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Evolution of Game Design

Prehistory to the late 1980s

John Appleby

Embark on a captivating journey through gaming history with this online course, tracing the evolution from ancient board games to modern board and arcade games.

This course explores the captivating history of game design, examining the features and applications of the earliest video games, as well as the development of second-generation video game consoles from the 1970s and 1980s.

Embark on a captivating journey through gaming history with this online course, tracing the evolution from ancient board games to modern board and arcade games.

You will also discover how the American video game industry crash of 1983 paved the way for game developers and game companies around the world—particularly Nintendo and Sega from Japan—to dominate the video game market of the late 1980s and develop the third generation of consoles.

Topics covered include:

Pre-electronic games
Birth of an industry
Explosion and crash
Rebirth of an industry

This 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.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

Explore the evolution of games from prehistory to the creation of the personal computer.
Discover the milestones that shaped first- and second-generation games.

Revitalize your understanding of the video game industry's resurgence with the creation of third-generation consoles after its crash.
Master the ability to distinguish between the design, features, and applications of video games developed from the 1970s to the late 1980s.

Explore the evolution of games from prehistory to the creation of the personal computer.
Discover the milestones that shaped first- and second-generation games.
Revitalize your understanding of the video game industry's resurgence with the creation of third-generation consoles after its crash.
Master the ability to distinguish between the design, features, and applications of video games developed from the 1970s to the late 1980s.

Syllabus

Module 1: Pre-electronic games

Ancient games

Commercialization

The dawn of computers

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Appeals to those interested in gaming history

Suitable for those with no prior experience in game design

Will expand your knowledge of the video game industry and evolution

Led by industry-recognized instructors at LaSalle College

May need to purchase hardware and software to complete the course

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Reviews summary

Captivating journey through early game design

According to learners, this course offers a captivating and comprehensive journey through the early evolution of game design, spanning from prehistory to the late 1980s. Many praise the engaging lectures and the instructor's palpable enthusiasm, which brings the rich historical context to life. Students found the material to be well-researched and clearly presented, making it a strong foundation for understanding the industry's roots. While some older reviews noted minor production quality issues, recent feedback suggests the course has been updated and polished, addressing earlier concerns and solidifying its reputation as a must-take for game history enthusiasts and aspiring professionals.

Covers a broad historical range, though some areas could benefit from more depth.

"It provided a strong foundation in understanding the industry's roots."

"My only minor critique is that some parts felt a little rushed, especially the 'Rebirth' module, which could have been expanded."

"Some of the early 80s sections could use a little more depth but still great."

Recent updates have addressed past concerns about video and audio quality.

"This course has clearly been updated and polished since its initial release, it feels very current."

"I felt some of the video quality was a bit low in the earlier modules... Hopefully, they update it."

"A bit dry at times... More interactive elements would help. Felt like a long lecture series."

Instructor's passion and deep knowledge greatly enhance the learning.

"The instructor's enthusiasm was palpable."

"The instructor really knows their stuff."

"It's clear, concise, and incredibly well-researched. The historical journey is captivating. Highly recommend..."

A captivating and comprehensive journey through early game history.

"Absolutely fantastic deep dive into early game history. The lectures were incredibly engaging and the material felt comprehensive for the period."

"Loved it! The course really brought the history to life with great examples and anecdotes. I appreciated the detail on pre-electronic games too..."

"This course is perfect for anyone curious about how video games became what they are today. The pacing was excellent and the topics flowed logically."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Evolution of Game Design: Prehistory to the late 1980s with these activities:

Create a timeline of video game history

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Creating a timeline will help you visualize and understand the major milestones in the evolution of video games.

Browse courses on Video Game History

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Gather dates for key events
Choose a timeline format
Create the timeline

Read 'The History of Video Games' by Steven L. Kent

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This book provides a comprehensive overview of the history of video games, giving you a solid foundation for understanding the evolution of the field.

View The Ultimate History of Video Games, Volume 2:... on Amazon

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Read the overview and introduction
Read each chapter focusing on one game era
Take notes on key people, companies, and events

Play classic video games

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Playing classic video games will give you a firsthand experience of the evolution of the industry.

Browse courses on Video Game History

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Choose 5 classic games
Play the games
Identify the key features of each game

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Watch video tutorials on game development

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Watching video tutorials will help you learn new techniques and concepts that you can apply to your projects.

Browse courses on Video Game Development

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Find video tutorials on topics relevant to your project
Watch the tutorials
Take notes on the key concepts

Join a study group

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Studying with a group will help you stay motivated and improve your understanding of the material.

Browse courses on Collaboration

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Find a study group
Meet with the group regularly
Discuss the course material
Help each other with assignments

Attend a game design workshop

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Attending a workshop will give you the chance to learn from experts and get hands-on experience.

Browse courses on Game Development

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Find a game design workshop
Register for the workshop
Attend the workshop
Follow up on the material

Design a video game

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Designing a video game will help you apply the concepts you learn in the course to a practical project.

Browse courses on Video Game Design

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Come up with a game concept
Develop the game mechanics
Design the game levels
Create the game assets

Attend a game development conference

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Attending conferences will give you the chance to meet other people in the industry and learn from their experiences.

Browse courses on Networking

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Find a game development conference
Register for the conference
Attend the sessions
Meet with other people

Career center

Learners who complete Evolution of Game Design: Prehistory to the late 1980s will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

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Effort

4 to 8 hours per week for 5 weeks

Level

Introductory

Via

edX

Institution

LCI Education

Instructor

John Appleby

Language

English

Transcript

English

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Appeals to those interested in gaming history

Suitable for those with no prior experience in game design

Will expand your knowledge of the video game industry and evolution

Led by industry-recognized instructors at LaSalle College

May need to purchase hardware and software to complete the course

Evolution of Game Design

Prehistory to the late 1980s

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Save this course

Reviews summary

Captivating journey through early game design

Activities

Career center

Reading list

Share

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