What lies behind the success of the world’s most popular video games like Tetris, Minecraft, or GTA V? Or board games such as Monopoly, BANG!, or Uno? Why do some games entertain us so much that we can’t pull away, while others frustrate and bore us? And how can you easily create an interesting and original text-based game using the Twine game engine?

We will get to the bottom of all these questions and many more together in this course! You don’t need any prior experience with game development; it’s enough to be a game enthusiast with a desire to create. Having your own laptop for the course is highly recommended, but definitely not a requirement!

What you will learn during the course:

Lesson 1: We will discuss which games we enjoy and why. We’ll take a brief look at the history of games and their evolution. We will also talk about what game design actually is and why almost every one of us has already played the role of a game designer at some point in our lives.

Lesson 2: We will talk about game mechanics and dive into the psychology of games. Additionally, in a creative exercise, everyone will create a short game concept and present it to the others.

Lesson 3: We’ll explain how to write engaging stories and worlds, as well as what the „hero’s journey“ is. We will also experience the pitfalls and magic of non-linear storytelling in games firsthand through a practical task in the Twine program.

Lesson 4: We will split into teams and dive into creating the final project—a prototype of a text-based game or a board game!

Lesson 5: We will finalize the work on the final projects.

Lesson 6: We will organize a joint playtesting session where we will give each other feedback on our games.

We’ll also talk about where to publish your games for the public and what your next steps after Discover can be if you’ve been captivated by game design ;)