A Longitudinal Look Into University Student Video Game Designs

Abstract

Teaching video game design is challenging due to its plural and interdisciplinary nature, lack of theoretical and methodological consensus, and idiosyncratic dependence in its iterative process and practice. We analyze the game design documents (GDDs) generated over several years by teams of students in university video game design and development subjects. Observations and samples suggest game implementations are guided by informal discussions and not by design practices discussed in class and included in the materials. The delivered GDDs have content patterns (favoring flowcharts, lists and tables) but not structural patterns in the schema, and they are not iterated with the same frequency as game prototypes. We conclude that students are tasked with a practical, iterative process requiring knowledge and experience they lack. They use GDDs for documentation, not design, leading to costly and redundant teacher monitoring. Teaching video game design should include flexible guidelines for structure, methodology, and content through practice.