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Game Design Document: Define the Art & Concepts

Approx. 16 hours to complete

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Course Summary

This course covers the process of creating a game design document, including planning, concept development, mechanics, story, and more. Students will learn how to create a comprehensive document that serves as a roadmap for their game development process.

Key Learning Points

Learn how to plan and develop a game design document
Understand the key elements of game design, including mechanics and story
Create a comprehensive document that serves as a roadmap for game development

Learning Outcomes

Create a comprehensive game design document
Understand the key elements of game design
Develop a roadmap for game development

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic understanding of game development
Familiarity with game design terminology

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online
Self-paced

Similar Courses

Game Development Fundamentals
Introduction to Game Development
Game Design and Development Capstone

Notable People in This Field

Game Designer and Programmer
Game Designer and Producer

Related Books

Description

The Capstone project is a place for you to develop your game idea into a fully-fleshed proposal. A game design document is your game bible, the go-to document that defines the genre of your game, its look and feel, and the evolution of gameplay. This four-part capstone project guides you to distill and improve the foundational aspects of your game so that you may express your ideas in a clear and productive way.

Note: Only learners who have earned a certificate in the four previous courses in the Specialization are eligible to take the Capstone.

Outline

Week 1: Ideation
Welcome
3 Key Questions
The Video Game Artist
Review: Ideation
Course Structure
Course Milestones (Assignments)
Academic Integrity
Instructor Presence and Staff Support
GDD vs. Pitch
Final Project Examples
Assembling Your Research
Understanding Your Market
List of Genres
Recommendations for peer review (Week 1)
The Traditional Game Development Workflow
Creating a Production Plan

Week 2: Prototyping and Playtesting
Review: Prototyping
About Prototyping Tools
3D Game Engines
2D Game Engines
Simple Game Engines
Mod Kits
Board and Card Games
Storyboarding
Flowcharts
Other Methods
Playtesting and Data Gathering
Playtesting Checklist

Week 3: Prototyping and Playtesting continued
About refining your prototype

Week 4: Visualization
Review: Visualization
In Person: Akash Thakkar
The Experience
Building a Team

Week 5: Visualization continued
Evaluating and Refining
The Experience, continued

Week 6: Presentation
Review: the Game Design Document
In Person: Sean Velasco
Getting to Know the Community

Week 7: Final Review
Final Review and Next Steps

Summary of User Reviews

This course on game design document received positive reviews from students. They found the course to be informative and engaging, and highly recommend it to others who are looking to learn about game design. One key aspect that many users thought was good is the course content, which is comprehensive and covers all the essential aspects of game design.