Introduction to Computer Game Design
Introduction to game design and prototyping. Topics include: formal theories of fun; the mechanics-dynamics-aesthetics framework; game economies; game balance; statistical tools for analyzing game mechanics; game settings; and storytelling. Special attention is given to the attributes of games and what makes a game fun.
Study notes
Independent, AI-drafted study guide · Public sources linked below · Added November 5, 2026
Independent study guide aligned with the Winter 2026 public outline. Examples are original small design experiments. Godot documentation is a supplementary implementation reference, not evidence that every course offering uses the same engine or assessment.
Player experience and testable design goals
Begin with the experience a game should create: suspense, mastery, cooperation, discovery, or another explicit goal. A feature is useful when it contributes to that goal. Turn vague ambitions into testable observations. Instead of saying combat should feel strategic, ask whether players consider multiple viable actions before a difficult encounter. Identify the intended audience and context, because a five-minute phone session and an hour-long cooperative session support different pacing. A design document records current hypotheses; it should change when playtesting supplies evidence against them.
References: COMP 1501 A — Winter 2026 course outline · Godot Engine — Getting started documentation
Mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics
Mechanics are the rules and available actions. Dynamics are the patterns that emerge when players interact with those rules. Aesthetics describe the resulting experience. A shared health pool is a mechanic; protecting a vulnerable teammate is a possible dynamic; tension and fellowship are possible experiences. The connection is not guaranteed. Players may discover a dominant exploit or feel unfairly punished. Analyze a proposed feature in both directions: predict what behavior the rule encourages, then ask which rule changes could produce the desired experience more reliably.
References: COMP 1501 A — Winter 2026 course outline · Godot Engine — Getting started documentation
Core loops, feedback, and meaningful choices
A core loop connects repeated decisions to feedback: explore, encounter, choose, gain information or resources, then explore again. A meaningful choice has understandable consequences and a reason to prefer different options in different circumstances. Positive feedback amplifies an advantage, such as earning resources faster after winning. Negative feedback reduces an advantage, such as giving trailing players extra information. Neither is automatically good; runaway winners may undermine suspense, while excessive catch-up can make earlier effort feel irrelevant. Match the loop’s feedback to the intended emotional arc.
References: COMP 1501 A — Winter 2026 course outline · Godot Engine — Getting started documentation
Economies and a worked expected-value example
A game economy contains sources, sinks, storage, and exchange rules for resources. Track flow over time rather than balancing only purchase prices. Suppose a risky route awards 12 coins with probability 0.5 and zero otherwise, while a safe route awards 5 coins certainly. The risky route has expected reward 6, but a player who needs 5 coins to survive may rationally choose safety. Include loss, variance, time, and strategic context when comparing options. Expected value is an analytical tool rather than a complete model of enjoyment.
References: COMP 1501 A — Winter 2026 course outline · Godot Engine — Getting started documentation
Prototypes, observation, and iteration
Build the cheapest prototype that answers a specific design question. Paper pieces can test turn structure; a gray-box scene can test movement; a spreadsheet can explore an economy. Avoid adding polish that makes weak rules emotionally difficult to discard. During a playtest, ask participants to attempt clear goals and observe without coaching them through every problem. Record hesitation, confusion, choices, failure points, and comments separately from your interpretation. Change one important hypothesis at a time when possible, then test whether the predicted effect actually appears.
References: COMP 1501 A — Winter 2026 course outline · Godot Engine — Getting started documentation
Story, setting, onboarding, and production scope
Setting provides context for actions and helps players predict consequences. Story can arise through authored scenes, environmental clues, or player decisions that change later possibilities. Onboarding should teach through manageable actions with timely feedback before combining mechanics under pressure. Alternate challenge and recovery to support pacing. Scope is a design constraint: one polished interaction can communicate a stronger idea than many disconnected systems. Keep a playable version available, identify the minimum complete loop, and reserve time to test accessibility, controls, failure recovery, and the final build.
References: COMP 1501 A — Winter 2026 course outline · Godot Engine — Getting started documentation
Practice & worked answers
Original exercises for this guide.
1. A weapon deals 8 damage every second; another deals 15 every two seconds. Is the first always better?
Show worked answer
Its sustained rate is 8 versus 7.5 damage per second, but burst damage, reload timing, accuracy, range, and enemy health can change the useful choice. Compare them in actual encounter contexts.
2. Players ignore a carefully written tutorial. What should be tested next?
Show worked answer
Observe whether they can discover the action through the interface and feedback. Test a shorter interactive introduction tied to an immediate goal, measuring task completion rather than assuming more explanatory text solves the issue.
3. Why prototype an economy before producing final art?
Show worked answer
A simple model exposes resource inflation and dominant strategies cheaply. If its rules fail, they can be replaced before large art and engineering investments depend on them.
Public notes & references
Course sources establish the scope above. Reference materials support the explanations; linked lecture notes and books remain with their authors.
2026
Topics
- Structure and Emotion Review PlayingCards.io before tutorial.
- Motivation and Playtesting
- Dynamics of Fun
- Godot Week Complete the Godot tutorial and bring questions.
- Project & Production
- Space and Pacing
- Dynamics with Math
- Stories and Narrative
- Extra Topics TBA
- Presentation Day! Submit your project and marketing materials
Prerequisites & course information
Prerequisite(s): COMP 1005 or COMP 1405 . Lectures three hours a week, tutorial one and a half hours a week.