Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Michael Hitchens
Contact via michael.hitchens@mq.edu.au
E6A 338
|
---|---|
Credit points |
Credit points
3
|
Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
COMP115 and (COMP111 or INFO111 or MAS111)
|
Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
Unit description |
Unit description
This unit considers both the theory of game design and the actual construction of video games. Important principles in game design, such as game play, challenge, balance and the nature of players, will be examined. Students will be introduced to different aspects of game design and will develop their game design skills through the creation of their own game. Game design will also be explored by taking a critical approach to assessing the design decisions made in a game and by the communication of game design decisions through students presenting their designs in class.
|
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Due |
---|---|---|
Game Design Quiz | 5% | Week 4 |
Game Engine Quiz | 5% | Week 4 |
Assignment 1 | 20% | Week 7 |
Assignment 2 | 20% | Week 10 |
Assignment 3 | 30% | Week 13 |
Tutorials | 10% | Weeks 2 to 13 |
Practicals | 10% | Weeks 2 to 13 |
Due: Week 4
Weighting: 5%
A short quiz in the tutorials testing student's progress in game design and critique. It will consist of a number of short answer questions.
Done and submitted in class.
Due: Week 4
Weighting: 5%
A short in class quiz on the student's knowledge of the game engine used. In 2013 the engine will be Unity 3d. The quiz will consist of a number of short questions and small practical exercises.
Done and submitted in class.
Due: Week 7
Weighting: 20%
Design, create and document a static game level using a commercial game engine. For this year Unity 3D will be used. Students are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the principles of challenge, reward, progress and spatial and temporal arrangements amongst other design considerations.
As well as producing the level students will also be required to submit accompanying design documentation.
Submission will be via ilearn.
Due: Week 10
Weighting: 20%
Critique the design of a commercial game in terms of the design principles covered in the unit. Particular attenition wil be paid to interface and story design, but will cover other aspects such as challenge, reward, progression, character development, level design, etc.
Length will be 2500-3000 words
Submission will be via ilearn
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 30%
Design, implement and document a complete simple game or portion of a level of a more complex design in a commercial game engine. For this year the Unity engine will be used.
Particular attention should be paid to complete, error-free, implementation.
As well as the game itself the students will be required to submit accompanying design documentation.
Submission will be via ilearn.
Due: Weeks 2 to 13
Weighting: 10%
Game critique exercises and paper game design exercises.
These are weekly exercises in the tutorial classes. Some will be paper design exercises to cover the basics of game design. Paper game design is widely employed in the industry as a first stage to test the concept before proceeding to mroe expensive implementation.
Game critique exercises will focus on particular area, including interface, story, character, reward, challenge, progression, spatial and temporal arrangement. Examination of commercial games will illuminate how design priciples are applied in the industry.
Submission will be either in class or via ilearn
Due: Weeks 2 to 13
Weighting: 10%
Weekly practical exercises using a commercial game engine as used in assignments 1 & 3. For this year the engine will be Unity 3D.
These exercises will enable students to learn the functionality of the engine in preparation for the assignments.
Submission will be in class.
Each week COMP260 has two hours of lectures, a two-hour tutorial and a two-hour practical. Please see the Timetable at http://www.timetable.mq.edu.au. for details
Prescribed Textbooks
The textbooks for this unit are as follows:
Additional References
These recommended texts are not compulsory for the subject, however, they do provide reliable and relevant resources to support the course material. These texts may be useful for later subjects that you will study as part of your degree. You are also encouraged to check for other sources, including alternative books and on-line material.
Other Readings
Other reading(s) for this subject will be provided via on-line material on the Web. You should be familiar with accessing through links to on-line sources of information. It is important to realise that there will be additional costs to you which may not be present in traditional presentation of education materials. Such costs include connection, time charges and access to specific information on the Web. Your Internet provider can supply you with more details.
Online Resources
The official location (URL) of unit information once you have loaded your WWW browser is: http://ilearn.mq.edu.au
Once you have enrolled in the unit, you must gain access to comp260 website. We will be using the University’s Online Learning at MQ website (iLearn). Students should check this site for regular updates.
Technology Used and Required
Unity 3D. The free version of this can be downloaded at http://unity3d.com/unity/download/
Various comercial games will be referred to as examples in class.
WEEK | LECTURE TOPIC | READINGS | ASSESSMENTS |
1. |
Unit Introduction Introduction to Unity Design and documentation principles |
Goldstone Chapter 1 | |
2. |
The use of paper design Design exercise |
Goldstone chapter 3 | |
3. |
Level design basics Sources of Inspiration Structure, pace and flow |
Novak chapter 7 | |
4. |
Design implementation - from paper to computer Textures |
Tutorial and Practical Quiz | |
5. | Design and Design exercise | ||
6. |
Level details - structures, terrain, etc The use of lighting and sound in level design |
Novak chapter 9 | |
7. |
Character and story - what works, premise, conflict, goals Story vs. plot Conveying the story, consquences, emotions |
Novak Chapter 5 | Assignment 1 Due |
8. | Character types, depiction and character arcs | ||
9. | Game interface design: player empowerment and feedback | Novak chapter 8 | |
10. |
Gameplay mechanics camera systems, control systems, inventory systems, combat systems |
Novak chapter 6 | Assignment 2 Due |
11. |
Gameplay presentation Emergent gameplay Progression, difficulty, repitition |
||
12. |
Game quality asurance and tesing Design of mobile games |
||
13 | Guest Lecture | Assignment 3 Due |
*Note we hope to have an industry guest lecture. It's currently scheduled for week 13. However it will depend on availability of an industry guest. It may be that we have to move the guest lecture forward and everything else back to fit their schedule.
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
You should also be sure to be familiar with the departments special consideration policy
http://comp.mq.edu.au/undergrad/policies/special_consideration_policy.htm
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.
This graduate capability is supported by:
If assesable work is not submitted by the due date than 10% will be subtracted from the mark awarded fro that work for each working day that the submission is late, upto a maximum of five working days. Submissions after that date will be awarded a mark of 0.
Extensions of time may be awarded to avoid the above penalty. Students will need to submit a request for special consideration. They should also contact the unit convenor as soon as possible.
Some ability to implement simple gameplay mechanics in a commercial game engine.
Able to create a basic level of documentation of game play mechanics and designs.
Produce designs that demonstrate:
Produce limited implementations, in a commercial game engine, of their designs.
Demonstrate a limited ability to plan and carry out playtesting of designs and apply the results of the playtesting to improve designs.
Demonstrate noticeable evidence of being able to discuss and critique game designs and design elements in terms of the design concepts studied in the unit and from previous study.
Able to implement simple gameplay mechanics in a commercial game engine.
Able to create thorough documentation of game play mechanics and designs.
Produce designs that demonstrate:
Produce implementations, in a commercial game engine, of their designs.
Demonstrate an ability to effectively plan and carry out playtesting of designs and apply the results of the playtesting to improve designs.
Demonstrate substantial evidence of being able to discuss and critique game designs and design elements in terms of the design concepts studied in the unit and from previous study.
Able to implement a range of gameplay mechanics in a commercial game engine.
Able to create thorough documentation of game play mechanics and designs.
Produce designs that demonstrate:
Produce implementations in a commercial game engine of their designs.
Demonstrate a sustained ability to effectively plan and carry out playtesting of designs and apply the results of the playtesting to improve designs.
Demonstrate sustained evidence of being able to discuss and critique game designs and design elements in terms of the design concepts studied in the unit and from previous study, with noticeable originality and insight in evaluation and analysis.
Able to implement a range of gameplay mechanics in a commercial game engine.
Able to create thorough documentation of game play mechanics and designs.
Produce designs that demonstrate
Produce implementations, in a commercial game engine, of their designs.
Demonstrate a sustained ability to effectively plan and carry out playtesting of designs and apply the results of the playtesting to improve designs.
Demonstrate sustained evidence of being able to discuss and critique game designs and design elements in terms of the design concepts studied in the unit and from previous study, with substantial originality and insight in evaluation and analysis.
Since the last offering of this unit we have