Fundamentals of Game Design

This course covers a foundation of topics necessary to good game design. Its objective is to orient students to the numerous perspectives a designer must understand: psychology, project management, marketing, entertainment, narrative, technology, and others. The course also introduces the concept of a game design document and the other methods of communication that designers use to reduce their ideas to practice.

Over the course of the term students will work on creating a game design using the concepts explored in class. Students will work in groups to develop a game concept and prototype for presentation and review by peers and industry professionals.

Topics include:

• History of non-digital and digital gaming
• Overview of games and game industry today
• Economics of gaming and exploration of game genres
• Psychological dimensions of games, player objectives, rule systems, social game interaction, competitive and cooperative play, interface design and game mechanics
• Project management and team dynamics
• Conceiving and writing a game concept proposal
• Development of game prototypes and iterative playtesting

Find the Offering That's Right for You

We offer programs throughout the year in different locations and learning formats designed to meet your education needs. To learn more about this program, select one of the following sections.