Game Design Theory JM-PDGD-15
STUDENT MANUAL
Course Code
JM-PDGD-15
Academic Year
2015 - 2016
Version
1.0
Status
Working
Author(s)
Daniël van der Meulen
© Hogeschool Utrecht, Utrecht 2016
Acknowledgement is required
Copying for personal or internal use is permitted.
Minor Playful Design
Game Design
Theory Course
Game Design Theory JM-PDGD-15
Contents 1
1.1
1.2
1.3
2
2.1
3
3.1
3.3
3.4
4
4.1
4.2
5
1.
1.
2.
3.
Introduction .............................................................................................................................................3
Welcome to this Minor ..............................................................................................................................3
Why This Subject and Why Now? ............................................................................................................3
Course Structure .......................................................................................................................................3
Learning Objectives and Competences ...............................................................................................4
Learning Objectives ..................................................................................................................................4
Course Structure .....................................................................................................................................5
What do you need for this course? ...........................................................................................................5
Weekly Schedule ......................................................................................................................................6
Attendance and Important Meetings .........................................................................................................6
Classes and Assignments .....................................................................................................................7
Introduction ..............................................................................................................................................7
Final Assignment......................................................................................................................................7
Assessment .............................................................................................................................................8
Assessment, Appraisal and Pass Marks ..................................................................................................8
Assessment Criteria, Conditions Handing in Papers and Assessment Forms ........................................8
Re-sits .......................................................................................................................................................8
Appeal .......................................................................................................................................................9
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Game Design Theory JM-PDGD-15
1 Introduction
1.1
Welcome to this Minor
The minor Playful Design is a part of Creative Industries within the HU assortment of Minors.
During this minor you will follow a number of related courses which will guide you into the
world of game design and how to use these principals in your work.
During the course ‘Game Design’ you will learn what a game actually is and how a game is
build up out of several parts. During ‘Game Analysis’ you will carry out research on a variety of
games; how they work and how they are perceived. You will apply all this knowledge by
designing games. ‘Playful Design’ is all about how techniques used in games can help change
people’s behaviour and how learning and motivation are a part of this. You will learn more
about design and the production process during ‘Game Development’. All the knowledge and
skills acquired can then be applied during a project with a real client.
1.2
Why This Subject and Why Now?
The visual and intellectual language of games is fast becoming a part of our global culture.
Games can teach us a lot about engagement, rewards and visualising technologies. Taking
games seriously is on the increase in business, politics, education and the arts. Applied Games
–often also known as - Serious Games– is all about applying games or gamification for
purposes other than entertainment, like, for instance, solving communication problems, staff
training, influencing behaviour or creating new education methods. There is a lot of call for
people who can meet this demand, meaningful and effectively.
1.3
Course Structure
During the Game Design course, you will actually start designing games. The course
focuses on practical experience. You will learn professional jargon and you will get insight
into the role of Game Designers.
Both the Prototyping course and the Game Design Theory course are linked together help
you learn how to build a game from A to Z.
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2 Learning Objectives and Competences
2.1
Learning Objectives
We will work on the following Learning Objectives:




© Hogeschool Utrecht
You will be able to apply designing principles and game elements into a game
design.
You are able to translate a game idea into a game concept.
You are able to translate a game concept into a game design.
You can reiterate on a game design and improve this after evaluation.
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3
Course Structure
In this chapter you will find practical information on what, when and so on.
This course is structured together with the Prototyping course to give you a feel for
what building a game is like.
For the next 8 to 10 weeks you will be studying and working on designing a game
and making a proof of concept of your design.
3.1
What do you need for this course?
• • • • • Slides and hand-outs, provided during meetings.
Other relevant material which is referred to during the lessons.
Articles/information handed out during class.
Adobe Creative Suite & laptop are highly recommended.
Pens, pencil, paper, and other offline material.
Also, the lecturer will give an indication of what is needed during every class. Sometimes
the lecturer may even hand out material during class. Make sure you keep this safe for
further assignments and exams.
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Game Design Theory JM-PDGD-15
3.3
Weekly Schedule
In the timetable below you will find a brief description on the activities and
deadlines, the materials and how much time you need.
There are scheduled two classes each week; one on Wednesday and one on
Friday. The classes on Wednesday are aimed towards Game Design Theory and
the Friday sessions are about Prototyping.
Here you find the general planning for this course:
Week 3‐Feb.
1A 1B 5‐Feb.
2A 10‐Feb.
2B 12‐Feb.
Meeting
Assignments
Introduction Game Design & Game Concepting Introduction paper prototying and Unity Lecture on iterative game design and playtesting Elaborate Unity introduction 3A 17‐Feb.
Structure of games, MDA, 3B 19‐Feb.
4A 24‐Feb.
Simple Unity Game & Mechanics Thinking
Coaching 4B 26‐Feb.
Coaching
5A 2‐Mar.
5B 4‐Mar.
6A 9‐ Mar.
6B 11‐ Mar.
7A 16‐ Mar.
Formative Feedback sessions Game Design. Formative Feedback sessions prototyping.
Self‐studying
7B 18‐ Mar.
Self‐studying
Hand‐in self‐assessment 8A 23‐ Mar.
Pitch / Game Audit
8B 25‐ Mar.
Pitch / Game Audit 9A 30‐ Mar.
9B 2‐Feb
10A 2‐Feb
Resits
10B 2‐Feb
Resits
3.4
“
Prototyping and play‐testing
Attendance and Important Meetings
There is no compulsory attendance where this course is concerned. This means
that non-attendance in class bears no direct consequences for your assessment.
If you are absent from class, you, yourself, will be responsible for getting the
information and feedback on your work and skills. You cannot limitlessly call upon
your lecturer with respect to this.
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Game Design Theory JM-PDGD-15
4
Classes and Assignments
4.1
Introduction
You will attend two meetings every week where you will be provided with all the information you need
and receive feedback in order for you to be able to do your assignments well and effectively. Also one
or more guest lectures from the professional practice will be included into the course.
The course will take up 8 weeks. During the week after the last week of classes (week 8) you will
have to hand in a self-assessment and any design documentation related to your game.
4.2
Final Assignment
For your Final Assignment, you will create a game design which is tested and working for a specific
audience. You will be graded on you work individually, but it is important to gather feedback on your
design from your fellow students, and test with people from your target audience.
What kind of a game is totally up to you. It can be a board game, but also a first-person shooter.
For the entirety of this period, you will be able to get feedback from your tutors which will help guide
you in creating your game.
To get a grade for this assignment, you’ll have to do the following:


Attend the audit in week 8
You will have to do an oral exam in which you will be tested on predefined criteria. (see
chapter 5)
Hand in a self-assessment
Before you can attend the audit, we ask you to grade yourself on the given criteria and
elaborate on your given grade.
The audit will be a 10 minute long oral exam in which your tutors may ask specific questions about
decisions you made and how much effort you have put into your design.
Note: The audit for the Prototyping course has different grading criteria and is separately
graded from the Game Design Theory course.
Tip regarding game design:
Bear in mind at all times, game design is all about communication. How the elements are shaped is of
lesser importance, the actual message is key.
More is better never applies in this case. If the same message can be put across by using an image,
where you would need 2 pages of written text, then stop and think which one have the most effect.
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Game Design Theory JM-PDGD-15
5
Assessment
1. Assessment, Appraisal and Pass Marks
To pass this course you must have passed your Final Assignment.
Pass Marks:
For the exam you must attend an audit with your tutors on your Final Assignment; the game design and
documentation. The total number of points you can achieve for this assignment is 100. 55 points or more
means you have passed (5.5).
1.
Assessment Criteria, Conditions Handing in Papers and Assessment Forms
Final Assignment
Assessment Criteria
The Final Assignment will be assessed on the following criteria:
(1) Process
How your process has been, how structured you have been working and what techniques or
methods you have used.
(2) Game Design
How much thought you have put in the working of the game mechanics and how much game
theory you have applied.
(3) Playtests
The game Prototype has clearly been tested which led to improvements of the design.
(4) Fun/Flow
The game is fun to play and appealing. You have actively worked on making the game
entertaining and appealing.
(5) Feedback
Your game uses feedback mechanics to help the player understand what he is doing and
showing how the game works and progresses.
Conditions Handing in Papers
We will only assess a product if and when it
(1) Was handed in on time
(2) Has been edited carefully
(3) Meets the criteria of the assignment
(4) Is complete
2. Re-sits
You are allowed to sit in on the lectures and tutorials once per Academic Year only. The assignments can
be handed in twice per year, once during the regular handing in phase and once during the re-sit phase.
The opportunity for an exam will elapse when nothing has been handed in within the appointed time frame.
The re-sits will take place during the next block. The assignments for the re-sits must be handed in with the
lecturer during week 5 of that block. In turn, the lecturer will make sure the mark for the re-sit is uploaded
into OSIRIS, before the end of the block.
Should the re-sit be scheduled during Block D, then you are also allowed to hand in a supplementary
assignment at the end of week 2.The lecturer will have time to upload the result into OSIRIS until the end
of week 4.
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3. Appeal
There is a possibility to appeal against decisions which are directly related to education and exams (like
exam assessments and assessments of assignments). It concerns direct decisions aimed at you as an
individual student only. If you wish to appeal as a project group then every individual student will have to
appeal themselves.
A written appeal will have to be lodged within two weeks after the result was published (for example: an
exam mark) .The only way to do this is by emailing the Faculty Helpdesk for Appeals: [email protected]
or the CMD Exam Board ([email protected]). A complaint cannot be lodged with the Course
Coordinator or Programme Manager. A standard form is available to lodge an appeal, you can find this
here: www.klachtenwegwijzer.hu.nl, click on documents.
The Exam Board will notify you of the decision. If you still disagree, you can appeal with the Exam Board.
Then there is still the option to lodge an appeal with HU-Loket Rechtsbescherming Studenten (HU fStudent
Legal Protection Helpdesk). You will have to do so within six weeks after the decision was published.
The complete appeal procedure has been described in the Reglement Rechtsbescherming Studenten
(Student Legal Protection Rules and Regulations), and where it concerns the Exam Board it has also been
laid down in article 45 of the Onderwijs- en examenregeling bacheloropleidingen HU( Education and Exam
Regulations Bachelor Programmes HU) (www.reglementen.hu.nl). This is a leading source for information
of this kind.
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