Course overview

Over the next eight weeks, we will explore the methodologies and processes used in game creation from eight different perspectives:

1. Week 1: Focus on the basic theoretical knowledge of game design, covering the history of game development, interpretation of core concepts, and related knowledge, to help you build a cognitive framework for game design.
2. Week 2: Dive into game structure and mechanics. By decomposing the core elements of classic games, you will systematically learn the methodological system and key core content of game design, and master the design thinking of decomposition-analysis-reuse.
3. Week 3: Explore the relationship between game mechanics and players. Focus on the dynamic changes of games after player participation, and incorporate case studies of typical game mechanics, enabling you to grasp the core logic of matching different player behavior types with game mechanics.
4. Week 4: Start from players’ emotions and real feelings. Using the MDA (Mechanics-Dynamics-Aesthetics) game design methodology, we will deeply explore the connections between these three components and learn how to create fresh and memorable gaming experiences for players.
5. Week 5: Focus on the integration of games and narratives. Sort out the core elements of game narratives, analyze the design characteristics of story-driven games, understand the underlying logic of how stories attract players, and try to learn specific methods to tell a good story using game language.
6. Week 6: Discuss the logic of game expression. Analyze the core content of game expression from both the player’s perspective (sensory experience, interactive feedback) and the designer’s perspective (worldview construction, gameplay communication). At the same time, we will conduct brainstorming sessions to guide you in generating game design ideas, and complete an abstract game creation practice to transform theory into initial works.
7. Week 7: Focus on the core concept of the “magic circle of games.” We will guide you to connect games with real-world scenarios, learn about diverse forms such as live-action games and serious games, and lay the foundation for creating games with practical significance in the future.
8. Week 8: First, we will share cutting-edge game design theories and research results. Then, we will focus on core processes such as team division of labor, game testing, and project management, and guide you to carry out a complete team creation practice. From turning ideas into tangible products to exhibiting the final works, you will personally experience the entire process of a game being created from scratch, and finally present your creative achievements in an exhibition.

Through this course, we hope to help you master practical game creation capabilities, gradually transform your creative ideas into experiential works, and further develop complete and actionable game plans.

This is the first time we are launching this course on this platform. We sincerely welcome you to provide valuable suggestions for improvement，your feedback is crucial to the optimization of our course and adjustment of content. We attach great importance to teacher-student interaction during the course.

Throughout the 8-week teaching period, the instructor will regularly answer questions and comment on assignments to help you solve problems in your studies, encourage you to engage in more independent learning and practice, and provide a clear direction for your continuous growth. In the future, we will continue to optimize the course content based on everyone’s feedback.

We also look forward to exploring through Game Design, growing through practice, and jointly exploring the value of games with all friends who love game design. This is not only the goal of this course but also the original intention that has driven me to teach Game Design for more than a decade.