flagship course
Entertainment and Gaming Production
Design, build and test small games and entertainment pieces with story, play, sound and responsible design.
about this course
What you will be able to do
Design, build and test small games and entertainment pieces with story, play, sound and responsible design.
- Define a game idea in one sentence.
- Apply a core play loop.
- Analyse player tests.
- Evaluate fairness and age fit.
- Create a playable prototype.
Task, condition and standard
Task
Make a small playable game or interactive story and test it with players.
Condition
About 10 weeks part-time. A computer, free engine or no-code tool, test players, a mentor.
Standard
The game is playable start to finish, tested with five players and meets age and privacy rules.
Who it is for: Students, creators, hobbyists. Requirements: Basic computer use. Materials: lesson text, templates, rubric, check with answers.
lesson by lesson
8 modules with worked examples
Module 1 Idea and audience 3 hDefine
- One-sentence pitch.
- Who plays and why.
- Set the scope small.
Activity. Write a pitch.
Standard to meet. Pitch names player, goal and challenge.
Module 2 Core loop and rules 5 hApply
- Action, feedback, reward.
- Clear goals.
- Fair difficulty.
Activity. Define the loop.
Standard to meet. Write a loop that is clear and testable.
Module 3 Story, art and sound 5 hCreate
- Simple characters and settings.
- Own or licensed assets only.
- Sound cues.
Activity. Build assets.
Standard to meet. Confirm that all assets are owned or licensed.
Module 4 Build a prototype 6 hApply
- Choose a free tool.
- Build level one.
- Save and load progress.
Activity. Build.
Standard to meet. Prototype runs without errors.
Module 5 Playtest 5 hAnalyse
- Watch five players.
- Record where they stall.
- Fix the top three issues.
Activity. Run a test.
Standard to meet. Fix list is ranked.
Module 6 Responsible design 4 hEvaluate
- No tricks that push spending.
- Age ratings, and parental consent for under-18s under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023.
- Screen-time breaks.
Activity. Write a design note.
Standard to meet. Cover age, money and time in the note.
Module 7 Publish to a small group 3 hApply
- Package.
- Share a test link.
- Collect feedback.
Activity. Share.
Standard to meet. Collect feedback.
Module 8 Capstone: playable prototype 4 hCreate
- Finish.
- Test.
- Present.
- Plan next.
Activity. Present.
Standard to meet. Prototype and note complete.
assessment
How you are checked
Evidence: the work product from each module, kept in one folder with dates. A mentor and two peers mark it with this rubric. Pass: no criterion at 'Not yet'.
| Criterion | Not yet | Meets | Exceeds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Play loop | Missing or unclear | Meets the stated check | Clear and fun |
| Testing | Guessing | Evidence kept | Fixes shown |
| Records | Gaps | Complete | Complete and reviewed by a peer |
| Safety and ethics | Overlooked | Followed | Followed and taught to others |
Ten-question check, with model answers
Q1. Why keep scope small?
Model answer: To finish. (Covered in module 1: Idea and audience. To pass that module: Pitch names player, goal and challenge.)
Q2. What is a core loop?
Model answer: Repeating cycle of action, feedback and reward. (Covered in module 2: Core loop and rules. To pass that module: Write a loop that is clear and testable.)
Q3. Why use only licensed assets?
Model answer: Respect creators and law. (Covered in module 3: Story, art and sound. To pass that module: Confirm that all assets are owned or licensed.)
Q4. Why start with level one?
Model answer: Test the loop early. (Covered in module 4: Build a prototype. To pass that module: Prototype runs without errors.)
Q5. Why watch, not explain?
Model answer: See real confusion. (Covered in module 5: Playtest. To pass that module: Fix list is ranked.)
Q6. Name one responsible rule.
Model answer: No pressure to spend. (Covered in module 6: Responsible design. To pass that module: Cover age, money and time in the note.)
Q7. What do you collect?
Model answer: Feedback and play data with consent. (Covered in module 7: Publish to a small group. To pass that module: Collect feedback.)
Q8. What proves a prototype is ready?
Model answer: Playtests show it is understood. (Covered in module 8: Capstone: playable prototype. To pass that module: Prototype and note complete.)
Q9. Why test early?
Model answer: Cheaper to fix. (Covered in: Task, condition and standard, near the top of this page.)
Q10. Why a design note?
Model answer: Records decisions. (Covered in: Task, condition and standard, near the top of this page.)
seven levels
Your ladder, L1 to L7
This course sits at L4 Practitioner. Each level adds to the one below.
- L1 Basic. Play and describe games.
- L2 Awareness. Explain how games work.
- L3 Foundation. Make a tiny game.
- L4 Practitioner. Finish games alone.
- L5 Specialist. Lead small teams.
- L6 Advanced. Lead studios.
- L7 Super expert. Set creative direction.
Slide by slide
Seven slides, one per level. Open each for the slide text and the speaker notes.
Slide 1 L1 Basic: Play and describe
Play 3 games and describe each one's goal, rules and win condition in 3 sentences.
Speaker notes. Teacher asks about a board game the learner played and checks all 3 parts. Covered in module 1.
Slide 2 L2 Awareness: How games work
Explain the core loop of a game in 4 steps and name 3 rules that create challenge.
Speaker notes. Teacher picks a simple mobile game and checks the loop is listed in order. Covered in module 2.
Slide 3 L3 Foundation: Tiny game
Make a tiny playable game with 1 goal, 3 rules and 1 level that 3 testers can finish in under 5 minutes.
Speaker notes. Teacher plays it and times a tester. Covered in module 1, Idea and audience.
Slide 4 L4 Practitioner: Finish games alone
Finish a game alone with 5 levels, art and sound, and fix at least 10 problems found by 5 playtesters.
Speaker notes. Teacher checks the problem list shows each fix. Covered in module 5.
Slide 5 L5 Specialist: Small team lead
Lead a team of 3 through a 4-week sprint plan with a task board, a design note and a build that runs without crashing.
Speaker notes. Teacher opens the task board and runs the build.
Slide 6 L6 Advanced: Studio leadership
Lead a studio of 6 across two projects with budgets, schedules and a responsible design check on age and spending limits. Check local rules with an expert.
Speaker notes. Teacher checks the check covers purchases and data of young players.
Slide 7 L7 Super expert: Creative direction
Set a creative direction document with theme, tone and 5 quality rules, and review 3 projects against it with written scores.
Speaker notes. Teacher checks each project has a score for each rule.
jobs this leads to
Where this takes you
- Game tester
- Junior game designer
- Interactive storyteller
- Sound or art assistant
- Indie creator
ten locations and global
Your place
Local rules change licences, data handling, pricing words and names of bodies. Check them for your place before you act.
India (Bengaluru)
Language: English, Hindi, Kannada. Currency: INR. Data rule for what you publish: Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023. Skills frame to cite: National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and the national credit framework.
Netherlands (Eindhoven area)
Language: Dutch, English. Currency: EUR. Data rule for what you publish: EU GDPR (Dutch: AVG), supervised by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens. Skills frame to cite: the Dutch qualification framework (NLQF) linked to the European Qualifications Framework.
UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi)
Language: Arabic, English. Currency: AED. Data rule for what you publish: Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 (personal data protection). Skills frame to cite: the emirate education and training regulators (for example KHDA in Dubai) and the national qualifications framework.
Brazil (Sao Paulo)
Language: Portuguese (Spanish and English support). Currency: BRL. Data rule for what you publish: LGPD (Lei Geral de Protecao de Dados). Skills frame to cite: the national technical-education catalogue and the national S-system training bodies.
Canada (Toronto)
Language: English, French. Currency: CAD. Data rule for what you publish: PIPEDA, with provincial rules where they apply. Skills frame to cite: the provincial colleges framework and the national credential-recognition guidance.
United States
Language: English, Spanish. Currency: USD. Data rule for what you publish: state privacy laws (for example California), and COPPA for children under 13. Skills frame to cite: state and community-college credit systems.
Singapore
Language: English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil. Currency: SGD. Data rule for what you publish: Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Skills frame to cite: the Singapore national skills frameworks and the national credit system.
Australia
Language: English. Currency: AUD. Data rule for what you publish: the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Skills frame to cite: the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels.
Hong Kong (Eastern Asia)
Language: Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin), English. Currency: HKD. Data rule for what you publish: the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. Skills frame to cite: the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework.
Georgia and Israel (Western Asia)
Language: Georgian, Hebrew, Arabic, English. Currency: GEL or ILS. Data rule for what you publish: the personal data law of the country where the learner lives. Skills frame to cite: the national qualifications framework of that country.
Cayman Islands (Caribbean)
Language: English. Currency: KYD. Data rule for what you publish: the Data Protection Act. Skills frame to cite: the local education and training framework.
Mexico
Language: Spanish, English. Currency: MXN. Data rule for what you publish: the federal law on personal data held by private parties. Skills frame to cite: the national competency certification system and the education ministry levels.
next
Draft
Draft flagship. Own wording. Not live.