Video game design is the process of designing the content and rules of video games. Game design creates goals, rules and challenges to define a game that produces desirable interactions among its participants and, possibly, spectators.
The course teaches the students methods that channel their creativity into realizable game design.
Module 1: DESIGN PRIORITIES, PROCESSES AND DOCUMENTATION
Students will be introduced to the key artistic and technical principles behind the game design process, get familiar with the different approaches to it and learn the fundamental importance of the documentation.
Key skills:
Role and purpose of the game designer
The leading factor during design
Game Pillar Structure
Top down/Bottom up, Game focused/Player focused approach
Documentation methods
Game pitch/Creative brief/Design document/Game blueprint
Module 2: DESIGN PRINCIPLES, GAME SYSTEMS AND MECHANICS
Students will be introduced to the key principles and parameters of the player oriented design, gain precious insights into the different game systems and mechanics and learn how to create, classify and use different game elements.
Key skills:
Game mechanics
Game systems
Game pillars
Creating, classifying and usage of game elements
Module 3: LEVEL DESIGN AND BUILDING
Students will be introduced to Level design as a strongly correlated and complementary discipline to the game design. Starting from the planning and usage of all elements and features of the game design in level building all the way to the actual paper prototype, this module is a perfect round-up of the gained knowledge.
Key skills:
Planning and using game elements in Level design
The mini-loop
The game blueprint
Camera and point of view
5 Stages of mechanic introduction
Paper prototyping
Module 4: DIFFICULTY CONTROL, REWARDS AND SCORING
Successful games have quite a few things in common, but the ability to make players want to come back for more is among the most significant similarities. Understating the effects of different rewards and scoring schemes in games, can be crucial to creating a great and compelling player experience.
Key skills:
Calculating Difficulty
Difficulty Progression
Qualitative vs. Quantitative difficulty control
Purpose of rewards
Types of rewards
Scoring
The program further includes:
- Individual 1v1 consultations with the tutors
- Virtual tours of some of the large game studios in the country
- Guest lectures
- Access to the video lectures and most materials from Concept art and 3D Modelling