IGB120 Introduction to Game Design

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

It is crucial that a game designer understands how to create a game world, the rules that govern game play and other high level design tasks, as the result of these activities can determine whether the player finds the game enjoyable or not. This unit provides an introduction to game design, by starting with high level conceptual design tasks before moving to more concrete tasks. You will develop practical and theoretical knowledge of game design issues such as: how game systems work, how to define rules for the world, and how to balance the rules to ensure enjoyable game play. At the end of the unit, students will have worked individually and in a small project team to demonstrate their understanding of these concepts. In this unit you will analyse relevant theory, create a design document, build a prototype and undertake playtesting.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Research the knowledge, skills and attributes required to pursue a career in the games industry and benchmark your current skills against these capabilities.
2. Apply critical and creative thinking to the examination of game behaviour and the evaluation of game design issues, including the effectiveness of game rules, concepts and balance.
3. Demonstrate how game elements may be combined in a game design process to produce positive user experiences.
4. Identify, discuss and justify opinions on major issues related to the theory and practice of game design.
5. Collaborate in a transdisciplinary team environment design a game and prototype.

Content

Learning Approaches

As a first year unit, your learning in IGB220 has been carefully scaffolded by providing an intensive period of interactive lectures in the early part of semester, which is supported by "hands-on" practicals across the semester. 

Interactive lectures will provide stimulus material when appropriate, but much of the learning will take place through active participation in a practical setting. Interactive lectures will explore careers within the games industry, critical issues and examples of good and bad game design with a focus on diversity, inclusiveness and ethical practice. This will provide you with the knowledge required to understand the possibilities available for careers in the games industry, as well as the process of designing a game, the tasks that are involved and what separates good game design from bad game design, both in theory and in practice.

Practicals will give you a structured opportunity to apply lecture concepts through individual and group hands-on activities and to acquire practical skills in the design and analysis of a game. Teaching staff, in practicals will use a demonstration and coaching approach, where they will provide regular feedback on your learning and direct you to relevant resources to support your learning. The activities you do in the practicals reflect the "real world" and will provide you with the skills and knowledge that you will use in the major piece of assessment for this subject, a design project. Much of the learning in this unit is achieved through direct experience and discussion, therefore your active participation in practical sessions is encouraged.

You can expect to spend between 10 - 15 hours per week on average involved in attending all scheduled interactive lectures and practicals, completing assessment tasks, and undertaking your own independent study to consolidate your learning.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will have a range of opportunities to receive feedback on your learning and progress in this unit including formative in-class individual or whole-of-class feedback on your work by tutors and peers. Guidelines, objectives and a rubric will be provided for each assessment task to help you self-assess your progress. Grades and individual written feedback will be provided on assessment tasks via a rubric. Individual consultations with your tutor can be arranged at a mutually convenient time.

Assessment

Overview

You will be required to undertake three assessment tasks in this unit, which provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to meet the unit learning outcomes. The first task is an individual task requiring you to undertake an analysis of your current capabilities and identify the capabilities you need to develop across the degree. The second assessment task is an individual task, requiring the development of a design document. The third assessment task requires working in small groups to design a game prototype based on the design document.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Career and capability analysis

You are required to undertake a research into three jobs related to the games industry, which you might be interested in doing in the future. You will then analyse these jobs to identify the key knowledge, skills and attributes being sought by employers. You will then evaluate your current capabilities against those required by employers and identify any gaps in your knowledge, skills and capabilities that you need to address over the course of the degree. You will present a 1-minute elevator pitch video that introduces who you are, your future career goals and what you need to do to get there. 

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Project (applied)

You are required to prepare a design document which provides a template for the game prototype that you will develop for assessment task 3. As part of this task you are expected to reflect upon the inclusiveness, cultural, social, ethical aspects of your design.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Design

You are required to design a game and create a prototype demonstrating key aspects of the game in small groups, which will include supporting materials and evidence of playtesting. As part of this task you are expected to reflect upon the inclusiveness, cultural, social, ethical aspects of your design. You will also be required to undertake a self and peer evaluation of your contribution to the group assignment.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Other

QUT has a range of free resources, workshops or you can even organise a chat with a Career Educator to help with career planning, employability, and employment options.

Risk Assessment Statement

There is minimal health and safety risk in this unit. It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the Health and Safety policies and procedures applicable within campus areas and laboratories.

Course Learning Outcomes

IN05 Bachelor of Games and Interactive Environments

1. Demonstrate broad knowledge of games and interactive environments principles and theory, with an in-depth knowledge of one games-related discipline.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, ULO4, Career and capability analysis, Project (applied), Design
2. Apply creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills to generate solutions to design challenges.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO4, ULO5, Project (applied), Design
3. Create engaging and meaningful games experiences for specific target audiences in partnership with diverse industry and community stakeholders using industry-relevant software and technologies..
   Relates to: ULO5, Design
4. Communicate complex concepts at all stages of the development cycle to specialist and non-specialist audiences in written, oral and interactive visual formats.
   Relates to: Project (applied), Design
5. Critically reflect on social, ethical, cultural, legal and accessibility issues in the context of games and interactive environments, including as they relate to First Nations Australians.
   Relates to: ULO4, ULO5