Master the Art of Game Systems Design and Analysis

About Course

This course offers a comprehensive insight into the art and science of designing and analysing game systems.

At the end of this course, you will have all the necessary skills and knowledge to analyse systemic games, understand how their systems and feedback loops work, and to replicate and improve upon those systems to apply them to your own games!

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

What is Systems Thinking
What is Game Systems Design
The 3 types of Game Resources
Game Systems basic and advanced components
Feedback Loops
Game Loops
Representing systems using Systemic Diagrams
Modelling Game Systems
Game Systems Patterns
Interactive Loops
Techniques to find Systems in Nature and Society
The Future of Game Systems Design

HOW YOU WILL PRACTICE WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

An original game provided as part of the course will allow you to find, diagram, and modify the game’s systems as you acquire new knowledge.
A variety of practical assignments that will allow you to analyse and design new game systems.

What is NOT included in this course

Game balancing
Game programming
Basic game design techniques (check our course Game Design Essentials)

Course Content

Systems Thinking Foundation
In this section, we'll explore the basics of Systems Thinking, a scientific discipline that is the basis for Game Systems Design.

Welcome to the Course

01:38
Early Access Course
Socials & Acknowledgments
List of Games Mentioned in the Course
Companion Website
What are Systems? Where are they?

04:58
Activity 1.1: Common Real-World Examples
Why does Systems Thinking Matters to you as a Game Designer?

02:41
Differences between Systems Thinking, Design Thinking and Game Design Thinking
Why are we so Ignorant about Systems?

04:37
Assignment Game: Karate Zombie Potato
Quiz – Systems Thinking Foundation

Game Systems 101
Learn the basic components you need to create engaging game systems, including feedback loops, resource types, systemic components, and more.

Welcome to Section 2

01:37
Resources & Entities

04:21
Activity 2.1: Resource vs. Entity
Concrete vs Abstract Resources

09:09
Activity 2.2: Concrete vs. Abstract Resources in Games
What are Systemic Games?

02:43
Basic Components 1: Sources, Stocks and Sinks

05:40
Basic Components 2: Connectors and Resources

04:34
Basic Components 3: Deciders

02:33
Activity 2.3: Diagramming Systems Introduction
Feedback Loops

04:40
Deep vs Wide Systems

02:36
Tangible vs Intangible Resources

04:08
Activity 2.4: Tangible vs. Intangible Resources in Games
Mechanics as Player’s Actions

05:50
Advanced Components: Traders and Converters

05:47
Currencies as Specialized Resources

02:04
Activity 2.5: Converters and Traders on Bethesda’s RPGs
Simple vs Complex Resources

03:28
Properties / Parameters

02:25
Activity 2.6: Simple vs. Complex Resources in Games
Systems’ Goals

04:02
Game Systems as a Machine

02:48
The Game Experience’s Iceberg / Inverted Pyramid

07:06
Activity 2.7: Define the 5 Levels of the Game Iceberg / Inverted Pyramid
Quiz – Game Systems 101
Congratulations on Completing Section 2!

01:11

Systems Design Documentation
Documenting systems require a different set of skills and tools as compared to a 'regular' design specification. In this section we're going to learn how to model and diagram game systems.

Advanced Game Design
We'll explore the game design patterns and advanced systemic techniques you need to analyse complex game systems.

Systems Beyond the Game
Game systems expand beyond the game - what is known as the meta game loop. Game systems are not only in games, but also in other media, in our day-to-day, and beyond.

Student Ratings & Reviews

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About Course

What Will You Learn?

Course Content

Systems Thinking Foundation In this section, we'll explore the basics of Systems Thinking, a scientific discipline that is the basis for Game Systems Design.

Welcome to the Course

Early Access Course

Socials & Acknowledgments

List of Games Mentioned in the Course

Companion Website

What are Systems? Where are they?

Activity 1.1: Common Real-World Examples

Why does Systems Thinking Matters to you as a Game Designer?

Differences between Systems Thinking, Design Thinking and Game Design Thinking

Why are we so Ignorant about Systems?

Assignment Game: Karate Zombie Potato

Quiz – Systems Thinking Foundation

Game Systems 101 Learn the basic components you need to create engaging game systems, including feedback loops, resource types, systemic components, and more.

Welcome to Section 2

Resources & Entities

Activity 2.1: Resource vs. Entity

Concrete vs Abstract Resources

Activity 2.2: Concrete vs. Abstract Resources in Games

What are Systemic Games?

Basic Components 1: Sources, Stocks and Sinks

Basic Components 2: Connectors and Resources

Basic Components 3: Deciders

Activity 2.3: Diagramming Systems Introduction

Feedback Loops

Deep vs Wide Systems

Tangible vs Intangible Resources

Activity 2.4: Tangible vs. Intangible Resources in Games

Mechanics as Player’s Actions

Advanced Components: Traders and Converters

Currencies as Specialized Resources

Activity 2.5: Converters and Traders on Bethesda’s RPGs

Simple vs Complex Resources

Properties / Parameters

Activity 2.6: Simple vs. Complex Resources in Games

Systems’ Goals

Game Systems as a Machine

The Game Experience’s Iceberg / Inverted Pyramid

Activity 2.7: Define the 5 Levels of the Game Iceberg / Inverted Pyramid

Quiz – Game Systems 101

Congratulations on Completing Section 2!

Systems Design Documentation Documenting systems require a different set of skills and tools as compared to a 'regular' design specification. In this section we're going to learn how to model and diagram game systems.

Advanced Game Design We'll explore the game design patterns and advanced systemic techniques you need to analyse complex game systems.

Systems Beyond the Game Game systems expand beyond the game - what is known as the meta game loop. Game systems are not only in games, but also in other media, in our day-to-day, and beyond.

Student Ratings & Reviews

Links

Game Design Thinking

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Systems Thinking Foundation
In this section, we'll explore the basics of Systems Thinking, a scientific discipline that is the basis for Game Systems Design.

Game Systems 101
Learn the basic components you need to create engaging game systems, including feedback loops, resource types, systemic components, and more.

Systems Design Documentation
Documenting systems require a different set of skills and tools as compared to a 'regular' design specification. In this section we're going to learn how to model and diagram game systems.

Advanced Game Design
We'll explore the game design patterns and advanced systemic techniques you need to analyse complex game systems.

Systems Beyond the Game
Game systems expand beyond the game - what is known as the meta game loop. Game systems are not only in games, but also in other media, in our day-to-day, and beyond.