Head office, Rana Pratap Bagh, Delhi011 2721 1512+91 97116 99511

School Skills

Game design basics: Scratch and Godot concepts

What makes a game fun and how it is built: rules, levels, characters and scoring, made in Scratch first and then with the ideas behind an engine such as Godot.

Suits: Students from class 6 onwards

Ask about fees and batchesCall 011 2721 1512

Duration, fees and batch timings are quoted by the head office or your centre.

Two students writing code together on a laptop and a desktop computer

2 study books in this course

  • Game Design Basics: Scratch and Godot Concepts
  • Scratch Coding for Kids
Lessons
19
Practice questions
80
Free ebooks
0

About the course

What the game design course is about

Playing games is easy; making one that is fun is a craft. The course starts with what makes a game work, goals, rules, challenge and feedback, and has students write a one-page design for their own game before they build anything.

The building happens in Scratch, where the Scratch coding study book is included, and the ideas of a full game engine, scenes, nodes and scripts, are explained in plain words using Godot as the example, so students know where to go next. Playtesting, balancing, sound and polish, and publishing safely with credit for free assets finish the course.

All school skills courses

What you will practise

Drawn from the lessons of the study books below.

  1. 01

    Explain goals, rules, challenge, feedback and the game loop

  2. 02

    Write a one-page game design document

  3. 03

    Design characters, animations, levels and a difficulty curve

  4. 04

    Build scoring, lives, timers and win and lose states in Scratch with events, clones and collisions

  5. 05

    Describe how a game engine organises a game into scenes, nodes and scripts

  6. 06

    Playtest, balance from feedback, and publish with credit for free assets

What you will learn

2 subjects, 19 lessons

Every lesson of the study books that come with this course in the student portal, with the key points of each lesson and exercises to try. Your centre gives you the syllabus, the duration and the fee.

Subject 1 of 2

Game Design Basics: Scratch and Godot Concepts

Learn how games are designed and built: what makes play fun, genres and a one-page design document, characters and animation, levels and difficulty, scoring and win states, the game loop in Scratch, engine ideas from Godot, sound and polish, playtesting and publishing with proper credit.

  • 10 lessons
  • About 42 min of reading
  • 40 practice questions
  • 28 key terms
  1. 1What makes a game fun: goals, rules, challenge and feedback4 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • A game needs a goal, rules, challenge and feedback.
    • Flow happens when challenge matches the player's skill; too easy bores, too hard frustrates.
    • Immediate, clear feedback keeps players engaged.
    • The game loop repeats input, update and draw many times a second.

    Try this

    1. Write the goal, rules, challenge and feedback of three games you play, one physical and two digital.
    2. Take a board game and propose one rule change that makes it more fun; explain why.
    3. List five pieces of feedback (sounds, flashes, numbers) in a mobile game you like.
  2. 2Genres and a one-page game design document4 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • A genre is a family of games sharing a way of playing; mixing genres is common.
    • Keep the scope small: one working mechanic beats a grand unfinished plan.
    • A one-page GDD records pitch, goal, core mechanic, rules, controls, win and lose conditions and feedback.
    • Prototype with simple shapes or paper to test whether the mechanic is fun before adding art.

    Try this

    1. Write a one-page GDD for a small game set in an Indian city, following the eleven headings.
    2. Sort ten games you know into genres and note any that mix two genres.
    3. Make a paper prototype of your game with a drawn board, a coin and a dice, and play it with a friend.
  3. 3Characters, sprites and animation4 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • Give characters a clear silhouette, bold colours and a simple want.
    • A sprite is a 2D picture that moves independently; frames shown quickly make animation.
    • A four-frame walk cycle at 8 to 12 frames per second is enough to start.
    • Draw facing one way and flip in code; use a slightly smaller hitbox than the drawing.

    Try this

    1. Design a hero and a villain with different silhouettes; draw each as a 32 by 32 pixel sprite.
    2. Draw a four-frame walk cycle and animate it in Scratch with next costume.
    3. Add a two-frame idle animation and a hurt flash to a sprite in a project you already have.
  4. 4Levels, difficulty curves and tutorials4 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • The first level teaches by doing: one idea at a time, safe first, reward quickly.
    • A good difficulty curve rises gently with dips for rest; avoid flat lines and early cliffs.
    • Raise difficulty with new combinations, not only faster enemies and fewer lives.
    • Checkpoints keep retries short so players accept harder sections.

    Try this

    1. Sketch three levels on grid paper where each adds exactly one new idea.
    2. Draw the difficulty curve for a game you play and mark where you felt bored or stuck.
    3. Describe a level as a grid of letters in a list and draw what it would look like.
  5. 5Scoring, lives, timers and win or lose states4 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • Score, lives and time are variables with a start value, change rules and limits.
    • Three lives, brief invincibility after a hit and visible feedback keep play fair.
    • Game states (title, playing, paused, win, lose) stop bugs and keep screens tidy.
    • Write win and lose conditions as plain sentences and check them in the loop.

    Try this

    1. Add score, three lives and a 60-second countdown to a Scratch game and show all three on screen.
    2. Draw a state diagram with boxes for title, playing, paused, win and lose and arrows for how to move between them.
    3. Add a high score that is saved and shown on the game-over screen.
  6. 6The game loop in Scratch: events, clones, collisions and variables5 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • The Scratch game loop is a forever block that reads input, updates and checks collisions.
    • Broadcasts move the game between states and let every sprite reset itself.
    • Clones make many enemies from one template; always delete clones when done.
    • A yspeed variable with gravity and a jump value gives platformer movement.

    Try this

    1. Build Dodge the Coconuts with clones spawning from a hidden template and a lives counter.
    2. Add gravity and jumping to a player sprite using a yspeed variable.
    3. Use broadcasts to add a title screen, a playing state and a game-over screen to the project.
  7. 7From blocks to an engine: scenes, nodes and scripts5 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • A game engine handles drawing, sound, physics, collisions and input so you add content and rules.
    • In Godot everything is a node, nodes form trees and saved trees are scenes you can instance many times.
    • Scripts give nodes behaviour: _ready runs once, _process runs every frame with delta time.
    • Signals are the engine's version of broadcasts; connect them to functions.

    Try this

    1. Draw the node tree for a player with a picture, a hitbox and a jump sound, and for a coin that can be collected.
    2. Rewrite a Scratch script you own as plain-word engine pseudocode using ready, every frame and signals.
    3. List five things an engine does for you that you had to build by hand in Scratch.
  8. 8Sound, feedback and polish4 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • Polish, also called juice, is the small feedback that makes a game feel alive.
    • Give every important action a short sound and keep music quieter than effects.
    • Screen shake, flashes, particles, squash and score pop-ups are cheap and powerful tricks.
    • Add one effect at a time and keep it only if play feels better.

    Try this

    1. Record three sound effects with a phone (a jump, a coin and a hit) and add them to a game.
    2. Add screen shake and a white flash when the player is hit; test that it is not too strong.
    3. Make a +10 score pop-up that appears where a coin was collected and floats upward before vanishing.
  9. 9Playtesting, balancing and acting on feedback4 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • A playtest is watching someone play without help; stay quiet and take notes.
    • Testers are right about what they felt and often wrong about the fix.
    • Balance by changing one clearly named number at a time and testing again.
    • Iteration means build, test, change, repeat in small loops with a change log.

    Try this

    1. Run a five-minute playtest with two people using the observation sheet and list the top three problems.
    2. Mark on a drawing of your level where each tester lost a life, then change one thing and retest.
    3. Keep a change log for a week of work on your game with the reason for each change.
  10. 10Publishing safely and giving credit4 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • Publishing means sharing a finished build with a description, controls and credits.
    • Every asset has a licence; CC0 and CC BY are usable with credit, all-rights-reserved material is not.
    • Keep a credits list from day one and add a credits screen to the game.
    • Use a safe username, share no personal details, ask an adult before making accounts, and report rudeness.

    Try this

    1. Make a credits screen for your game listing every asset, its maker and its licence.
    2. Find three free asset packs online, read their licences and write down what each allows.
    3. Write a 50-word description and make a thumbnail for your game, then share it in a way approved by a teacher or parent.
Glossary: 28 key terms of Game Design Basics: Scratch and Godot Concepts
Game
An activity with a goal, rules, challenge and feedback.
Flow
The absorbed state when challenge matches the player's skill.
Feedback
The response a game gives to a player's action, such as a sound or score change.
Game loop
The repeated cycle of input, update and draw that runs a game.
Genre
A family of games that share a way of playing, such as platformer or puzzle.
Core mechanic
The main action a player repeats, such as jumping or matching.
Game design document
A written plan of the game's goal, rules, controls and look.
Prototype
A rough early version used to test whether the idea is fun.
Scope
How big a project is; small scope means a finishable game.
Sprite
A 2D picture that moves independently on screen.
Frame
One picture in an animation, or one pass of the game loop.
Sprite sheet
One image holding many animation frames side by side.
Hitbox
The shape used to detect collisions, often smaller than the drawing.
Level
A chunk of a game with its own layout and goal.
Difficulty curve
How challenge rises over the course of a game.
Checkpoint
A saved point so a mistake does not send the player far back.
Game state
Which mode the game is in: title, playing, paused, win or lose.
Win condition
The rule that decides when the player has won.
Clone
A copy of a Scratch sprite made while the project runs.
Broadcast
A message sent to all sprites in Scratch so they can react.
Game engine
Software that handles drawing, sound, physics and input so you add content and rules.
Node
A building block in Godot that does one job, such as drawing a sprite.
Scene
A saved tree of nodes in Godot that can be reused and instanced.
Signal
A message a node sends when something happens, like a broadcast.
Delta time
The time since the last frame, used to keep movement speed consistent.
Juice
Polish effects such as shake, flashes and sounds that make a game feel alive.
Playtest
Watching other people play to find problems.
Licence
The rules an asset's owner sets for how others may use it.

Subject 2 of 2

Scratch Coding for Kids

Learn to think like a programmer with block-based Scratch: sprites and the stage, motion and coordinates, events, loops, conditions, variables, messages, a first game, debugging and staying safe online.

  • 9 lessons
  • About 33 min of reading
  • 40 practice questions
  • 26 key terms
  1. 1Meet Scratch: stage, sprites and blocks3 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • The stage is where the project plays and sprites are the characters on it.
    • Blocks are grouped into colour categories such as Motion, Looks and Events.
    • A script starts with an Events (hat) block, then blocks run top to bottom.
    • Click a block to test it and save your work often.

    Try this

    1. Open Scratch, add the when green flag clicked block and a say block, and make your sprite greet you by name.
    2. Click through all nine block categories and write down one block from each.
    3. Change the backdrop and rename your sprite.
  2. 2Motion and coordinates4 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • Motion blocks are blue and move or turn sprites.
    • The stage centre is (0, 0); x goes left and right, y goes down and up.
    • change moves from the current place, set jumps to an exact value.
    • Direction 90 is right, 0 is up, 180 is down and -90 is left.

    Try this

    1. Make a sprite glide from the left side of the stage to the right side and back.
    2. Use only go to x y blocks to move a sprite to the four corners, then write down the four x, y pairs you used.
    3. Make a sprite walk across the stage and bounce at the edge forever.
  3. 3Looks, sound and events4 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • Looks change costumes, size, visibility, speech and backdrops.
    • Sound blocks play sounds; "until done" makes the script wait.
    • Events (yellow) start scripts when something happens.
    • Many scripts can run at the same time.

    Try this

    1. Make a sprite change costume every half second to look as if it is walking.
    2. Make a sprite say its name when clicked and play a sound.
    3. Make two different keys do two different things to the same sprite.
  4. 4Loops: repeating things3 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • A loop repeats the blocks inside it so you need fewer blocks.
    • repeat runs a fixed number of times, forever never stops by itself and repeat until waits for a condition.
    • A full shape turns a total of 360 degrees.
    • The wait block slows a loop so you can see what is happening.

    Try this

    1. Draw a square, a triangle and a hexagon using the Pen extension and a repeat loop.
    2. Draw a flower by repeating a square 10 times with a turn of 36 degrees after each square.
    3. Make a sprite walk back and forth on the stage with a forever loop and an edge bounce.
  5. 5Decisions and sensing4 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • If blocks run their blocks only when the condition is true.
    • Conditions come from Sensing and Operators and have a hexagon shape.
    • Put if blocks inside a forever loop so they are checked all the time.
    • pick random gives surprising numbers, like a dice.

    Try this

    1. Move a sprite left and right with the arrow keys using if blocks in a forever loop.
    2. Make a sprite say "Ouch!" when it touches the edge of the stage.
    3. Ask the user their name and then greet them using the join block.
  6. 6Variables and operators4 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • A variable stores a value that can change while the project runs.
    • Use set to give a starting value and change to add or subtract.
    • Operators (green) do maths, joining and random numbers.
    • Lists store many values in one place.

    Try this

    1. Make a score variable and a sprite that adds 1 to it every time it is clicked.
    2. Make a lives variable that starts at 3 and loses one when a sprite touches another.
    3. Ask for two numbers and say their sum using the Operators plus block.
  7. 7Messages and your own blocks3 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • Broadcast and when I receive let sprites send signals to each other.
    • Clear message names such as game over keep projects easy to follow.
    • A My Block is your own block built from other blocks.
    • Custom blocks reduce repeated code and make changes easier.

    Try this

    1. Make a cat sprite broadcast "hello" when clicked, and a dog sprite that says "Woof" when it receives it.
    2. Create a custom block called draw square and use it three times at different places on the stage.
    3. Add a game over message that hides all the sprites and shows a backdrop that says Game Over.
  8. 8Making a game: catch the apples4 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • A game combines events, loops, conditions, variables and messages.
    • Plan the sprites and variables before building.
    • A forever loop with if blocks checks keys, touching and scores all the time.
    • Test, balance the numbers and ask a friend to try the game.

    Try this

    1. Build the catch-the-apples game and play it five times.
    2. Add a speed variable so the apples fall faster as the score goes up.
    3. Add a game over backdrop and a restart when a key is pressed.
  9. 9Debugging, saving and sharing safely4 min read · 4 key points · 3 exercises

    Key points

    • A bug is a mistake and debugging is finding and fixing it step by step.
    • Test small pieces, show variables and check hat blocks and the order of blocks.
    • Never share real name, address, school, phone number or passwords online.
    • Ask a trusted adult before sharing, be kind, report unkind behaviour and give credit when remixing.

    Try this

    1. Take a project with a bug (your teacher may give you one) and write down each step you used to find it.
    2. Write a list of five things you must never put in a shared Scratch project.
    3. Choose a safe username idea that does not contain your real name, school or birth year, and show it to a parent or teacher.
Glossary: 26 key terms of Scratch Coding for Kids
Scratch
A block-based language for making stories, animations and games.
Block
A coloured puzzle-piece instruction that you snap together.
Script
A stack of blocks that runs from top to bottom.
Sprite
A character or object on the stage.
Stage
The screen where the project plays.
Backdrop
The picture behind the sprites.
Costume
One of the pictures a sprite can wear, used for looks and animation.
Motion
The blue category of blocks that move and turn sprites.
Looks
The purple category for speech, costumes, size and backdrops.
Events
The yellow category whose blocks start scripts.
Control
The orange category with loops, waits and if blocks.
Sensing
The light-blue category that asks about touching, keys and the mouse.
Operators
The green category for maths, joining text, random numbers and comparisons.
Variable
A named box that stores a value which can change.
Coordinates
The x and y numbers that give a place on the stage.
Loop
Blocks that repeat the instructions inside them.
Condition
A yes or no question that decides whether blocks run.
Broadcast
A message sent to all sprites so they can react.
My Block
A custom block you build from other blocks.
Extension
An added set of blocks, such as Pen.
Remix
A copy of someone else's project that you change and improve, giving credit.
Bug
A mistake in a project that makes it work wrongly.
Debugging
Finding and fixing bugs.
Username
A name you use online; it should not show your real name.
Algorithm
A set of steps to solve a problem.
Random
A number chosen by chance, like a dice roll.

Practice and study material

Study books and timed practice tests in the student portal

Students sign in to read the study books lesson by lesson, print them, mark lessons as done and test themselves with timed practice tests, every answer explained.

  • 2study books
  • 19lessons
  • 80practice questions
  • 54glossary terms

How the practice tests work

  • Fresh questions each time

    Up to 20 questions are picked at random from the subject’s question bank.

  • One minute per question

    A timer counts down. When it reaches zero, your answers are sent automatically.

  • Move around freely

    Skip a question, flag it, and come back to change your answer before you submit.

  • Learn from every answer

    At the end you see the right answer and an explanation for each question.

  • Read, print and keep track

    Each study book has its lessons, key points, exercises and a glossary. Print a lesson, or mark it as done.

Try 3 practice questions

Real questions from this course’s question banks. Pick an answer to see the explanation.

  1. Game Design Basics: Scratch and Godot Concepts · Question 1

    Which username is safest for publishing a game online?

    Show the answer

    Answer: D. A made-up name with no personal details

    A username should not reveal who or where you are.

  2. Scratch Coding for Kids · Question 2

    What is the difference between start sound and play sound until done?

    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Until done waits for the sound to finish before the next block

    Start sound lets the script carry on; until done pauses the script until the sound ends.

  3. Game Design Basics: Scratch and Godot Concepts · Question 3

    Why make a hitbox slightly smaller than the sprite's drawing?

    Show the answer

    Answer: C. So near misses feel fair to the player

    Players feel cheated when a visible near miss counts as a hit.

Careers

Careers this course leads towards

The kind of work these skills are used for. Each guide explains what the job involves, the skills it asks for and how to get started.

  • Software developer

    Writing, testing and fixing programs in languages such as C, C++, Java and Python.

How admission works

From your first question to your certificate.

The usual steps, at the head office in Delhi or at an authorised member centre.

Who can join
Students from class 6 onwards
Where
The Delhi head office and authorised member centres.
Fees and timings
On WhatsApp at +91 97116 99511, or by phone on 011 2721 1512.
Start with a question
  1. 1

    Ask about the course

    Call or WhatsApp the head office, or visit your nearest member centre. Ask for the duration, the fee and the batch timings in writing.

  2. 2

    Fill the admission form

    Admission forms are supplied by the head office to every centre.

  3. 3

    Learn in class

    Attend your batch at the centre, with the course material and study notes, and sign in to the student portal for the study books and practice tests.

  4. 4

    Take the exam

    The institute prefers written exams, taken in front of a teacher.

  5. 5

    Receive your certificate

    Students who pass get a Gurukul Technicals Institute certificate and marksheet. Employers can verify it with the head office.

Questions

Questions about the game design course

Still have a question?

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Who can join the game design course?

Students from class 6 onwards. Ask the head office or your nearest member centre which group your child should join, and what they already know will help them start in the right place.

Is Godot taught step by step?

The course teaches the ideas behind an engine, scenes, nodes, scripts and signals, with Godot as the example, so a student can open it and understand what they see. Step-by-step building is done in Scratch, which suits the age group.

How long is the course and what is the fee?

Duration, fees and batch timings depend on the course and the centre. Ask the head office or your nearest member centre, and get the details in writing before you pay.

Where are the classes?

At the head office in Delhi (A-10, Chief Commissioner Colony, opposite Rana Pratap Bagh) and at authorised member centres. Call or WhatsApp the head office to find the nearest centre.

What do I need to use the study books and practice tests?

A phone or a computer with an internet connection, and the login your centre gives you at enrolment. The student portal opens in an ordinary web browser, so there is nothing to install. Student login.

How do the practice tests work?

Sign in to the student portal and choose a subject. Each test picks up to 20 questions at random from that subject’s question bank and gives you one minute per question, with a timer that sends your answers automatically when it reaches zero. You can skip a question, flag it and come back before you submit, and at the end you see the right answer and an explanation for every question. This course has 80 practice questions across 2 subjects, and you can take the tests as often as you like.

Is there an exam and a certificate?

Yes. The institute prefers written exams, taken in front of a teacher. Students who pass receive a Gurukul Technicals Institute certificate and marksheet.

How is a Gurukul Technicals Institute certificate verified?

On the verify certificate page, anyone can enter a certificate number and check it against the institute’s online register, which covers certificates issued through the portal. For older certificates, or if there is any doubt, send a copy to the head office by email or WhatsApp; the reply comes within 2 working days.

Ready to start the game design course?

Ask the head office for the duration, the fee, the batch timings and your nearest member centre.

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