Course detail

Digital games prototyping

FaVU-1DGP-ZAcad. year: 2023/2024

Students create games during the course both individually and in groups. The course focuses on the following topics: game design basics (rules, conflict, formal systems, motivation); genre specifics (asynchronous games, balancing, difficulty, onboarding, probability); narrative tools (nonlinear dialogue, environment narration, audiovisual narration); working with tools (VUE, Unity, Twine / Inklewriter); game production (2D skill based - platformer/shooter, 3D story driven, competitive card game, game-book).

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

3

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Entry knowledge

Ability and willingness to work in a group, endurance, creativity, knowledge of digital games.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

• final (group) project (60 % of the evaluation)
• game prototypes finished during the cousre (40% of the evaluation)

Compulsory attendance (how many lessons can be missed will be specified in the beginning of the semester).

Aims

The course focuses on the practical development of digital game prototypes by using common practice of iterative development cycle: game design> prototype creation> playtest> repeat.
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will finish/aquire:

portfolio:
• playable prototype – sklil-based digital game (2D, 3D, platform game)
• playable prototype – narrative-based digital game (exploration, game book)
• playable prototype – card game

ability to:
• design and analyze gaming mechanisms
• create game prototypes
• visualize interaction systems
• basic control and work in UNITY

knowledge:
• on instruments commonly used in the game industry
• of the development cycle (pre-production, production, release)

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

SCHELL, Jesse. The Art of Game Design: A book of lenses. 2008. ISBN 0-12-369496-5.
CRAWFORD, Chris. The art of computer game design : [reflections of a master game designer]. Berkeley: Osborne
McGraw-Hill, 1984. xiv, 113. ISBN 0881341177.
FULLERTON, Tracy. Game design workshop : a playcentric approach to creating innovative games. Edited by Eric Zimmerman. 3rd edition. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis, 2014. xxvii, 507. ISBN 9781482217162.
A theory of fun for game design. Edited by Raph Koster. Scottsdale, AZ: Paraglyph Press, 2005. x, 244 p. ISBN 1932111972.
KOSTER, Raph. A Theory of Fun for Game Design. 2004. ISBN 978-1-932111-97-2. info
TEKINBAŞ, Katie Salen a Eric ZIMMERMAN. Rules of play : game design fundamentals. London: MIT, 2004. xv, 672. ISBN 0262240459.

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme VUB Bachelor's

    branch VU-IDT , 2. year of study, summer semester, elective

  • Programme DES_B Bachelor's, 3. year of study, summer semester, compulsory-optional

  • Programme VUB Bachelor's

    branch VU-IDT , 3. year of study, summer semester, elective

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

13 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

• game design basics (rules, conflict, formal systems, motivation); genre specifics (asynchronous games, balancing, difficulty, onboarding, probability); narrative tools (nonlinear dialogue, environment narration, audiovisual narration)

• work with VUE, Unity, Thread / Inklewriter

• 2D skill based gameplay - platformer / shooter, 3D story driven, competitive card game, gamebook

Seminar

13 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer