Do you like to play games? Do you secretly want to develop your own games and market them? If you enjoy games and want to get started with game design, then this course provides a solid foundation.

This course presents an overview of the games development process including important historical perspective, content creation strategies, production techniques, and a look into the future. The course covers game development history, platforms, goals and genres, player elements, story and character development, gameplay, levels, interface, audio, development team roles, game development process, and marketing and maintenance . Students will play games, analyze them, and complete portions of game designs with appropriate documentation.

Course Objectives: at the completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Discuss the history of electronic game development.
• Distinguish between the different game platforms and player modes.
• Distinguish between the different game goals and genres.
• Define elements related to game strategy, theory, and gameplay.
• Apply story and character development to games.
• Discuss various aspects of gameplay that can be used to design game interaction.
• Discuss the design and use of levels.
• Discuss the use of the interface for game design.
• Use audio to enrich the game atmosphere.
• Identify the distinct roles and responsibilities of game development team members.
• Discuss the production and management of the game design process.
• Evaluate the game industry and market.
• Discuss the future of game design.
• Analyze games.
• Use game design software.
• Develop game design documentation.
• Design games.

Applicable IT Job Roles: Some of the job roles for the game industry include Executive Producer, Producer, Creative Director, Art Director, Lead Game Designer, Junior Game Designer, Content Designer, Technical Art Director, Lead Animator, Character Animator, Character Rigger TD, Game Designer, Level Designer, Cinematics Director, Storyboard Artist, Concept Artist (Characters, Environments, Creatures, Vehicles and Tech), Level Artist, 3D Animator, Visual Effects Animator, 3D Modeler Character and Props, Texture Artist, User Interface Designer, and others.

Who Should Attend: This course will benefit industry professionals including graphic designers, animators, web developers, music composers, sound designers, voice actors as well as art and entertainment media professionals such as writers, producers, artists and designers who are interested in becoming involved in the gaming industry. This course will also benefit anyone who has an interest in game development and wants to further their knowledge and experience.

• Game Development History
  • The Arcade
  • Console Games
  • Video Games
  • Personal Computer
  • Multiplayer
  • Mobile and Handheld Games
  • Industry Convergence
  • The Future
• Platforms
  • Platform
  • Time Interval
  • Player Mode
  • Game Elements

• Goals and Genres
  • Goals
  • Genres
  • Game Elements and the Significance of Goals and Genres
  • Geographics
• Player Elements
  • Game Market
  • Player Motivation
  • Psychographics
  • Demographics
  • Applying Player Markets to Platforms, Genres and Goals

• Storytelling Traditions
• Generating Ideas
• Classic Character Archetypes
• Traditional Story Structure
• Story Elements
• Plot
• Game Story Devices
• Game Characters
• Character Development Elements
• Point-of-View
• Visual Character Development
• Verbal Character Development
• Movement
• Background, History, and Advancement
• Character Description
• Game Storytelling and Documentation

• Rules of Play
• Interactivity Modes
• Game Theory
• Challenges
• Balance
• Economies
• Gameplay and Documentation

• Levels
  • Level Design
  • Structure
  • Time
  • Space
  • Space and Time: Levels, Gameplay and Story
• Interface
  • Player-Centered Design
  • Interface and Game Features
  • Interface Types
  • Usability
  • The Player Experience

• The Importance of Game Audio
• Sound Effects
• Voiceovers
• Music
• Audio: A new Dimension

• Development Team Roles
  • Company Roles
  • Team Roles
  • Tools
  • Game Development Business
• Game Development Process
  • Development Phases
  • Management
  • Game Documentation
  • Making It Happen

• Marketing and Maintenance
  • Marketing
  • Community Management and Customer Support
  • Prosumerism: Player as Developer
  • Community is King
• Future of Game Development
  • Type of Future Games
  • Developers of Future Games
  • Techniques for the Future
  • Game Players of the Future
  • Future of Entertainment