PA216 Game Design II

Faculty of Informatics
Spring 2024
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. et Mgr. Zdeněk Záhora (lecturer)
Mgr. Jiří Chmelík, Ph.D. (assistant)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Jiří Chmelík, Ph.D.
Department of Visual Computing – Faculty of Informatics
Supplier department: Department of Visual Computing – Faculty of Informatics
Timetable
Thu 10:00–11:50 B204
Prerequisites
PA215 Game Design I
The course builds on the PA215 Game Design I. If needed, permission may be considered but only after prior personal consultation and debate over the content of the previous course. The course is taught in English.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of Game Design II. is to (a) enhance the knowledge and applied the use of (digital) games language, (b) analyze complex design techniques and specific features of digital games, and (c) develop the ability to connect individual elements of (digital) games to interrelated dependencies.
The main objective of the course is (d) to train and develop students skills in designing games.
Learning outcomes
Student will be able to:
- design more complex games
- understand the complex interdependence of game elements
- analyze and change the overall gaming experience of (digital) games
- understand and explain advanced game design practices
- based on design documentation to detect contradictions in the design and to prevent potential production barriers
- better understand player experience and test design hypotheses on a group of players

Course outcome:
- 1x text: review of the game design publication | solo work
- 1x design: digital game design | solo work
- 1x game: polished board/digital game prototype | teamwork
Syllabus
  • -- RHYTHM - bi week rhythm talk x workshop
  • -- DISCUSSION - With A Professional Game Designer (during the course - operationally) 1-3x
  • TOPICS:
  • -- Game Design Ontology
  • -- Game Loops, Game Hooks, Game Anchors
  • -- Game Design Unit
  • -- Semiotics, Abstract Analysis in Games
  • -- Emergent Systems and Gameplay
  • -- Pleasure, Boredom, Anxiety, Challenge
  • -- Level Design and Balancing
  • -- Narrative Design and Production Scaling
  • -- From cheats to modifications and (fan) communities
Literature
    required literature
  • TEKINBAŞ, Katie Salen and Eric ZIMMERMAN. Rules of play : game design fundamentals. London: MIT, 2004, xv, 672. ISBN 0262240459. info
    recommended literature
  • KOSTER, Raph. A theory of fun for game design. Sebastopol: O'Reilly Media, 2014, xviii, 279. ISBN 9781449363215. info
  • FULLERTON, Tracy. Game design workshop : a playcentric approach to creating innovative games. Edited by Eric Zimmerman. 3rd edition. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis, 2014, xxvii, 507. ISBN 9781482217162. info
  • SCHELL, Jesse. The art of game design : a book of lenses. 1st ed. Burlington: Morgan Kaufmann, 2008, xxx, 489. ISBN 9780123694966. info
  • A theory of fun for game design. Edited by Raph Koster. Scottsdale, AZ: Paraglyph Press, 2005, x, 244 p. ISBN 1932111972. info
Teaching methods
lectures, workshops, reading and research notes, team (video) game design and prototyping
Assessment methods
group discussion of the team projects, submission of texts (research notes, own design), intermediate tasks
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2024, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fi/spring2024/PA216