Serious games

Learn how to design an engaging and consequential educational game, so you can launch its development.

Whether you're a journalist, researcher, member of an association, institution or international organization, games - be they video or board games - can offer you an innovative platform for sharing messages and knowledge, reaching varied and surprising audiences.
This course teaches how to design serious games based on the fundamental principles of game design, such as the game loop, the concept of “flow”, and the progression of skills and levels of difficulty. She also emphasizes the importance of fun, surprise and exploration in creating an engaging experience.
For example, a mobile game with the mission of educating an audience about social or health issues can be a powerful tool for generating interest and engagement around these topics. Designed as interactive, fun tools, these games offer information and perspectives while involving players in educational missions.

The aim of this training course is to provide you with the skills needed to design such serious games. This includes identifying the target audience, writing the game pitch, developing the rules and game mechanics, and creating a playable prototype. With your pitch document and prototype, you'll be able to put together a team to bring your game concept to life. Explore the multiple possibilities offered by serious games and discover how they can be used as a powerful means of raising awareness and imparting knowledge.

Target skills:

  • Be able to analyze fundamental notions specific to video games, such as game mechanics, game loops, difficulty curves and interaction design.
  • Have a basic knowledge of experimentation, rapid prototyping and game writing tools
  • master the transmission of a message and/or educational content through a game system
  • Skills in the art of pitching, in particular defining the game concept, gameplay and game mechanics, and identifying the target audience
  • Be able to write game design documents for future employees, as well as a summary presentation for future investors.

Prerequisites
No technical skills are required, apart from a basic understanding of how a computer works.
However, it is recommended that participants have some basic knowledge of the following software (non-exhaustive list): presentation (PowerPoint, ...), image processing (Photoshop, ...), page layout (InDesign, ...), illustration (Illustrator, ...), layout (Figma, ...).

Dates :
8 half days

  • Friday January 10, 2025 from 1.30pm to 5pm
  • Saturday January 11, 2025 from 9am to 12.30pm
  • Friday January 17, 2025 from 1.30pm to 5pm
  • Saturday January 18, 2025 from 9am to 12.30pm
  • Friday January 24 2025 from13h30 à 17h00
  • Saturday January 25, 2025 from 9am to 12.30pm
  • Friday January 31, 2025 from 1.30pm to 5pm
  • Saturday February 1, 2025 from 9am to 12.30pm

Cost: CHF 1200 / Alumni HEAD - Geneva CHF 900
Course format: lectures and workshops
Language: French

Title awarded: Continuing education certificate
Credits: 2 ECTS
Location: HEAD Campus, Bâtiment H, Av. de Châtelaine 7, 1203 Geneva

Program

Teaching methods:
Writing sessions, presentation and analysis of games, test sessions, creation of mock-ups, design of a presentation (the art of the pitch).

Session 1
Conference: Introduction to serious design
Game sessions (narrative, strategy, platform, action)
Game analysis

Session 2
Theoretical presentation
Project ideation
Writing and prototyping tools


Session 3
First pitch
Play sessions 
Game analysis 

Session 4
Theoretical presentation
Project writing 

Session 5
Game design documents and summary presentation
Writing session
Second pitch 

Session 6
Game sessions 
Game analysis 

Session 7
Finalization of projects 
Finalization of game design documents and summary presentation

Session 8
Final pitch

Course led by :

Marion Bareil

Co-founder of the Tourmaline game studio, Marion Bareil has designed, developed and published numerous games. Her hybrid game “Oniri Islands” allows two players equipped with figurines to experience an interactive tale as they travel through a virtual world using a tablet that recognizes their position and orientation on its surface. The game, “Équilibre - Ville de demain” (Balance - City of Tomorrow), developed in partnership with Ta-daa Studio, was awarded the title of “Best Serious Game 2023” at the Swiss Game Awards ceremony, held during Gamesweek Zurich. This victory is of singular importance, marking the first time that Geneva-based studios have won this award. She also co-directed the “Democrapcy” project, a game designed to raise awareness of voting among teenagers, in collaboration with HEAD - Geneva and the Chancellery of the Canton of Geneva. She organizes numerous workshops on game design, game conception and interactive storytelling.

Douglas Edric Stanley  
American-born artist Douglas Edric Stanley works mainly in the field of new media, and more specifically on the relationship between algorithms and aesthetics. As an artist, designer, curator, developer and theorist, he is interested in how different disciplines are transformed by the progressive algorithmization of the world. Very active on the video game and experimental play scene, he is co-founder with Antonin Fourneau of monstre-à-n-têtes, also known as ENIAROF. He has run numerous creative coding and experimental game design workshops for museums, associations, universities and art schools. As an artist, he has taken part in several computer art exhibitions.

Information and registration
Contact : fc.head@hesge.ch
Open registration form
General conditions