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

4.7
stars
1,128 ratings

Dariush Derakhshani

38,901 already enrolled

Offered By

Game Design: Art and Concepts SpecializationCalifornia Institute of the Arts

About this Course

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In this course, you will examine how storytelling acts as a vital mechanism for driving video gameplay forward. Looking at several historical and contemporary games, you will be asked to evaluate and interpret different story styles with the goal of identifying themes and procedures for your own game ideas. We'll examine traditional narrative story processes, such as three-act structure, and how they fit into game story flows and the strategic elements of gameplay.  Ultimately, you will learn how to define character, setting, and structure to create a compelling game concept.

Flexible deadlines

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Course 2 of 5 in the

Game Design: Art and Concepts Specialization

Beginner Level

Approx. 12 hours to complete

English

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Skills you will gain

Interactive Storytelling
Video Game Development
Video Game Design
Game Design

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 2 of 5 in the

Game Design: Art and Concepts Specialization

Beginner Level

Approx. 12 hours to complete

English

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

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.88/5 (128 Ratings)

Dariush Derakhshani

Faculty, Character Animation

School of Film/Video

39,490 Learners

2 Courses

Offered by

California Institute of the Arts

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(6,878 ratings)

Week

Week 1

3 hours to complete

Week 1: An Introduction to Story

3 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 26 min), 7 readings, 1 quiz

Week

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Week 2: Game Story Structure

In this week, we will draw a parallel between last week’s discussion on rising action and how that relates to gameplay. Looking at a pair of contemporary games, we'll learn how to identify story structure and themes of rising action, just like we would with traditional stories and movies. Lastly, we’ll evaluate the role that primary and secondary characters come to play in the unveiling of a game’s story and discuss the importance of understanding how these games present their stories in the actual gameplay.

3 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 21 min), 12 readings, 1 quiz

4 videos

Writing Your Own Story Synopsis4m

Defining Characters and Character Goals7m

Using Secondary Characters3m

Writing a Character Brief4m

12 readings

Story Synopsis: StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty8m

Story Synopsis Points8m

Story Synopsis: Angry Birds8m

About Character Briefs8m

Character Brief: Jim Raynor8m

Character Brief: Emperor Mengsk5m

Character Brief: Tychus Findlay5m

About Setting Descriptions8m

Setting Description: Angry Birds8m

Setting Description: Mar Sara8m

Setting Description: The Hyperion8m

Setting Description: Char5m

Week

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Week 3: Story Workshop

3 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 25 min), 8 readings, 1 quiz

Week

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Week 4: From Story to Game

3 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 25 min), 6 readings, 1 quiz

5 videos

Introduction to a Game Design Document5m

Diving Deeper into the Design Document4m

Turning The Shooter's Story into a Game5m

The Shooter's Rising Gameplay8m

Course Wrap Up1m

6 readings

About Story Presentation Schemes8m

Presentation Scheme: Part One - StarCraft II Gameplay Overview8m

Presentation Scheme: Part Two - StarCraft II Missions10m

What is a Gameplay Flowchart?8m

Gameplay Flowchart: StarCraft II5m

Course Credits5m

Reviews

4.7

282 reviews

5 stars
78.19%
4 stars
16.84%
3 stars
3.36%
2 stars
1.15%
1 star
0.44%

TOP REVIEWS FROM STORY AND NARRATIVE DEVELOPMENT FOR VIDEO GAMES

by LLMar 6, 2019

What a fun course! Really made me think about writing, how to turn a story into a game, and how to ideate and create bigger concepts from small ideas. Loved watching all the videos!

by PKMar 7, 2021

It is an interesting course for someone who loves writing as there is a lot to write, If you like creative writing or storytelling you should for sure do this course.

by ATDec 5, 2015

This course is pretty cool. I actually learned a lot about analyzing narratives and writing that I hadn't really considered before... It's totally worth it.

by VPJul 11, 2020

The course is really good and really educational and i would recommend people about it. Though the thing that i didn't like was that i wanted some more examples for different types of games.

View all reviews

About the Game Design: Art and Concepts Specialization

Stemming from the principles of storytelling and design established in CalArts’ renowned Animation programs, this Specialization lays a primary foundation for experimentation and exploration of video game design, story, character development, and winning gameplay before programming begins. These four courses emphasize the self-reliance and personal expression of the gaming artist, and encourage you to take conceptual risks and develop new modes of expression and form through gaming. In the final Capstone Project, you’ll put your creative skills to work by generating an engaging game design document for a personal game project, outlining the conceptual, narrative and aesthetic elements of your game.

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.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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Story and Narrative Development for Video Games

About this Course

Skills you will gain