This introductory course is based on the Game Design & VFX School at LaSalle College’s Vancouver campus, crowned the #1 undergraduate school in Canada for video game design by the Princeton Review 10 years in a row.
Game designers create the ideas and worlds of games—they design the environment, characters, game mechanics, goals and user experience. Successful game designers do this by applying the fundamentals of game system design and logic.
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This introductory course is based on the Game Design & VFX School at LaSalle College’s Vancouver campus, crowned the #1 undergraduate school in Canada for video game design by the Princeton Review 10 years in a row.
Game designers create the ideas and worlds of games—they design the environment, characters, game mechanics, goals and user experience. Successful game designers do this by applying the fundamentals of game system design and logic.
This introductory course is based on the Game Design & VFX School at LaSalle College’s Vancouver campus, crowned the #1 undergraduate school in Canada for video game design by the Princeton Review 10 years in a row.
Game designers create the ideas and worlds of games—they design the environment, characters, game mechanics, goals and user experience. Successful game designers do this by applying the fundamentals of game system design and logic.
This course explains what game system design is, how it works, and how it relates to game mechanics, rules creation, and logical thinking and reasoning. Game balance is a crucial component of game design and development, so in this course we will focus on what game balance is and why it is important in terms of its relation to simplicity and complexity, dominant strategies, and skill and chance.
This course also dives into game balancing tools you can use to make your game a success, including risk and reward, physical and mental challenges, gameplay duration, and freedom versus control.
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What you'll learn
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Use the different categories of game mechanics.
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Design good rules for your games and apply logical thinking to game rules.
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Achieve game balance through various tools, including fairness, challenge versus success, simplicity and complexity, dominant strategies, and skills versus chance.
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Leverage other game balancing tools to affect game design and user experience.
Good to know
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Activities
Write a Game Design Document
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Enhance understanding of game design principles by developing a comprehensive design document that outlines the game's mechanics, features, and vision.
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Game Design Document
Show steps
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Outline the game's concept and goals.
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Define the game's mechanics and rules.
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Describe the game's environment, characters, and story.
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Create a mock-up or prototype of the game's interface.
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Share your game design document with others for feedback.
Create a Small Game
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Reinforce game mechanics and development principles through the creation of a simple functional game.
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Game Design
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Brainstorm ideas and select a concept for your game.
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Design the game mechanics and rules.
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Create the game assets and environment.
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Implement the game logic and programming.
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Test and refine your game.
Design a Game Level
Show steps
Apply game design principles to create a challenging and engaging game level.
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Playtest the level and gather feedback.
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Iterate and refine the level based on feedback.
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Define the level's objectives and goals.
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Design the level layout and obstacles.
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Implement the level's mechanics and puzzles.
Show all three activities
Write a Game Design Document
Show steps
Enhance understanding of game design principles by developing a comprehensive design document that outlines the game's mechanics, features, and vision.
Browse courses on
Game Design Document
Show steps
- Outline the game's concept and goals.
- Define the game's mechanics and rules.
- Describe the game's environment, characters, and story.
- Create a mock-up or prototype of the game's interface.
- Share your game design document with others for feedback.
Create a Small Game
Show steps
Reinforce game mechanics and development principles through the creation of a simple functional game.
Browse courses on
Game Design
Show steps
- Brainstorm ideas and select a concept for your game.
- Design the game mechanics and rules.
- Create the game assets and environment.
- Implement the game logic and programming.
- Test and refine your game.
Design a Game Level
Show steps
Apply game design principles to create a challenging and engaging game level.
Show steps
- Playtest the level and gather feedback.
- Iterate and refine the level based on feedback.
- Define the level's objectives and goals.
- Design the level layout and obstacles.
- Implement the level's mechanics and puzzles.
Career center
Game Designer
Level Designer
Game Programmer
Game Producer
Game Analyst
Game Tester
Game Writer
Game Artist
Reading list
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