Intro to Game Design and Coding With RPG Maker: Level 0
In this beginner level class, students will design, create and learn how to publish their own story driven games using RPG Maker - simple and very powerful - game engine capable of creating games for PC, Mac, Web and Mobile Platforms.
STEAM K-12: Coding & Game Design Classes
Average rating:
4.8
Number of reviews:(418)
Popular
What's included
8 live meetings
6 hrs 40 mins in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. Learners will be asked to continue working on their projects in between classes.Assessment
Students will have their own original video game at the end of this class.Class Experience
This class is a great entry point into the world of game design and coding for your kids. In this extremely accessible course, students will journey through the entire game development process from concept to design to development to porting & publishing on mobile platforms. This class uses RPG MAKER MV, a PROFESSIONAL game engine that truly lives up to it's tagline that it is SIMPLE ENOUGH FOR A CHILD. POWERFUL ENOUGH FOR A DEVELOPER. RPG Maker was created to fulfill the desire of creating an original RPG (role playing game) without programming knowledge - but MANY types of games such as platformers, maze games, arcade, action games and more. RPG Maker MV uses the well known JavaScript, in combination with HTML5 export. By mastering Javascript, you will be able to change the game to your liking, from Battles to Menu UIs. This feature is oriented to experienced developers. You now have the ability to control all parts of the game. No more hidden classes! With the latest installment, RPG MAKER MV allows the dreams of many of its fans to come true! RPG MAKER is the easiest and fastest way for your child to create their own games - and publish them on PC, iPad, Android a website and more! In this course, students will first learn the basics of using the RPG Maker Engine and begin building a full-fledged 2D Adventure RPG from day 1. Students will be provided with all the necessary tools and resources and guided through the entire game development process. Students will be encouraged to be as creative and original as possible throughout the entire course. What differentiates this course from others is that this course focuses on the digital arts as well: Visual Arts, Graphic Design, Audio & Music Production, Reading and Creative Writing. Intro to Game Design & Coding With RPG Maker is truly a STEAM (Science Technology Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) course. By the end of this class, students will have have not just created their own video game from scratch, but also be able to play it on any desktop computer or mobile device. COURSE OVERVIEW LESSON 1: FUNDAMENTALS Class Introduction Download Course Resources / Technical Assistance RPG Maker MV, GIMP, Visual Studio Code, etc. RPG Maker Engine Fundamentals + Overview Create Your First Project Game “Hello World” LESSON 2: BUILDING A VILLAGE Overworld Mapping & Terrain Expanding “Hello” World Character & Tileset Graphics Design & Build A Village LESSON 3: WORLD BUILDING & MAPPING Teleporting & Map Transitions Parallax Scrolling & Visual Enhancements Overworld Mapping & Terrain Design & Build A Village Village Placement on World Map Parallax Scrolling LESSON 4 DUNGEONS & BATTLE MECHANICS Design a Dungeon Battle Mechanics Place Enemies, Traps and Obstacles Designing A Boss LESSON 5: ANIMATION & SOUND Background Music & Sound Effects File Types & MIDI Manipulation Importing Music (Garage Band, Audition, Pro-Tools etc.) LESSON 6: GRAPHIC DESIGN & UI/UX Animations Deep Dive Title Screen, Menus & UI Sharing Your Project LESSON 7 Plugins Pre-Rendered Graphics & Parallax Scrolling LESSON 8 Porting & Publishing Final Project Review This class is the easiest way to get your child started in the world of app, software and game development!
Learning Goals
For this class, students don't need to have any previous coding or game design experience RPG Maker MV is a great entry into design and programming skills. Students will follow a kid-friendly process similar to real video game designers who create the games they play at home!
Students will learn how to design, develop and produce games with RPG Maker’s simple to use interface and built-in visual programming language (scripts and plugins).
Students will learn programming and logic to code character, enemy behaviors and reactions to events in their games through If/Then Statements, Switches, Variables and Loops, all done through a clickable, drag and drop interface.
Students will learn the basic fundamentals of game design.
Students learn more advanced coding techniques and algorithms to enhance gameplay mechanics such as power-ups and custom graphical user interfaces.
Students learn to use the tools available in RPG Maker MV such as Javascript Plugins, Animation,
Students will create interesting terrain, towns, villages and dungeons.
Students will write dialogue for their in-game stories and in-game non-playable characters (NPC’s)
Students will make use of Graphic Design techniques and programs such as GIMP/Photoshop and Powerpoint (Slides/Keynote) to enhance the visual appeal of their game.
Students will learn about the importance of audio and sound design and implement appropriate music and sound effects into their games. Students complete game design planning through a Master Design Document process, prior to starting their final projects.
Students will learn how to PORT their games and PLAY them on their iPhones or Android devices.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
This course takes a nonviolent, inclusive, Nintendo-like approach to video game design.
Supply List
SOFTWARE NEEDED FOR CLASS (IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ RPG MAKER MV is required for this class - and is NOT free or included in this class. Windows 10 version offer a 20 day free trial (see link above). After 20 days are up, the program locks and is required to be purchased. MacOS Versions require STEAM (link above) and also retails for $79.99. If you decide to purchase the software, one license key for either Windows or MacOS will allow you access to both versions (one required). This is a fantastic piece of software but it does unfortunately come at a price. Please test running RPG Maker MV (and STEAM if you’re on macOS or Linux) prior to signing up for the class. RPG Maker MV will be used in the followup courses "Intro to Video Game Design with RPG Maker MV & Javascript II" and "Mobile Game Design with RPG Maker MV and Javascript". ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ HARDWARE REQUIRED FOR THIS COURSE: Windows 10 PC (Preferred) or Mac (2012 or newer). Chrome Books are NOT supported by RPG Maker MV.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined October, 2020
4.8
418reviews
Popular
Teacher expertise and credentials
STEAM K-12 is an organization focused on coding and game design classes for K-12 Learners and professional learning opportunities for K-12 Educators. In our classes, kids learn to code, design video games and build software. Our learners have fun while learning the critical skills of tomorrow. We strive for the highest quality instruction. All of our teachers are either credentialed K-12 educators and/or have a background in Computer Science/Tech.
STEAM K-12 was founded in 2020 by Giancarlos Alvarado - a certified K-12 Educator and Professional Senior iOS Developer from San Diego, California. Giancarlos has has over 14 years of classroom experience in K-12 with degrees from Rutgers University and The College of New Jersey; has developed and published 10 apps on iOS since 2015, and is currently working on his first PlayStation 5 title to be released in late 2022. Giancarlos has been teaching coding and video game design classes since 2006. Reviews
Live Group Class
$34
weekly or $136 for 8 classes2x per week, 4 weeks
50 min
Completed by 186 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 8-13
3-8 learners per class
