Welcome To
Our FREE Game Development Foundations – Prerequisite Course
This prerequisite track ensures learners build essential programming, storytelling, and game mechanics knowledge before diving into advanced interactive storytelling. It lays a structured foundation in coding, narrative design, and game engine workflows while providing career-ready opportunities such as internships, certifications, and interview prep.
Certifications:
Unity Certified User (Game Development)
Unreal Academic Partner Program Certification
Narrative Design Certificate (CELTX)
📖 Course Syllabus
🎯 Who is This Course For?
✅ Aspiring Game Designers & Writers – Those interested in interactive storytelling, branching narratives, and UI-driven dialogue mechanics.
✅ Beginners in Game Development – Those looking for structured programming fundamentals, scripting basics, and scene setup techniques.
✅ Indie Developers & Storytellers – Those who need a bridge between creative writing and technical implementation in games.
✅ Career Switchers into Tech & Game Dev – Those transitioning into gaming from writing, software development, or design fields.
🚀 Key Features & Benefits:
✅ Internships & Practical Experience – Gain access to internship opportunities with indie studios, collaborative projects, and mentorship.
✅ Industry-Recognized Certifications – Earn game development, programming, and narrative design credentials for portfolio building.
✅ Interview Preparation & Career Guidance – Receive resume building, portfolio coaching, and mock interviews tailored for game industry roles.
✅ Hands-On Projects & Playable Prototypes – Build interactive storytelling mechanics and scripting prototypes in game engines.
✅ Community Forums & Developer Networking – Join forums, Discord groups, and mentorship cohorts to grow alongside other developers.
✅ Flexible Learning Pathway – Self-paced lessons with structured roadmaps for programming, storytelling, and game mechanics.
Before starting the Game Development Foundations – Prerequisite Course, students should have basic familiarity with the following skills to ensure a smooth learning experience. While the course is beginner-friendly, having some foundational knowledge will help learners engage with programming, storytelling, and game mechanics more effectively.
🚀 Recommended Prerequisite Skills:
✅ Basic Computer Literacy
- Navigating files, directories, and installing software
- Understanding how to use code editors like VS Code, Sublime Text, or Notepad++
- Familiarity with GitHub (optional, but useful for version control)
✅ Fundamental Logic & Problem-Solving Skills
- Ability to follow structured sequences (e.g., step-by-step workflows)
- Understanding basic if-then logic (e.g., making decisions in code or game mechanics)
- Ability to break down a problem into smaller steps
✅ Interest in Storytelling & Game Mechanics
- Enthusiasm for game narratives, character development, and player agency
- Understanding basic game elements (e.g., quests, NPC interactions, dialogue systems)
- Willingness to explore interactive storytelling formats like RPGs, adventure games, or visual novels
✅ Introduction to Programming (Optional but Helpful)
- Familiarity with basic programming concepts (variables, conditionals, loops)
- Awareness of any scripting language (Python, JavaScript, or even Twine/Ink/Yarn Spinner)
- Understanding that game development involves logic-based decision-making
✅ Patience & Problem-Solving Mindset
- Willingness to debug errors and learn from mistakes
- Comfort with trial-and-error problem-solving (game mechanics require iteration)
- Openness to feedback, testing, and refining game designs
💡 No Prior Coding Experience? No Problem!
🔹 The course starts with basic programming principles before moving into structured narrative design.
🔹 Hands-on exercises guide learners through interactive storytelling mechanics, even if they’ve never coded before.
🔹 Community forums & peer mentorship ensure support throughout the learning process.
📚 Course Structure & Chapters
📖 Chapter 1 – Foundations of Game Storytelling
🔹 Lesson 1.1 – What Makes a Game Story Engaging? (Player agency, interactivity vs. linear storytelling)
🔹 Lesson 1.2 – Hero’s Journey vs. Player Choice (Branching storylines vs. guided narratives)
🔹 Lesson 1.3 – Narrative Pacing & Emotional Beats (Timing in dialogue-driven interactions)
🔹 Lesson 1.4 – The Role of UI in Storytelling (UI elements shaping storytelling clarity)
🖥️ Chapter 2 – Programming Fundamentals for Game Development
🔹 Lesson 2.1 – Scripting Basics (Variables, Conditionals, Loops) (Fundamentals for branching narrative logic)
🔹 Lesson 2.2 – Event-Based Programming & Dialogue Systems (Triggering interactions using Ink, Yarn Spinner, Twine)
🔹 Lesson 2.3 – Debugging Logic in Choice-Based Storytelling (Avoiding branching errors & scripting pitfalls)
🔹 Lesson 2.4 – Structuring Save States for Player Choices (How decision tracking influences game progression)
🎮 Chapter 3 – Game Mechanics & System Design
🔹 Lesson 3.1 – How Game Mechanics Influence Storytelling (Ludonarrative harmony in games)
🔹 Lesson 3.2 – UI Design for Player Interaction (Dialogue boxes, hover effects, accessibility tools)
🔹 Lesson 3.3 – Feedback Loops & Player Agency (Reinforcing choices through mechanics)
🔹 Lesson 3.4 – Balancing Narrative & Gameplay Complexity (Making stories adaptive without overwhelming players)
🚀 Chapter 4 – Getting Started with Game Engines
🔹 Lesson 4.1 – Unity vs. Godot vs. Twine vs. Ink vs. Yarn Spinner (Selecting the best tool for your story-driven game)
🔹 Lesson 4.2 – Setting Up Your First Game Scene (Creating interactive spaces in engines)
🔹 Lesson 4.3 – Implementing Dialogue Systems in Game Engines (Connecting storytelling tools to gameplay)
🔹 Lesson 4.4 – Building a Small Playable Prototype (Applying scripting, UI elements, and scene transitions)
📌 Next Steps
Once learners complete this prerequisite track, they’ll be ready for advanced modules in the main curriculum, covering branching dialogue scripting, interactive scene design, narrative pacing, and playable storytelling experiences.