Study Guide

Objective

After completing the module, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate their understanding the various dimensions (physical, temporal, environmental and emotional) that describe a game world by making use of an appropriate terrain editor to create a limited game world
- Develop a game narrative with scripted dialog for a given game idea or concept
- Understand and manage the complexities of game interface design
- Define core mechanics and explain their role in creating an entertainment experience
- Map out the level design and game balancing process and show an awareness of problems that need to be avoided in the level design process
- Incorporate visual, behavioural and audible character attributes in order to create a compelling and believable character with an industry recognised modelling tool

Content

- Game standard terrain editor
- Creative writing and dialog design tools
- Industry standard processes for designing user interfaces
- Design principles for level and game balancing layouts
- Character design principles and appropriate game art tools

Materials

Unity - Create with Code
https://learn.unity.com/course/create-with-code

Teaching methods

The course will be delivered through online sessions only and the core learning will take place in a tutorial fashion.

Although peer-assisted learning is encouraged, tudents are expected to produce individual deliverables (in other words, no groupwork).

The course will be using MS Teams as the learning platform and teaching sessions will be conducted via Zoom.

Exam schedules

No exam dates;
This course does not have any retake possibilities. Failing the course means that students will have to repeat it the following year.

International connections

This course leans on CDIO principles and takes a project-based learning approach.

Student workload

This course requires students to work 135 hours and is divided as follows:
- Contact sessions and presentations: 20 to 30 hours
- Independent tutorial work: 40 to 50 hours
- Developing your own game: 60 to 70 hours
All course work is individual

Students will be required to present their game projects in 2 milestones:
22.09.2020 - Concept project design document presentation
08.12 and 15.12.2020 - Final game presentation

The concept presentations are for monitoring student progress and used as the basis of formative feedback. If you miss this milestone, one grade point will be deducted from the final grade.

The final game presentation is mandatory - failure to present this will cause the student to fail the course.

Content scheduling

This course is based on the Online material "Create with Code" presented by Unity. Students will be expected to work through the material according to the following schedule:
- 01.09.2020: Course introduction and Create with Code...Getting Started. Hosted online session in Zoom starting at 9:15
- 08.09.2020: Create with Code...Unit 1
- 15.09.2020: Create with Code...Unit 2
- 22.09.2020: Concept project design document presentation
- 29.09.2020: Create with Code...Unit 3
- 06.10.2020: Create with Code...Unit 3
- 13.10.2020: Independent work on your game
- 20.10.2020: Create with Code...Unit 4
- 27.10.2020: Create with Code...Unit 4
- 03.11.2020: Create with Code...Unit 5
- 10.11.2020: Create with Code...Unit 5
- 17.11.2020: Create with Code...Unit 6
- 24.11.2020: Independent work on your game
- 01.12.2020: Finalise your game
- 08.12.2020: Final game presentations
- 15.12.2020: Final game presentations

Further information

Course lecturers and Game Lab engineers will be present online every week during the allocated timetable slot.
There won't be two separate sessions or groups as everything is online.
So only one online session each week.
The first 30-60 minutes of each session will be used to:
- Share game industry news
- Highlight some of the latest development trends and technologies
- Respond to general student queries

The remaining time of each session will be an opportunity for students to work on their own games and seeking assistance from the Game Lab engineers.

Lecturers will review student progress with the Unity tutorial work on a weekly basis.

Students can also reserve close-contact support at the Game Lab with an engineer on Tuesday afternoons. Please note that the COVID19 situation only allows for the presence of 10 students at a time and that face masks are mandatory for close-contact sessions. The lecturers will monitor the scheduling and adjust where necessary to ensure the maximum number of students is not exceeded.

Evaluation scale

H-5

Assessment methods and criteria

The game project is evaluated as follows:
- Industry expert evaluation of the game (H-5);
- Lecturer overall impression of the game (H-5);
- Peer evaluation of the game (H-5).
The average of these will give the final grade for the course.

Missing the concept presentation will result in the deduction of 1 grade point from the final grade.

Attending less than 75% of the online sessions will result in the deduction of 1 grade point from the final grade.

Assessment criteria, fail (0)

Failure to produce and present the final game will cause the student to fail the course.

Participating in less than 50% of the online sessions will cause the student to fail the course.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

- Project contains a few of the features outlined in the project plan
- Did not really stay on track with their planned milestones
- Did not use their Unity or C# skills in any new ways
- Code and hierarchy are disorganized, using inconsistent conventions

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

- Project contains most of the features outlined in the project plan
- Stayed mostly on track with their planned milestones
- Used their Unity and/or C# skills in new, but not necessarily creative ways
- Code and hierarchy are mostly neat & commented, using correct conventions

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

- Project contains all of the features outlined in the project plan
- Stayed on track with their planned milestones
- Used their Unity and/or C# skills in a novel and creative ways
- Code and hierarchy are neat & commented, using correct conventions