📜 Course Description:

Are you passionate about games and want to learn how they are designed? Whether you dream of creating your own game, working in the gaming industry, or just understanding what makes a game fun, this 2-hour beginner-friendly game design course is the perfect starting point!

In this course, you'll learn the core principles of game design, explore different game mechanics, and discover how to create engaging player experiences. Through interactive exercises and real-world examples, you'll understand the fundamentals of game design—from mechanics and player psychology to prototyping and balancing difficulty.

🎯 What You’ll Learn:

✅ What is Game Design? The role of a game designer and how game design differs from game development.
✅ Core Elements of Games – Players, goals, rules, feedback, and challenges.
✅ Game Mechanics & Core Loops – Learn what makes a game engaging and fun.
✅ Game Balancing Basics – How to make a game challenging but fair.
✅ Game Genres & Player Motivation – Why players keep coming back to their favorite games.
✅ Prototyping & Iteration – How to test game ideas before development.
✅ Free Tools to Get Started – Unity, Godot, Twine, and Scratch for beginners.

📚 Course Breakdown:

📌 Session 1: Introduction to Game Design (30 min)

• What is Game Design? Key roles & differences from game development.
• Core elements of a game: Players, goals, rules, feedback, and challenges.
• 🎮 Activity: Design a simple paper-based game prototype.

📌 Session 2: Core Game Mechanics (30 min)

• What are game mechanics? Understanding core loops and risk-reward systems.
• Game balancing basics: Difficulty curves, fairness, and engagement.
• 🎮 Activity: Modify Tic-Tac-Toe with a new rule to change its design.

📌 Session 3: Game Genres & Player Psychology (30 min)

• Exploring game genres: Action, Puzzle, RPG, Strategy, and Simulation.
• Understanding player motivation: Bartle’s Player Types & why games are fun.
• 🎮 Activity: Analyze your favorite game’s mechanics and core loop.

📌 Session 4: Prototyping & Next Steps (30 min)

• Introduction to prototyping: Why test game ideas before full development?
• Overview of beginner-friendly tools (Unity, Godot, Twine, Scratch).
• 🎮 Activity: Pitch a mini game idea in one sentence!

🎓 Who Should Take This Course?

✅ Aspiring Game Designers who want to understand the basics.
✅ Indie Developers looking to improve their game design skills.
✅ Students & Hobbyists interested in creating fun and engaging games.
✅ Anyone Curious About Game Design who wants to analyze and deconstruct games.

🛠 Tools & Resources Provided:

✅ Downloadable worksheets for exercises.
✅ Recommended books and articles for deeper learning.
✅ A list of free software to start designing games.

🚀 Why Take This Course?

✔️ Easy to Understand – No prior experience needed!
✔️ Hands-On Learning – Engage in interactive activities and exercises.
✔️ Real-World Examples – Learn from popular games like Tetris, Flappy Bird, and Mario.
✔️ Fast & Efficient – Learn all the basics in just 2 hours!
 

🎮 Ready to start your game design journey? Let’s begin! 🚀