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

  • Classes are experiential and project based

  • Bonus and alternate lesson options galore!

  • Loads of explanations, tutorials and examples.

  • THE BEST STRATEGY is to turn in the work when it's due regardless of completion (a 60% is better than a zero) and then resubmit later for FULL CREDIT!
    -Mr S Jacobson

0. Class Guide
WHILE reviewing this >> CLASS GUIDE,
take the corresponding TEST in Schoology.
YES, it's an open note test intended to help you review the class guidelines that make things run smooth and frees me up to help you with the more important things. It's also a quick grade boost! If you don't get a 100% then you were distracted :)

The catch is, any flagrant violations during the semester will turn this GRADED TEST score to a ZERO and require you to do a RETAKE.

1. ARG [Week 1]

An ARG (Alternate Reality Game) blurs the lines between real world and fabricated events.

I couldn't imagine a better way to start off a game design class than with a game that showcases the exciting activity options you'll be exploring!

TO START, you'll need to fill out an application to become an Agent of Asterisk. The application will automatically direct you to a virtual "vetting hub" to explore, collect and act on clues you find.


  • Return to your (graded) application form to input the ARG clues as you uncover them.

  • BONUS for first to submit with all correct answers!

  • BONUS for first to complete SPYTOOL branch

  • BONUS for first to solve ENIGMA

2. 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.


3. CHOOSE!
ART, WRITING or MUSIC
[2 WEEKS]

ART
Sprites
Create a full sprite collection (20+ sprites) for your upcoming game using
Piskelapp or Pixelorama or Inkscape (installed)
that include character animations, NPC's, and environment pieces
Tutorial Series

Web Comic
Using Paint.net or GIMP or Pixilart.com you can host on tapas.io or webtoons.com

Animation
Using Wickeditor or Pencil2D
 EXAMPLES!!! Tutorials 1 Tutorials 2 Tutorials 3

Card Game
Using Inkscape, GIMP, Paint.net, or Google Draw, upload to The Game Crafter
example

WRITING
Make an original, illustrated, quality Choose Your Own Adventure using Twine.
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:// ... jpg/png

MUSIC
Bring your own wired headset/earphones and use Bandlab, Beepbox, Chrome Song Maker, or BoscaCeoil to create 6 original 60+ second music tracks (avoiding repetition and randomness) for your upcoming games.
Themes: Intro, boss, win, adventure, pastoral, etc.

Chrome Song Maker Tutorial, Beepbox Tutorial

Piskelapp sheets
Chrome Music.mp4

4. Make an RPG
Using RPG Boss or RPG Playground
[1 Weeks]

RPG BOSS

Installed on your class computer (C:\C11\RPGBoss\). 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

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 Publish, Save game, copy the share link and SUBMIT

  4. More tutorials can be found HERE.

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

RPG Playground

5. Make a game using
FUSION, GDevelop or Construct
[3 Weeks]

Choose a template (designer) or tutorial (developer)

FUSION

Template (designer)

HERE is the 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. Template Video ::: More templates [HERE] ::: Pro Tips: ALMIGHTY ZENTACO ::: 100's of examples: NIVRAM's ::: Teacher's SPECIAL REQUEST FOLDER!!!

Tutorial (developer)

Follow these tutorials and make a game using your previously made sprite sheets or music.
Instructor Tutorials: Series 1 Series 2

GDEVELOP

Template (designer)

Pick a STARTER or EXAMPLE and Switch out the graphics with those from the previous Piskel Sprite Sheet assignment (if you did it) and completely redecorate, also adding your own music from previously (if you did it).
THIS DUDE has some pretty sweet templates!

Tutorial (developer)

Pick a tutorial and start from scratch with an EMPTY GAME
 SUBMIT the PLAY LINK
[FILE-EXPORT-WEB-PUBLISH ONLINE-OPEN-COPY URL]
ADVANCED TUTORIALS

CONSTRUCT

CREATE AN ACCOUNT to access exporting and advanced features
INSTALL AS APP so you can use OFFLINE!
SUBMIT *.C3P FILE (PROJECT-SAVE AS-SINGLE FILE-NAME)

Template (designer)

Choose one of the TEMPLATES to make your own by replacing ALL graphics and sound effects! Enlarge the level and rearrange the layout.

Tutorial (developer)

Choose THIS or THIS tutorial but use completely different graphics to prove you just didn't hack the demo game :)


PLAN The Big Quarter PROJECT
with a Google Site Portfolio
[1 WEEK]

  1. Come up with an original project idea using software from a previous lesson or investigate something NEW from the next section below

  2. Build and update weekly a project portfolio-promotional-blog site in Google Sites (use a private Gmail so you don't lose access after you graduate). DON'T FORGET TO PUBLISH after every weekly update!

  3. PUBLISH & SHARE the link with your teacher ASAP

Need inspiration?

portfoliotut.mp4

blurb is the word

Additional Project Choices:

You are mostly on your own with these excellent choices but they are all well worth the extra effort!

  • CREATE an ARG (Alternate Reality Game) !!!
    Just like the one you played at the start of this course!

  • JOIN THE ANTHOLOGY PROJECT
    add your mini-game to a themed collection!

  • CODE/Script with GODOT Scenes-Nodes-Signals
    predicted successor to Unity! [2D Tut][3D Tut]

  • Block code phone apps with MIT App Inventor
    iphone requires the viewer

  • Easy VR using Blocksmith
    I can help you with this!

  • Create a Visual Novel with CLOUDnovel
    This has come a long way!

  • MicroSoft MAKECODE Arcade
    Follow all videos and then make your own original!

  • CODE/Script with microSTUDIO
    Cloud based, arcade style, great tutorials, lua-ish

  • Code/Script in Lua with Defold
    the best option for learning Lua

  • CODE in C with RAYLIB
    PURE CODING! No fancy interface.

  • DESIGN or CODE/Script with UNITY
    a popular favorite among indie developers

  • DESIGN or CODE/Script with Unreal
    after a long hiatus Unreal Engine is back!

END OF QUARTER

THE BIG PROJECT

portfoliotut.mp4

END OF QUARTER