LRN0019 - Introduction to Game Design
Course Description
Games are increasingly recognized as tools that can serve many business purposes beyond entertainment. This course provides a general introduction to what goes into the design and development of both video and analog games, with a particular focus on the use of games outside of consumer entertainment. By completing this course, you can take the first steps into understanding game design, and how it can be applied in your field.
Login information will be sent to your email three days prior to the start of class.
Course Outline
Unit 1What Makes a Game?
- Practical Definition for Game
-The Anatomy of a Game
-Games and Play
-Different Types of Games
Unit 2
Essentials of Design
-Getting Beyond a Game Idea
-Game Verbs and Game Mechanics
-Documentation
-Test Early, Test Often
Unit 3
Game Design: Solo and in Teams
-Defining Development Needs
-Roles in Game Design
-Finding Design and Development Partners
Unit 4
Serious Games & Gamification
-Games Beyond Entertainment
-Designing "Serious" Games
-Gamification
-Designing Gamification Systems
About Your Instructor
Moses Wolfenstein is an experienced game designer and speaker at national game designconferences. He is a Senior Interaction Developer at the University of Wisconsin-Extension. He has over a decade of design experience. Moses holds a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and works with the Games, Learning, & Society research group.
Learner Outcomes
At the end of this course, you will:- Possess a basic understanding of the different activities that are part of game design.
- Know how to approach fleshing out a game idea in order to increase the chances to having a successful game design experience.
- Have a basic understanding of how to work with game developers.
- Know what gamification is and why people are talking about it.
Notes
Course ObjectivesThe objectives of the course are to enable learners to:
- Classify games in terms of technical requirements and genre
- Identify the mechanics and verbs used in different games
- Understand the different roles required in the development of a video game
- Differentiate between Games and Gamification
- Discover resources for developing a deeper understanding of game design