TIM_B_028 Digital games prototyping

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. et Mgr. Zdeněk Záhora (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. et Mgr. Zdeněk Záhora
Department of Musicology – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Bc. Jitka Leflíková
Supplier department: Department of Musicology – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Tue 12:00–13:40 G13, except Mon 21. 4. to Sun 27. 4.
Prerequisites
creativity, stamina, knowledge of digital games
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 22/20, only registered: 2/20, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 1/20
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course focuses on the practical development of digital game prototypes. The output and ongoing work is a typical iterative development cycle: game design > prototyping > playtest > iterate
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will have:

Portfolio:
. a playable prototype of a skill-based digital game (2D, 3D, platformer)
. playable prototype of a narrative-based digital game (exploration, game-book)
. "extra credit": a playable prototype of a card game

Ability:
. design and analyze game mechanisms
. create prototypes of games
. visualize interaction systems

Knowledge:
. tools commonly used in the gaming industry
. development cycle (pre-production, production, release)
Syllabus
  • Students create games during the course both individually and in groups.
  • Game design | basics (rules, conflict, formal systems, motivation); genre specifics (asynchronous games, balancing, difficulty, onboarding, probability); narrative tools (non-linear dialogue, narrative environments, audiovisual narration)
  • working with tools | VUE, Bitsy, Twine, nanDECK
  • game development | 2D skill based - platformer/shooter, 3D story driven, competitive card game, game-book
Literature
    required literature
  • 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
  • KOSTER, Raph. A Theory of Fun for Game Design. 2004. ISBN 978-1-932111-97-2. info
  • CRAWFORD, Chris. The art of computer game design : [reflections of a master game designer]. Berkeley: Osborne McGraw-Hill, 1984, xiv, 113. ISBN 0881341177. info
    recommended literature
  • SCHELL, Jesse. The Art of Game Design: A book of lenses. 2008. ISBN 0-12-369496-5. info
  • A theory of fun for game design. Edited by Raph Koster. Scottsdale, AZ: Paraglyph Press, 2005, x, 244 p. ISBN 1932111972. info
  • TEKINBAŞ, Katie Salen and Eric ZIMMERMAN. Rules of play : game design fundamentals. London: MIT, 2004, xv, 672. ISBN 0262240459. info
Teaching methods
. theoretical preparation
. creation in course hours
. project consultation
Assessment methods
. final project
. completed game prototypes during the course
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught only once.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/TIM_B_028