Digital Game Design (English) Preview
Bachelor	TR-NQF-HE: Level 6	QF-EHEA: First Cycle	EQF-LLL: Level 6

Course Introduction and Application Information

Course Code:

DGD106

Course Name:

2D Animation For Games

Semester:

Spring

Course Credits:

ECTS

Language of instruction:

English

Course Condition:

Does the Course Require Work Experience?:

Type of course:

Compulsory Courses

Course Level:

Bachelor

TR-NQF-HE:6. Master`s Degree

QF-EHEA:First Cycle

EQF-LLL:6. Master`s Degree

Mode of Delivery:

Face to face

Course Coordinator:

Öğr. Gör. MEMDUH CAN TANYELİ

Course Lecturer(s):

S. Efe Erdoğan

Course Assistants:

Course Objective and Content

Course Objectives:

This course aims to equip students with the necessary skills to create dynamic and engaging 2D animations tailored specifically for videogame applications. Throughout the course, students will learn the principles of animation, and apply them to environment, character, and object animations. By the end of the semester, students will be proficient in producing high-quality 2D animations suitable for integration into videogames.

Course Content:

Students will learn about the principles of animation, such as anticipation, follow-through, and exaggeration, and how these principles apply to gaming contexts. Practical exercises will focus on character animation, object animation, and environmental animation, allowing students to develop their skills through a semester-long project. Additionally, students will explore various asset authoring software commonly used in the industry, gaining proficiency in their use for creating and exporting animations for games.

Learning Outcomes

The students who have succeeded in this course;
1) Students will demonstrate proficiency in applying the principles of animation, including anticipation, follow-through, and exaggeration, to create dynamic and engaging 2D character animations suitable for integration into videogame environments.
2) Students will develop the skills necessary to produce high-quality 2D animations tailored specifically for videogame applications, including character, object, and environmental animations, through hands-on practical exercises and a semester-long project.
3) Students will gain an understanding of how animation principles apply to gaming contexts, allowing them to effectively convey character personality, movement, and interaction within the constraints of interactive gameplay experiences.
4) Students will acquire proficiency in utilizing various asset authoring software commonly used in the industry for creating and exporting 2D animations for videogames, enabling them to navigate the digital tools and workflows essential for animation production in the gaming industry.

Course Flow Plan

Week	Subject	Related Preparation
1)	Introduction to class. Discussion, meeting, topics, rules, requirements. Introduction to the project.	Prepare for the course.
2)	The history and theory of 2D animation. Styles and techniques of animation, from Western to Japan.	Start gathering visual references. Bring your drawing equipment.
3)	Thumbnail sketching and storyboarding techniques.	Draw thumbnail sketches and storyboards.
4)	Storyboard presentations. Critiques and comments.	Continue working on your sketches and storyboards. Install Photoshop and After Effects.
5)	Introduction to 2D animation in After Effects. Bouncing ball animation.	Finish your bouncing ball animations.
6)	Parallax animation. Working with assets.	Start working on your parallax animations.
7)	Mid-term presentation template. Critiques and comments.	Prepare for mid-term presentations.
8)	Mid-terms.	Mid-term submissions.
9)	Animating characters. Tweening and rigging.	Start working on your character designs and animations.
9)	Animating characters. Tweening and rigging.	Start working on your character designs and animations.
10)	Character presentations. Critiques and comments.	Continue working on your character designs and animations.
11)	Effects, color correction, adjustment layers. Smoke, explosions, and lighting.	Add effects and lights to your animations.
12)	Final presentation template. Critiques and comments.	Prepare for final presentations.
13)	Critiques and comments.	Prepare for final presentations.
14)	Critiques and comments.	Prepare for final presentations.
15)	Finals.	Final submissions.

Sources

Course Notes / Textbooks:

Dersin belirli notları veya bir kitabı yoktur. The course has no specific notes or a book.

References:

Drawing Basics and Video Game Art: Classic to Cutting-Edge Art Techniques for Winning Video Game Design, Solarski, C., Watson-Guptill, 2012.

Preproduction Blueprint: How to Plan Game Environments and Level Designs, Galuzin, A., CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2016.

Better Game Characters by Design: A Psychological Approach, Isbister, K., CRC Press, 2016.

Creating Characters for the Entertainment Industry: Develop Spectacular Designs from Basic Concepts, Anderson, K., 3D Total Publishing, 2019.

Animated Landscapes: History, Form and Function, Pallant, C., Bloomsbury Academic, 2017.

Course - Program Learning Outcome Relationship

Course Learning Outcomes	1	2	3	4
Program Outcomes
1) Being able to write creatively, imagine, and produce original and inspired fictional scenarios, places, and universes. Being able to produce 2D and 3D visual designs and impressive auditory compositions. Being able to plan all these artistic practices around certain goals and with a focus on design. Being able to design the videogame design process itself.	2	3	2	3
2) Being able to think and produce creative content based on mathematical data. Being able to parametrically design. Being able to quantify art and design practices, such as creative writing, graphical, illustrative, spatial, and character design. Being able to ideate qualitatively and subjectively through quantitative and objective approaches.	1
3) Being able to work on projects by incorporating various fields of expertise and the content that originates from these fields. Being able to work as part of a team while embracing different ideas and skills. Being able to produce comprehensive and total videogame concepts. Being able to edit, exhibit, present, and defend works in portfolio and presentation formats.		3		2
4) Achieving critical thinking literacy on videogame history and theory. Being able to think through and produce academic texts about the philosophical, anthropological, political, and social manifestations of games. Being vigilant about the contemporary problematics of videogame epistemology. Displaying professionalism in accepting criticism.
5) Being informed about the historical accumulation and contemporary productions of the videogame culture and other cultural playgrounds from which videogame culture draws. Being able to tackle, process, and position both aesthetic and technical production and thinking methods as cultural activities.	1		1
6) Being knowledgeable about the past, aware of the present, and foresighted about the future potentials of the social and economic realities of videogames. Being able to handle professional relations, create correspondence, and manage production plans. Being a generalist, while also specializing in one or more areas of expertise.				1
7) Being able to research, filter data, and synthesize both within and outside videogame epistemology at every stage of production. Being able to conduct interdisciplinary research. Being able to create original ideas by remixing content from various sources. Learning to learn.	2		2
8) Understanding, learning, and using professional content authoring tools and technologies. Being able to design workflows in service of various production requirements. Being able to use technologies within the workflow besides the usual and intended purposes, and researching, discovering, and putting to use technologies for new purposes.	1	2	1	3

Course - Learning Outcome Relationship

No Effect	1 Lowest	2 Average	3 Highest

	Program Outcomes	Level of Contribution
1)	Being able to write creatively, imagine, and produce original and inspired fictional scenarios, places, and universes. Being able to produce 2D and 3D visual designs and impressive auditory compositions. Being able to plan all these artistic practices around certain goals and with a focus on design. Being able to design the videogame design process itself.	3
2)	Being able to think and produce creative content based on mathematical data. Being able to parametrically design. Being able to quantify art and design practices, such as creative writing, graphical, illustrative, spatial, and character design. Being able to ideate qualitatively and subjectively through quantitative and objective approaches.	1
3)	Being able to work on projects by incorporating various fields of expertise and the content that originates from these fields. Being able to work as part of a team while embracing different ideas and skills. Being able to produce comprehensive and total videogame concepts. Being able to edit, exhibit, present, and defend works in portfolio and presentation formats.	3
4)	Achieving critical thinking literacy on videogame history and theory. Being able to think through and produce academic texts about the philosophical, anthropological, political, and social manifestations of games. Being vigilant about the contemporary problematics of videogame epistemology. Displaying professionalism in accepting criticism.
5)	Being informed about the historical accumulation and contemporary productions of the videogame culture and other cultural playgrounds from which videogame culture draws. Being able to tackle, process, and position both aesthetic and technical production and thinking methods as cultural activities.	1
6)	Being knowledgeable about the past, aware of the present, and foresighted about the future potentials of the social and economic realities of videogames. Being able to handle professional relations, create correspondence, and manage production plans. Being a generalist, while also specializing in one or more areas of expertise.	1
7)	Being able to research, filter data, and synthesize both within and outside videogame epistemology at every stage of production. Being able to conduct interdisciplinary research. Being able to create original ideas by remixing content from various sources. Learning to learn.	2
8)	Understanding, learning, and using professional content authoring tools and technologies. Being able to design workflows in service of various production requirements. Being able to use technologies within the workflow besides the usual and intended purposes, and researching, discovering, and putting to use technologies for new purposes.	3

Assessment & Grading

Semester Requirements	Number of Activities	Level of Contribution
Attendance	1	% 10
Midterms	1	% 40
Final	1	% 50
total		% 100
PERCENTAGE OF SEMESTER WORK		% 50
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL WORK		% 50
total		% 100

Workload and ECTS Credit Calculation

Activities	Number of Activities	Workload
Course Hours	14	28
Laboratory	14	28
Project	11	55
Midterms	1	10
Final	1	10
Total Workload		131