navigating within the Unity Editor.

Complete and Continue