INFR 3335U – Social and Multiplayer Game Design

This course will explore the recent history of social games. The course aims at dissecting real-world examples of social games and analyzing them both from a game design aspect as well as a business aspect, extends a student’s knowledge of concepts behind game design and production. Various social games will be explored, discussed and evaluated. Students will examine and critique the different methods that can bring success to social games, as well as what it takes for a game to be truly social. The knowledge acquired in this class will provide students with foundations for developing successful social games in the game industry (an asset that is highly sought in the current employment context of the game industry). Students will examine these topics through experience by developing and critiquing several social game design strategies and implement the successful methods into their final games in the Game Development Workshop. Topics include multiplayer design patterns, design documentation, prototyping, game testing and the game production pipeline. Students will be required to develop a multiplayer game prototype.
Credit hours: 3
Lecture hours: 3
Laboratory hours: 1.5
Prerequisite(s): INFR 2330U