Game Design Document: Define the Art & Concepts

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Game Design Document: Define the Art & Concepts

This course is part of Game Design: Art and Concepts Specialization

Instructor: Théotime Vaillant

9,893 already enrolled

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7 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

297 reviews

Intermediate level

Some related experience required

Flexible schedule

2 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

7 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

297 reviews

Intermediate level

Some related experience required

Flexible schedule

2 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Taught in English

97%

Most learners liked this course

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Game Design: Art and Concepts Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 7 modules in 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.

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.

What's included

4 videos14 readings1 peer review1 discussion prompt

4 videosTotal 11 minutes

Welcome1 minute
3 Key Questions5 minutes
The Video Game Artist3 minutes
Review: Ideation2 minutes

14 readingsTotal 80 minutes

Course Structure5 minutes
Course Milestones (Assignments)2 minutes
Academic Integrity2 minutes
Instructor Presence and Staff Support 1 minute
Forum Guidelines5 minutes
Requesting Peer Reviews5 minutes
GDD vs. Pitch8 minutes
Final Project Examples10 minutes
Assembling Your Research8 minutes
Understanding Your Market3 minutes
List of Genres5 minutes
Recommendations for peer review (Week 1)10 minutes
The Traditional Game Development Workflow8 minutes
Creating a Production Plan8 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 120 minutes

Ideation and Market Test120 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 5 minutes

Meet and Greet5 minutes

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.

What's included

1 video11 readings1 peer review1 discussion prompt

1 videoTotal 3 minutes

Review: Prototyping3 minutes

11 readingsTotal 63 minutes

About Prototyping Tools1 minute
3D Game Engines5 minutes
2D Game Engines5 minutes
Simple Game Engines5 minutes
Mod Kits5 minutes
Board and Card Games8 minutes
Storyboarding8 minutes
Flowcharts8 minutes
Other Methods5 minutes
Playtesting and Data Gathering8 minutes
Playtesting Checklist5 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 120 minutes

Create a Prototype120 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 2 minutes

Discussion Question: Your Tools2 minutes

In Week 3 you'll continue refining your prototype.

What's included

1 reading1 peer review

In Week 4 you will start concretizing the look and feel of your game with visuals and other descriptive materials.

What's included

2 videos2 readings1 peer review

Week 5 is a continuation of the last: refine your visual materials and upload them for one last pass.

What's included

2 readings1 peer review

Your finished, polished game design document is submitted for final review. Check out the bonus material later this week as well. Good luck!

What's included

2 videos1 reading1 peer review

The final week. We will be wrapping things up this week and reviewing our final projects.

What's included

1 reading

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructor

Instructor ratings

(54 ratings)

Théotime Vaillant

2 Courses41,254 learners

Offered by

California Institute of the Arts

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Reviewed on Feb 19, 2018

Very hands on and creative. Pushed my ideas to the paper and to develop further and better than I would ever without guidance. Thank you so much.

Reviewed on Nov 15, 2022

Very informative. Requires knowledge of the other courses to put together nicely.

Reviewed on May 15, 2023

I enjoyed working on the capstone project. I found it challenging and fun, I learn a lot while working on my project. I encourage everybody interested in game design in taking this specialization.

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Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. 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.

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.

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.