Class Information
- Instructor: Edgar SIMO-SERRA
- Dates: Apr, 2026〜Jul, 2026
- Lectures: Monday, 3rd Period (13:10〜14:50)
- Room: TBA
- E-mail: ess@waseda.jp
Overview
This tries to cover game design in a hands-on format to teach students how ta make games from ideation to completion. The class focuses on the concepts behind games and has students gain experience by making three game prototypes during the entire course in game jams.
Students are expected to have basic knowledge of programming and computer science. A computer that can run godot 4 is also necessary.
Objectives
What this course tries to do:
- Try to categorize and explain the different aspects of games
- Give experience making games through “game jams”
- Cover some game research and different approaches that can be useful in games
- Teach how to analyze existing games and mechanics
What this course isn’t:
- An introduction to programming (however, how to use Godot wil be taught)
- A good way to break into the games industry and find a job
- A comprehensive course on all the skills needed for game development
- A course that focuses on proprietary tools such as Unity or Unreal Engine
- A way to learn about marketing and other techniques necessary to be successful in the game industry
- A course that directly teaches ho to make art, animations, or visual effects (see the Advanced Computer Graphics course for that)
Game Jams
The course is organized around 3 game jams that form 100% of the evaluation of the course. Details of the game jams will vary depending on the number of students and other environmental factors.
- In general, the first game jam will be done in groups of 2 students, the second in groups of 3 students, and the last in groups of 4 students
- Groups of students will be chosen randomly for each game jam
- Each game jam will have different topics or constraints that you have to adhere to, and thus you will be making 3 different games
- It is necessary to have a working prototype for each game jam
- Work on getting a minimal viable product before adding more features
- Make sure to use some form of version control (git is recommended) so that you don’t lose your working prototype
- Game prototypes do not have to be polished or perfect, but have to be able to convey the core concept behind it
- Students will be able to try other students prototypes
- Selected games will be hosted on the class website for future students
Class Schedule
- Introduction slides GDW Chapter 1
- Game Design Fundamentals slides GDW Chapter 2+3 ROP Unit 1
- Ideation slides GDW Chapter 6 AGD Chapter 7+8
- Prototyping slides GDW Chapter 7+8 AGD 8
- Game Jam 1 slides
- The Player Experience slides AGD Chapter 9+10+11 GDW 4
- Game Mechanics AGD Chapter 12 ROP Unit 2
- Playtesting and Balancing slides GDW Chapter 9+10 AGD Chapter 13+28
- Game Jam 2 slides
- Procedural Content Generation slides
- Fun Games slides GDW Chapter 11
- Game Design slides
- Game Jam 3 slides
- Postmortem slides
Course Resources
- GDW Tracy Fullerton, Game Design Workshop (5th Edition), CRC Press, 2024. ISBN: 978-1032607009
- ROP Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman,Rules of Play, MIT Press, 2004. ISBN: 978-0262240451
- AGD Jesse Schell, The Art of Game Design (3rd Edition), CRC Press, 2020. ISBN: 978-1138632059
- Noor Shaker, Julian Togelius, and Mark J. Nelson, Procedural Content Generation in Games, Springer, 2016. ISBN: 978-3319826431