Game Design & Animation

This course introduces students to game design and programming. Utilizing the pico-8 or p5play JavaScript library, students will design, develop, and publish their own games.

The course covers major programming topics including variables, functions, conditionals, and mouse/keyboard events. By the end of the course, students will have created fun and interactive games to play and share with others

Class Time

• Classes hold once a week. students can be registered for one of the following class times
  • Mondays @5pm MST
  • Tuesdays @5pm MST
  • Saturdays @11am MST

Learning Goals

• Learn basic programming concepts using Lua/JavaScript and Pico-8/p5play
• Develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills
• Create, test, and publish a complete game
• Collaborate and share work with peers

Requirements

• A computer with internet access

Course Content/Outline

• Week 1: Introduction to basic game design principles
• Week 2: Understanding variables and data types
• Week 3: Creating functions and understanding their importance
• Week 4: Implementing conditionals in game scenarios
• Week 5: Handling mouse and keyboard events for interactive elements
• Week 6: Game development project – Part 1 (Planning and Initial Design)
• Week 7: Game development project – Part 2 (Coding, Testing, and Debugging)
• Week 8 – 12: Finalizing the flagship game project, publishing online, and final presentation