Game Development¶

This unit focuses on applying programming skills to create an interactive digital game.

The emphasis is not just on building a game, but on: - planning - developing - testing - improving

These ideas directly support AS92005 – Game Development.

What Is a Game?¶

A game is an interactive system that includes: - rules - player input - feedback - outcomes

Games respond to player actions in real time.

Figure 7 — Basic game interaction loop

flowchart LR
    Player -->|Input| Game
    Game -->|Feedback| Player

If there is no meaningful interaction, it is not a game.

Key Components of a Game¶

Most games include: - a player or controllable object - one or more mechanics - a game state - a way to win, lose, or restart

Each component must work together.

Games as Systems¶

Games are systems where: - input affects behaviour - behaviour affects outcomes - outcomes affect player decisions

Understanding games as systems helps with: - debugging - improving gameplay - explaining design choices

Tools Used in This Course¶

In this course, you will use: - Godot as the game engine - GDScript for programming behaviour

These tools are required for assessment.

Expectations for This Unit¶

By the end of this unit, you should be able to: - explain how your game works - describe the mechanics you implemented - show how your game changed over time - justify your design decisions

These expectations are assessed in AS92005.

Looking Ahead¶

Next, you will learn: - how Godot organises games - how mechanics are implemented - how iteration improves quality

Game development builds directly on programming foundations.

End of Game Development overview