Introduction to Game Design is a course that aims to teach you the fundamentals of designing games, from establishing your rules to creating the stories and characters that will drive a game.

Video games have fast become one of the most popular forms of entertainment, but it often seems like an impossible industry to break into.

The common assumption is you have to be a hi-tech programmer or computer expert to design your own game. Fortunately, that's not the case.

In fact, all you really need to get started is a pen and paper.

One of the main goals in game design is creating the game design document – a text that describes the game's story, gameplay, goals, characters, puzzles, and so on.

As this is just a document, there is no specific need for programming or hi-tech computing know-how to get started.

Every game has a game design document. They may vary in terms of format depending on the team or game, but it's a crucial tool to ensure everyone is on the same page.

Introduction to Game Design is a course by the California Institute of the Arts, and presented by Fran Krause.

At its core, this course introduces you to the key aspects of game design, the structure and mechanics of games, and explores how your choices can affect how players interact with a game.