Official course description:

Full info last published 15/12-23
Course info
Language:
English
ECTS points:
7.5
Course code:
KGGAWOD1KU
Participants max:
64
Offered to guest students:
yes
Offered to exchange students:
yes
Offered as a single subject:
yes
Price for EU/EEA citizens (Single Subject):
10625 DKK
Programme
Level:
MSc. Master
Programme:
MSc in Games
Staff
Course manager
Associate Professor
Teacher
Part-time Lecturer
Course semester
Semester
Forår 2024
Start
29 January 2024
End
23 August 2024
Exam
Exam type
ordinær
Internal/External
ekstern censur
Grade Scale
7-trinsskala
Exam Language
GB
Abstract
This course teaches the conceptual foundation and practical implementation of game worlds.
Description

Game World Design is the design of a cohesive game world rooted in narrative design, world building, and character logic.

Students gain the ability to design game worlds from a narrative standpoint in order to create rich experiences for players. Game World Design focuses on the prototyping of game worlds. It will comprise three major dimensions: Conceptual world design, prototype asset development, and presentation of concepts and results.

In the conceptual section, the course will focus on general considerations of worldness and world building, basic narrative considerations, and character logic. The prototype asset development section will focus on implementing these conceptual reflections. This includes the development of a visual pitch for a digital game and implementing a prototype of the game world concept, including assets, in a game engine of your choice. In general, this will include the production of a vertical slice of a gameworld. The presentation component consists in presentation and feedback on intermediate and final results of this design process to prepare for in-team as well as customer communication of projects under development.

Formal prerequisites
This is course offers an introduction to world design and prototyping for games. It is very practical in nature and will require active participation in a semester-long group project. Knowledge about game development tools is essential. Before the course, participants should therefore familiarize themselves with software tools of their own choice, depending on which roles they want to take in the game development process of the course: a game engine, 2D and/or 3D graphics software, project management software, interactive narrative tools, audio software and middleware etc. 
Intended learning outcomes

After the course, the student should be able to:

  • Analyse digital games regarding their audio-visual and narrative design as well as their technology, to use them as references and apply the same analytical strategies to their own prototypes.
  • Design an audio-visually and narratively coherent game world by applying relevant material to e.g.worldbuilding, art direction, narrative design.
  • Use relevant material on planning, collaboration, and communication to inform and support your creative and technical decisions, and reflect on them critically.
  • Document the creative process (from ideation to implementation) adequately (using e.g. mood boards, sketches, storyboards etc.) and reflect on it critically.
  • Collaboratively develop a playable prototype representative of a game world by applying relevant material to level design and narrative.
Learning activities

The course consists of lectures, exercises, and intensive group work. Participants are expected to attend lectures and participate in the exercises and project supervision. Participants form groups at the beginning of the semester. The groups will develop one game world prototype each throughout the course of the semester. This means that they will prototype a game environment and characters that communicate a game world, developing it from first principles and implementing it in a game engine. This happens in project work under constant supervision of teachers and TAs. Participants present the status of their project development at three points in the semester to teachers and class and receive feedback on them. Both the final world prototype and the portfolio documenting the work will be handed in and defended in the final exam.

Course literature

The course literature is published in the course page in LearnIT.

Student Activity Budget
Estimated distribution of learning activities for the typical student
  • Preparation for lectures and exercises: 15%
  • Lectures: 15%
  • Exercises: 10%
  • Project work, supervision included: 45%
  • Exam with preparation: 15%
Ordinary exam
Exam type:
D: Submission of written work with following oral, External (7-point scale)
Exam variation:
D2G: Submission for groups with following oral exam supplemented by the submission. Shared responsibility for the report.
Exam submission description:
There are two parts to the submission: 1. The prototype as a compiled executable (Windows mandatory, Apple optional). 2. The written reflection in the form a traditional short academic paper (minimum 10 pages plus bibliography and appendix). Students present the design considerations, theoretical background, work process, main challenges and solutions. It is recommended to document the design process in an art-book-style appendix. The goal is to demonstrate the attainment of all Intended Learning Outcomes.
Group submission:
Group
  • 4-8
Exam duration per student for the oral exam:
20 minutes
Group exam form:
Mixed exam 1 : Individual and joint student presentation followed by an individual and a group dialogue. The students make a joint presentation followed by a group dialogue. Subsequently the students are having individual examination with presentation and / or dialogue with the supervisor and external examiner while the rest of the group is outside the room.


reexam
Exam type:
D: Submission of written work with following oral, External (7-point scale)
Exam variation:
D2G: Submission for groups with following oral exam supplemented by the submission. Shared responsibility for the report.
Group submission:
Group
  • 4-8
Exam duration per student for the oral exam:
20 minutes
Group exam form:
Mixed exam 1 : Individual and joint student presentation followed by an individual and a group dialogue. The students make a joint presentation followed by a group dialogue. Subsequently the students are having individual examination with presentation and / or dialogue with the supervisor and external examiner while the rest of the group is outside the room.

Time and date
Ordinary Exam - submission Mon, 27 May 2024, 08:00 - 14:00
Ordinary Exam Mon, 17 June 2024, 09:00 - 21:00
Ordinary Exam Tue, 18 June 2024, 09:00 - 21:00
Ordinary Exam Wed, 19 June 2024, 09:00 - 21:00
Ordinary Exam Thu, 20 June 2024, 09:00 - 21:00
Reexam - submission Wed, 24 July 2024, 08:00 - 14:00
Reexam Fri, 16 Aug 2024, 09:00 - 17:00