Dale Craig

Advanced Game Design

Introduction to the Class        🔺Top

This class teaches advanced concepts in game design including creating game narratives and detailed game mechanics and system design. Students will learn how to analyze various elements in computer games and identify the narraive and game mechanics that make games successful or not successful. Students will practice a process to design game narratives and game mechanics. Class assignments will be written assignments posted to Canvas. You can create Word documents to upload as assignments or you can cut and paste text into the assignment text block. If you are not comfortable completing assignments by writing documents then you should not sign up for this class.

Description and Policies       🔺Top

Students will learn:

• How to analyze types of computer games and identify their narrative design features and game mechanics
• Create game narratives for different kinds of computer games
• Create detailed game rules and implement them on paper-based prototypes
• Learn how to use game prototyping to evaluate various game design elements

The Student Learning Outcomes for this class are:

• Outcome: Create a workable Game Design document.
• Outcome: Create a narrative structure for a Game Design document.
• Outcome: Identify the important Game Design principles in multi-player, mobile, and casual games.

Students are expected to do their own work. Plagiarism is a violation of the student rules of conduct and institutional actions may be taken. Students will upload assignment through a Learning Management System (canvas). You are responsible for learning to use this system to submit assignment. Students are expected to read and follow the college student conduct code posted in the college catalog. A more complete list is posted at Catalog Policies. Services to students can be found on the Student Services page on the college web site.

The online class policies adopted by the Business and CIS Division include the following:

• Students can be dropped from an online class for non-attendance if they do not login to the Canvas class and complete an initial assignment.
• Students can be dropped from an online class for non-attendance if they do not complete discussion assignments or other assignments.
• If students do not complete the Tell Me About Yourself assignment by Sunday, August 30 you will be dropped from the class for non-attendance

Class Materials       🔺Top

In this class you will be playing a number of different kinds of video games. Likely, you will already own a number of games, but you need to play different kinds of video games than you normally play. Some of the online game distribution sites, such as Steam, have a number of free-to-play games. It would be useful to (if you have not already done so) create a Steam account. You might also wish to create accounts on some of the other sites such as GOG (Good Old Games), Origin and Epic games. GOG is particularly useful because it has a number of very inexpensive classic games available for download.

In order to complete assignments you will have to play several types of games including:

• Adventure Games
• Role Playing Games
• Platforming Games
• Strategy Games
• Additional types of games

There will be some freely available DOS games you can download and play.

The textbooks for this class are:

Writing Gread Video Games Required: REQUIRED Author: BRYANT Copyright Year: 2015 ISBN: 9781615932290 New Price: $25.00 - Used Price: $18.75

BOARD GAME DESIGNER'S GUIDE Required: REQUIRED Author: SLACK ISBN: 9781775189206 New Price: $25.00 - Used Price: $18.75

How you will be evaluated       🔺Top

This class is designed to be like a traditional Role Playing Game. This means that students start at an initial level and will get Experience Points (XP) by completing assignments and exams. As you increase your XP you will increase your Level. Reaching each level will automatically add XP to your character. 

The final grade for this class will be based on your total XP.

XP can be acquired by completing the Avatar Assignment,  game design assignments, a game journal, and participation in canvas discussions. 

The final grade will be based on your total XP in the class.
90-100% of possible XP = A
80-89% of possible XP = B
70-79% of possible XP = C
60-69% of possible XP = D
0-59% of possible XP = F

IIn addition to getting XP by completing assignments, design document, journal, and exams, you can also earn VCoins. These can be earned by completing additional assignments. VCoins can be used to purchase a power-up which can be used to get double credit for assignments. Acquiring VCoins is completely optional. Each student will automatically receive 10 VCoins when they reach a new level.

Levels are based on Legand of Zelda characters

Level and XP Required	Description
Calamity Gannon >400	Calamity Ganon is known as a primal evil that has appeared throughout Hyrule's history. Ten thousand years before the events of Breath of the Wild, it appeared to ravage the world. In preparation for this, the Sheikah built a massive army of mechanical protectors called Guardians to aid the Hero and the Princess. Four massive mobile fortresses known as Divine Beasts served as the centerpieces of this army. With this collaboration between the Sheikah and the Hylians, Ganon was sealed beneath Hyrule Castle where it lay dormant for several millennia.
Master Kohga >300	Master Kohga is the Leader of the Yiga Clan, an opposing Clan to the Sheikah Tribe who hunt Link on a ceaseless mission. Master Kohga is a respected figure of authority, but he spends most of his time napping and loafing around. Bananas are what Master Kohga loves most. Master Kohga is known to possess many secrets about the Sheikah Tribe.
Hinox >250	Hinox are recurring enemies and Sub-Bosses in The Legend of Zelda series. They are Cyclops-like ogres that have an affinity for Bombs, and commonly use them as weapons against Link. They typically appear as musclebound, light brown humanoids with a single eye and a ponytail. In most games, they are significantly weak to Bomb explosions.
Blue-Maned Lynel >200	Blue-Maned Lynel are the blue-colored variant of the red-colored Lynels. They have been in Hyrule Kingdom since ancient times. Like other Lynels, they will often refrain from attacking for a short period of time after spotting Link, instead opting to stare down its opponent. Being a higher tier variant from red-colored Lynels, they carry "Mighty" set of Lynel Gear, such as a Mighty Lynel Sword, Mighty Lynel Shield, Mighty Lynel Bow, Mighty Lynel Spear, and a Mighty Lynel Crusher. In Master Mode, they carry the weaker Lynel Gear set.
Blue Bokoblins >100	In Skyward Sword, Blue Bokoblins are much stronger than a Red Bokoblin. Their skin and clothing differs depending on the different environments, but it still has the same fixation with exotic undergarments. During the Horde Battle, they can do a charging attack similar to Ghirahim in his first fight.
ChuChus > 50	ChuChus appear as enemies in Hyrule Warriors Legends. They appear in Green, Red and Yellow varieties. Unlike other enemies, normal attacks are ineffective against them. They can be defeated instantly by using the Hammer or by being caught in a Special Attack. If they are hit by the shockwave from the Hammer instead of the Hammer itself, they will be stunned briefly, allowing normal attacks to damage them. They attack by swinging around their head after deflecting base attacks. When defeated, ChuChus will drop items based on their color. Yellow ChuChus will drop a Force Fragment, Green ChucChus will drop a Magic Jar, and Red ChuChus drop Hearts.
Zombie Chicken 0	Everyone starts at this level. Zombie Chickens have a very short life and are likely to be gone by the second week of the semester.

A Web Page will be posted on this web site and a link posted in Canvas that lists the current XP for each student. In order to maintain confidentially each student will choose an Avatar name and an Avatar icon. For the online classes the response to assignments and discussions will be 48 hours excluding weekends.

Resources       🔺Top

Using DOS Box Games - dosboxgames.zip - DDos Box for Mac OS X
Cave Story Game - EnviroBear Game - Undertale Demo Game - Chex Quest Game
www.gog.com (good and inexpensive games) - www.gamasutra.com  - The Architect of Games (youtube channel) - https://becausegamesmatter.com
Metro Exodus Open World Game Design -  Resource Management in Outer Wilds -  How to use Mario Maker 2
NoClip Game Design - AI Generated Dungeon text adventure - Designing Demons for DOOM Eternal - The Architect of Games Youtube Site
WarCraft III early Days - History of Real Time Strategy games - Writing on Games Youtube Site - Witcher 3 and Narrative Management
Two types of Random - Zelda Open World Design - Controls in Celeste - Game Design with Michael (Youtube Site) Molleindustria games
Final Fantasy 7 (spoilers)

GDC videos       🔺Top

These GDC videos address various game design and programming topics. GDC Yourtube Site
Design Videos
Five Techniques from Quite Inventive Designers - Another five techniques from crafty designers - Five further techniques from clever designers
2017 Failure Workshop - 2018 Failure Workshop - 2019 Failure Workshop - West of Loathing Design Postmortem - Darkest Dungeon Postmortem

Class calendar - see canvas for class calendar      🔺Top

Avatars       🔺Top

Avatars

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Avatars	XP	VCoins	Level
RoadKill	10	10	Zombie Chicken