Introduction to 2D Game Design and Development

This two-course track takes participants from the foundational principles of game design all the way through to building and shipping playable games in a professional development environment.

The track opens with Introduction to Game Design, a 10-hour exploration of game design as both an art and a science. Participants discover how mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics combine to shape player experiences, moving from initial concept through prototyping, playtesting, and iteration across digital and analogue formats. They leave with a tangible game project and a solid conceptual framework for thinking like a designer.

Building directly on that foundation, Introduction to Unity translates design thinking into hands-on 2D game development. Participants get to grips with Unity's core systems — player controllers, interaction systems, camera setup, UI flow, and game structure — supported by a curated library of reusable scripts for common gameplay needs. Equal weight is given to production skills: rapid prototyping, scoping, feature prioritization, and team collaboration ensure that participants can move efficiently from an empty project to a finished, playable prototype.

Together, the two courses form a coherent journey from concept to creation. Participants who complete the full track will have both the design literacy to make meaningful creative decisions and the technical fluency to bring those decisions to life in a real development tool.

Important: Please note that solid programming knowledge (in any language, but particularly C, C++, or C#) and general computer literacy are recommended. Prior experience with Unity is helpful but not required.

This learning track comprises two editions:

• Introduction to Game Design: a comprehensive yet accessible entry point into the art and science of game design
• Introduction to Unity: workshop is designed to prepare participants for rapid Unity 2D development with practical production methodology

On successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:

• Understand and use basic game design vocabulary
• Identify the core mechanics and rules that structure a game
• Transform a game idea into a simple playable prototype
• Apply paper prototyping techniques to test design ideas quickly
• Observe and analyse player feedback during playtesting
• Iterate and improve a design based on testing results
• Prepare a game concept for further development in a digital environment
• Apply rapid prototyping principles to transform a simple idea into a playable 2D game concept.
• Construct a functional Unity 2D project using a structured workflow and reusable gameplay systems.
• Implement core mechanics such as player movement, interaction, and basic game rules in Unity.
• Adapt and combine scripts to create new mechanics and gameplay variations.
• Organize and manage a small-scale game project under Game Jam time and production constraints.
• Evaluate and iterate on a playable prototype through testing, debugging, and targeted improvements.

Interactive, project-based learning combining short theoretical inputs with group discussions, guided exercises, collaborative prototyping, and peer-to-peer feedback sessions.