This course is part of the Game Design and Development with Unity 2020 Specialization

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Brian Winn

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Game Design and Development with Unity 2020 SpecializationMichigan State University

About this Course

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If you love games and want to learn how to make them, then this course is your third step down that path. In this course you will learn the fundamentals of game design, including an understanding of level design, game balancing, prototyping, and playtesting, as well as game asset creation techniques. You will continue developing video games using industry standard game development tools, including the Unity 2020 game engine. At the end of the course you will have completed a 3D First-Person Shooter game, and will be able to leverage an array of game development techniques to create your own basic games.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 3 of 5 in the

Game Design and Development with Unity 2020 Specialization

Intermediate Level

Completion of "Game Design and Development 2: 2D Platformer" course.

Approx. 13 hours to complete

English

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Skills you will gain

Video Game Development
Unity
Game Design
technology
Game Making

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 3 of 5 in the

Game Design and Development with Unity 2020 Specialization

Intermediate Level

Completion of "Game Design and Development 2: 2D Platformer" course.

Approx. 13 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

5/5 (14 Ratings)

Brian Winn

Full Professor

Media and Information

148,723 Learners

8 Courses

Offered by

Michigan State University

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 150 years.

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week1

Week 1

4 hours to complete

Your Third Step into Game Design and Development

4 hours to complete

26 videos (Total 180 min), 3 readings

26 videos

Course Overview1mProject Overview5mCreating A New Unity Project3mGetting The New Input System1mImporting The Asset Package1mMain Menu Setup 1 - Creating Menu8mMain Menu Setup 2 - About Page3mMain Menu Setup 3 - Dynamic Elements4mMain Menu Setup 4 - Unity Terrain3mMain Menu Setup 5 - Environment Prefabs7mCreating First Level7mSetting Up 3D Art Assets7mWriting The Player Controller Script 18mWriting The Player Controller Script 211mWriting The Player Controller Script 315mWriting The Player Controller Script 415mPutting Together The Player Prefab7mEnemy AI Setup 16mEnemy AI Setup 26mFinishing The Level4mCreating Another Level9mBoss Fight4mUsing Provided Prefabs 111mUsing Provided Prefabs 210mFinish the Project1m3D Shooter Modification Examples9m

3 readings

Use Unity 2020.3 for this Course10mDownloading Project Assets10m3D Shooter Assignment15m

Week2

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Game Assets

A big part of game development is developing the game assets. Game assets in Unity include the visuals (2D and 3D graphics, fonts, materials, animations), audio (sound effects, voice acting, ambient sounds, and music), and even the game logic (C# scripts), amongst other things. In this module, we will explore concepts and creation techniques of graphics, concepts and creation techniques of audio, the asset pipeline, and explore programming best practices.

3 hours to complete

13 videos (Total 79 min), 4 readings, 4 quizzes

13 videos

Game Graphics Concepts - Part 1 of 35mGame Graphics Concepts - Part 2 of 35mGame Graphics Concepts - Part 3 of 33mCreating Game Graphics3mGame Audio Concepts5mCreating Game Audio6mThe Asset Pipeline9mProgramming Best Practices - Part 1: Introduction1mProgramming Best Practices - Part 2: Easy-to-Read Code12mProgramming Best Practices - Part 3: Designer-Friendly Code6mProgramming Best Practices - Part 4: Fault-Tolerant Code9mProgramming Best Practices - Part 5: Efficient Code6mProgramming Best Practices - Part 6: Refactoring Code3m

4 readings

Graphical Asset Creation Tools5mGraphical Asset Acquisition Resources5mAudio Asset Creation Tools5mAudio Asset Acquisition Resources5m

4 practice exercises

Game Graphics15mGame Audio15mAsset Pipeline10mProgramming Best Practices15m

Week3

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Level Design and Game Balancing

In this module, we will explore level design and game balancing. Level design is where the ‘rubber meets the road’. The level design is where the gameplay, storyline, art, and technology all come together to create the actual game world the player experiences. We have discussed the idea of creating experience goals, designing, playtesting, comparing the difference between the experience goals and the actual experience, and then iterating on the design, several times. This is game balancing. It is what iterative design is all about.

3 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 46 min), 10 readings, 2 quizzes

9 videos

Level Design - Part 1: Introduction5mLevel Design - Part 2: Components of Level Design6mLevel Design - Part 3: Tips for Designing Levels6mLevel Design - Part 4: Level Design Activity4mGame Balancing - Part 1: Introduction4mGame Balancing - Part 2: Player vs. Player6mGame Balancing - Part 3: Player vs. Gameplay3mGame Balancing - Part 4: Gameplay vs. Gameplay5mGame Balancing - Part 5: Game Design Challenge2m

10 readings

Level Design vs. Gameplay Design10m"What Makes a Good Puzzle" by Mark Brown18m"How Level Design Can Tell a Story" by Mark Brown18m"Why Nathan Drake Doesn’t Need a Compass" by Mark Brown9mGraph Paper5mUnity Level Design Tips10m"How Games Use Feedback Loops" by Mark Brown13m"Should Dark Souls Have an Easy Mode?" by Mark Brown10m"How Games Get Balanced" by Mark Brown16mBalancing Your Game15m

2 practice exercises

Level Design15mGame Balancing15m

Week4

Week 4

4 hours to complete

Making Your Game Better

Prototyping is one of the most critical skills a game designer can cultivate. The ability to "find the fun" in gameplay design is critical to being a successful designer. In this module we will discuss prototyping of a game. This can then be put in front of players during a playtest, allowing you to better understand if the underlying mechanics, systems and aesthetic are something that players may find engaging. As you work on your 3D Shooter project, you should be playtesting. In this module, you will also finish up the 3D Shooter project, submit it for peer review, and peer review your fellow learners games. Finish the course strong!

4 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 30 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes

8 videos

Prototyping and Playtesting - Part 1: Introduction2mPrototyping and Playtesting - Part 2: Gameplay Prototypes8mPrototyping and Playtesting - Part 3: Other Early Prototypes2mPrototyping and Playtesting - Part 4: Mid to Late Prototypes2mPrototyping and Playtesting - Part 5: Playtesting2mPrototyping and Playtesting - Part 6: Playtesting (cont.)6mPrototyping and Playtesting - Part 7: Playtesting (cont.)4mCourse Wrap Up1m

2 readings

"Secrets of Game Feel and Juice" by Mark Brown6mMac Users: Read this when doing peer review10m

1 practice exercise

Prototyping and Playtesting15m

Reviews

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TOP REVIEWS FROM GAME DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT 3: 3D SHOOTER

by MASep 5, 2021

I really like the theoretical parts of these courses

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About the Game Design and Development with Unity 2020 Specialization

Break into the video game industry with theoretical, technical, and practical knowledge from one of the world’s best programs.

In this completely revised 2021 version of the Specialization, learners build the skills necessary to design and development games. The Specialization focuses on both the theory and practice of game making. From a technical standpoint, learners create four game projects in the latest Unity 2020 game engine, include a 2D Shooter, 2D Platformer, First-Person Shooter, and 3D Platformer. In the Capstone Project, learners create a completely original game of their own design from initial concept up to the first playable prototype. The Specialization comes from the Michigan State University game program which is ranked as one of the top programs in North America.

Game Design and Development with Unity 2020

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
What version of Unity is covered in the course?
The course was originally built with Unity 5.1.x. However, we recently updated lessons to Unity 5.4.x where there were notable differences between 5.1 and 5.4.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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Game Design and Development 3: 3D Shooter

About this Course

Skills you will gain