Game Design 1


To be a valuable team member it is essential to be familiar with the various skills involved in a game project. You will likely prefer to be a writer, artist, designer, coder/dev or musician, but to have effective communication within your team requires an elementary knowledge and appreciation of all skill sets. So, you will be exposed to a variety of lessons designed to familiarize you with these various game project duties before choosing your BIG PROJECT.sjacobson (at) cdaschools.org

ALWAYS TURN IN WORK WHEN IT'S DUE regardless of completion

and then resubmit later for FULL CREDIT!

100% + 0% = F
100% + 50% = C

0.0 Class Guide
REVIEW >> CLASS TIPS/GUIDE with TEST (SCHOOLOGY)

0.1 Digital Citizenship

You were probably hoping to get right into game design/development but in order to meet graduation requirements, we have to review Digital Citizenship. But, we'll do it in a gameful way using SafeOnlineSurfing!

  • Complete ALL 7 areas and then provide the teacher a FULL SCREENSHOT of the checked off end map.

  • Take the DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP TEST (SCHOOLOGY)


How will you make your work in this class
PURPOSEFUL, PERSONAL, and MEANINGFUL?

  • Spotlight a problem you, a friend, or family member is facing

  • Bring to life an exciting story, dream or fantasy you've created

  • Tell a story that encourages positive change you'd like to see in your life, school, town, world.

1. ART (skill NOT required!)
Choose: sprites, web comic, or card game
[WEEK 1 & 2]

Make it personally meaningful!

Sprites
Create a full sprite collection (20+ frames: main character, enemies, environment -see examples ) for your upcoming game using
Piskelapp or Pixelorama or Inkscape (installed).
Piskel Tutorial Series

Web Comic
Using Paint.net or GIMP or Pixilart.com (6 frames minimum)
You can host on tumblr, tapas.io or webtoons.com
Student example: Blake Wolf

Card Game
Original art required and the game mechanics should be on par with Magic or Pokemon. Template 2 x 4
Using Inkscape, GIMP, Paint.net, or Google Draw (example)

Piskelapp sheets

2. WRITING
CHOOSE: Twine or Inkle
[WEEK 3]

Make a personally meaningful, original, illustrated, Choose Your Own Adventure using Twine (PUBLISH file) OR INKLEWRITER (SHARE link) Inkle requires account but saves in cloud! A 100% requires 15+ narrative blocks (100+ words each), 2-3 alternate endings, 8+ relevant (borrowed, sketched, photos) graphics. Images should be hosted on Imgur. Create an account. Get DIRECT link > e.g. https://something.com/something.jpg (or .png)

BUT I CAN'T WRITE!!!!!
DO WHAT THE PROS DO! -> DERIVATIVE + DERIVATIVE = ORIGINAL
"BORROW" from the PUBLIC DOMAIN

3. MUSIC
[WEEK 4]
Bring your own wired headset/earphones and choose one of the following:

to create 3 original 30+ second music tracks (avoiding repetition and randomness) for your upcoming games. Possible themes: Intro, boss, win, adventure, pastoral, etc.

Beepbox Tutorial | Chrome Song Maker Tutorial

Chrome Music.mp4

4. Make an RPG
CHOOSE: WOLF, Playground, or Boss
[Week 5]

Make it personally meaningful!

WOLF

WOLF RPG Editor English is a game construction tool that can create complex role playing games. It is often regarded as being aimed at advanced users, so keep this in mind if you intend to use it. The original Japanese WOLF RPGエディター was developed and published by SmokingWOLF (SilverSecond). The English translation is provided by Velella Himmel (vgperson) and edited by Jeffrey Casey (Widderune).

REQUEST install or FIND in C:\C11 folder

PRO EXAMPLES: ONE | TWO
STUDENT EXAMPLES

Playground

Create an account and click the email activation

  1. Watch Intro tutorial then build your level using advanced conversations/quests, well designed multiple levels (door/warps), enemy fights, etc.

  2. PLEASE FOLLOW THE CHANNEL to enable more features sooner!

  3. Check Public, Save game, Click new link, copy the share link in the address bar of the new tab and SUBMIT (CREATE) via Schoology

  4. More tutorials can be found HERE.

EXAMPLES: Mr Severson BONUS! : Little Adventure : Massacre : Dungeon Fighter

BOSS

Installed on your class computer (C:\C11\RPGBoss\ - RIGHT-CLICK FILE and SEND TO DESKTOP SHORTCUT). Similar to the famous RPGMaker software only RPGBoss is FREE and exports easily to both Windows and Mac. One of the easiest game design tools to use and highly addictive!
For an A you must have an original imported title page, different music, multiple maps (indoor, underground, etc), warps and conversations.

Maniac Burners Master Class | Alternate tutorials [Tut1] [Tut2]

Hackable Item Sheet | Piskel Character Template or HERE | Hack/Import Files

Missing rpgboss.exe FILE?

RPG Playground

5. Make a game!
 CHOOSE: FUSION or GDevelop (teacher FAVS!)
[Weeks 6/7]

Make it personally meaningful!

FUSION (already installed)
Five Nights at Freddy's , Freedom Planet , The Escapists , Baba Is You

HERE is the *.mfa TEMPLATE with Zelda/Platformer/Collector examples. Pick one and delete the other 2. Replace the graphics and sounds with your own and completely redecorate adding extra functionality.
SUBMIT the *.MFA file when done
 Teacher FUSION templates HERE
Template Video ::: 100's of examples: NIVRAM's

GDEVELOP (download for Windows & install)
Top games made with GDevelop

Pick a STARTER or EXAMPLE and Switch out the graphics with those from the previous Piskel Sprite Sheet assignment and completely redecorate, also adding your own music.
SUBMIT the PUBLISHED LINK when done (account required)
Teacher GDevelop templates HERE
THIS DUDE has some pretty sweet templates!


6. Make a 3D game and OC!!!
[Weeks 8]

BlocksmithXR - EASY VR/AR creation tool
already installed in C:\C11 folder

Be sure to create accounts!
Blocksmith/Tinkercad

Animated OC for MAX points! (see below)
SKELETON FILE (download-open in blender)

EASY ANIMATED OC

7. Game Pitch!
[WEEK 9]

Come up with an original game idea and present it in your choice of promotional pitch formats and submit through Schoology via the CREATE or UPLOAD tabs.

Need inspiration?

Submission formats:

    • This FORM (Make a COPY) send SHARE link

    • Scan or take a pic of a hand written document and attach file

    • Google SLIDES

    • Record an audio or video

    • Present to the class for BONUS!

END OF QUARTER

Continue EXPLORING?
Then COPY, FILL OUT >>> THIS WEEKLY UPDATE DOC
OR
START Your FINAL PROJECT
COPY, FILL OUT >>> THIS TEMPLATE

  1. Bottom line... Don't overthink it!

  2. PLAN an ORIGINAL PROJECT based on a previous lesson or investigate something NEW

  3. Make it personally meaningful!

  4. Have a BACKUP PROJECT option in case your first project ends or stalls)

  5. Submit the SHARE LINK via the Schoology Create tab

  6. ADD a new entry at the end of every week

** Must be able to work on it during class and NOT REQUIRE ADMIN install privileges. Also, NO Minecraft or Roblox.

EXAMPLE:

REAL PROJECTS

END OF COURSE!

MISCELLANEOUS