DESIGN 223 : Game Design

Creative Arts and Industries

2025 Semester Two (1255) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Provides students with a practical foundation in game design with a focus on concept development, design decomposition, and prototyping. Using game design theory, analysis, physical prototyping, playtesting, and iteration students learn how to translate game ideas, themes, and metaphors into gameplay and player experiences. Students will further be exposed to the basics of effective game design and learn the basics of game development.

Course Overview

This course provides students with a practical foundation in game design with a focus on concept development, design decomposition, and prototyping. Using game design theory, analysis, physical prototyping, playtesting, and iteration students learn how to translate game ideas, themes, and metaphors into gameplay and player experiences. Students will further be exposed to the basics of effective game design and learn the basics of game development.  

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: DESIGN 100, 101

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 7: Collaboration
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Design

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Develop the vocabulary and critical understanding to describe and analyze the components of games and gameplay experiences (Capability 1.1 and 5.1)
  2. Develop a game idea from concept to playable prototype, (Capability 3.2, 4.2 and 5.2)
  3. Apply common methods for documenting game designs such as game design documents and playtesting reports (Capability 3.2, 4.2 and 5.1)
  4. Communicate their game ideas through pitch, prototype and presentation (Capability 1.1, 4.2, 5.2 and 7.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Game Appreciation Assignment 20% Individual Coursework
High Concept Document 15% Group & Individual Coursework
Game Project 30% Group & Individual Coursework
Presentations 20% Group & Individual Coursework
Reflection 15% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4
Game Appreciation Assignment
High Concept Document
Game Project
Presentations
Reflection

The grade of DNC (did not complete) is assigned a grade point value of zero and is used when a student fails to complete compulsory coursework despite earning over 50%, or when coursework is incomplete and a fail grade would misrepresent their achievement.

Teaching & Learning Methods

This course will be delivered over 12 weeks in a Studio environment.
Studio sessions will be led by a team of design, research, and technical experts who will provide presentations and lead workshop activities on design methods, processes, and techniques.
Each week there will be a 3-hour design studio scheduled to include activities such as project workshops, project demonstrations, and feedback sessions. Students are expected to attend every week as each session has been designed to equip students with the necessary skills to complete all assessment activities to receive a passing grade.
Studio time will be spent each week in various combinations of the following :

Presentations: by academic and industry experts as well as student presentations of work in progress (WIP)

Demonstrations: examples of completed projects and technical experiments. Students will have access to various technologies to experience and learn from existing projects

Discussions: presenters and students will discuss weekly topics and apply principles and analysis frameworks that will improve practice and support project progress

Workshops: presenters will run technical workshops to introduce students to the hardware and software relating to the design and development of MR projects. These workshops will include introductions to tools and techniques for both content (visual, audio) and systems (engines, programming, testing) prototyping.

Later in the semester, there will be studio sessions dedicated to student project progress.

Project Support: working on the skills and methods required to complete various stages of individual and group assignment submissions with the support of teaching and technical staff.

Self-guided activities: some studio sessions will be scheduled for students to have the time and access to equipment and technical support for various project WIP activities and project teamwork.

Exam Mode

There is no final exam for this course.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15-point course and students are expected to spend 12.5 hours per week involved in each 15-point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course you can expect 36 studio contact hours (2-3hrs per week), 12 workshop instruction hours (1hr per week),12 hours of preparatory reading (1 hr per week), and 90 hours of assessed self-study (7.5 hrs per week).

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including labs, tutorials, and studios to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including seminars, tutorials or studios will not be available as recordings.
The course may include live online events including group discussions or tutorials.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

BYOD:
All students enrolled in a Bachelor of Design or Design conjoint degree should come to class with their own laptop. This is so students will have the core learning tools available in and outside of class. It also means students can increase their independence and have better control of a professional device to stimulate creativity and simplify their design process. Working with a personal laptop during the Design degree will prepare students for the realities of working as a designer after graduation.
The highly recommended, recommended and minimum specifications for a laptop are listed here:
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/creative/current-students/courses/design/courses-design-bring-your-own-device.html

Software:
Students will be informed of any recommended software on the course Canvas website.

Online Folio:
Students will maintain an online folio (blog) documenting studio progress and evidence of the process

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Based on feedback from a previous iteration of this course, we have changed the scope of the game that will be developed.  

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and DALL.E 2, may only be used in assessments approved by the Course Director/Course Coordinator. Without permission, students must complete assessments independently, without substantial assistance from AI tools. In approved assessments, students must include a written statement detailing any tool’s use and the prompts applied. 

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Where a student faces unavoidable personal circumstances (e.g. illness or a death in the family) that mean the student is unable to submit a component of coursework, they may apply for an extension.  Requests for extensions of time must be submitted and approved using the online Extension of Time Application form available on Canvas:
https://www.forms.auckland.ac.nz/en/student/creative-arts-and-industries/design-programme-extension-of-time-application-form.html

Students should notify the Course Director/Course Coordinator of their situation as soon as practicable, and preferably before any due date. Notifications received after an assessment due date will be accepted, where this is reasonable, within the context of the course. If possible, students are encouraged to seek medical, counselling, or other support from the most appropriate sources.

No extensions will be granted for problems such as accidentally erased computer files, which should always be prevented by keeping backup copies.

Learning Continuity

We undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions, the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. In the event of a disruption, the University and your course coordinators will make every effort to provide you with up to date information via Canvas and the University website.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.