Northeastern University
Classroom Student Project Showcase
See what our students can achieve in a semester or less!
At Northeastern, many of our courses emphasize collaboration and foster game development skills. Check out the amazing work accomplished in these fast-paced, hands-on classes!
Collaboration
Classroom projects often require students to work in teams, promoting the development of skillful communication strategies and project management.
Competence
Our students gain valuable experience that supports their professional aspirations, whether they are interested in pursuing research, education, or industry.
Community
Through Northeastern’s experiential coursework, students establish lifelong professional connections with peers, faculty, and alumni.
Game Design Courses
Foundations of Game Design (GAME 2500)
Foundations of Game Design unfolds the process of designing games between phases of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. It offers students a broad methodology consisting of brainstorming methods, prototyping techniques, process management practices, and evaluation procedures to solve a wide array of design problems in an iterative manner.
Level Design and Game Architecture (GAME 3400)
Level Design and Game Architecture teaches students to analyze game levels by developing a pattern language and translate paper designs into game engine environments. In these final projects, students collaborate to design and build a game environment within five weeks, applying skills learned throughout the semester.
Game Concept Development (GAME 3800)
Game Concept Development offers students the opportunity to create a game from scratch. Students conceptualize, design, develop, and iterate on their game throughout the semester, culminating in the projects below.
Intro to Game Programming (CS 3540)
Level Design and Game Architecture teaches students to analyze game levels by developing a pattern language and translate paper designs into game engine environments. In these final projects, students collaborate to design and build a game environment within five weeks, applying skills learned throughout the semester.
Games Capstone (GAME 4700)
This course offers students an opportunity to develop a fully functional game using the iterative design skills they develop in GAME 3700 and GAME 3800. Students take on individual roles in a large-group project, with the goal of creating a complete game from pre-production through implementation and testing. Integrated into the capstone are opportunities for students to practice their professional development skills.
Game Design and Analysis (GSND 5110)
Game Design and Analysis is one of the core classes of the Game Science and Design graduate program. It teaches the core elements of game design and provides the foundation for analyzing games. The following games were created by students within five weeks as the final project of the course.
Applied Game Design (GSND 6225)
Applied Game Design is a graduate elective that focuses on teaching student the fundamentals of transformative games and designing games to meet non-entertainment outcomes. These semester-long projects require students to identify their target audience and conduct research and iterative game design to meet their audience’s needs.
Biometrics for Design (6340)
Biometrics for Design is a graduate elective that covers the domain of psychophysiological testing, such as eye tracking and electrodermal activity. Students study the principles, theory, and applications of psychophysiological assessment inside and outside interactive digital entertainment.
Games Project (GSND 7995)
This course offers graduate students an opportunity to obtain practical experience working on a research-driven game design project with a faculty member, resulting in a self-published game and a research paper. Involves multiple aspects of game development including level design, programming, art, audio design, and project management, as well as game research such as research design, data analysis, and academic dissemination.
“All these foundational skills can be applied to virtually anything you want to do that involves games.”
