Course Guide: Game Design & Development Principles
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Course resource library
Resources already linked in the master plan. Some school resources may require your school sign-in.
- CodeHS Introduction to Game Design (opens in a new tab)
Course resources - Game Design & Development Principles Instructor Guide (opens in a new tab)
Unit 1: Foundations of Game Design & Gaming History - Game Design Syllabus (opens in a new tab)
Unit 1: Foundations of Game Design & Gaming History - Civilization Lesson - Long (opens in a new tab)
Unit 2: Game Genres & Critical Game Analysis
Unit 2: Game Genres & Critical Game Analysis / Lesson 1: Game Genres & Mechanics Mapping
Unit 2: Game Genres & Critical Game Analysis / Lesson 2: Understanding ESRB Content Ratings & Audience Suitability
Unit 3: CS Career Options, Pathways & Industry Roles / Lesson 1: Roles in the Game Industry (Designer, Developer, Artist, Sound Designer, QA, Producer, Indie Dev)- Movie Request Form - Hidden Figures (opens in a new tab)
Unit 3: CS Career Options, Pathways & Industry Roles / Lesson 3: Women in STEM & Pioneer Game Designers - Game Design Document & Core Loops Notes (opens in a new tab)
Unit 4: Game Design Core Loop & Systems
Unit 4: Game Design Core Loop & Systems
Unit 4: Game Design Core Loop & Systems / Lesson 2: System Mapping, Dependencies, and Cause-and-Effect Logic (IFTT)- Storytelling Unit Plan - Game Development (opens in a new tab)
Unit 5: Game Design Storytelling & Nonlinear Narratives
Unit 5: Game Design Storytelling & Nonlinear Narratives / Lesson 1: Story Structure, Characters, Setting, & Conflict
Unit 7: Transferring a Paper Prototype into A Digital Game / Lesson 2: Playtesting Logic & Gathering Player Agency Feedback- Godot Engine Documentation (opens in a new tab)
Unit 9: Intro Webdesign Editors, WordPress & Game Tools
Course asset library
Teaching materials, videos, and blank worksheets. Open the lesson for embedded previews, or open an original below in a new tab to save or print.
- Game Design Vocabulary Posters
Available in Lesson 3: What Makes a Game a Game? Industry Terminology & Acronyms - Game Design Vocabulary Wall Display
Available in Lesson 3: What Makes a Game a Game? Industry Terminology & Acronyms - Play, Analyze, Design: The Core Loop
Available in Lesson 1: Defining Player Experience & Core Loops (Action → Feedback → Improvement) - Game Design Core Loops
Available in Lesson 1: Defining Player Experience & Core Loops (Action → Feedback → Improvement) - Game Designer’s Field Guide: From Play to GDD
Available in Lesson 2: Non-Digital Games Analysis (Board & Card Games) - Non-Digital Game Analysis Overview
Available in Lesson 2: Non-Digital Games Analysis (Board & Card Games) - Tracking Gameplay and Workplace Collaboration
Available in Lesson 2: Non-Digital Games Analysis (Board & Card Games) - Workplace Career Readiness Guide
Available in Lesson 1: What Is a "Deliverable"? Professional Career Readiness - Career Readiness Vocabulary and Reflection — English
Available in Lesson 1: What Is a "Deliverable"? Professional Career Readiness - Career Readiness Vocabulary and Reflection — Español
Available in Lesson 1: What Is a "Deliverable"? Professional Career Readiness - Foundations of Game Design
Available in Lesson 1: History & Evolution of Video Games - Foundations of Game Design and Gaming History — Slides
Available in Lesson 1: History & Evolution of Video Games - Game Mechanics and Rules
Available in Lesson 1: Categories of Game Mechanics & Victory Conditions - Storytelling in Games
Available in Lesson 1: Story Structure, Characters, Setting, & Conflict - The Infinite Loop: From Analog Games to Digital Prototypes
Available in Lesson 3: Translating Paper Rules into Digital Game Structures - From Cards to Code — Twine Prototyping Slides
Available in Lesson 3: Translating Paper Rules into Digital Game Structures - Civilization I: Same Start, Different Worlds
Available in Lesson 2: System Mapping, Dependencies, and Cause-and-Effect Logic (IFTT) - Worksheet: Tech Tree Dependency Architecture
Available in Lesson 2: System Mapping, Dependencies, and Cause-and-Effect Logic (IFTT) - Civilization I: The Four-Step Core Loop
Available in Lesson 1: Defining Player Experience & Core Loops (Action → Feedback → Improvement) - Worksheet: Analyzing the Core Loop
Available in Lesson 1: Defining Player Experience & Core Loops (Action → Feedback → Improvement) - Student Handout: Demystifying the Core Loop
Available in Lesson 1: Defining Player Experience & Core Loops (Action → Feedback → Improvement) - Gameplay Analysis and Note-Taking Worksheet
Available in Lesson 1: Defining Player Experience & Core Loops (Action → Feedback → Improvement) - Worksheet: Economy and Terrain Systems
Available in Lesson 3: Reward Systems, Motivators, & Risk vs. Reward - Worksheet: Unit Attributes and Combat Logic
Available in Lesson 1: Categories of Game Mechanics & Victory Conditions - Game Design Document: Reverse-Engineering Project
Available in Lesson 3: Writing Technical Design Documents (TDD) & Game Design Documents (GDD) - Non-Digital Gameplay Log and Mechanics Analysis
Available in Lesson 2: Non-Digital Games Analysis (Board & Card Games) - Tabletop Game Analysis Rubric
Available in Lesson 2: Non-Digital Games Analysis (Board & Card Games) - Non-Digital Gaming Rubric
Available in Lesson 2: Non-Digital Games Analysis (Board & Card Games) - Card Mashup Project Rubric
Available in Lesson 1: Paper Prototyping (CYOA Card Decks / Board Prototypes) - QA Playtest Feedback Form and Rubric
Available in Lesson 2: Playtesting Logic & Gathering Player Agency Feedback - Game Design Student Course Guide 2026–2027 — PDF
Available in Course 2: Game Design & Development Principles - Game Design Student Course Guide 2026–2027 — Editable Word
Available in Course 2: Game Design & Development Principles - Game Development Careers
Available in Lesson 1: Roles in the Game Industry (Designer, Developer, Artist, Sound Designer, QA, Producer, Indie Dev) - Mastering Game Analysis
Available in Lesson 3: Professional Game Review Project - Game Design Learning Paths and Specializations
Available in Lesson 2: Industry Salary Structures & Career Pathways - EOP Study Guide: Digital Design and Game Development
Available in Course 2: Game Design & Development Principles - Choose Your Own Adventure — Branching Storytelling Handout
Available in Lesson 2: Branching Narratives & Choice Architecture
KDE student outcomes
Course outcomes · Course 113605
View aligned outcomes (58)
- #1 Explain the history of computing technologies that impact the game development industry.
- #2 Explore non-digital games.
- #3 Research the evolution of video games.
- #4 Describe the different game genres.
- #5 Evaluate the contributions of individual game designers and developers.
- #6 Explore careers as a game artist and sound designer.
- #7 Describe the role of a game designer.
- #8 Explore careers as a game developer.
- #9 Describe career pathways in quality assurance/testing.
- #10 Explain the role of the producer.
- #11 Explain the career path of an independent developer.
- #12 Research salary structures in the industry.
- #13 Define common terminology and its acronyms.
- #14 Identify the tools to develop a game (engine, application program interface [API], digital content creation tools, editors).
- #15 Communicate both in writing and verbally using appropriate industry terminology.
- #16 Compare and contrast the entertainment software rating boards (ESRB) ratings for games.
- #17 Explain the principles of visual design.
- #18 Explain the elements of design.
- #19 Analyze artwork/designs for specific design theories.
- #20 Explore the components of game structure.
- #21 Analyze the essentials of storytelling.
- #22 Write an outline of a nonlinear story.
- #23 Create rules for a game.
- #24 Compare conflict and outcomes.
- #25 Develop objectives and outcomes for a game.
- #26 Explain the importance of usability and how it impacts user experience.
- #27 Explain in-game economies, motivators, and reward systems.
- #28 Research various styles of game documentation.
- #29 Develop a technical design document (TDD).
- #30 Describe components of a game design document (GDD).
- #31 Produce a game design document.
- #32 Produce a game pitch document.
- #33 Present game documentation.
- #34 Compare and contrast categories of game mechanics.
- #35 Research victory condition mechanics of a game.
- #36 Discuss the relationship between game mechanics and game complexity and interactions.
- #37 Incorporate game mechanics into a game.
- #38 Explain basic logic statements such as if/then and cause/effect.
- #39 Describe the uses of Boolean operators and the symbols associated with them.
- #40 Generate truth tables for game events.
- #41 Examine different number systems, including binary, decimal, and hexadecimal.
- #42 Demonstrate proper use of the order of operations.
- #43 Convert mathematical formulas into code.
- #44 Explain when to apply mathematical concepts common to game coding.
- #45 Use logical thinking to create a diagram of code execution.
- #46 Research laws that govern intellectual property in diverse forms.
- #47 Evaluate Creative Commons and open-source licensure.
- #48 Cite the boundaries of third-party work.
- #49 Explain copyright, trademarks, and other intellectual property protection.
- #50 Explain the invasion of privacy in the use of technology.
- #51 Model acceptable security practices.
- #52 Explore the issues of piracy and digital rights management (DRM).
- #53 Analyze your digital footprint.
- #54 Discuss social responsibility and issues concerning gaming.
- #55 Model legal and ethical use of information.
- #56 Identify key elements of non-disclosure agreements (NDA) and contracts.
- #57 Summarize the behavior of an algorithm.
- #58 Determine if a given algorithm successfully solves a stated problem.
Alignment from Master Lesson Plans v3.5. These are instructional targets; completing a resource does not by itself establish mastery.