Introduction to Psychological Aspects of Game Design

This introductory course is based on the Game Design & VFX School at LaSalle College’s Vancouver campus, crowned the #1 undergraduate school in Canada for video game design by the Princeton Review 10 years in a row.

Are you ready to take the first step from gamer to game designer? Then this course is for you!

This course is an introduction to the basic concepts of game development and design theory, and explores how these concepts affect the ways we design and interact with games.

What are games? What are their structures and rule systems? What are their mechanics and dynamics? How does behavioral psychology impact game design? This course answers all these questions and many more!

This course explores the tenets of game design, core game structure, the components of a game, and the different areas of specialization within game design. We look at theoretical design frameworks as conceptual models for approaching design and the fundamental concepts in game psychology, motivation and game experience. The course describes the models that explain the various player types and play styles (what types of people play games, and what motivates and interests them).

Finally, you will learn about core game mechanics and challenge dynamics, and how your designs can be improved by thinking about them from a psychological, player-centric perspective.

Throughout this course, we use classic video game examples such as Pac-Man, Space Invaders and Solitaire to see what they can teach us about games and game design.

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Module 1: Introduction to games

• Fundamentals of design

• Game design fundamentals

• Basic game structure and terminology

Module 2: Game design frameworks

• Theoretical design framework

• Target audiences and game psychology

• Closer look: Pac-Man

Module 3: Behavioral game psychology and play styles

• Introductory behavioural psychology

• Human impulses

• Player models and play styles

• Closer look: Space Invaders

Module 4: Psychology of game mechanics and dynamics

• Goals and conditions

• Rewards and punishments

• Challenges

• Closer look: Solitaire