SE 463: Game Mechanics, Prototyping, and Production

This course allows students to embark on a comprehensive exploration of the dynamic world of game design by delving into the fundamentals principles of game mechanics, offering hands-on approach to understanding game rules, interactions, player motivation, engagement strategies, gaming psychology, narrative design, and systems (e.g. feedback system) that are used mainly to shape the player experience. Through practical exercises, students should learn to translate creative concepts into tangible, playful prototypes to boost their skills in game design and to train them on refining requirements and on problem solving mechanisms. Moreover, this course focuses on the intricacies of game production which provides insights into the iterative development process and steps required for successful post-development and launch stages. It provides a holistic understanding of the game development pipeline, needed to equip students with necessary tools to navigate the complexities of game design from conceptualization to execution.