Game Design in Unity Syllabus

High School (125 Contact Hours)

Course Overview and Goals

The Game Design in Unity course teaches the fundamentals of designing a game using the most widely
accessed and preferred editing engine in the world. The intent of this course is to prepare high school students
with the industry related skills needed for the workplace and higher learning environments. By the end of this
course, they will understand the design planning process, be knowledgeable of industry related careers, and be
able to navigate the Unity environment in order to create 3D games.

Learning Environment
While this course adapts the blended learning approach, it can also be delivered within a virtual learning
environment. Course content is a combination of web-based and offline activities. Students will access lessons
through the CodeHS platform and perform activities directly within the Unity game engine. Students and
instructors will need to sign up for and download the Unity game engine in order to complete this course. Steps
to do so are included within this course.

Programming Environment
Students illustrate comprehension of game design skills using the CodeHS platform and apply their knowledge
using the Unity game engine. Students will create their games and configure scripts in the Unity game engine.
They’ll share their projects with their teacher and classmates.

Presentations
Some lessons include an activity where students create a presentation using Google Slides. Teachers have the
choice of structuring this slideshow as either having the students deliver an oral presentation or having the
students complete and turn in as a hands-on, visual activity.

Prerequisites
Game Design in Unity is designed for high school students with a basic level of technical proficiency or
exposure to digital design. Students do not need a background in programming.

More Information
● Browse the content of semester one at: [Link]
● Browse the content of semester two at: [Link]

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Semester One Breakdown

Module 1: Intro to Game Design (1 weeks / 3 hours)

In this module, students will be introduced to the gaming industry by exploring what it means to be a game
developer and observing the role of the consumer. The module includes an overview of the industry, the history
of video games, and a case study review. Students will also participate in a mindset check to prepare them for
the course. The content of this module is mostly specific to the gaming industry.
Objectives / Topics ● Welcome to Game Design
Covered ● Intro to Game Design
● History of Video Games

Example Assignments ● Welcome and Intro to Game Design

/ Labs ○ Students learn about the course and get an overview of the game
design. They get to reflect on what they already know about video
games and what they hope to get out of the course.
● History of Video Games
○ It’s important to understand the context of how modern video games
came to be before jumping into developing their own games.
Students get a glimpse of how games and consoles have developed
over time.

Module 2: Exploring the Industry (1 - 2 weeks / 3 - 6 hours)

Students learn about the game design industry, different roles involved in the creation of video games, and what
it means to be a game developer.
Objectives / Topics ● Careers in Game Design
Covered ● Scavenger Hunt: Careers in Game Design
● Game Industry Insights

Example Assignments ● Careers in Game Design

/ Labs ○ Students watch videos that shadow employees at game design
studios in order to get insight into what it means to be a game
designer / developer. Students then reflect on what they saw and
where their interests lie.
● Scavenger Hunt: Careers in Game Design
○ Building off the last lesson, students learn more about the different
roles involved in game design and development. They get to think
about which role interests them and why.
● Game Industry Insights
○ Rounding out this module, this lesson has students conduct research
about a game design studio. They investigate everything from the
size and location of the studio, to the roles on the development
teams, to the studio’s game design philosophy. Students then present
their findings on a one-page webpage.

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Module 3: Unity Fundamentals (6 - 8 weeks / 30 - 40 hours)
In this module, students will continue their understanding of game design by becoming familiar with the Unity
game engine. Here, they will learn how to sign up, download, and navigate the Unity platform. They will also
learn how to access necessary game assets and submit assignments for this course. The content in this module
is mostly specific to the Unity game engine.
Objectives / Topics ● Intro to Unity and Unity Setup
Covered ● Course Management
● Unity Basics
● Using Prefab Objects
● Getting Started with AI
● Third Person Mechanics
● Building a Scene

Example Assignments ● Intro to Unity, Unity Setup, Course Management

/ Labs ○ Students learn more about Unity as a game engine and what sort of
games have been developed with it. They set up their own Unity
accounts and install the free software on their computer. They also
configure the Collaborate tool that will be used throughout the course
to share projects with their teacher.
● Unity Basics
○ Students work on their first project in Unity, learning the basics about
GameObjects and how to transform them and add colors.
● Using Prefab Objects
○ In this tutorial, students will use premade assets to dive deeper into
prefab GameObjects and build their own car driving game.
● Getting Started with AI
○ This tutorial has students add an AI jet to their prefab jet scene. They
learn how to manipulate the components of both jets and change the
path of the AI jet.
● Third Person Mechanics
○ Students get to use a third person character for the first time in a
token collecting game. They learn how to apply a controller to a new
character, manipulate the components so they are “collected”, and
create their first user interface.
● Building a Scene
○ Students get to apply the skills they’ve learned in this module in
building a full custom scene with polygonal nature assets. They learn
a few best-practice tips about designing their scene as well.

Module 4: Legal and Ethical Consideration (2 weeks / 8 - 10 hours)

Students explore legal and ethical issues in the field of game design.
Objectives / Topics ● Copyright Rules
Covered ● Ethical Considerations
● Security in Game Design
● Representation in Technology

Example Assignments ● Applying Copyright Laws to Video Game Design

/ Labs ○ Students learn about copyright laws as they apply to games and

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 examine the case between Atari v. North American Phillips.
● Ethical Consideration
○ Students learn about the role of governing bodies and developers in
the context of developing games.
● Security in Game Design
○ Students read about the current cybersecurity threats in gaming and
think how developers can be proactive in mitigating these threats.
● Representation in Technology
○ Students learn about the lack of representation of women and
minorities in the game design industry, think about the effects this has
on the industry, and identify ways a developer or design studio can
address these issues.

Module 5: Project: You First Game (4 - 6 weeks / 24 - 30 hours)

This module guides students through the game design process as they create their first simple game from
scratch. In doing so, they investigate basic principles of good games and think about how to apply these ideas in
their own creations.
Objectives / Topics ● What Makes a Good Game?
Covered ● Planning Your Game
● Making Your Game
● Publishing and Presenting Your Game

Example Assignments ● What Makes a Good Game?

/ Labs ○ Students examine a few basic principles that all good games follow.
● Planning Your Game
○ Students brainstorm ideas for their game and slowly whittle their first
game concept. In doing so, they receive feedback from their peers
and iterate on their plan.
● Making Your Game
○ Students start by developing quick prototypes of their game’s
environment, character, and gameplay. After more peer feedback,
they iterate their designs and finalize their game.
● Publishing and Presenting Your Game
○ Students learn how to publish a game in Unity so that all may play it!
They update their game design document and present their design
process and game to the class.

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Semester Two Breakdown

Module 1: Effects in Unity (4 - 5 weeks / 20 - 25 hours)

In this module students learn about different game elements and environments, and the impact they have on
gameplay. Students add effects such as light objects, particle systems, camera angles and movement, and
sound effects.
Objectives / Topics ● Gameplay and Effects
Covered ● Cameras
● Lighting Effects
● Particle Systems
● Sound Effects

Example Assignments ● Gameplay and Effects

/ Labs ○ Students examine how different effects impact gameplay by looking
at real-world examples
● Cameras
○ Students learn how to change the camera locations positions relative
to players, including following a player
○ Students extend camera with special views like top-down and two
player views
● Lighting Effects
○ Students exam how to place lights and the effects they have on the
scene
○ Students learn how to update different lighting properties
● Particle Systems
○ Students learn about particles in Unity and how to add them to
objects to enhance the game
● Sound Effects
○ Adding sound effects to objects
○ Adding music to enhance gameplay
● Make It Your Own
○ Students extend lesson projects to a game using the skills they
learned in this module

Module 2: Project: Design Your Game (2 - 3 weeks / 10 - 15 hours)

This module introduces students to the larger project that will be developed over the remainder of the course.
They will then learn about storyboarding and different elements of game design to start planning the
development of their project.
Objectives / Topics ● Project Introduction
Covered ● Storyboarding
● Developing Game Ideas
● Creating Storyboards

Example Assignments ● Project Introduction

/ Labs ○ Students are introduced to the Keep America Beautiful project and
goals

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 ● Storyboarding
○ Students learn about what storyboarding is and look at case studies
● Developing Game Ideas
○ Students are introduced to the game development process
○ Students continue developing ideas around their projects
● Creating Storyboards
○ Student create their initial storyboard ideas for their project

Module 3: Creating in Unity (4 - 5 weeks / 20 - 25 hours)

In module 3, students will dive deeper into larger Unity development concepts. They will have an opportunity to
develop their own prefabs, create different models, use character animation, and apply different user interfaces
to their games.
Objectives / Topics ● Physics
Covered ● Model Creation
● Character Animation
● User Interface

Example Assignments ● Physics

/ Labs ○ Students explore and apply rigid bodies and colliders
○ Students explore collisions events and character controllers
● Model Creation
○ Students build low poly models and learn to apply materials and
textures to the models
○ Students extend their models by creating and applying colliders and
control scripts.
● Character Animation
○ Students animate a character using a given controller and rigging
● User Interface
○ Students enhance their games by adding different user interfaces
such ass HUD, game scores, and various menus

Module 4: Project: Prototyping and Testing Your Game (4 - 5 weeks / 20 - 25 hours)

Students continue designing their final projects as they learn about prototypes and different testing techniques.
In this module, students will develop prototypes for their final game and test different variations on their final
product.
Objectives / Topics ● Prototyping and Testing
Covered ● Building and Testing a Minimal Viable Product

Example Assignments ● Prototyping and Testing

/ Labs ○ Reflect on industry examples of how prototyping and testing are
used
○ Create a prototype for their project
● Building and Testing a Minimal Viable Product (MVP)
○ Students will create an MVP

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 ○ Test and update MVP based on feedback

Module 5: Project: Finish Your Game (2 - 3 weeks / 10 - 15 hours)

Students wrap up their final projects in this module. Applying all the different techniques from earlier modules as
well as incorporating feedback from the previous module, students will complete and present their final game
design.
Objectives / Topics ● Finish Your Game
Covered

Example Assignments ● Finish Your Game

/ Labs ○ Students use feedback from testing and implement a final game
based on their work throughout the semester.
○ Students present their learnings and describe how their game meets
the project goals.