Unit Guide

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Lecturer Malcolm Ryan malcolm.ryan@mq.edu.au Contact via x9512 E6A 325 Fri 12-1pm
Credit points	Credit points 3
Prerequisites	Prerequisites 39cp and COMP260 and MECO319
Corequisites	Corequisites COMP330 or MECO329
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description Students will work in groups to create a videogame using a commercial-level game engine. This will enable them to apply their previously acquired skills in videogame design and implementation to a substantial project. Teams will be expected to develop their own concept for the game. This will require creative design, the production of supporting documentation, quality control, and other associated skills and concepts. Teams will be expected to produce a compelling game proposal and meet regular agreed milestones as well as producing game documentation and giving a final presentation.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

Be able to apply the spiral-design process (prototyping and playtesting) to a large scale video game design and development project.
Have further developed their ability to turn creative ideas in actual products, including the tradeoffs necessary in this process
Understand and be able to make use of the basic principles of project management, teamwork, the roles and responsibilities of the project manager and appreciate the importance of working closely with the project's client and the delivered game's target audience
Have improved their communication skills, both oral and written, in describing and documenting their game design work.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Due
Pitch	5%	Week 3
Project Plan	5%	Week 4
Milestone 1	6%	Week 6
Milestone 2	7%	Week 7
Milestone 3	7%	Week 10
Complete game	10%	Week 13
Design document	20%	Week 14
Playtesting report	20%	Week 14
Post-mortem	20%	Week 14

Pitch

Due: Week 3
Weighting: 5%

A pitch of a proposed design to clients. Should include:

Design outline
Storyboards
Art style
Technology requirements
Intended milestone targets

On successful completion you will be able to:

Be able to apply the spiral-design process (prototyping and playtesting) to a large scale video game design and development project.
Have improved their communication skills, both oral and written, in describing and documenting their game design work.

Project Plan

Due: Week 4
Weighting: 5%

A written project plann based on feedback from the pitch.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Be able to apply the spiral-design process (prototyping and playtesting) to a large scale video game design and development project.
Understand and be able to make use of the basic principles of project management, teamwork, the roles and responsibilities of the project manager and appreciate the importance of working closely with the project's client and the delivered game's target audience

Milestone 1

Due: Week 6
Weighting: 6%

A prototype and progress report based on the agreed milestone targets.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Be able to apply the spiral-design process (prototyping and playtesting) to a large scale video game design and development project.
Have further developed their ability to turn creative ideas in actual products, including the tradeoffs necessary in this process
Understand and be able to make use of the basic principles of project management, teamwork, the roles and responsibilities of the project manager and appreciate the importance of working closely with the project's client and the delivered game's target audience

Milestone 2

Due: Week 7
Weighting: 7%

A prototype and progress report based on agreed milestone targets

On successful completion you will be able to:

Be able to apply the spiral-design process (prototyping and playtesting) to a large scale video game design and development project.
Have further developed their ability to turn creative ideas in actual products, including the tradeoffs necessary in this process
Understand and be able to make use of the basic principles of project management, teamwork, the roles and responsibilities of the project manager and appreciate the importance of working closely with the project's client and the delivered game's target audience

Milestone 3

Due: Week 10
Weighting: 7%

A prototype and progress report based on agreed milestone targets

On successful completion you will be able to:

Be able to apply the spiral-design process (prototyping and playtesting) to a large scale video game design and development project.
Have further developed their ability to turn creative ideas in actual products, including the tradeoffs necessary in this process
Understand and be able to make use of the basic principles of project management, teamwork, the roles and responsibilities of the project manager and appreciate the importance of working closely with the project's client and the delivered game's target audience

Complete game

Due: Week 13
Weighting: 10%

Final game demonstrated to industry sponsor. Mark is determined by sponsor.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Be able to apply the spiral-design process (prototyping and playtesting) to a large scale video game design and development project.
Have further developed their ability to turn creative ideas in actual products, including the tradeoffs necessary in this process
Understand and be able to make use of the basic principles of project management, teamwork, the roles and responsibilities of the project manager and appreciate the importance of working closely with the project's client and the delivered game's target audience

Design document

Due: Week 14
Weighting: 20%

A thorough description of the final game mechanics of the game, justified in terms of the effect they are intended to achieve.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Be able to apply the spiral-design process (prototyping and playtesting) to a large scale video game design and development project.
Have further developed their ability to turn creative ideas in actual products, including the tradeoffs necessary in this process
Have improved their communication skills, both oral and written, in describing and documenting their game design work.

Playtesting report

Due: Week 14
Weighting: 20%

A description of the playtesting process applied to the game including:

The hypotheses being tested
The experiment design
The results

On successful completion you will be able to:

Be able to apply the spiral-design process (prototyping and playtesting) to a large scale video game design and development project.
Have improved their communication skills, both oral and written, in describing and documenting their game design work.

Post-mortem

Due: Week 14
Weighting: 20%

A report reflecting on the project including:

What aspects of the final game were successful/unsuccessful
What aspects of the group-work process were helpful/unhelpful

On successful completion you will be able to:

Understand and be able to make use of the basic principles of project management, teamwork, the roles and responsibilities of the project manager and appreciate the importance of working closely with the project's client and the delivered game's target audience
Have improved their communication skills, both oral and written, in describing and documenting their game design work.

Delivery and Resources

CLASSES

Classes will only be held in the weeks scheduled below. The lecturer will be available for consultation in the other weeks if desired.

REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND/OR MATERIALS

There is no prescribed text for this unit.

UNIT WEBPAGE

Please login to ilearn http://ilearn.mq.edu.au/

TECHNOLOGIES USED AND REQUIRED

The technology you use will depend on your project's needs. You will have access to the games lab computers and the software on them. Extra software required may be added if a good case can be made for it. You may also want to use resources that your sponsor and team members have access to. Your technology needs will be determined and defined by you in your project plan.

Unit Schedule

WEEK	TOPIC
1	Introduction
2	Groups allocated into teams
3	Pitches to industry sponsors - compulsory
4	Guest lecture on project management for game development
5	No classes/lectures
6	Milestone 1 demonstrations
7	Milestone 2 demonstrations
8	No classes/lectures
9	No classes/lectures
10	Milestone 3 demonstrations
11	No classes/lectures
12	No classes/lectures
13	Group demonstration of game to sponsors - compulsory

Learning and Teaching Activities

Learning and Teaching Strategies

COMP352 is taught through the involvement in a group project. Much of what is learnt is gained through experience and problem solving at the individual and group level. The unit will require the student to apply knowledge and skills gained in previous units and also require the student to acquire new knowledge and skills which will vary for each student and project according to the problem needing to be solved. The content of the unit includes: Preparation of a detailed project proposal and plan. Undertaking an extended group project. Preparation of intermediate and final project deliverables. Preparation of a final reflective report. A group project presentation.

Learning and Teaching Tips

To be successful you should: Meet with your group regularly, ideally weekly. Make sure you take notes, set agendas and action items and at the start of each meeting check the status of all action items. Attend the compulsory class sessions. Read appropriate material to support the technical and management aspects of your project. Perform the tasks assigned to you. Undertake self-study to acquire missing knowledge and skills needed for your particular project. Continually review and revise your project plan and ensure you are working to meet delivery of milestones by the specified time.

Policies and Procedures

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.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Special consideration policy of the Department of Computing:

http://comp.mq.edu.au/undergrad/policies/special_consideration_policy.htm

Plagiarism

Please refer to the Department of Computing Plagiarism Policy for the definition of plagiarism, advice on avoiding it and the penalties in place if you are found to have submitted plagiarised work.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

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.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

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:

Learning outcomes

Be able to apply the spiral-design process (prototyping and playtesting) to a large scale video game design and development project.
Have further developed their ability to turn creative ideas in actual products, including the tradeoffs necessary in this process

Assessment tasks

Pitch
Project Plan
Milestone 1
Milestone 2
Milestone 3
Complete game
Playtesting report

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

Understand and be able to make use of the basic principles of project management, teamwork, the roles and responsibilities of the project manager and appreciate the importance of working closely with the project's client and the delivered game's target audience

Assessment tasks

Project Plan
Milestone 1
Milestone 2
Milestone 3
Complete game
Post-mortem

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

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:

Learning outcomes

Be able to apply the spiral-design process (prototyping and playtesting) to a large scale video game design and development project.
Have further developed their ability to turn creative ideas in actual products, including the tradeoffs necessary in this process

Assessment tasks

Pitch
Project Plan
Milestone 1
Milestone 2
Milestone 3
Complete game
Playtesting report

Problem Solving and Research Capability

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:

Learning outcomes

Be able to apply the spiral-design process (prototyping and playtesting) to a large scale video game design and development project.
Have further developed their ability to turn creative ideas in actual products, including the tradeoffs necessary in this process

Assessment tasks

Pitch
Project Plan
Milestone 1
Milestone 2
Milestone 3
Complete game
Playtesting report

Effective Communication

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:

Learning outcome

Have improved their communication skills, both oral and written, in describing and documenting their game design work.

Assessment tasks

Design document
Playtesting report
Post-mortem

Grading and Passing

Your final grade will depend on your performance in the project. In particular:

You must contribute to all parts of the project (and your team members should agree) in order to pass this unit.
You must attend all compulsory class sessions or have been given prior approval not to attend or provide medical evidence of why you could not attend.
At the end of the course, in rare circumstances and at the discretion of the unit convenor, a bonus mark of up to 5% will be awarded to any student who repeatedly demonstrated exceptional performance, dedication and engagement with the unit. This attainment will typically be identified by comments from the client, other team members and/or my observation of the student.

All work submitted should be readable and presented in a business-like and professional format.

Late work will not be accepted. As you are working in a team and also are expected to perform risk management, sickness or other misadventure needs to be planned for and managed.

Grade Assessment Standards

Final Grade	Summary of required performance
P	Has participated in group-based projects which delivered satisfactory outputs throughout the semester.
CR	Has participated in group-based projects throughout the semester which delivered quality outputs.
D	Has participated in group-based projects throughout the semester which consistently delivered high quality outputs. All the assignment, practical and tutorial tasks (programming and written) completed to a very high standard. .
HD	Has participated in group-based projects throughout the semester which consistently delivered high quality outputs. Students achieving this grade are often distinguished by a high level of effort, enthusiasm, competence and often leadership in their project groups.