Game Design MFA Course Listings

This studio course works concurrently with Prototyping (GA 501) to address the specific programming needs for the creation of a successful prototype for the initial stage of the final thesis project. To give the student a general overview of programming applications, we will begin in Unity with C#, and move on into UI functionality, logic loops in existing scenes, saving and loading custom data, and the creation of physics simulations. Having completed the mini projects, students will then load into their existing thesis project to enhance the functionality. Through the creation of a game in class and building out their thesis game at large, students will learn the basics of programming while gaining the knowledge of customization for their games.

This class is a hands-on comprehensive exploration of game design mechanics. It starts with a grounding in the game design fundamentals of flow, simplicity, and choice. It then expands into a full lexicon of game design mechanics such as motivation, mystery box, interest curve, Zeigarnik effect, convexity, loss aversion, habit loops, skinner boxes, and squares, circle, and triangles. Students will deconstruct existing games, reconstruct game designs, and then most importantly, iterate on the designs and processes to create new games. Together we explore the art, science, and practice of game design mechanics, creating a physical board game with cards and virtual mini games. We will continue until you are able to confidently say, ‘I am a game designer.’

In today’s rapidly changing and innovatively starved games market, game creators need to be able to design experiences for targeted audiences. They need to develop a broad understanding of human behavior and player segmentation as it relates to in-round and out-of-round gameplay, event, reward, flow and feature design. Most importantly, game designers must develop and target the specific experience they are designing for and learn how to identify, test and iterate their development based on real-world testing.

This course will cover critical skills necessary to construct agile and iterative prototypes for the purpose of establishing credibility in chief mechanical concepts and technological approaches. Students will learn to create thorough requirements listings, construct and dissect systems, write technical literature, build architectural and-case diagrams, build simple prototypes using visual and non-visual scripting methodologies, and industry standard deployment practices. Students will be exposed to the technical process by which qualities that are deemed desirable and “fun” are iteratively procured, refined, and eventually transformed into full production-scale endeavors.

This course will expose students to a wide range of processes and methodologies by which game development studios operate in a Production Capacity. Students will study different game production methodologies by implementing and using these methodologies directly in their projects both real and fictional. Students will be expected to use modern software to create task lists, risk management analysis, user stories, create and execute sprints, create and understand budgets as well as forecasts and reports. Students will be participating in honing both the hard and soft skills of Game Production.

The purpose of this course is to instruct students in the construction of game levels. Theoretical aspects of level design will be discussed at the beginning of each class. The class will discuss story methodologies, level aesthetics, and general issues of game play which make the difference between an entertaining level and a mediocre one. Students will review examples of both good and bad levels for class critique. In addition to the theoretical aspects of level design, students will also learn the practical aspects of level creation through the course projects.

In this course students will learn to balance what is on the screen so players feel empowered by information rather than burdened with it. Students will examine player interaction and learn techniques to create a better experience.

This course will consist of the study and implementation of modern-day video game monetization practices across mobile, PC, and console platforms. Students will learn how top developers and publishers are implementing and executing successful monetization models in premium, games as a service, and F2P business models. This course will focus primarily on design-centric monetization best practices, but also cover topics such as crowd-funding, advertising, and more traditional publisher/developer business practices. This course will be divided up into 3 major pillars of Acquisition, Retention, and Monetization. Throughout the class, students will participate in critical analysis of a wide range of successful monetization models used in top-performing games such as Fortnite, Apex Legends, and World of Warcraft, then learn how to work these same monetization practices into their own thesis projects in a way that best suits the game design in an organic and non-intrusive way.

Production studio 1 will connect the candidate with the undergrad pipeline to recruit their team and begin the production cycle. Candidates will begin the process of applying knowledge from their classes in management and production to begin the prototyping and pitch phase of their thesis games.

Special Topics in Game Design: Featuring Quantum” explores the cutting-edge intersection of quantum mechanics and game design. Students will interact with the principles of quantum computing and their potential applications in creating innovative gameplay mechanics, challenging traditional design paradigms, and unlocking new creative possibilities within interactive entertainment.

This course prepares a student’s thesis project against the requirements of submission to industry peers to evaluate the project against its goals. Students will construct a presentation that combines their thesis project, game design document, research thesis, and testing results in a cohesive way that can be evaluated by their peers.

Final Production studio for completion and testing of game projects.

This course is a masters level portrait class. The creation of engaging portraits will be explored. Our models will be diverse, presenting unfamiliar challenges. Technical options will be covered. Creative approaches will be encouraged. Human geographic adaptation, and how it influences appearance will be discussed.

Thesis Project Design 1 is the first step in developing your thesis project, where you will conceptualize and refine your game design idea. The course emphasizes the importance of examining business aspects in gaming, exploring player user experience techniques, and assessing the viability of your concept. By the end of the course, you will have a solid foundation for your thesis, equipped with critical insights into both the creative and commercial elements of game design.

Thesis Development is an in-depth focus on the masters of game design and their methodologies, techniques, and processes. Students will formulate a vocabulary and a dialog with which they will begin to create a supportive document for their thesis game. In Art of Game Design, students create an innovative and theoretically informed body of work that is exhibited in a manner and context that supports its creative content. Building upon the foundations established during GA508, students in Thesis Project Directed Study 1 will continue developing a written component that addresses the theoretical premise of their work alongside their business and marketing plans, as well as a thorough and polished game design document (GDD). Pre-requisites: None. Graduate Level.

Building upon the literature review developed in Thesis I, students in Thesis II will continue to expand upon their research related to their thesis game to create an innovative and theoretically informed work that situates their original thesis game within the broader academic conversation of their chosen research topic. This work includes an in-depth analysis of the game design process, including the theoretical premise of the creative content, an evaluation of genre, an analysis of game mechanics and their use to support player motivations, and discussion of other design choices relevant to the research topic.

Students in Thesis III will work with their thesis advisor to develop meaningful playtests to explore the theoretical premise of their research that will drive their project towards a unique and creative solution. In this final thesis course, students will show mastery of the methodologies and techniques of graduate-level experimental research and critically reflect on research processes, including outcomes, limitations, speculation on future work, potential applications, and pedagogical effects. Building upon the working drafts developed in Thesis I and II, students will produce a final product that is effectively written, appropriately organized, and properly formatted.