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 [CB]
REVIEW >> CLASS TIPS/GUIDE with TEST (SCHOOLOGY)

0.1 Digital Citizenship [CB]

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

Sprites (Most popular option)
Create a 10+ sprite collection (PNG format!) to be used in your future game that includes main character, NPCs, environment pieces. (see examples >>)
SUBMIT through Schoology
 USE Piskelapp. PiskelappTutorial Series
IMPORT A GUIDE TEMPLATE?>> PNG, PISKEL
REFERERENCE GENERATORS:
ONE, TWO, THR, FOU, FIV, SIX, SEV, EIG

Web Comic
1 page with 4-6 frames
Student example: Blake Wolf
SUBMIT through Schoology

Card Game
8 cards on par with MUNCHKIN, Magic, Pokemon. Template 2 x 4
 Teacher Example
SUBMIT through Schoology

alt: Paint.net (installed), PHOTOPEA, Google Draw, Pixilart.com, Pixelorama, Inkscape, Krita, Gimp, Fire Alpaca

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

Make a personally meaningful, original, illustrated, Choose Your Own Adventure (or Kinetic Novel) using Storyboard (PLAY browser link), Twine (PUBLISH file) OR INKLEWRITER (SHARE link)
Storyboard and Inkle both require accounts but saves in cloud!
A good grade requires:

  • 8+ narrative blocks

  • 3+ relevant graphics (start, middle, end)
    Google Image Search or     FREE ART
     (Save amage as or Copy image address)
    IF you choose later to do this as your 9 week project, images should be original

  • SUBMIT link or file through Schoology

Storyboard has more options and is the most user-friendly
My friend Thomas Lafferty of The Heroic Academy used Storyboard to help me prototype THIS

Twine is the choice of the professionals
text choice link code: [[Words to click on->block name]]
image code: <img src="https://i.imgur.com/Di6yq04.jpg" width="300">

AUDIO??? direct links HERE
CODE:
<audio autoplay controls>
<source src="https://direct link.mp3" type="audio/mpeg">
</audio>

PRO Student Example
[TWINE HELP GUIDE] [TWINE YT HELP Playlist]

INKLEWRITER has some cool publishing options
EXAMPLE Teacher example

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

3. MUSIC [CB]
[WEEK 4]

Bring your own WIRED headset/earphones and choose one of the following:

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

SUBMIT through Schoology

BEST MUSIC BY FORMER STUDENTS!!!

Chrome Music.mp4

4. Make an RPG
CHOOSE: Playground or Ace Lite
[Week 5]

Make it personally meaningful!

Playground [CB]

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!
    SHOW teacher for BONUS!

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

  4. More tutorials can be found HERE.

  5. SUBMIT link through Schoology

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

ACE LITE

Installed on your class computer (C:\C11\RPGMakerVXAceLite\RPGVXAceLite.exe - RIGHT-CLICK FILE and SEND TO DESKTOP SHORTCUT). This is the FREE version of the famous RPG Maker software and exports only to Windows. It's the easiest and best RPG game design tool 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.

RPG Playground

5. Make a game!
 CHOOSE: FUSION or GDevelop [CB] or GODOT
[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 through Schoology the *.MFA file when done
 Teacher FUSION templates HERE
Template Video ::: 100's of examples: NIVRAM's

GDEVELOP (download for Windows & install) [CB]
Top games made with GDevelop | Making BANK

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 through Schoology the PUBLISHED LINK when done (account required)
Teacher GDevelop templates HERE
Ways to make your game better
The BEST GDevelop EXTENSIONS

GODOT (in C:\C11\GODOT folder)
If you are looking for the next UNITY DISRUPTOR, GODOT is it!
Top Games Made with GODOT
DOWNLOAD-UNZIP-HACK THIS 2D PLATFORM TOOLKIT >> (Tutorial)
Later, if you like, learn to CODE as your 9 week project! (Python-ish, C++, C#)
SUBMIT through Schoology


6. Make a 3D VR World [CB] OR OC!!!
[Weeks 8]

BlocksmithXR - EASY VR/AR creation tool
already installed in C:\C11 folder. Be sure to create an account!
WEB VERSION [CB] runs on Chrome Book!
SUBMIT through Schoology

Use Tinkercad to create an Original Character
following the instructions below
SKELETON FILE (download-open in blender)
SUBMIT through Schoology

EASY ANIMATED OC

7. Game Pitch! [CB]
[WEEK 9]

Come up with an original game idea (that you could actually prototype FAST, aka MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT) and present it in your choice of the following PITCH FORMATS:

My MOD SQUAD and I will pick our favorite and help build a prototype! If you are a digital artist providing the assets, your chances of being chosen are far greater!!!

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 through Schoology 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