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TCID 392 Game, Level, and Character Design

In this course, students will learn strategies for analyzing and creating game worlds, levels, and characters that are consistent, compelling, and fluent. Students will focus on what makes compelling and engaging video game dialogue, settings, backstories, and more. This theory- and writing-focused course will let students create and/or expand on all the writing that goes into a good video game story as well as explore games as a humanistic field. There will be a particular focus on creating characters, stories, and scenes with an anti-racist perspective in response to the industry¿s history representing marginalized characters, stories, and lore. No programming knowledge is assumed.

Prerequisites

Special information

Prerequisites: WRIT 131 AND WRIT 231 or Writing requirement fulfilled.
2 Undergraduate credits

Effective August 15, 2022 to present

Meets graduation requirements for

Learning outcomes

General

  • Students will be able to explain theoretical components of game, level, and character design in video games.
  • Students will be able to analyze narrative elements of video games.
  • Students will be able to create and develop narrative elements of an interactive story such as characters, levels, dialogue, a bestiary, game lore, and story arcs.
  • Students will be able to explain how theories and constructions of race, gender, ability, equity, etc inform their characters, levels, dialogue, etc decisions in their game.

Minnesota Transfer Curriculum

Goal 6: The Humanities and Fine Arts

  • Demonstrate awareness of the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities.
  • Understand those works as expressions of individual and human values within a historical and social context.
  • Respond critically to works in the arts and humanities.
  • Engage in the creative process or interpretive performance.
  • Articulate an informed personal reaction to works in the arts and humanities.

Fall 2025

Section Title Instructor books eservices
50 Game, Level, and Character Design Layne, Alexandra Marie Books for TCID-392-50 Fall 2025 Course details for TCID-392-50 Fall 2025