Fundamentals of creating enjoyable, playable, and challenging, and marketable games. Includes a survey of the basic components of a well-designed game: artistic and technological components with a clearly defined goal, set of game criteria, and rules for game play. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are a part of the course.

Discussion of how interactive entertainment affects and reflects society and culture, the psychology of gaming, how computer and video games change the way we think, learn, and interact, with important implications for how people live in the real world. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, is a part of the course.

Focused study on the aspects of creating art for a video game using industry-standard software and developing a game art design bible. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, is a part of the course.

Continued study in game design with a focus on concept development, design, and analogue prototyping. Using game design theory, analysis, physical prototyping, playtesting, and iteration, students learn how to translate game ideas and themes into gameplay for an overall player experience. Students will be exposed to the basics of effectively developing game ideas. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are a part of the course.

Basic procedures in the game development workflow process from pre-production to product release. This course builds on the fundamentals of game development and the mastery of new tools and contribute to projects in class and outside of class with a special focus on project management, documentation, technical production, and digital asset management. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are a part of the course.

Continued focused study on the aspects of creating art for a video game using industry-standard software, including integrating movement and modeling and further development of art assets. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are a part of the course.

Basic concepts in using motivational game design elements for non-game purposes to teach skills, change behavior, or raise engagement in corporate and educational settings. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are a part of the course.

A continued focus of game concept development and design. Using game design theory, analysis, physical prototyping, playtesting, and iteration, students learn how to translate game ideas and themes into a playable digital game. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are a part of the course.

Fundamental concepts and terminology of computer programming in C# for game development. Students will develop skills in designing and writing computer programs with no prior programming experience. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are a part of the course.

Introduction to the economics of gaming: the ways that games are funded, marketed, sold, and the relationships between publishers, developers, distributors, marketers, retailers, and other kinds of companies. Market and industry trends, licensing management, dynamics of company and product value, business differences between the major game platforms, legal issues that affect game development for developers and players—intellectual property and contract law—and the creation of a business plan will be discussed. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are a part of this course.

Advanced procedures in the game development workflow process, from pre-production to product release. This includes common challenges, real-world challenges (problem cards and road blocks), building on the fundamentals of game management and focusing on project management, documentation, technical production, and digital asset management. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are a part of the course.

Advanced development in creating a playable game or module. Coding, art, design, and production are parts of the intense course of study where in-class and outside class work enables students to overcome challenges in the game production process. People skills and collaboration with a team are implemented. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are a part of the course.