Responsible instructor: Dr. Tibor Guzsvinecz, Associate Professor, PhD
The course focuses on one of the central elements of digital game development: game mechanics. It presents design, modeling, and programming methods for mechanics, with special emphasis on the application of intelligent systems, artificial intelligence, and data-driven techniques for adaptive and dynamic gameplay. During the course, students will become familiar with complex game mechanics modeling, player behavior analysis, and practical implementation across various platforms. The course sessions aim to equip participants with the skills to design, implement, and test innovative, intelligent, and user-centered game mechanics.
Topics:
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Definition, types, and models of game mechanics
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Interactive systems and mechanical feedback
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Data-driven game mechanic analysis (e.g., player behavior, toxicity)
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Adaptive difficulty algorithms and dynamic game worlds
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Application of artificial intelligence in gameplay (NPCs, PvE systems)
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Integration of mechanical elements in digital environments
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Game development engines
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Experimental methods and player-centered testing
References:
Aleksić, V. (2024). Using Artificial Intelligence Concepts to Design Non-Playable Characters in Road Traffic Safety Games. In 10th International Scientific Conference Technics, Informatics and Education-TIE 2024. Faculty of Technical Sciences Čačak, University of Kragujevac.
Guzsvinecz, T. (2025). The Soulsification of video games. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 84, 14827-14853. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-024-19628-4
Guzsvinecz, T., & Szűcs, J. (2023). Length and sentiment analysis of reviews about top-level video game genres on the steam platform. Computers in Human Behavior, 149, 107955. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.107955
Holmgård, C., Green, M. C., Liapis, A., & Togelius, J. (2018). Automated playtesting with procedural personas through MCTS with evolved heuristics. IEEE Transactions on Games, 11(4), 352-362. https://doi.org/10.1109/TG.2018.2808198
Skinner, G., & Walmsley, T. (2019). Artificial intelligence and deep learning in video games a brief review. In 2019 IEEE 4th international conference on computer and communication systems (icccs) (pp. 404-408). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/CCOMS.2019.8821783
Summerville, A., Snodgrass, S., Guzdial, M., Holmgård, C., Hoover, A. K., Isaksen, A., Nealen, A., & Togelius, J. (2018). Procedural content generation via machine learning (PCGML). IEEE Transactions on Games, 10(3), 257-270. https://doi.org/10.1109/TG.2018.2846639
Yannakakis, G. N., & Togelius, J. (2018). Artificial intelligence and games (Vol. 2, pp. 2475-1502). New York: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63519-4