A rubric on Core Game Mechanics

Abstract

Game development education in Norwegian higher education has expanded significantly in recent decades yet lacks a unified framework for assessing the quality of games and their development processes. Current assessment practices vary across institutions and often rely on subjective interpretations or inconsistent theoretical foundations. This paper addresses the need for a shared evaluation framework by focusing on the concept of Core Game Mechanics (CGM) and the development of a rubric to assess their quality. The study identifies five key dimensions of CGM: Primary Force, Mastery, Fun Factor, Feedback, and Purpose, through an iterative, design-based research approach. These dimensions were derived from both qualitative analysis of survey responses from industry professionals and educators, and students’ evaluations. The resulting rubric aims to support both formative and summative assessment, offering a more objective and pedagogically aligned tool for evaluating student game projects. The study contributes to the ongoing discourse on standardizing assessment in game development education and highlights the potential of heuristics-informed rubrics to enhance learning, teaching, and curriculum development.