Introduction to Unity 2D Game Development: A Beginner’s Course for Middle and HS Students

Introduction to Unity 2D Game Development: A Beginner’s Course for Middle and HS Students

Serhat Ercan, Ph.D. 

This introductory Unity 2D Game Development course is the first part of a game developer specialization tailored to middle and high school students. Through a hands-on, project-based approach, this course aims to inspire and equip young learners with essential game development skills. Over six engaging sections, students will create three distinct games, each designed to progressively build their understanding and proficiency in Unity and C# programming. Starting with a platformer game students will learn the basics of Unity input system, 2D graphics, physics, and fundamental scripting concepts. The second game will deepen their understanding of user interface design and interactive elements. The final project is where students will integrate advanced mechanics, world design, and game menus. By the end of the course, students will have developed a portfolio of playable games, showcasing their ability to create engaging and polished 2D games, and will be well-prepared for more advanced topics in the game developer specialization.

495.00
495.0 USD 495.00
495.00

Session 1: Introducing the Platformer Universe

This session dives into the basics of platformer game development. It covers setting up a Unity project, using sprites to create a game world, and implementing basic player movement and collision detection. By the end of this section, students will have a foundational platformer game with simple interactions and an understanding of essential C# programming concepts such as variables, methods, and data types.

Session 2: Enhancing Platformer Mechanics

Building on the foundation from the first session, this part enhances the platformer game with advanced mechanics and features. Students will design more complex levels using Tilemaps and introduce checkpoints and level transitions. This section focuses on polishing the game with animations, sound effects, and debugging techniques to ensure a smooth gameplay experience.

Session 3:  Crafting an Interactive UI Experience

This session shifts focus to developing a complete UI-based game. It covers designing and implementing UI components such as buttons, panels, and text fields. By integrating interactive elements and game logic, students will create an engaging puzzle game.

Session 4:  Beginning the Adventure

This session covers setting up the scene with player and environment sprites, implementing basic player movement, and creating simple item pickups and event triggers. It introduces the core mechanics of adventure games, focusing on player interactions and basic game logic.

Session 5:  Deepening the Adventure Quest

This session expands the adventure game with advanced features and richer gameplay elements. It focuses on implementing combat systems, player abilities, and enemy AI to create a more engaging and challenging experience. Additionally, this section covers the integration of particle effects to enhance visual feedback and immersion, as well as advanced sound effects to improve the overall audio experience.

Session 6:  Mastering the Adventure Game

In the final session, students will apply all the skills learned to complete and polish their adventure game. The focus will be on playtesting, debugging, and optimizing the game to ensure it runs smoothly. Students will also create and integrate game menus, such as main menus and pause menus, using UI elements from previous sections. The aim is to produce a fully developed and well-functioning adventure game.

Course Dates: 

    Session 1: ​October 4, 2024 ​5:00 pm - 7:00 pm EST

    Session 2: ​October 11, 2024 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm EST

    Session 3: October 18, 2024 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm EST

    Session 4: October 25, 2024 ​          5:00 pm - 7:00 pm EST

    Session 5: November 1, 2024       5:00 pm - 7:00 pm EST

    Session 6: November 8, 2024       5:00 pm - 7:00 pm EST