This is the second summer I’ve decided to run a free online course on the topic of game design. Last summer was a general course that covered all areas on a very general level; you can find it at http://gamedesignconcepts.wordpress.com

This summer, I’m diving deeper into the narrower topic of game balance. The topic was covered in a single lesson last year, but I think it deserves better treatment, so this year I’m looking at balance in depth.

You can view a free intro video here that covers the course topics in more detail. (Update: due to technical difficulties with the courseware site, this was not viewable for a brief period. The issues have been resolved and everyone should now be able to create an account, view the video and download the syllabus. Thanks to everyone for reporting it and for being patient while I worked with supercoolschool.com to resolve this!)

How much does it cost?

Viewing this blog, and all the information that will be posted to it, is 100% free. I’ve even releasing it under Creative Commons, so you could use or reference this material if you are teaching a course or writing a book, as long as I receive attribution.

New this summer, I am also offering a paid version for the low cost of $55 (USD), about what you would expect to pay for a textbook. This paid version includes the extras that people asked for last summer — live broadcast lectures, and personal attention:

• Live lectures each Monday, Noon EDT. These are scheduled to last about an hour, including Q&A.
• Posted recordings of the lectures, available online even if you aren’t there for the live version.
• Additional multimedia content including annotated Powerpoint files and sample Excel worksheets.
• Direct email response to any of your comments or questions.

Instructions for signing up will be posted soon.

When is the course?

The course is scheduled for ten weeks, beginning Monday, July 5 and ending Wednesday, September 8. You can download a syllabus here.