Game Design Essentials: Tools, Theories and Techniques

About Course

This course offers a comprehensive framework to understand and practice game design.

At the end of this course, you will have the tools and thinking process to understand why some games are fun and keep players playing for a long time, while others fail.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN…

Understand the role of the game designer and other roles in game development
How to keep improving as a game designer and what skills you need
What are game parts, mechanics and dynamics and understand the language of games
Harness the power of Design Thinking to better Empathize, Ideate and Prototype your games.
Use Psychology to understand your players and how they perceive your game
What is a GDD
What is a game pitch
How to communicate your game idea to your team
How math and probability work in board and video games
Create game models using Google Spreadsheets to test your game early
Use random, procedural generation and systems thinking to create systemic gameplay to design games that are interesting to play and watch.
Analyze real and game systems to create meaningful games by relating players to their surroundings and experiences

HOW WILL YOU PRACTICE WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

You will create a card game from a humble beginning all the way to a unique and engaging game.
Each activity is designed to practice what you have just learned.
The card game will be uniquely modified by you, so you can keep working on it even after the course ends.

What is NOT included in this course…

Programming languages
Art asset creation

Learn to design games understanding all their constitutive parts and how they connect with each other
Understand Systems Thinking to understand our world and existing games to transfer those experiences into your own games
Use psychology to understand your players and create more directed experiences
Use GDD and pitching to communicate with your team and different stakeholders
Learn to play games like a game designer (Analytical play)
Use the Design Thinking method to improve your design process
Create spreadsheet simulations to balance your games

Course Content

Setting Up for Success

Welcome

01:43
About the Instructor and Game Design Thinking
Companion Website
0.1 & 0.2 Tiny Pixel Fights Instructions and Materials
Socials

Game Design Basics
Learn the basic tools that game designers use in their day-to-day.

Identifying the Elements of Asteroids

02:23
1.1. Asteroid Elements
What is a Game and what is Design

04:27
The Role of the Game Designer

06:42
Other Roles in Game Development

04:52
Game Design Specialisations

07:16
1.2. What is the role for you?
Games’ Unique Feature

04:38
Game Mechanics

12:40
MDA and other Game Design Frameworks

05:20
1.3.1. & 1.3.2. List and Add Mechanics to Tiny Pixel Fights!
The Skills you need as a Game Designer

08:32
How to keep Improving as a Game Designer

04:16
Game Design Basics — References
Game Design Basics – Graphics & Slides
Quiz — Basics of Game Design
Congratulations on completing Section 2!

00:45

The Game Design Thinking Process
What are your players really thinking? Psychology and Game Design are the more powerful allies!

The Game Design Thinking Process

14:54
Game Concept: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

04:49
Game Concept: The Beginner’s Mindset

05:38
Game Pillars: Game Pillar Document
Ideate: Ideation Techniques

06:15
2.1. Using the SCAMPER technique on your favourite game
Define: The Three Brains (YouTube)
Define: The 5 Phases of Players’ Decision-Making

05:10
Define: Automatic vs. Rational Decision-making

03:45
Define: Interactive Loops for Decision-making

06:18
Define: Bad Decision-Making

04:06
Define: Interesting Decisions

04:29
Define: Self-Determination Theory

06:09
2.2. Brainstorming new mechanics
Prototyping and Playtesting: Three Hats For Analysing Games

06:14
Prototyping and Playtesting: Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow Theory
2.3. Playtest your new mechanics!
Understanding Players – Slides
Understanding Players – References
Quiz — The Game Design Thinking Process
Congratulations on Finishing Section 3

01:01
Can you leave us a review?

Communicating Your Game
How can you communicate your game effectively? In this section we are going to learn about GDD, pitching and using presentations to make your team really engaged and experts in your design.

New Course: How to Write a Professional GDD
What is a GDD

04:31
What content a GDD should have

06:34
GDD Checklist
Concept GDD: Part 1

06:37
Concept GDD: Part 2

04:15
3.1. Write a Concept GDD
Use Presentations as a Lethal Weapon

05:39
Pitching your Game

08:06
Talk — 30 things I hate about your game pitch
3.2. Create a 3-minute presentation!
Communicating Your Game – References
Quiz — Communicating Your Game
Congratulations on completing section 4

01:15

Math & Probablity
Math & Probability are usually neglected by designers, but knowing about both of these topics can be the difference between a good and a great design.

Math & Probability in Games

06:49
Dependent and Independent probability

04:17
Communicating Probabilities

05:57
Spreadsheets Basics

06:14
Using Spreadsheets for Modelling

06:58
4.1., 4.2. Balancing Tiny Pixel Fights
Handmade, Random and Procedural Elements

08:12
4.3. Playtesting your Balance!
Math & Probability – References
Math & Probability – Slides
Quiz — Math & Probability

Introduction to Game Systems Design
Systems Thinking is one of the best ways to get your design to the next level. Learning to think in systems is paramount to understand systemic game design. Join us in this section to learn about systems thinking and how can you apply it to games.

Introduction to Systems Thinking

06:45
Systemic Game Design

07:11
Deep vs. Wide Systems

02:31
Systems Elements

07:41
System Design Diagram Starter Pack
Feedback Loops

05:08
Dealing with Complex Systems
5.1.1. & 5.1.2. Find and Create some Feedback loops
5.2. What other systems can you add?
Introduction to Game Systems Design – References
Quiz — Introduction to Game Systems Design
Introduction to Game Systems Design – Slides

Farewell

Student Ratings & Reviews

No Review Yet

About Course

What Will You Learn?

Course Content

Setting Up for Success

Welcome

About the Instructor and Game Design Thinking

Companion Website

0.1 & 0.2 Tiny Pixel Fights Instructions and Materials

Socials

Game Design Basics Learn the basic tools that game designers use in their day-to-day.

Identifying the Elements of Asteroids

1.1. Asteroid Elements

What is a Game and what is Design

The Role of the Game Designer

Other Roles in Game Development

Game Design Specialisations

1.2. What is the role for you?

Games’ Unique Feature

Game Mechanics

MDA and other Game Design Frameworks

1.3.1. & 1.3.2. List and Add Mechanics to Tiny Pixel Fights!

The Skills you need as a Game Designer

How to keep Improving as a Game Designer

Game Design Basics — References

Game Design Basics – Graphics & Slides

Quiz — Basics of Game Design

Congratulations on completing Section 2!

The Game Design Thinking Process What are your players really thinking? Psychology and Game Design are the more powerful allies!

The Game Design Thinking Process

Game Concept: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Game Concept: The Beginner’s Mindset

Game Pillars: Game Pillar Document

Ideate: Ideation Techniques

2.1. Using the SCAMPER technique on your favourite game

Define: The Three Brains (YouTube)

Define: The 5 Phases of Players’ Decision-Making

Define: Automatic vs. Rational Decision-making

Define: Interactive Loops for Decision-making

Define: Bad Decision-Making

Define: Interesting Decisions

Define: Self-Determination Theory

2.2. Brainstorming new mechanics

Prototyping and Playtesting: Three Hats For Analysing Games

Prototyping and Playtesting: Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow Theory

2.3. Playtest your new mechanics!

Understanding Players – Slides

Understanding Players – References

Quiz — The Game Design Thinking Process

Congratulations on Finishing Section 3

Can you leave us a review?

Communicating Your Game How can you communicate your game effectively? In this section we are going to learn about GDD, pitching and using presentations to make your team really engaged and experts in your design.

New Course: How to Write a Professional GDD

What is a GDD

What content a GDD should have

GDD Checklist

Concept GDD: Part 1

Concept GDD: Part 2

3.1. Write a Concept GDD

Use Presentations as a Lethal Weapon

Pitching your Game

Talk — 30 things I hate about your game pitch

3.2. Create a 3-minute presentation!

Communicating Your Game – References

Quiz — Communicating Your Game

Congratulations on completing section 4

Math & Probablity Math & Probability are usually neglected by designers, but knowing about both of these topics can be the difference between a good and a great design.

Math & Probability in Games

Dependent and Independent probability

Communicating Probabilities

Spreadsheets Basics

Using Spreadsheets for Modelling

4.1., 4.2. Balancing Tiny Pixel Fights

Handmade, Random and Procedural Elements

4.3. Playtesting your Balance!

Math & Probability – References

Math & Probability – Slides

Quiz — Math & Probability

Introduction to Game Systems Design Systems Thinking is one of the best ways to get your design to the next level. Learning to think in systems is paramount to understand systemic game design. Join us in this section to learn about systems thinking and how can you apply it to games.

Introduction to Systems Thinking

Systemic Game Design

Game Design Basics
Learn the basic tools that game designers use in their day-to-day.

The Game Design Thinking Process
What are your players really thinking? Psychology and Game Design are the more powerful allies!

Communicating Your Game
How can you communicate your game effectively? In this section we are going to learn about GDD, pitching and using presentations to make your team really engaged and experts in your design.

Math & Probablity
Math & Probability are usually neglected by designers, but knowing about both of these topics can be the difference between a good and a great design.

Introduction to Game Systems Design
Systems Thinking is one of the best ways to get your design to the next level. Learning to think in systems is paramount to understand systemic game design. Join us in this section to learn about systems thinking and how can you apply it to games.