Abstract

Science, as a method of deconstructing or formulating models of existing natural or human-constructed systems, is a very important perspective that is rarely used in game design education. Understanding the underlying patterns of a given system is very important, as it gives learners the skills and knowledge that can facilitate problem solving, planning, and critical thinking. In the past few years, we developed a series of courses on game design that used scientific theories to enable learners to efficiently grasp the ideas behind game design. The scientific theories behind game design used within these courses are based on several years of research investigating user’s behavior. These consist of interdisciplinary theories including visual perception, architectural design, behavioral psychology, and affective design. Through applied sessions where students build games based on these scientific principles, students internalize and comprehend the underlying game systems, and the nature of engagement and human behavior. In this paper, we will discuss these underlying scientific theories and outline results of using this method within courses at the undergraduate as well as middle/high school levels.