VA404 Game Design
VA404 Game Design
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Oct 10, 2025
Syllabus Quick Jump
Search and navigate to any syllabus instantly
Visual Arts and Visual Communications Design
Roman Sulejmanpašić
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
-Develop the vocabulary and critical understanding to describe and analyze the components of games and gameplay experiences -Foster an understanding of what games are, on and off the computer, and how they function to create meaningful experiences for players -Communicate their game ideas through pitch, prototype and presentation -Link the ideas of the course to contexts outside the class, including computer and video games, work professional in the game industry, and forms of media and culture outside of games
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton
Additional Literature
Anthropy, A. & Clark, N. (2014) A Game Design Vocabulary Schell, J. (2008) The Art of Game Design. Burlington Salen, K. and Zimmerman, E. (2004) Rules of Play: Game Design FundamentalsTeaching Methods
Student dissemination
Activity in reviews
Presentations - assignments
Sketches
Midterm submission
Final assignment
Self-evaluation.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to the course, policies and course material | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton |
| 2 | Pixels vs Voxel | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton |
| 3 | Building a narrative | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton |
| 4 | Game mechanics | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton |
| 5 | Building digital worlds | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton |
| 6 | Concept pitch | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton |
| 7 | 3D modeling | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton |
| 8 | MIDTERM | |
| 9 | Materials and Shaders | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton |
| 10 | Interactive Narrative | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton |
| 11 | Story and Games | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton |
| 12 | The Experience of Play | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton |
| 13 | Games Which Are Good | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton |
| 14 | The Experience of Play | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton |
| 15 | Game pitch presentation | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VA404.1 | Course | Tuesday 14:00 - 16:50 | B F1.25 Computer Lab | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam / Final Assignment
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 3 4
Attendance/activity/Critique
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2 3 4
Assignments / Presentations
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 3 4 5
Student Disseminations and Reviews
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 5
Midterm Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 3 5
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture hours
30 hours ⏳ (15 week × 2 h)
Assignments / Presentations
30 hours ⏳ (15 week × 2 h)
Student Disseminations and Reviews
15 hours ⏳ (15 week × 1 h)
Midterm Exam
45 hours ⏳ (3 week × 15 h)
Final Assignment / Final Exam
30 hours ⏳ (3 week × 10 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [VA404] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Oct 10, 2025 | International University of Sarajevo
Print Syllabus
Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| VA404 | Game Design | 1 | 2 | 6 | Tuesday 14:00 - 16:50 | |||||
| Prerequisite | Senior Standing | It is a prerequisite to | VA409 | |||||||
| Lecturer | Roman Sulejmanpašić | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Monday: 13:00-16:00 Thursday: 10:00-13:00 |
|||||||
| rsulejmanpasic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Dino Šahović | Assistant E-mail | dsahovic@ius.edu.ba | |||||||
| Course Objectives | -Develop the vocabulary and critical understanding to describe and analyze the components of games and gameplay experiences -Foster an understanding of what games are, on and off the computer, and how they function to create meaningful experiences for players -Communicate their game ideas through pitch, prototype and presentation -Link the ideas of the course to contexts outside the class, including computer and video games, work professional in the game industry, and forms of media and culture outside of games |
|||||||||
| Textbook | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Student dissemination, activity in reviews, presentations - assignments, sketches, midterm submission, final assignment, self-evaluation. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction to the course, policies and course material | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton | ||||||||
| Week 2 | Pixels vs Voxel | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Building a narrative | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Game mechanics | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Building digital worlds | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Concept pitch | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton | ||||||||
| Week 7 | 3D modeling | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton | ||||||||
| Week 8 | MIDTERM | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Materials and Shaders | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Interactive Narrative | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Story and Games | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton | ||||||||
| Week 12 | The Experience of Play | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Games Which Are Good | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton | ||||||||
| Week 14 | The Experience of Play | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Game pitch presentation | Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Tracy Fullerton | ||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam / Final Assignment | 1 | 30 | 1,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Attendance/activity/Critique | 1 | 10 | 2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Assignments / Presentations | 2 | 20 | 3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Student Disseminations and Reviews | 2 | 20 | 1,2,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Midterm Exam | 1 | 20 | 1,3,5 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture hours | 2 | 15 | 30 | Assignments / Presentations | 2 | 15 | 30 | |||
| Student Disseminations and Reviews | 1 | 15 | 15 | Midterm Exam | 15 | 3 | 45 | |||
| Final Assignment / Final Exam | 10 | 3 | 30 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 09/10/2025 | |||||||||