About this course: In this course, you will examine how storytelling acts as a vital mechanism for driving video gameplay forward. Looking at several historical and contemporary games, you will be asked to evaluate and interpret different story styles with the goal of identifying themes and procedures for your own game ideas. We'll examine traditional narrative story processes, such as three-act structure, and how they fit into game story flows and the strategic elements of gameplay. Ultimately, you will learn how to define character, setting, and structure to create a compelling game concept.
Created by: California Institute of the Arts
Taught by: Dariush Derakhshani, Faculty, Character Animation
School of Film/Video
| Basic Info | Course 2 of 5 in the Game Design: Art and Concepts Specialization |
| Language | English, Subtitles: Chinese (Simplified) |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Week 1: An Introduction to Story
For the first week of the class, we will be analyzing the components of three-act structure using a classic fairytale as an example. We'll examine the characters in the story by figuring out their goals and the main conflict that creates a rising arc of action to keep the audience interested.
6 videos, 3 readings
- Video: Welcome
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: About this Course
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Getting Started
- Video: What makes a story compelling?
- Video: How games benefit from stories
- Video: How to see a game as a story first
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Story Synopsis: Sleeping Beauty
- Video: Defining the Spine
- Video: Three-Act Structure and Rising Action
Graded: Breaking Down the Story
WEEK 2
Week 2: Game Story Structure
In this week, we will draw a parallel between last week’s discussion on rising action and how that relates to gameplay. Looking at a pair of contemporary games, we'll learn how to identify story structure and themes of rising action, just like we would with traditional stories and movies. Lastly, we’ll evaluate the role that primary and secondary characters come to play in the unveiling of a game’s story and discuss the importance of understanding how these games present their stories in the actual gameplay.
4 videos, 12 readings
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Story Synopsis: StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
- Video: Writing Your Own Story Synopsis
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Story Synopsis Points
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Story Synopsis: Angry Birds
- Video: Defining Characters and Character Goals
- Video: Using Secondary Characters
- Video: Writing a Character Brief
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: About Character Briefs
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Character Brief: Jim Raynor
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Character Brief: Emperor Mengsk
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Character Brief: Tychus Findlay
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: About Setting Descriptions
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Setting Description: Angry Birds
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Setting Description: Mar Sara
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Setting Description: The Hyperion
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Setting Description: Char
Graded: Character Studies
WEEK 3
Week 3: Story Workshop
This week, we explore ideation techniques and learn how to consolidate our ideas into more formalized stories specifically for pushing them towards a game design. We will take a look at the importance of, and ways to refine, characters and settings as we develop an initial concept in story form first, and then next week, into a game.
4 videos, 8 readings
- Video: Story Ideation Techniques
- Video: Personal Writing Advice
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: About Idea Sheets
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Idea Sheet: Dead-Eye Jane
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Idea Sheet: Settings for The Shooter
- Video: Refining the Spine
- Video: Connecting Ideas and Characters
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Review: Story Synopses
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Story Synopsis: The Shooter
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Review: Character Briefs
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Character Brief: Jake
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Character Brief: Dead-Eye Jane
Graded: Rewriting “The Shooter”
WEEK 4
Week 4: From Story to Game
For this last week of class, we will begin by seeing what a game design document is, and evaluate a few different templates you can use. Then, we will take the story we built in last week’s course, The Shooter, and define it as a playable game outlined in a game design document.
5 videos, 6 readings
- Video: Introduction to a Game Design Document
- Video: Diving Deeper into the Design Document
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: About Story Presentation Schemes
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Presentation Scheme: Part One - StarCraft II Gameplay Overview
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Presentation Scheme: Part Two - StarCraft II Missions
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: What is a Gameplay Flowchart?
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Gameplay Flowchart: StarCraft II
- Video: Turning The Shooter's Story into a Game
- Video: The Shooter's Rising Gameplay
- Video: Course Wrap Up
- Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Course Credits
Graded: Finalizing “The Shooter”
FAQs
How It Works
Задания курса
Каждый курс — это интерактивный учебник, который содержит видеоматериалы, тесты и проекты.
Помощь сокурсников
Общайтесь с тысячами других учащихся: обсуждайте идеи, материалы курса и помогайте друг другу осваивать новые понятия.
Сертификаты
Получите документы о прохождении курсов и поделитесь своим успехом с друзьями, коллегами и работодателями.
Creators
California Institute of the Arts
CalArts has earned an international reputation as the leading college of the visual and performing arts in the United States. Offering rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree programs through six schools—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music, and Theater—CalArts has championed creative excellence, critical reflection, and the development of new forms and expressions.
Pricing
| Приобрести курс | Прослушать | |
|---|---|---|
| Получить доступ к материалам курса | Available | Available |
| Получить доступ к оцениваемым материалам курса | Available | Not available |
| Получить итоговую оценку | Available | Not available |
| Earn a shareable Course Certificate | Available | Not available |
Ratings and Reviews
Great course!
It is a fun course where you will find many people with great ideas and fun stories, i enjoyed it very much!
Love how you dedicate yourself in the course making, great interpretation over the making of a story, and how they can developed into a game. Most grateful!
Coursera provides universal access to the world’s best education, partnering with top universities and organizations to offer courses online.
© 2017 Coursera Inc. All rights reserved.
YR
A great course!