Intro to Game Development

SCAD ITGM 121 | Intro to game development

Through hands-on experience, students are introduced to critical aspects of the game industry from non-digital games to indie games to the latest video games. Roles and responsibilities within the game development team are discussed and practiced through in-class exercises, and genres are critically introduced, discussed, and explored. Key individuals, companies, and associations are also explored, and controversies are examined. The course culminates in a group project.

The class is structured on 3 pillars:

– A survey of the Game Industry, from 1956 to nowadays, covering hardware (consoles, installations…), software (games, board games…) and noteworthy actors.

– A quick look a the structure of Game Studios, jobs, pipelines, engines and documentation (GDD, TDD, LDD, QA audits, etc)

– An “Indie Experience” where students will self-organize in groups of 4 and make a small arcade game, using Microsoft Makecode! Several lectures will cover relevant topics like Level Design, Pacing, Narrative design, etc…