The computer game design and application example for undergraduate and associate distance education degree programs

Computer games present a complex, eclectic and hybrid structure that contain many fields of art and communicate interactively with the player. The advancement of the computer hardware technology have helped develop the field of real and surreal game design, which eventually began to affect the daily life activities of all human beings. The high-tech products also affect the field of education and computer game design allows a learner to have a better educational environment since it activates different learning channels. The computer games contributed to the development of scientific, theoretical and practical knowledge in this field. Considering the educational purposes, several game design models are created in literature where different theories and methods are employed, but their practical methods are very limited compared to its theoretical approaches. In this study, the main objectives are to create a guideline for the game designers who design and develop computer games in the field of education and to develop a computer game in accordance with the first principles of an educational game design that will contribute to the adult learning process. For this purpose, the development of the game is based on the principles of digital game design proposed by Bob Bates. Based on EFM: Educational Game Design Model and androgogical assumptions were employed for the target audience. In the visual design process, the graphic elements of the game are developed based on the results of scientific studies reached in the context of the target audience in the literature. Motion designs of the graphics that are developed for the game are realized on the basis of the 12 principles of animation, and the panoramic approach described within the scope of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning principles and animetisim theorem are adopted during the phase of the integration of the developed graphics into the game in order to serve the educational needs.