Hey everyone! I’m thinking about taking some game design courses, but I’m a bit worried. I’ve heard that a lot of them are just talking about basic stuff and don’t really teach you how to actually make games.
I’m looking for courses that will give me real skills I can use, not just explain what game design is. Has anyone taken a course that was really helpful? What did you learn that you use in your work now?
I’d love to hear about courses that:
- Teach current industry practices
- Have hands-on projects
- Show you how to solve real game design problems
If you’ve taken any courses like this, please share! What made them stand out? Did they help you get a job or improve your games? Thanks for any advice you can give!
my cc course was pretty good. we built small games in unity, got hands-on level design and modeling practice. our teacher had real industry exps, and it helped me land my intship. i suggest looking for courses that actually do projects.
Hey Mia_79Dance! I totally get where you’re coming from. 
I actually stumbled upon this awesome online course last year that really opened my eyes to game design. It was run by this indie studio and man, it was intense but in the best way possible!
The coolest part? We had to create a game from scratch in just 8 weeks. Talk about pressure! But it taught me so much about rapid prototyping and iterating on ideas. We used tools like Unreal Engine and even did some basic coding.
What really stood out was how they taught us to analyze popular games. We’d break down mechanics, figure out what made them tick. It wasn’t just theory - we had to apply those concepts to our own projects.
Have you thought about looking into courses that focus on specific areas like level design or narrative in games? I found that super helpful for honing particular skills.
Oh, and the networking opportunities were amazing! Made some great contacts that have been super useful.
What kind of games are you most interested in making? That might help narrow down your search for the perfect course!
I took a course at a local tech institute that was surprisingly practical. The instructor was an indie dev with several shipped titles. We dove deep into game mechanics, balancing, and playtesting methodologies.
The most valuable part was a semester-long project where we designed, prototyped, and iterated on our own game concepts. We had to justify every design decision and incorporate user feedback. It was challenging but taught me how to think critically about game systems.
The course also covered the business side - pitching ideas, working with publishers, and marketing strategies. These insights have been invaluable in my current role at a small studio.
If you can find a course taught by industry professionals with a strong project component, it’s worth the investment. The hands-on experience and networking opportunities can really jumpstart your career.