Introduction to Indie Games (FutureLearn)

On this course, you will explore the thriving independent games sector. You’ll examine its cultural and economic importance, meeting and learning from the creators and teams who make the games you love.

You will develop an understanding of what indie games are, how they’re made, the skills required to work in the industry, and how you can go about developing these skills in order to launch your own career in the sector.

Syllabus

Week 1: Exploring indie games and the industry

Week 2: Developing the skills and knowledge for a future in games

Learning on this course

You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

- Describe the characteristics and definitions of an indie game.

- Summarise the process of making a game and understand the elements needed to create a game pitch.

- Compare different indie games and gain an understanding of different styles of gameplay.

- Explain the various funding models that can be used to finance an indie game project.

- Identify the skills required to work in game design or game development.

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone interested in learning more about the independent games industry, whether you’re a gamer, or someone looking for a career in the sector. You might also be interested in the other courses in the Essential Creative Technologies collection from UAL Creative Computing Institute, Lancaster University and the Institute of Coding.

What software or tools do you need?

To take part in this course you need a laptop or tablet device with an access to the internet.