Course detail
Digital games prototyping
FaVU-1DGP-ZAcad. year: 2020/2021
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).
Supervisor
Learning outcomes of the course unit
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)
Prerequisites
Ability and willingness to work in a group, endurance, creativity, knowledge of digital games.
Co-requisites
Not applicable.
Recommended optional programme components
Not applicable.
Recommended or required reading
povinná literatura
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.
doporučená literatura
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.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Theoretical preparation, creation during the lessons, project work in groups outside the classroom, project consultation.
Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes
• final (group) project (60 % of the evaluation)
• game prototypes finished during the cousre (40% of the evaluation)
Language of instruction
Czech
Work placements
Not applicable.
Course curriculum
• 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
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.
Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences
Compulsory attendance (how many lessons can be missed will be specified in the beginning of the semester).