Academic Catalog

GID 67: MOBILE GAME DESIGN

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Summer 2023
Units: 4
Hours: 3 lecture, 3 laboratory per week (72 total per quarter)
Degree & Credit Status: Degree-Applicable Credit Course
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: CSU
Grade Type: Letter Grade (Request for Pass/No Pass)
Repeatability: Not Repeatable

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Develop proficiency with professional game engine software
  • Create a mobile game prototype including: storyboard, game mechanics, icons, menus, and interfaces, animations and sound effects.

Description

Learn how to design games for smart phones and mobile devices. This course explores the design and development processes for mobile games. The course introduces the concepts of character design, scene design, and asset creation for mobile games. Students use mobile game design tools and techniques, including animation, game mechanics, scalable vector graphics, and sound effects, to build interactive game experiences. Professional techniques for game design planning and rapid prototyping, distribution, and promotion of mobile games are presented. Students develop proficiency with professional software for mobile game design.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. Conceptualize a casual game for mobile devices
  2. Create a storyboard for a mobile game
  3. Apply game mechanics to mobile games
  4. Design icons, menus, and interfaces for mobile games
  5. Create animations for mobile games
  6. Produce sound effects for mobile games
  7. Develop proficiency with game design software
  8. Describe monetization techniques for mobile games

Course Content

  1. Game genres
    1. Platformer
    2. Fighting
    3. RPG
    4. Strategy
    5. Puzzle
    6. Casual
  2. Game design documents
    1. Defining the audience
    2. Articulating the goal
    3. Visualizing assets
    4. Storyboarding
    5. User experience
  3. Assets
    1. Scalable vector graphics
    2. Icons
    3. Menus and interfaces
    4. Animations
    5. Sound effects
  4. Production
    1. Game engines
    2. Programming
    3. Artificial intelligence
  5. Promotion and distribution
  6. Monetization
  7. Social impact of mobile games
  8. Cultural differences in mobile games

Lab Content

  1. Project planning
  2. Storyboarding
  3. Character design
  4. Scene design
  5. Icon and menu design
  6. Animation
  7. Prototyping
  8. Play testing

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

1. A lecture room equipped with instructional computer, high resolution color monitor, software; projection system and lighting suitable for displaying projected media.
2. An integrated or separate facility with student workstation configurations to include hard drives, color monitors, mice, keyboards, and software.
3. When taught via Foothill Global Access: on-going access to computer with JavaScript-enabled internet browsing software, media plug-ins, and relevant computer applications.

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

Projects
Computer assignments
Collaborative student work
Oral presentations

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Lectures on technical and theoretical concepts in mobile game design
Group discussions that address the creative problem solving process
Presentation and in-class discussion of prototypes, assets, and projects
Demonstration of mobile game design software and technique

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

Rogers, Scott. Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design. 2014.

Fullerton, Tracey. Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games. 2014.

These texts are older than the suggested "5 years or newer" standard, but are still the best choice for this course.

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

  1. Weekly reading assignments from text and outside sources ranging from 30-60 pages per week
  2. Review of handouts and relevant reading material
  3. Research and planning of individual creative projects
  4. Project progress reports

Discipline(s)

Graphic Arts or Computer Information Systems