Class 1: Start Making Games! – Make Your First Video Game in 4 Weeks from Scratch with Unity and PlayMaker (no coding!)

Note: This class was recorded with Unity 4. It will work for the most part with Unity 5+ but certain features may not be exactly the same.

Ready to make your first game?

What do you do when you have a great idea for a game but no programming background? Let me introduce you to the world of indie game development. With the technology and tools available today, you can start creating the game you’ve always wanted to make as soon as, well, today!

The class at a glance

• Bite-sized, easy to follow Video Lessons
• 2000+ Students and Growing
• 100% Positive Reviews
• Self-Paced Online Class with Fellow Student and Teacher Support

Here’s what you’ll learn in 4 weeks:

• Week 1: the Basics of Unity
• Week 2: the Basics of PlayMaker
• Week 3: Building Control and Interactions
• Week 4: Putting It All Together and Class Wrap-Up

Who is This Class for?

This class is for beginners with no prior game development or programming experience. If you know how to code in Javascript, C#, Object-C, Basic, this may be too basic for you. We’ve had parents taking the course together with their kids (the youngest was 8 years old) – so this course is kid-friendly! :)

What You Will Need

• 7-10 hours a week for 4 weeks as we dive into the process of game development. (If you don’t have that much free time, you can do fewer hours per week, and complete the course over 8-10 weeks.)
• A modern PC / Mac with 3D graphic compatibility (if you bought your computer in the past 5 years, it should be good enough.)
• Download and install the Unity3D game engine http://www.unity3d.com/. Don’t worry about the seemingly complicated interface, we will go over it in the class – piece of cake!
• Students will be provided a special student version of the popular Unity 3D Tool – PlayMaker! This is the tool that enables us to create games without writing codes. Thanks to Hutong Games, this special student version will include ALL actions in the tool (note: student version not for commercial use).

What You Will Create

Together with the class, we will re-create two gaming classics to get you started with game development – Breakout and Doodle Jump! You will add your own artistic style and creative flair to each classic game. Feedback will be provided throughout the course and be sure to attend the Office Hour on Google Hangout for Q&A.

We will build these two games for computers – PCs and Macs, and towards the end of the course we will discuss what to do if you want to build games for mobile, tablets, browsers, and/or consoles.

“An amazing experience that I recommend to every one who is interested in game development.”
– Govind Balachandran (Writer for OrdinaryGamer.Co.Uk)

Amazing Student Projects!

Check out some of the amazing projects from this class:

The Climb, Astronaut Jump, Bloom!, Floating Islands, Multiplayer Doodle Jump, Doodle Jump Shooter, Space Waste, Over the Moon, and More.

More Information

• Ages: 8+ (we’ve had parents taking the course with their kids together, and the kids loved it! :) No prior programming experience required. A computer that meets the system requirement for Unity 3D: (system requirement) Windows: XP SP2 or later; Mac OS X: Intel CPU & “Snow Leopard” 10.6 or later. Note that Unity was not tested on server versions of Windows and OS X. Graphics card with DirectX 9 level (shader model 2.0) capabilities. Any card made since 2004 should work.
• Level: Beginner

What Students are Saying About the Class

“Exactly what I needed to begin my journey into game development. I will DEFINITELY take ANY other classes taught by Brandon Wu! Thank you Brandon!!”
– Nicholas Mitchell

 

“Time and money well spent. I have no coding experience at all but thanks to this class I feel much more confident about game dev process. Thanks for this amazing class!”
– Sung Kim (Animator)

“Brandon Wu’s class was simply the most richest online educational experience I’ve ever had! So much content, so much detail, and so so much fun! I would recommend this class to anyone who has even the slightest of interest in how games are made. I’ve paid 50 times more for an online class, and this has been the best!”
– Brian Anderson

“Great class!! Enjoyed making the projects. The amount of information covered in 4 weeks, was just right. Instructor was knowledgeable and supportive.”
– Greg D.

 
(See more reviews here.)

What to Expect When You Purchase the Class

• You’ll be sent an email with more instructions about the fun 4 weeks ahead. You’ll be granted access to the course, video, and resources on the site at this point through a password sent to your email.
• You can start watching the videos right away! Interact with other students on the forum,  or contact me (Brandon) if you have any questions or need more help as you work through the course.
• You can start your projects as soon as you’re ready. Many students enjoy sharing their new games on the forum and getting feedback, but that’s entirely up to you. At the end of the four weeks, you’ll have made your very own video game!

“The class was fantastic. Brandon really helped me make Unity accessible and less intimidating. He posted a ton of videos and provided me with useful feedback on my project. Highly recommended!”
– Guido Gautsch

“This class and Brandon Wu were awesome. I’ve learned so much. I will be taking what I learned here and creating my own game. Time to get started on that!”
– David Armond

“I really enjoyed this class and learned tremendously – Brandon is a very clear instructor and the projects were useful and instructive. Highly recommended!”
– Jennifer Proctor