5/8/2025 9:28:04 PM	CS 41 Course Outline as of Fall 2026	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  CS 41	Title:  GAME DESIGN
Full Title:  Game Design
Last Reviewed:4/28/2025

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	4.00	Lecture Scheduled	4.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	70.00
Minimum	4.00	Lab Scheduled	0		8 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	4.00			Contact Total	70.00
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  140.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 210.00

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  CS 74.41

Catalog Description:

This course will introduce students to the basics of game design and theory using analysis, research, critiques and projects. Students will learn about the game industry and what is required to develop a video game through assignments. Students will design, model and build working video game prototypes.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL C1000 (formerly ENGL 1A) or EMLS 10 (formerly ESL 10) or equivalent or appropriate placement based on AB705 mandates.

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

This course will introduce students to the basics of game design and theory using analysis, research, critiques and projects. Students will learn about the game industry and what is required to develop a video game through assignments. Students will design, model and build working video game prototypes.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL C1000 (formerly ENGL 1A) or EMLS 10 (formerly ESL 10) or equivalent or appropriate placement based on AB705 mandates.
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;UC.
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2010	Inactive:
UC Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2020	Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Examine and critically discuss the components of games.

2. Identify, examine and differentiate various aspects that make a game fun and compelling.

3. Apply the principles of theoretically sound game design including gameplay, core mechanics, game balancing, and iterative rapid prototyping.

4. Develop analytical skills which can be applied to the multiple uses of both computer hardware and software products for simulation gaming.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Create, develop and implement effective game design documents and supporting concept art and storyboard drawings for a proposed video game.

2. Perform critical steps to conceive, design, implement and playtest video game prototypes, models and assets.

3. Demonstrate teamwork skills in the development of video games.

4. Present working 3D and/or 2D game prototypes both non-digital and digital games.

Topics and Scope

I. Role of Game Designer

    A. Player-centric game design process

    B. Game designer skills: communication, teamwork, creativity, and process control

    C. Famous game designers

II. Iterative Design Process

    A. Brainstorming

    B. Game concept idea

    C. Game pitch

    D. Physical prototype

    E. Design documentation

    F. Playtesting

    G. Production

    H. Quality assurance

III. Structure of Games

    A. Players

    B. Objectives, challenges, encounters, and actions

    C. Cooperative versus cooperation play

    D. 2D versus 3D

    E. Goals, win/loss, termination conditions

IV. Game Design Principles and Methodologies

    A. Formal elements of games

    B. Game core mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics

    C. Concept art and storyboarding

    D. Rules development and structure

    E. Gameplay

         1. Hierarchy of challenges

         2. Skill, stress and absolute difficulty

         3. Commonly used challenges

    F. Game balancing

         1. Asymmetrical game balancing and fairness

         2. Strategy versus luck

         3. Difficulty curves, story pace, player abilities, and character skills

         4. Risk versus reward

    G. Game flow and player psychology

    H. Characters, cameras, and control

         1. Player characters and non-player characters (NPC)

         2. Cameras: first person, 3rd person, isometric, and virtual/augmented reality

         3. Control: input, actions, and behaviors

    I. Iterative process and rapid prototyping techniques

V. Game Design Documentation

    A. High concept document

    B. Game pitch and document

    C. Level design document

VI. 3D Modeling Introduction and Principles

    A. Modeling concepts

    B. Model implementation

VII. Environment and Game Level Design

    A. Design of environment and world building

    B. Level design document

    C. Player encounters, challenges, heads-up display (HUD), audio, and collectables

    D. Level assets and resources

    E. Iterative prototyping

    F. Playtesting

VIII. Game Production and Roles

    A. Game designer, programmer, artist, and producer

    B. Milestones, deliverables, and production workflow

IX. Platforms

    A. Desktop

    B. Mobile

    C. Console

    D. Virtual reality

    E. Augmented reality

X. Game Creation: Digital and Non-digital

    A. Idea and design

    B. Prototyping

    C. Playtesting

    D. Completing original games

    E. Analysis and review

Assignments:

1. Reading assignments (15 - 20 pages per week)

2. Written assignments

    a. Written review of a favorite video game (1 page, single-spaced)

    b. Written research topics (7 - 9, one-page assignments, single-spaced) and research discussions

3. Projects

    a. Game design projects (6 or more)

    b. 3D modeling tutorial and project

    c. Game level project

    d. Final project

4. Drawings, which will include storyboarding and concept art

5. Game level map

6. Exam(s) (0 - 3)

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 5 - 10%
Written assignments
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 50 - 70%
Projects
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 20 - 30%
Final project, drawings, and game level map
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 0 - 25%
Exam(s)
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 10%
Attendance, participation, research discussions

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Instructor prepared materials

Practical Game Design, Second Edition. Kramarzewski, Adam and De Nucci, Ennio. Packt. 2023.

The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses, 3rd Edition. Schell, Jesse. AK Peters/CRC Press. 2019. (classic).

Level Up! The Guide to Great Game Design. 2nd ed. Rogers, Scott. Wiley. 2014. (classic).

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