GAME 2500 — Foundations of Game Design
4 semester hoursUndergraduateLectureNUpath EIusually offered: fall, springBostonOnlineHybridOnlineTraditional
Seeks to define the practice of game design within the larger context of playful interaction design, while constantly maintaining a player-centric approach. Unfolds the process of designing games between phases of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Establishes the role of game designer as an expert with a vision for determined player experiences and a vocal advocate for players. Seeks to offer 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.
Offering history
| Term | Sections | Enrolled | Capacity | Full | Open seats/section |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2023 | 5 | 87 | 93 | 94% | 1.2 |
| Spring 2024 | 5 | 93 | 95 | 98% | 0.4 |
| Summer B 2024 | 1 | 9 | 19 | 47% | 10.0 |
| Fall 2024 | 5 | 86 | 93 | 92% | 1.4 |
| Spring 2025 | 6 | 103 | 114 | 90% | 1.8 |
| Summer A 2025 | 1 | 17 | 19 | 89% | 2.0 |
| Fall 2025 | 6 | 66 | 112 | 59% | 7.7 |
| Spring 2026 | 4 | 76 | 76 | 100% | 0.0 |
Snapshots from scheduled scrapes — not live seat availability. "Full" can exceed 100% when sections over-enroll.
Meeting times
Share of recent sections by weekday: M 26% · T 37% · W 33% · Th 6% · F 48%
Common patterns: TF (28% of sections), MW (14% of sections), F (14% of sections), M (13% of sections), W (13% of sections), T (7% of sections) — in patterns, R means Thursday
Professors
Fall
- Carly Dwyer (22% of students) · reviews
- Samuel Liberty (21% of students) · reviews
- Celia Pearce (18% of students) · reviews
- Caroline Murphy (15% of students) · reviews
Spring
- Carly Dwyer (27% of students) · reviews
- Fox Zarow (27% of students) · reviews
- Samuel Liberty (12% of students) · reviews
- May ElWakil (7% of students) · reviews
Summer A
- Samuel Liberty (100% of students) · reviews
Summer B
- Erica Kleinman (100% of students) · reviews
Percentages are each professor's average share of the season's enrolled students in recent terms.
Unlocks
GAME 2750, GAME 2950, GAME 3700, GAME 4460
Courses that list GAME 2500 in their prerequisites.
Links
Official catalog (GAME course descriptions) · Student reviews on RateMyHusky · All GAME courses · Plan it at numap.app