Game Design Course - Award Winning Learning Platform

Prepare to create and sell the game you have always dreamt of designing.

With the evolution of portable-device technology, the mobile games industry is expanding rapidly in exciting directions. What’s more, game design has never been more accessible. To help you take advantage of these enticing circumstances, nobody is better qualified than course authors Chris Stevens and Max Scott Slade.

Chris and Max are co-founders of multi award-winning games studios, and they have shipped over one million game apps between them. Written from real experience and success rather than pure theory, the course guides you through the history, climate and principles of game design; how to use Unity 3D to create, program and refine your own mobile game; and how to successfully release your game to the Apple, Google and Windows app stores.

Section 1: Theory of Game Design

Unit 1.1 - Introduction

Why this course? • How this course works • The gaming landscape • Why gaming is the biggest category • Genres of games • A short history of popular mobile games • Trends • 2D vs. 3D

Unit 1.2 - Principles of game design

Know your game • Plot • Gameplay • Sound • Visuals • Game examples to back-up theory • The psychology of video game design • Neurobiology and gaming • Self-testing your game • User testing

Unit 1.3 - The player

The history of gaming • Why we play games • The nature of play • Controversies • Parental Control • Addiction

Unit 1.4 - Mobile games

Differences from traditional platforms • The future of mobile games • Social gaming, Games Centres, and In-app purchases (IAP) • Graphics • The simpler the better?

Unit 1.5 - Understanding the different platforms

iOS • Android • Web

Unit 1.6 - Making a game from scratch

Overview • Tools to use • Knowledge required • Assets

Unit 1.7 - Introduction to Unity3D

Introduction • How to download & install Unity • Prefabs • Atlases • C-Sharp programming • Assets • Scenes

Section 2: Practical Game Design

Unit 2.1 - Creating the Unity3D project

Structure and organisation • Project setup • Import sounds from the tutorial package• Import graphics from the tutorial package • Creating the game view and the bouncing platform as a prefab

Unit 2.2 - Asset creation

Introduction to Blender • Asset creation • Importing assets into Unity

Unit 2.3 - Gameplay revisited

Specific gameplay principles and game design in the example code • How different parts of your game will be treated • What the rules of play are • How tweaking the rules creates a different game

Unit 2.4 - Scripting basics

Pros and cons of using Unity’s built-in physics system • Keeping things basic • Input controls

Unit 2.5 - Control input and animation

Creating a basic 3D animation • Using animation in code with easing

Unit 2.6 - Scripting events and sound

Scripting • Using sounds specifically made for this course

Section 3: After your game has been made

Unit 3.1 - Testing and deployment

The importance of testing • Ways to test apps with different platforms using Unity remote

Beginners wanting to develop and release your game to Apple, Google and Windows app stores.

Required: none

Suggested: Apple Xcode and iOS operating system or Android SDK and Android operating system