Columbia College Chicago

Foundation course of the Game Development concentration focuses on applied critical discussion and development of the student's own game concepts. Various techniques and methods of concept and story development are reviewed, including journaling and workshop/discussion, in an effort to identify development best-practices. Students are also exposed to game design documentation formats, as well as the particulars and requirements of the professional game development cycle. The course also places special emphasis on exploring and identifying the characteristics of the diverse game genres. By the class's end, students are asked to produce written documentation and develop their own game concept.

Course furthers the student's ability to develop games using a real-time engine and game development system. Course gives the designer the opportunity to develop a small, real-time game. The course focuses on time as a play element and surveys games that have leverage real-time and faster than real-time simulations as a means of maximizing player engagement. Emphasis is placed not only on maximizing transaction/interaction frequency (speed), but on variation of pacing to evoke a more complex play experience.