About this course: The Capstone project is a place for you to develop your game idea into a fully-fleshed proposal. A game design document is your game bible, the go-to document that defines the genre of your game, its look and feel, and the evolution of gameplay. This four-part capstone project guides you to distill and improve the foundational aspects of your game so that you may express your ideas in a clear and productive way.
Created by: California Institute of the Arts
Taught by: Dariush Derakhshani, Faculty, Character Animation
School of Film/Video
Taught by: Théotime Vaillant, Instructor, Experimental Animation
School of Film/Video
| Basic Info | Course 5 of 5 in the Game Design: Art and Concepts Specialization |
| Commitment | 6 weeks of study, 2-4 hours/week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Week 1: Ideation
Welcome! In this first week we’ll lay out the structure of the course, and what milestones you will have to meet each week. At the end of this week is your first assignment: presenting your preliminary game idea to your peers.
4 videos, 10 readings
- Video: Welcome
- Reading: Course Structure
- Reading: Course Milestones (Assignments)
- Video: 3 Key Questions
- Video: The Video Game Artist
- Reading: GDD vs. Pitch
- Reading: Final Project Examples
- Video: Review: Ideation
- Reading: Assembling Your Research
- Reading: Understanding Your Market
- Reading: List of Genres
- Peer Review: Ideation and Market Test
- Reading: Recommendations for peer review (Week 1)
- Reading: The Traditional Game Development Workflow
- Reading: Creating a Production Plan
WEEK 2
Week 2: Prototyping and Playtesting
In Week 2 we’ll take a look at several different ways of making a prototype (some of which you’ve seen before) and play testing. Before the end of the week you'll be making and presenting a prototype of your game, using the tool of your choice.
1 video, 11 readings
- Video: Review: Prototyping
- Reading: About Prototyping Tools
- Reading: 3D Game Engines
- Reading: 2D Game Engines
- Reading: Simple Game Engines
- Reading: Mod Kits
- Reading: Board and Card Games
- Reading: Storyboarding
- Reading: Flowcharts
- Reading: Other Methods
- Discussion Prompt: Discussion Question: Your Tools
- Peer Review: Create a Prototype
- Reading: Playtesting and Data Gathering
- Reading: Playtesting Checklist
WEEK 3
Week 3: Prototyping and Playtesting continued
In Week 3 you'll continue refining your prototype.
1 reading
- Reading: About refining your prototype
- Peer Review: Refine Your Prototype
WEEK 4
Week 4: Visualization
In Week 4 you will start concretizing the look and feel of your game with visuals and other descriptive materials.
2 videos, 2 readings
- Video: Review: Visualization
- Peer Review: Visualizing Your Game
- Reading: The Experience
- Reading: Building a Team
- Video: In Person: Akash Thakkar
WEEK 5
Week 5: Visualization continued
Week 5 is a continuation of the last: refine your visual materials and upload them for one last pass.
2 readings
- Reading: Evaluating and Refining
- Peer Review: Refining Your Visuals
- Reading: The Experience, continued
WEEK 6
Week 6: Presentation
Your finished, polished game design document is submitted for final review. Check out the bonus material later this week as well. Good luck!
2 videos, 1 reading
- Video: Review: the Game Design Document
- Reading: Getting to Know the Community
- Video: In Person: Sean Velasco
Graded: Final Presentation
WEEK 7
Week 7: Final Review
The final week. We will be wrapping things up this week and reviewing our final projects.
1 reading
- Reading: Final Review and Next Steps
FAQs
How It Works
Coursework
Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.
Help from Your Peers
Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.
Certificates
Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.
Creators
California Institute of the Arts
CalArts has earned an international reputation as the leading college of the visual and performing arts in the United States. Offering rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree programs through six schools—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music, and Theater—CalArts has championed creative excellence, critical reflection, and the development of new forms and expressions.
Pricing
| Audit | Purchase Course | |
|---|---|---|
| Access to course materials | Available | Available |
| Access to graded materials | Not available | Available |
| Receive a final grade | Not available | Available |
| Earn a shareable Course Certificate | Not available | Available |
Ratings and Reviews
Amazing and beautiful experience. Although I would have liked it to be more demanding! :)
Great course! Fun
Excellent beginners series for learning the basics of a GDD to start creating your own games.
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AS
Really Fun course to get an understanding of creating games from the ground up!