TOP 10 Best Coursera Courses online for Game development and its animation

Are you currently searching for courses online? but couldn't find just the right one for you that doesn't bombard you with information overload but also will hold your hand until the end of the course. We all have without a doubt at least once landed on a course where it doesn't even give you the prerequisites of the course and yet use certain terms that you feel are out of the world (Meaning you didn't get it). Moreover, there might not be even enough quality choices to choose from.

Some of you have might be interested to make games as playing games made you wonder, how wonderful it would be if the certain game you are playing might as well have this cool feature that your mind would've suddenly come up with. Exactly that was the moment where you started the spark of interest within you to be an excellent game developer. Your mind would imagine those awesome cool designs for the characters of your game. Well, your dream does need to be fulfilled but it will require your time and effort. But a lot of them complain that you can't get good courses or the right courses for you. Well, worry not the following courses are extremely easy to understand and hold your hand like the baby you are (in terms of the understanding of the topic you have) throughout the course.   

1. Introduction to Game Development by Michigan state university

This one is a well-designed course for game development. This course focuses on design engineering and production. The instructor is a very helpful person who will describe each and every step for you, why he's doing this, what it is related to, what this function does, everything.  Moreover, this course is by Michigan University, A top-ranked public university, the University of Michigan has a tradition of excellence in research, learning and teaching, sports and the arts, and more. They cover the basics such as creating game objects, including vectors and transformations, and modifying materials. Also, have No prerequisites or background of coding or complex mathematic. A well-received course with a great rating of 4.8. This course is available on Coursera with all it's study material for free however if you want proof of your knowledge i.e certificate then you might have to pay. But wait, my friend good news for you. Coursera does put offers out every now and then of free courses also few coupons are available online. Unless their not illegal just check them out.

Prerequisites:

None.

Final summary:

Payment for certificate: Yes

Audit (Course study material available for free): Yes

Financial aid available: Yes (on request)

Rating: 4.8

Coupons: Available here

2. Character Setup and Animation by Unity Technologies.

Unity a well-known name among gamers and game developers. They also have a course to use unity, their own product. There is saying a creator knows better about his creation than anyone. Hence detailed learning is guaranteed. Helps in preparing for the 3D Artist exam, the professional certification for entry of a mid-level artist. Comprises of 5 individual courses, freedom is granted to pick any one of them.  Prepare for the unity certified for entry to the mid-level artists. This course will challenge you to complete a realistic art implementation task in unity that is related to the topics on the exam. it is an intermediate level course. With this course effectively learn how to effectively use collaborate services of unity. By the end of the course, you will be proficient in full, product development lifecycles. also be well familiarise yourself with different platforms such as XR, AR, and VR.

Prerequisites:

None.

Final summary:

Payment for certificate: Yes

Audit (Course study material available for free): Yes

Financial aid available: Yes (on request)

Rating: 4.8

Coupons: Available here

3. Game Development for modern platforms 

This course has a very bright rating of 4.8 and is again by one of the best universities od Michigan state who is well known for teaching game development for around fifty years now. Hands-on experience with instructor Brian Winn. It'll help you to develop a game from scratch on the Unity Engine.  Focused on 2D Game development. So one of the great options for those who want their carrier to be bright in indie games. You'll be familiar with the main concepts of game development like design, develop, refine package, and prepare your game, for distribution on a variety of game platforms. 

 

Prerequisites:

None.

Final summary:

Payment for certificate: Yes

Audit (Course study material available for free): Yes

Financial aid available: Yes (on request)

Rating: 4.8

Coupons: Available here

4. Creating Cut scenes in Unity

A game without esthetics and story is a somewhat mindless game and not popular these days of course leaving out the trend of these years Battle *coughs* Royale. But if you are interested in making a game with a proper storyline and esthetics than you might want some cut scenes to be introduced in it for the story to take the turns as you may like. So here is another one from Unity Technologies that has a fantastic rating of 4.8. Emphasis on asset management and rendering realistic visuals. This course can also welcome the ones who are interested in 3D Animation and is a little different from gaming industries. Includes 2 guided projects. 

Prerequisites:

1. Proficient at importing assets into unity from digital content creations DCC tools.

2. Prototyping scenes, a basic understanding of 2D asset management and multiplatform development.

Final summary:

Payment for certificate: Yes

Audit (Course study material available for free): Yes

Financial aid available: Yes (on request)

Rating: 4.8

Coupons: Available here

5. Virtual reality 

VR games are one of the most phenomenal technologies introduced in the 21st century and hence gained it's popularity globally. This course is presented by the University of London. 

VR games are popular and fascinated and are loved by passionate gamers and hence the increase in demand has produced vacancies in the respected field hence producing job opportunities. Most experienced personalities in the development of VR games are going to guide you through the course. Might consume a bit of your precious time, estimated time for completing this one is about 3 months but if you are a genius or already experienced about VR then you might as well complete it before the time. Creating an environment with fascinating characters that almost feel real sounds so exciting that any game lover would dive in right away, also the teaching is very precise and detailed for everyone's understanding.  Joysticks, force Balls/Tracking balls, controller wands, data gloves, trackpads, On-device control buttons, motion trackers, bodysuits, treadmills, and motion platforms (virtual omni). A series of 5 courses you'll find in Coursera.

Prerequisites:

1. Need for basic Knowledge of programming.

Final summary:

Payment for certificate: Yes 

Audit (Course study material available for free): No

Financial aid available: Yes (on request)

Rating: 4.7

Coupons: Available here

6.World Design for Video Games

Worldbuilding is equally important in both a novel and a video game with an amazing storyline and gameplay to top the cherry on. You ready with your fabulous characters made freshly out of your innocent imaginations, Some cutscenes to add to your story, a game style, and designed all the mechanics of the games. Now is the time for some World Design. Emphasis on self-reliance and personal expressions. Also contains camera adjustment readjustment and many more. Those beautiful particulates designing and placing painting objects with different textures, metallic, stony just makes is so dreamy and almost a dream come true. 

Prerequisites:

None.

Final summary:

Payment for certificate: Yes

Audit (Course study material available for free): Yes

Financial aid available: Yes (on request)

Rating: 4.4

Coupons: Available here

7. Introduction to Programming and Animation with Alice.

The course introduces a new alternative for animating 3D objects with enhanced interactive capabilities, a well known virtual environment creation, and an animation tool.  But the course focuses on animating stories by programing the 3D objects. The instructor asks certain set questions at the beginning of the lessons and you definitely will be able to answer them by the end of the videos. A course by duke university guided by Susan H. Roger, Stephen Cooper.

Prerequisites:

1. Programing experience required.

2. Understanding of tools in Alice.

Final summary:

Payment for certificate: Yes

Audit(Course study material available for free): Yes

Financial aid available: Yes (on request)

Rating: 4.8

Coupons: Available here

8. Interactive computer graphics.

Some more computer graphics to enhance your artistic skills even more. I'm sorry but this one comes from the god country of games 'Japan', yes that's right. How many Nintendo fans here? Ahem....*awkward* anyways moving on  I might sound biased but trust me I'm not. You will have an amusing experience with different interactive tools developed in computer graphics research fields tagged along with rationales and algorithms. A course with no kids but only people with basic knowledge can understand(meaning familiarised with programs and algos).

And good news for all the broke one's like me it, you probably reached this part of the blog before informing the good news thanks for being patient and read it till this part of the article and we have greater respects for you comrade *salutes* Now for the good news This course does not carry credit for certification meaning this course is the only one we found with a free certificate and don't blame if by now meaning the time you might be reading it, becomes the unlucky time for you (they started crediting for providing certificates) so hurry and grab em all but I'm very confident it won't credit for a long time though since Japan is so generous. Ahem, excuse my fangirling self I'm not humiliating or was biased during the whole process. I picked out the best ones for you.

Prerequisites:

1.  Basic coding knowledge is expected.

  

Final summary:

Payment for certificate: No

Audit(Course study material available for free): Yes

Financial aid available: Yes (on request)

Rating: 4.4

Coupons: Available here

9. Game Design Arts and concepts

Another alternative for the course no. 7 on our list. The created and provider of the above course is Calarts also renowned for experimentations in the field of game developments and designs. This one is perfect for those types who want to learn game development but don't wanna go through the headache of learning complex codes, algorithms, and mathematical expressions.  But a thing for you peeps is that this learning process might a little more than what you think, about 6 months of your precious life is required but will be worth it cause you will be proud of your past self to land on this blog and spot the perfect course for you.

Prerequisites:

No previous programming knowledge is required

Final summary:

Payment for certificate: No

Audit(Course study material available for free): No

Financial aid available: Yes (on request)

Rating: 4.7

Coupons: Available here

10. Game Design and development

Another course in the series of courses from Michigan University. An advancement from basic gaming concepts to complex design documentation, prototyping, testing, and many more. A bonus point added as a charm is that placing your brilliant ideas and marketing them in an efficient way is also taught along with basic professional skills like team coordination, game production process, project management is also included. In simple words, it'll be a fun rollercoaster ride from learning intermediate to advanced level techniques in the unity game engine.

Prerequisites:

None.

Final summary:

Payment for certificate: No

Audit(Course study material available for free): No

Financial aid available: Yes (on request)

Rating: 4.7

Coupons: Available here

For an outro all I wanted to say was happy learning, learning is one thing that has no age and gender and should never be stoped. Everyone says this "Nobody is perfect" But I'll say "Nobody is perfect but no one is stopping you from becoming perfect either" And that is the MOTTO of this blog don't stop learning guys and don't hesitate to come back for more exciting courses to upgrade yourself each day so that you can ask yourself every night "What you learned today" and there will always be an assertive answer. *smiles*