Information Package / Course Catalogue
| Digital Game Design | |||||
| Bachelor | Length of the Programme: 4 | Number of Credits: 240 | TR-NQF-HE: Level 6 | QF-EHEA: First Cycle | EQF: Level 6 |
ECTS Course Information Package
| School/Faculty/Institute | Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture | |||||
| Course Code | DGD 201 | |||||
| Course Title in English | Game Design Studio I | |||||
| Course Title in Turkish | Oyun Tasarım Stüdyosu I | |||||
| Language of Instruction | EN | |||||
| Type of Course | Project | |||||
| Level of Course | Introductory | |||||
| Semester | Fall | |||||
| Contact Hours per Week |
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| Estimated Student Workload | 200 hours per semester | |||||
| Number of Credits | 8 ECTS | |||||
| Grading Mode | Standard Letter Grade | |||||
| Pre-requisites | None | |||||
| Co-requisites | None | |||||
| Expected Prior Knowledge | None | |||||
| Registration Restrictions | None | |||||
| Overall Educational Objective | The aim of this course is to simulate a real-world game development studio environment where students collaborate to create a playable game prototype. It provides experience in integrating diverse production skills, managing team dynamics, and using industry-standard tools and practices. Through iterative design and testing cycles, students learn how to combine creativity, technical skills, and communication for effective game production. | |||||
| Course Description | This studio course provides a collaborative, project-based environment where students work in teams to design and develop a digital game using the Unity 3D engine. Students will integrate and apply skills acquired from concurrent courses, especially Animation and Level Design. In addition to technical development, the course emphasizes teamwork, project management, and version control systems. The course simulates an industry-oriented development pipeline, encouraging iterative design, playtesting, and critique. |
Course Learning Outcomes and CompetencesUpon successful completion of the course, the learner is expected to be able to:1) Explain the structure of a game development pipeline and its phases. 2) Understand the principles of version control and collaborative workflows. 3) Develop a playable 3D game prototype using Unity. 4) Integrate assets including animation and level components into a game scene. 5) Collaborate effectively within a game development team. 6) Produce a coherent and technically functional game demo incorporating multiple disciplines. |
| Program Learning Outcomes/Course Learning Outcomes | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1) Understands and utilizes fundamental concepts in areas such as game theory, interaction design, user experience, and player psychology. | ||||||
| 2) Holistically grasps the process from conceptual design to publication and marketing, and can participate in every phase of this process. | ||||||
| 3) Can effectively use game engines (Unity, Unreal, etc.), programming languages (C#, C++, etc.), and version control systems. | ||||||
| 4) Can provide fundamental contributions to creative production processes such as 2D/3D modeling, animation, and sound design. | ||||||
| 5) Can analyze complex structures such as the balance of in-game mechanics, system interactions, and game economies. | ||||||
| 6) Can collaborate with diverse disciplines such as design, software, art, and psychology. | ||||||
| 7) Can develop innovative game ideas and produce original solutions for game aesthetics and experience. | ||||||
| 8) Can assume different roles in game projects and adapt to project schedules and task distribution. | ||||||
| 9) Can analyze and interpret existing games from structural, cultural, and ethical perspectives. | ||||||
| 10) Can initiate entrepreneurial processes such as launching their own game projects, securing investment, and building teams. | ||||||
| 11) Postgraduate education, industry certifications, or continuous learning in new technologies are available. |
Relation to Program Outcomes and Competences
| N None | S Supportive | H Highly Related |
| Program Outcomes and Competences | Level | Assessed by | |
| 1) | Understands and utilizes fundamental concepts in areas such as game theory, interaction design, user experience, and player psychology. | S | |
| 2) | Holistically grasps the process from conceptual design to publication and marketing, and can participate in every phase of this process. | S | |
| 3) | Can effectively use game engines (Unity, Unreal, etc.), programming languages (C#, C++, etc.), and version control systems. | S | |
| 4) | Can provide fundamental contributions to creative production processes such as 2D/3D modeling, animation, and sound design. | S | |
| 5) | Can analyze complex structures such as the balance of in-game mechanics, system interactions, and game economies. | S | |
| 6) | Can collaborate with diverse disciplines such as design, software, art, and psychology. | H | |
| 7) | Can develop innovative game ideas and produce original solutions for game aesthetics and experience. | H | |
| 8) | Can assume different roles in game projects and adapt to project schedules and task distribution. | H | |
| 9) | Can analyze and interpret existing games from structural, cultural, and ethical perspectives. | S | |
| 10) | Can initiate entrepreneurial processes such as launching their own game projects, securing investment, and building teams. | N | |
| 11) | Postgraduate education, industry certifications, or continuous learning in new technologies are available. | N |
| Prepared by and Date | EMİRHAN COŞKUN , August 2025 |
| Course Coordinator | EMİRHAN COŞKUN |
| Semester | Fall |
| Name of Instructor |
Course Contents
| Week | Subject |
| 1) | Course Introduction, Team Formation & Project Expectations |
| 2) | Game Concept Development and Documentation (GDD) - Agile Planning and Sprint Scheduling |
| 3) | Storytelling and Worldbuilding |
| 4) | Systems Design and Core Mechanics - Technical Setup: Version Control and Unity Repositories |
| 5) | Introduction to Prototyping with Unity - Integration of Animation and Level Design Modules |
| 6) | Developable Prototype: Movement, Camera, Basic UI |
| 7) | First Playable Prototype Submission & Presentation |
| 8) | Implementing User Feedback and Polishing |
| 9) | UI/UX Development - Feature Expansion and UX Refinement |
| 10) | Level Design and Gameplay Balancing |
| 11) | Bug Tracking and Optimization - Tracking Technical Progress and Game Testing |
| 12) | Playtesting and Feedback Iteration |
| 13) | Final Revisions Based on Feedback |
| 14) | Final Project Showcase and Reflection |
| Required/Recommended Readings | Schell, J. (2008). The Art of Game Design: A book of lenses. CRC press. Tekinbas, K. S., & Zimmerman, E. (2003). Rules of play: Game design fundamentals. MIT press. Unity Documentation – Unity User Manual and Scripting API. Version Control with Git – GitHub Guides and Pro Git Book. Agile Game Development with Scrum by Clinton Keith. Game Design Workshop by Tracy Fullerton (for process and collaboration). Project management tools: Trello, Notion, Jira, or HacknPlan. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Studio-based teamwork and guided production sessions. Agile project planning and weekly team sprints. Mentorship and check-ins by instructors on production progress. Milestone reviews and critique presentations. Version control exercises and collaborative asset management. Integration of concurrent course outputs (Animation, Level Design). | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Homework and Projects | Students will work in teams for a game design project, under the direction of studio instructors. Projects will be assessed through studio reviews. Additionally, there will be particular exercises taking place throughout the semester. These exercises will support the thinking and representation tools and processes. Teams are required to submit their game design project at the end of the semester. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Laboratory Work | None | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Computer Use | Yes | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Other Activities | Seminars and workshops | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Assessment Methods |
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| Course Administration |
coskunemi@mef.edu.tr coskunemi@mef.edu.tr 0212 395 36 00 Attendance and participation during the entire scheduled class time for studio is mandatory. Students must be engaged in questioning and discussing the work of the class. All students are required to attend and participate in all interim and final studio reviews. All assignments must be submitted at the time and on the date specified. Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism: YÖK Disciplinary Regulation. |
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ECTS Student Workload Estimation
| Activity | No/Weeks | Hours | Calculation | ||||
| No/Weeks per Semester | Preparing for the Activity | Spent in the Activity Itself | Completing the Activity Requirements | ||||
| Course Hours | 14 | 0 | 4 | 56 | |||
| Study Hours Out of Class | 14 | 0 | 6 | 84 | |||
| Project | 14 | 0 | 4 | 56 | |||
| Final Examination | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | |||
| Total Workload | 200 | ||||||
| Total Workload/25 | 8.0 | ||||||
| ECTS | 8 | ||||||