Total classroom time to reach a polished prototype
of students built functional core loops without coding
From tutorial to custom animation
Enderun Colleges introduced a "Game Design Concepts" course with a challenging mandate: teaching game design theory to students with little to no coding background. For Luna Javier, game design course leader, her goal was to cultivate a "designer’s mindset" focusing on mechanics, feedback, and player experience rather than spending the semester troubleshooting syntax errors.
To achieve this, they needed a tool that was invisible enough to get out of the way, but powerful enough to demonstrate core development and workflow concepts like win/lose states and asset integration.
My goal was 'Can you think like a game designer after this course?' If I used a heavy engine, it would become a tool class. With Fiero, I didn't have to teach them how to use the tool, they learned it by themselves said Luna Javier - game design course leader at Enderun College
In a university curriculum, you have to strike a balance between lab time and lecture time, but traditional engines require weeks of onboarding before students can see a "win screen." Enderun needed a solution that could fit into a tight schedule where the majority of class time was needed for design theory, not technical debugging.
If I taught a traditional engine, then it would become a tool class. Like, 'this is the class where I learn this software,' and that's not what I want to do. I genuinely think that giving them Fiero was a game changer because I didn't have to teach them how to use the tool. - Luna Javier
The instructor utilized Fiero to create a hyper-efficient learning loop. Instead of dragging out the technical learning curve, the class used a "flipped classroom" approach with three clear prerequisites:
Play: Analyze existing Fiero games to generate prototype ideas.
Learn: Complete the interactive Fiero tutorial.
Create: Learn the workflow by importing real assets, building a level, and creating gameplay.
Because Fiero is browser-based and intuitive, the class was able to achieve in 4 hours what often takes weeks in other engines. Within this short window of in-class lab time, students were able to:
Build their core mechanic prototype.
Implement a core game loop (win/lose conditions and collectibles).
Import and replace character art with custom designs.
Evaluate and iterate on their level design.
While the core functional prototypes were successfully built during these in-class sessions, the platform's accessibility drove high engagement outside of the lab. Because they weren't bogged down by technical barriers, many students voluntarily dedicated extra time at home to further polish their art and refine their mechanics, turning a class assignment into a personal creative project.
Compared to my first time trying Unity or Unreal, this one's very straightforward. I did not have to scratch my head or search the internet... It’s beginner-friendly and I was actually able to make a decent enough game even in the small time constraint. - Enderun course student
The efficiency of the build process left room for what matters most in game design: playtesting.
With the technical heavy lifting out of the way, the class dedicated two hours specifically to peer review through core mechanic playtests and final prototype evaluations. Because the students weren't fighting the software, they could focus on "game feel".
The result was a classroom of students who, despite having little to no prior coding experience, produced unique, functional platformers with custom art assets. An industry professional reviewing the final projects noted that despite the time constraints, every game felt distinct, proving the tool enabled creativity rather than limiting it.
It was very tangible. We could talk about what is working in the prototype immediately. It allowed students to think like game designers because they had made something and had to iterate on it in real time. - Luna Javier
When asked what Fiero taught them about game design, students pointed to simplicity and the value of rapid testing. Their ability to experiment with gameplay parameters and instantly test the game allowed for a quick and responsive trial-and-error learning style that stuck.
Compared to my first time trying Unity and Unreal this was very straightforward. I didn't have to scratch my head or search the internet. I could make essentially a game instantly. - Enderun course student