MIT CMS.608 Game Design, Spring 2014

Games as designed systems

This MIT course treats game design as a discipline of analysis and invention. It focuses on non-digital games, so rules, components and player interaction are the whole subject rather than the code behind a screen.

What the course covers

• Analyzing and comparing game designs across many genres
• Working in teams to design, develop and test original games
• Sports, game shows, chance-based games, card and board games, playground games and role-playing games
• Historical context for how game rules have changed over time

The material is especially useful for designers who think best by playing and iterating on paper. Although the offering dates from 2014, the classroom approach still applies to tabletop and playtesting work today. The material is licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA, so it can be studied and shared with attribution and for non-commercial purposes.