Revised October 31, 2016
Undergrad Game Design Curriculum
Updated Spring 2017
CAPSTONE
PROJECT
GAME
STUDIES
FUNDAMENTALS
year 1
INTERMEDIATE
years 2-4
CRITICAL
PLAY
Intro to
Game Studies
Games 101
Intermediate
Game Studies
Games
Journalism
Tackling
Representation
in Games
Star
Craft
Indie
RPGs
Games &
Players
Tabletop
Lit.
Looking
Glass
Game
Feel
Thtr
Game
Trad.
Card
Game
ADVANCED
years 3-4
Advanced
Topics
Seminars
Biz
Lab
GAME
DESIGN
GAME
DEV.
GAME
CODING
VISUAL
DESIGN
Intro to
Game Design
Intro to
Game Dev.
Intro to
Programming
for Games
Intro to
Visual
Communication
Intermediate
Game Design
Intermediate
Game Dev.
Intermediate
Programming
for Games
UI/UX Design
for Games
double-outline
means required
“core” course
Intro to
Narrative
Design
Prod.
Practicum
2 cred,uses
a current
class proj
as case study
AUDIO
DESIGN
THE “CORE”
The 9 courses with the double
outline are required to be taken by
all BFA students prior to graduation.
Audio For
Digital Games
Production
Workshop
Undergrads work
on gradate and
capstone projs
2D Art &
Animation
Procedural
Generation
for Games
SENIOR
CAPSTONE
3D Modeling
Only 1 semester of Capstone is
required as part of the core.
CREDIT REQUIREMENTS
Game Electives Gen Ed
(CAS)
Center
56
28
44
credits
14
7
11
avg. classes
(4 creds)
General Ed Requirements
Team OR Solo Studio required for
all other “Studio” courses
Game Dev:
Team Studio
Game Dev:
Solo Studio
NYU Tandon
CS1124
(OOP)
Board Game
Design
VR Studio
Gameplay
Programming
Patterns
Advanced
Game Design
Procedural
Generation
for Games
Level
Design
Designing
for Museums
Beyond
the Joystick
Minimalist
Game
Design
Sciences
(hard & social)
x2
Arrows show prerequisites
If an arrow crosses a dotted line,
it is also a prereq for anything
in that category below the line
Advanced
Visual
Systems
Senior
Capstone 1
thicker outline means grad-level courses
open to Juniors/Seniors by request
Senior
Capstone 2
Each student is required to take 1 semester
1 semester of CAPSTONE where they
complete a capstone project to Beta state.
Students can apply for the second semester
of CAPSTONE, which focuses on finishing
projects from 1st semester and strategies
for launching them to the public.
Expository
Writing
x2
Humanities
x2
Undergrad Game Design Curriculum
GAME STUDIES
+ Intro to Game Studies
Theory and critical thinking fundamentals
What happens: discussion, multiple short papers
Games and Players
Psychology, sociology, playtesting, audience
What happens: discussion, readings, 2 papers
Intermediate Game Studies
Deeper critical thinking fundamentals
Prerequisite: Intro to Game Studies
What happens: papers, readings
Advanced Topics Seminars
Advanced specialized deep explorations of a topic
What happens: discussion, reading, 2 papers
Tackling Representation in Games
How games represent sex, race, and more
What happens: discussion, reading, papers
GAME DESIGN
GAME DEVELOPMENT
+ Intro to Game Design
+ Intro to Game Development
Intermediate Game Design
+ RPGs, CCGs, design docs, complex problems
+ Intermediate Game Development
Fundamentals of design, iteration, prototyping
What happens: group non-digital games
What happens: discussion, reading, 2 papers
Boardgame design (UG/G)
Design of commercial tabletop games
What happens: solo & group design projects
Toy Design (UG/G)
Physical play, design process, toy design
What happens: group toy creation
Advanced Game Design
Design as research, theory + practice
What happens: 1 main project
Level Design
2D and 3D level design and production
What happens: a few projects / tools
Gentle intro to code, art, sound, production
What happens: solo project for whole class
Modding, tools, 3D workflow
Prerequisite: Intro to Game Development
What happens: solo 3D level design project
+ Game Dev: Team Studio
Unity, first big group project
What happens: learn Unity + 1/2 semester project
+ Game Dev: Solo Studio
Rapid prototyping, small-scale solo game dev
What happens: learn Phaser + 3/4 semester project
GAME PROGRAMMING
+ Intro to Programming for Games
Gentle introduction for non-programmers
What happens: lectures, exercises, solo games
Tools: Processing/Java, C#/Unity
+ Intermediate Programming for Games
Continued development of coding knowledge
Prerequisite: Intro to Game Programming
What happens: lectures, excs, solo/group games
Tools: C#/Unity
NYU TANDON / Advanced Game Programming
Object oriented programming
Prerequisite: Intermediate Game Programming
What happens: lecture, lab, homework, exams
Tools: C++
Project Management - 2 Cr.
Producer role, tools, techniques
What happens: uses a current class project
as case study
Production Workshop
Labor pool for graduate / senior? projects
What happens: students work on other projs
Designing for the Met
Work with a real client to develop prototypes
What happens: design, prototyping, critique
VISUAL DESIGN
+ Intro to Visual Communication
Visual thinking and communication
What happens: solo visua design projects
User Interface / User Experience
Visual and interactive design for players
What happens: analysis, design, development
Designing for Times Square
CRITICAL PLAY
+ Games 101 (UG/G)
Broad survey history of games
What happens: lectures, short papers, tests, play
Games Journalism (UG/G)
How industry journalism works. Writing criticism
What happens: writing, editing, video
CRITICAL PLAY LABS
Tabletop Literacy - 2 Cr. (UG/G)
Understanding important tabletop games
What happens: critical game play, 1 paper
Game Feel - 2 Cr.
Understanding how to create good game feel
What happens: analysis, design, development
Indie RPGs - 2 Cr. (UG/G)
Understanding important shortform RPGs
What happens: critical game play, 1 paper
Starcraft - 2 Cr. (UG/G)
eSports and expert play
What happens: train gameplay skills, 1 paper
Looking Glass - 2 Cr. (UG/G)
Critical history of narrative immersive sim
What happens: critical game play, 1 paper
Designing public space interactive projects
What happens: design and development.
VR Studio
Designing games and virtual world applications
What happens: design and development
CAPSTONE
+ Capstone 1
Students take a project to Alpha/Beta phase
What happens: single project, guided process
Capstone 2
Selected Capstone 1 projects get a 2nd semester
What happens: continued work on Capstone project
Required: Capstone 1 + selection process
NOTES
All classes are 4 credits unless indicated
Courses required for the BFA are marked with a “ + ”
Classes that admit grad students are labeled “(UG/G)”