[
  {
    "id": 1,
    "slug": "foundations-of-systems-design",
    "title": "Foundations of Systems Design",
    "level": "Beginner",
    "category": "Systems Design",
    "priceUSD": 149,
    "durationHours": 12,
    "rating": 4.8,
    "tags": ["probability", "core loops", "mechanics"],
    "short": "Design elegant core loops and understand probability without heavy math.",
    "description": "Learn to craft core systems that produce clear incentives and predictable player experiences. We focus on elegant mechanics and gentle probability.",
    "outcomes": ["Model a core loop", "Plan incentives and feedback", "Balance without clutter"],
    "prerequisites": ["Curiosity and basic arithmetic"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Loops and Incentives", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "Probability Intuition", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "Play Pattern Mapping", "lessons": 4 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Maya Voss",
    "releaseDate": "2025-02-10",
    "updatedAt": "2026-04-12",
    "image": "./images/course-systems-design.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 2,
    "slug": "paper-prototyping-sprint",
    "title": "Paper Prototyping Sprint",
    "level": "Beginner",
    "category": "Prototyping",
    "priceUSD": 129,
    "durationHours": 10,
    "rating": 4.7,
    "tags": ["iteration", "paper-first", "speed"],
    "short": "Move from idea to testable paper prototype in days, not months.",
    "description": "Adopt a paper-first workflow to explore and discard ideas quickly. Create crisp components that communicate actions at a glance.",
    "outcomes": ["Build paper prototypes fast", "Facilitate first-play tests", "Document decisions"],
    "prerequisites": ["Scissors, markers, patience"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Component Grammar", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Sketch to Table", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "First Playtest", "lessons": 3 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Suri Nakano",
    "releaseDate": "2025-03-18",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-02",
    "image": "./images/course-prototyping.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 3,
    "slug": "playtest-analytics",
    "title": "Playtest Analytics",
    "level": "Intermediate",
    "category": "Playtesting",
    "priceUSD": 179,
    "durationHours": 14,
    "rating": 4.9,
    "tags": ["testing", "analytics", "survey"],
    "short": "Turn feedback into actionable, repeatable insights.",
    "description": "Design test protocols and surveys that extract signal from play. Learn to measure pacing, decision load, and fairness with light-weight tools.",
    "outcomes": ["Run structured tests", "Analyze pacing", "Prioritize changes"],
    "prerequisites": ["A prototype to test"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Protocol Design", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "Metrics & Telemetry", "lessons": 5 },
      { "title": "Iterative Changes", "lessons": 5 }
    ],
    "format": "Cohort",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Suri Nakano",
    "releaseDate": "2025-05-04",
    "updatedAt": "2026-03-28",
    "image": "./images/course-playtesting.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 4,
    "slug": "art-direction-for-tabletop",
    "title": "Art Direction for Tabletop",
    "level": "Intermediate",
    "category": "Art Direction",
    "priceUSD": 169,
    "durationHours": 9,
    "rating": 4.6,
    "tags": ["iconography", "readability", "layout"],
    "short": "Guide artists with clear briefs, icon systems, and production-aware layouts.",
    "description": "Learn the language of iconography, color coding, and production constraints to write briefs that keep art legible and manufacturable.",
    "outcomes": ["Write art briefs", "Design icon sets", "Plan layouts for print"],
    "prerequisites": ["Basic design vocabulary"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Icon Systems", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Color & Contrast", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Layout for Print", "lessons": 3 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Maya Voss",
    "releaseDate": "2025-04-12",
    "updatedAt": "2026-04-12",
    "image": "./images/course-art-direction.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 5,
    "slug": "manufacturing-bootcamp",
    "title": "Manufacturing Bootcamp",
    "level": "Advanced",
    "category": "Production",
    "priceUSD": 229,
    "durationHours": 16,
    "rating": 4.7,
    "tags": ["BOM", "die-cuts", "quotes"],
    "short": "Build a BOM, understand die-cuts, and request quotes with confidence.",
    "description": "From dielines to carton tests—prepare a production-ready spec that aligns with costs and logistics. Learn factory language and quote analysis.",
    "outcomes": ["Draft a BOM", "Read dielines", "Compare quotes"],
    "prerequisites": ["Prototype nearing completion"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Components & Costs", "lessons": 5 },
      { "title": "Dielines & Tolerances", "lessons": 5 },
      { "title": "Quotes & QA", "lessons": 6 }
    ],
    "format": "Cohort",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Owen Hart",
    "releaseDate": "2025-06-20",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-22",
    "image": "./images/course-manufacturing.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 6,
    "slug": "publisher-pitch-lab",
    "title": "Publisher Pitch Lab",
    "level": "Advanced",
    "category": "Publishing",
    "priceUSD": 199,
    "durationHours": 11,
    "rating": 4.6,
    "tags": ["pitch deck", "submission", "contracts"],
    "short": "Build a publisher-ready pitch with deck, rules, and sell sheet.",
    "description": "Learn how to position your game, prepare a compelling deck, and communicate value to acquisitions teams without overpromising.",
    "outcomes": ["Create sell sheets", "Structure pitch decks", "Plan submissions"],
    "prerequisites": ["Playable prototype"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Positioning & Market", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "Pitch Assets", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "Submission Flow", "lessons": 3 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Maya Voss",
    "releaseDate": "2025-07-15",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-05",
    "image": "./images/course-pitch-lab.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 7,
    "slug": "probability-for-designers",
    "title": "Probability for Designers",
    "level": "Intermediate",
    "category": "Systems Design",
    "priceUSD": 159,
    "durationHours": 12,
    "rating": 4.8,
    "tags": ["math", "odds", "balance"],
    "short": "Lightweight math to make odds feel fair and exciting.",
    "description": "Use dice, cards, and bag-building distributions to shape perceived fairness and drama without excessive randomness.",
    "outcomes": ["Calculate odds", "Shape distributions", "Communicate variance"],
    "prerequisites": ["Comfort with fractions"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Dice & Cards", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "Bag-Building", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "Variance in UX", "lessons": 4 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Suri Nakano",
    "releaseDate": "2025-08-03",
    "updatedAt": "2026-04-19",
    "image": "./images/course-probability.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 8,
    "slug": "cooperative-design-studio",
    "title": "Cooperative Design Studio",
    "level": "Advanced",
    "category": "Systems Design",
    "priceUSD": 219,
    "durationHours": 15,
    "rating": 4.7,
    "tags": ["co-op", "threat systems", "scaling"],
    "short": "Design co-op threats that scale and stay tense without quarterbacking.",
    "description": "Architect threats, fail states, and information flows that keep cooperation lively and fair across player counts.",
    "outcomes": ["Threat modeling", "Anti-quarterback tools", "Scaling design"],
    "prerequisites": ["Prior systems course"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Threat Engines", "lessons": 5 },
      { "title": "Information Flows", "lessons": 5 },
      { "title": "Scaling & Balance", "lessons": 5 }
    ],
    "format": "Cohort",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Maya Voss",
    "releaseDate": "2025-09-12",
    "updatedAt": "2026-06-01",
    "image": "./images/course-coop.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 9,
    "slug": "solo-mode-design",
    "title": "Solo Mode Design",
    "level": "Intermediate",
    "category": "Systems Design",
    "priceUSD": 149,
    "durationHours": 9,
    "rating": 4.5,
    "tags": ["solo", "AI deck", "automation"],
    "short": "Create solo modes that feel intentional, not tacked-on.",
    "description": "Design automa decks and flowcharts that emulate human pressure while keeping admin lightweight.",
    "outcomes": ["Design automa", "Flowchart pressure", "Balance upkeep"],
    "prerequisites": ["Prototype to adapt"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Patterns of Automa", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Flowcharts & Upkeep", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Tuning Difficulty", "lessons": 3 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Suri Nakano",
    "releaseDate": "2025-10-08",
    "updatedAt": "2026-04-30",
    "image": "./images/course-solo.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 10,
    "slug": "family-weight-elegance",
    "title": "Family-Weight Elegance",
    "level": "Beginner",
    "category": "Systems Design",
    "priceUSD": 119,
    "durationHours": 8,
    "rating": 4.6,
    "tags": ["gateway", "teaching", "ergonomics"],
    "short": "Design games that teach themselves at the table.",
    "description": "Prioritize readability, tactile cues, and teachable moments to make friendly gateway experiences.",
    "outcomes": ["Readable components", "Teachable rules", "Smooth pacing"],
    "prerequisites": ["Interest in accessibility"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Readability", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Teachable Moments", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Pacing & Flow", "lessons": 2 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Maya Voss",
    "releaseDate": "2025-11-20",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-01",
    "image": "./images/course-family.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 11,
    "slug": "rulebook-editing-lab",
    "title": "Rulebook Editing Lab",
    "level": "Intermediate",
    "category": "Publishing",
    "priceUSD": 139,
    "durationHours": 9,
    "rating": 4.6,
    "tags": ["rules", "editing", "ux writing"],
    "short": "Turn messy rules into reader-friendly scripts and sequences.",
    "description": "Use patterns for naming, sequencing, and reference to create rulebooks that reduce questions and preserve flow.",
    "outcomes": ["Structure rules", "Reduce ambiguity", "Design quick refs"],
    "prerequisites": ["Draft rulebook"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Structure & Naming", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Examples & Edge Cases", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Quick Reference", "lessons": 3 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Maya Voss",
    "releaseDate": "2026-01-12",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-20",
    "image": "./images/course-rulebook.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 12,
    "slug": "component-ergonomics",
    "title": "Component Ergonomics",
    "level": "Intermediate",
    "category": "Art Direction",
    "priceUSD": 149,
    "durationHours": 10,
    "rating": 4.5,
    "tags": ["tactility", "readability", "layout"],
    "short": "Make components that feel right in the hand and clear on the table.",
    "description": "Design cards, boards, and tokens with tactile feedback and legible states under real lighting and reach constraints.",
    "outcomes": ["Tactile mapping", "Readable state", "Ergonomic layouts"],
    "prerequisites": ["Basic prototypes"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Tactility & State", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Lighting & Contrast", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Layouts & Reach", "lessons": 4 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Owen Hart",
    "releaseDate": "2026-02-10",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-22",
    "image": "./images/course-ergonomics.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 13,
    "slug": "costed-design-decisions",
    "title": "Costed Design Decisions",
    "level": "Advanced",
    "category": "Production",
    "priceUSD": 189,
    "durationHours": 12,
    "rating": 4.7,
    "tags": ["costing", "manufacturing", "bom"],
    "short": "Design with real production costs in mind, from start to finish.",
    "description": "Estimate and trade off costs across components, finishes, and packing to avoid late-stage surprises.",
    "outcomes": ["Draft cost models", "Trade-off finishes", "Align with logistics"],
    "prerequisites": ["Prototype bill of materials"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Cost Models", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "Finishes & Effects", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "Logistics Alignment", "lessons": 4 }
    ],
    "format": "Cohort",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Owen Hart",
    "releaseDate": "2026-03-12",
    "updatedAt": "2026-06-10",
    "image": "./images/course-costed.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 14,
    "slug": "marketing-and-community",
    "title": "Marketing & Community",
    "level": "Beginner",
    "category": "Marketing",
    "priceUSD": 109,
    "durationHours": 7,
    "rating": 4.4,
    "tags": ["audience", "social", "launch"],
    "short": "Find your players and speak their language with integrity.",
    "description": "Identify audiences and run honest, consistent communications—from devlogs to launch checklists.",
    "outcomes": ["Audience mapping", "Channel cadence", "Launch checklists"],
    "prerequisites": ["A concept to promote"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Audience & Fit", "lessons": 2 },
      { "title": "Channels & Voice", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Launch Basics", "lessons": 2 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Suri Nakano",
    "releaseDate": "2025-12-01",
    "updatedAt": "2026-04-25",
    "image": "./images/course-marketing.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 15,
    "slug": "deck-building-systems",
    "title": "Deck-Building Systems",
    "level": "Advanced",
    "category": "Systems Design",
    "priceUSD": 199,
    "durationHours": 13,
    "rating": 4.6,
    "tags": ["deck-building", "economy", "balance"],
    "short": "Design economies and upgrade arcs that reward planning over grind.",
    "description": "Balance currencies, card flows, and market dynamics for elegant pressure and replayability.",
    "outcomes": ["Economy modeling", "Market design", "Arc tuning"],
    "prerequisites": ["Prior systems course"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Currencies & Sinks", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "Market Dynamics", "lessons": 5 },
      { "title": "Arc & Replayability", "lessons": 4 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Maya Voss",
    "releaseDate": "2026-02-22",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-15",
    "image": "./images/course-deckbuilding.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 16,
    "slug": "tile-laying-and-spatial-design",
    "title": "Tile-Laying & Spatial Design",
    "level": "Intermediate",
    "category": "Systems Design",
    "priceUSD": 159,
    "durationHours": 10,
    "rating": 4.5,
    "tags": ["tiling", "spatial", "heuristics"],
    "short": "Spatial heuristics for satisfying tile placement and scoring.",
    "description": "Tune adjacency, constraints, and scoring for clarity and depth without AP spirals.",
    "outcomes": ["Adjacency design", "Constraint tuning", "Score clarity"],
    "prerequisites": ["Basic system thinking"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Adjacency & Constraints", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Spatial Pressure", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Scoring Systems", "lessons": 4 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Suri Nakano",
    "releaseDate": "2025-11-11",
    "updatedAt": "2026-04-18",
    "image": "./images/course-tile-laying.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 17,
    "slug": "worker-placement-economies",
    "title": "Worker Placement Economies",
    "level": "Advanced",
    "category": "Systems Design",
    "priceUSD": 199,
    "durationHours": 14,
    "rating": 4.6,
    "tags": ["worker placement", "blocking", "economy"],
    "short": "Build blocking, scarcity, and timing tension that stays fair.",
    "description": "Calibrate scarcity, turn order, and engine-building to avoid runaway leaders while rewarding foresight.",
    "outcomes": ["Scarcity calibration", "Turn order design", "Anti-runaway tools"],
    "prerequisites": ["Prior systems course"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Scarcity & Tension", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "Turn Order Models", "lessons": 5 },
      { "title": "Engine-Building", "lessons": 5 }
    ],
    "format": "Cohort",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Maya Voss",
    "releaseDate": "2026-03-30",
    "updatedAt": "2026-06-05",
    "image": "./images/course-worker-placement.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 18,
    "slug": "auction-design-and-valuation",
    "title": "Auction Design & Valuation",
    "level": "Advanced",
    "category": "Systems Design",
    "priceUSD": 179,
    "durationHours": 12,
    "rating": 4.5,
    "tags": ["auctions", "valuation", "signals"],
    "short": "Design auctions that reveal value without stalling the table.",
    "description": "Compare open, sealed, and hybrid auctions; craft signals and time pressure to keep decisions brisk and meaningful.",
    "outcomes": ["Auction variants", "Signal design", "Anti-stall tools"],
    "prerequisites": ["Comfort with bidding games"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Auction Families", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "Signals & Tempo", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "Stall Prevention", "lessons": 4 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Suri Nakano",
    "releaseDate": "2026-01-28",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-08",
    "image": "./images/course-auction.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 19,
    "slug": "roll-and-write-toolkit",
    "title": "Roll-and-Write Toolkit",
    "level": "Beginner",
    "category": "Systems Design",
    "priceUSD": 119,
    "durationHours": 8,
    "rating": 4.4,
    "tags": ["roll and write", "schemas", "flow"],
    "short": "Build crisp roll-and-writes with readable schemas and flow.",
    "description": "Structure sheets, icon sets, and scoring for smooth, quick turns and low downtime.",
    "outcomes": ["Sheet schemas", "Icon clarity", "Scoring flow"],
    "prerequisites": ["Basic rules literacy"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Schemas & Icons", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Turn Flow", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Scoring Design", "lessons": 2 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Maya Voss",
    "releaseDate": "2025-12-15",
    "updatedAt": "2026-04-06",
    "image": "./images/course-roll-and-write.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 20,
    "slug": "map-and-route-design",
    "title": "Map & Route Design",
    "level": "Intermediate",
    "category": "Systems Design",
    "priceUSD": 169,
    "durationHours": 11,
    "rating": 4.6,
    "tags": ["networks", "pathing", "pacing"],
    "short": "Create satisfying network-building and route planning.",
    "description": "Design maps, chokepoints, and pacing that reward foresight without deadlocks.",
    "outcomes": ["Network pacing", "Route heuristics", "Deadlock prevention"],
    "prerequisites": ["Interest in logistics games"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Networks & Chokepoints", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "Route Heuristics", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "Deadlock Tools", "lessons": 3 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Owen Hart",
    "releaseDate": "2026-02-05",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-03",
    "image": "./images/course-route.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 21,
    "slug": "ip-and-licensing-for-creators",
    "title": "IP & Licensing for Creators",
    "level": "Intermediate",
    "category": "Publishing",
    "priceUSD": 149,
    "durationHours": 9,
    "rating": 4.3,
    "tags": ["licensing", "contracts", "rights"],
    "short": "Understand licensing paths and protect your creative work.",
    "description": "Navigate licensing, contracts, and publisher agreements with clear expectations and red flags.",
    "outcomes": ["Read contracts", "Negotiate basics", "Protect IP"],
    "prerequisites": ["Interest in publishing"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Licensing Models", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Agreements & Clauses", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Negotiation Basics", "lessons": 3 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Maya Voss",
    "releaseDate": "2026-03-01",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-18",
    "image": "./images/course-ip.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 22,
    "slug": "microgame-design",
    "title": "Microgame Design",
    "level": "Beginner",
    "category": "Prototyping",
    "priceUSD": 99,
    "durationHours": 6,
    "rating": 4.4,
    "tags": ["microgame", "constraints", "ideation"],
    "short": "Design within constraints to learn faster and publish sooner.",
    "description": "Use tiny formats to force clarity, reduce scope creep, and iterate across multiple ideas quickly.",
    "outcomes": ["Constraint ideation", "Scope control", "Multiple prototypes"],
    "prerequisites": ["Paper supplies"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Format Constraints", "lessons": 2 },
      { "title": "Multiple Shots", "lessons": 2 },
      { "title": "Packaging & Fit", "lessons": 2 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Suri Nakano",
    "releaseDate": "2026-01-10",
    "updatedAt": "2026-04-22",
    "image": "./images/course-microgame.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 23,
    "slug": "tabletop-simulator-workflows",
    "title": "Tabletop Simulator Workflows",
    "level": "Intermediate",
    "category": "Prototyping",
    "priceUSD": 139,
    "durationHours": 8,
    "rating": 4.5,
    "tags": ["tts", "digital", "remote"],
    "short": "Build and iterate digital prototypes for remote testing.",
    "description": "Create Tabletop Simulator modules that support quick iteration and clean playtest logs.",
    "outcomes": ["Module setup", "Remote playtests", "Export assets"],
    "prerequisites": ["Access to TTS"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Environment Setup", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Asset Pipeline", "lessons": 3 },
      { "title": "Remote Testing", "lessons": 2 }
    ],
    "format": "Self-paced",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Owen Hart",
    "releaseDate": "2026-02-26",
    "updatedAt": "2026-06-12",
    "image": "./images/course-tts.jpg"
  },
  {
    "id": 24,
    "slug": "end-to-end-capstone",
    "title": "End-to-End Capstone",
    "level": "Advanced",
    "category": "Publishing",
    "priceUSD": 299,
    "durationHours": 20,
    "rating": 4.9,
    "tags": ["capstone", "portfolio", "pitch"],
    "short": "Ship a polished prototype with a publisher-ready package.",
    "description": "A guided cohort with critique, playtests, and final assets: rules, sell sheet, BOM, and pitch deck.",
    "outcomes": ["Cohort critique", "Final assets", "Pitch practice"],
    "prerequisites": ["Committed project"],
    "modules": [
      { "title": "Scoping & Calendar", "lessons": 4 },
      { "title": "Playtest Blocks", "lessons": 6 },
      { "title": "Pitch Assets", "lessons": 10 }
    ],
    "format": "Cohort",
    "language": "English",
    "instructor": "Maya Voss",
    "releaseDate": "2026-04-08",
    "updatedAt": "2026-06-20",
    "image": "./images/course-capstone.jpg"
  }
]