Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Summer 2025 - IAT 312 D100

Foundations of Game Design (4)

Class Number: 3458

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    May 12 – Aug 8, 2025: Thu, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Surrey

  • Prerequisites:

    Completion of 48 units, including IAT 265 with a minimum grade of C-.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Examines the discipline of game design. Games are studied across three analytical frameworks: games as rules (formal system), games as play (experiential system), games as culture (social system). Includes analytical and practical exercises in game design.

COURSE DETAILS:

Game Design is a creative endeavor requiring practical experience through design, critique, and iteration. In the lecture part of this class, we will read and discuss some of the work that analyzes players, games and the design process to establish common ground for practical work in the course labs. We will also cover some of the more universal game mechanisms, such as randomness, economic systems, player motivation and psychology, and a few specific topics in more detail. In the labs, we will play, critique, improve and design games as well as report on the course's longer game design projects.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

The course should help you gain practical experience with and a critical understanding of:

  • The existing attempts to analyze the psychology of players and how it affects game design and consumption
  • The process of game design and its components such as prototyping and play testing
  • Some of the dimensions along which to think about game design and critique existing designs, such as art style, narrative and game balance
  • A subset of the mechanisms available to accomplish game design goals, such as reward systems and economic systems 

Grading

  • Assignments (individual) 30%
  • Projects (team work) 37%
  • Lecture Participation 10%
  • lab Attendance & Participation 8%
  • Quizzes 15%

NOTES:

Intended learning outcomes

The course is intended to support you to gain both practical experience with and a critical understanding of the foundations of game design in specific contexts. Specifically, by fulfilling the requirements of the course it should help you gain practical experience with and a critical understanding of:

  • The existing attempts to analyze the psychology of players and how it affects game design and consumption
  • The process of game design and its components such as prototyping and play testing
  • Some of the dimensions along which to think about game design and critique existing designs, such as art style, narrative and game balance
  • A subset of the mechanisms available to accomplish game design goals, such as reward systems and economic systems 

Delivery Method

Lecture (LEC) and Studio Labs (STL)

Academic Honesty

Students are expected to follow SFU's code of academic honesty. We are required to forward all suspected cases of academic misconduct to the Director of SIAT, the Chair of Undergraduate Studies and the Dean of Students, where they will be pursued to resolution. This is a very unpleasant process for all involved, so please do not put us in this situation.

REQUIREMENTS:

Class attendance and participation policy: Students are expected to attend and participate in all lectures and labs. Regular attendance and active, supportive participation in class and team activities are necessary to pass; doing otherwise will result in point reductions and in extreme cases failure to pass the course. 

If you miss an assignment or workshop due to illness or personal concerns, a doctor’s note or other forms of credible evidence must be presented to your instructor/TA. 

Failure to contribute sufficiently to in-class activities, individual and team assignments, failure to responsibly do your part of the teamwork, or failure to reliably attend and contribute in team meetings can result in additional point reductions beyond the team evaluation.

Deliverables: All deliverables must be submitted (typically to Canvas) by the due date/time. Late penalty will apply progressively on a daily basis.

Attendance and participation: Active participation will be required in lectures, and participation marks will stem from participation during lecture discussion as well as activities during the labs, especially ones that are not otherwise graded.

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

  • Required Materials: beyond the textbooks, all other required reading materials will be provided via either Canvas or URLs specified in schedule table below. It is mandatory to read these required materials, and answer those reading questions.

REQUIRED READING:

Adams, E. (2013). Fundamentals of Game Design (3rd ed.). Berkeley, CA: New Riders. ISBN: 9780321929679

Salen, K., & Zimmerman, E. (2004). Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press. ISBN: 9780262240451


ISBN: 978-1032607009

Additional readings will be provided via Canvas

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.