SIT254 Game Design
Trimester 2, 2024
Welcome
This unit aims to provide students an appreciation of what it means to be a games designer. Students will explore the process of games design and apply key concepts including gameplay mechanics, rule design, play mechanics, game balancing and play testing in implementing a game. Students will also learn how to document a game design, apply professional standards and
deliver an industry quality pitch for their game. This is a very hands-on unit, where students will create and implement a
games design and critique their peers’ creations to determine how best to create a game experience for specific audiences.
In the process of creating games students will be required to use a variety of software technologies including industry-
standard games engines. While prior programming experience would be beneficial, it is not a prerequisite to study this unit. This Unit Guide provides you with the key information about this unit. Please read it carefully and refer to it frequently
throughout the study period. Your unit site also provides information about your rights and responsibilities. We will assume you have read this before the unit commences, and we expect you to refer to it throughout the study period.
To be successful in this unit, you must:
. read all materials in preparation for your learning activities and follow up each with further study and research on the topic
start your assessment tasks well ahead of the due date
read or listen to all feedback carefully and use it in your future work
attend and engage in all educator facilitated (scheduled) learning activities and other learning experiences as part of the unit design
Details of the staff involved in running the lectures and workshops is available on the unit site.
Administrative queries
check-out the 'SEBE Student Hub' section on your unit site . contact your Unit Chair or Campus Leader
. drop in or contact Student Centralto speak with a Student Adviser
For additional support information, please see the Rights and Responsibilities section under 'Content' in your unit site.
About this unit
Unit development in response to student feedback
Every trimester, we ask students to tell us, through eVALUate, what helped and hindered their learning in each unit. You are strongly encouraged to provide constructive feedback for this unit when eVALUate opens (you will be emailed a link).
In previous versions of this unit, students have told us that these aspects of the Unit have helped them to achieve the learning outcomes:
The students enjoy the subject material and having autonomy over the production of a video game.
Students appreciate the coverage of the psychological aspects of the player experience and how to account for those in the design process.
Students enjoy the translation of concepts into design ideas and how those designs evolve as more knowledge is gained.
The following aspects of the unit have been introduced, enhanced or retained in response to feedback from students who have undertaken this unit in previous trimesters:
. Sessional staff with knowledge in games is required to support the student experience, particularly for those students who do not have games as a background.
The online environment requires more informal discussion outside of lecture time, so students are encouraged to share their work via the forums and seek informal feedback from unit staff via online discussions.
We replaced the end-of-unit assessment (exam) with the opportunity to now participate in, and develop a text-based adventure game. This task provides students with a more authentic experience that will be worked on weekly
throughout the trimester.
Coordinating and participating in this class-based task was met with some challenges in engagement and facilitating co-design, so adjustments have been made to improve this learning opportunity.
If you have any concerns about the unit during the trimester, please contact the unit teaching team - preferably early in the trimester - so we can discuss your concerns, and make adjustments, if appropriate.
Your Unit Learning Outcomes
Each unit in your course is a building block towards Deakin's Graduate Learning Outcomes - not all units develop and assess every Graduate Learning Outcome (GLO).
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ULO
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These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit. At the completion of this
unit, successful students can:
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href="https://www.deakin.edu.au/about-deakin/vision-and-values/teaching-and-learning/deakin-graduate-learning-outcomes" Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes
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ULO1
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Prepare and present an industry quality design pitch to effectively communicate games design.
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GLO2: Communication
GLO5: Problem solving
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ULO2
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Produce games design documentation that demonstrates sound knowledge and application of design approaches, rules and professional standards in a group
work setting.
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GLO1: Discipline-specific
knowledge and capabilities
GLO2: Communication
GLO3: Digital literacy
GLO4: Critical thinking
GLO5: Problem solving
GLO7: Teamwork
GLO8: Global citizenship
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ULO3
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Demonstrate evidence of game mechanics and rule structures through a computer game prototype produced within a group work setting.
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GLO2: Communication
GLO5: Problem solving
GLO7: Teamwork
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ULO4
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Demonstrate sound knowledge of the principles of games design in an applied context.
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GLO1: Discipline-specific
knowledge and capabilities
GLO2: Communication
GLO4: Critical thinking
GLO5: Problem solving
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Assessing your achievement of the unit learning outcomes
Summative assessment (tasks that will be graded or marked)
NOTE: It is your responsibility to keep a backup copy of every assignment and the materials used to develop/complete it
where possible (e.g. written/digital reports, essays, videos, images). In the unusual event that one of your submissions
becomes corrupted, is incorrectly submitted or otherwise lost, you may be asked to submit the backup copy. Any work you
submit may be checked by electronic or other means for the purposes of detecting breaches of academic integrity such as
collusion, plagiarism and contract cheating. You must understand your responsibility to act with honesty and integrity in your studies as Deakin takes all breaches very seriously. Make sure you read Your rights and responsibilities as a studentin this
unit to find out more about academic integrity.
Deakin has a universal assessment submission time of 8pm AEDT/AEST. A late penalty will apply to assessments submitted after 11.59pm AEDT/AEST.
- Summative assessment task 1
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Details
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Game Pitch
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Brief description of assessment task
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In this task, students will construct a game pitch/research report that demonstrates and evidences a clear and unique game idea. Students need to understand what is
required in a game so that a clear design can be proposed via an industry standard
game pitch. This task is composed of two parts. First, this task requires you to create
a game pitch for an ORIGINAL game idea. Secondly, this task requires you to participate in a process of feedback on other students’ pitches.
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Detail of student output
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Each student will create a game pitch which is approximately 3 pages of written work.
In addition, each student will provide feedback on 5 other student pitches. This is an individual assessment task.
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Grading and weighting
(% total mark for unit)
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20% (10% game pitch, 10% game pitch review), assessment to be marked and graded.
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This task assesses your achievement of these Unit Learning Outcome(s)
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ULO1 - in your research and content for your written game pitch and ability to evaluate and critique through peer-reviews.
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This task assesses your achievement
of these Graduate Learning Outcome(s)
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GLO2 - in the written details presented within your own pitch and from your peers.
GLO5 - in forming your own game pitch on an original idea based upon the theme provided.
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How and when you will receive feedback on your work
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Students will receive feedback from their peers before formal grading of the submission is provided.
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When and how to submit your work
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Assignment 1: Part 1 (Individual) - Game pitch, due Wednesday 31 July (week 4) by 8pm AEST. Submission via SIT254 unit site in electronic form.
Assignment 1: Part 2 (Individual) - Peer review of game pitches, due Wednesday 7 August (week 5) by 8pm AEST. Submission via SIT254 unit site "SIT254 Assessment 1 Game Pitch and Peer Assessment“ discussion board in electronic form.
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