Game Design Class Resources
General:
Assignment 0:
Your Background
Syllabus
Project
Exam 1 Review
Exam 2 Review
Sample Games

An Activity is usually done at least partly during class.
An Assignment is usually done mostly outside of class.
A Topic involves new material.

Preliminary Schedule:
****Please prepare for class in ADVANCE.****
Many class periods will be spent doing ACTIVITIES.
Around half of class periods will be spent working on the project.
Activities will be announced.

WEEK1:
The first day of class is for class policies and introductions. READ the syllabus in ADVANCE.
Read IN ADVANCE of class: consider what KIND of game is appropriate for us to develop.
TOPIC: Kinds and Purposes of Games
Everyone should prepare IN ADVANCE at least one pitch for a game idea.
Activity:Pitch Game Ideas
Activity: Choosing Game ideas, and forming teams.

WEEK2:
Assignment:write an Adventure game
Activity: Gaming Personality
Activity: Work on Project

WEEK3:
Pick a game and do an evaluation. Be prepared to discuss in class.
Activity:Game Evaluation
Activity: Work on Project

WEEK4:
Pick a company and do an evaluation. Be prepared to discuss in class.
Activity:Game Companies
Pick a school and do an evaluation. Be prepared to discuss in class.
Activity:Game Design Academic Programs

WEEK5:
Assignment:write a 'Pick Your story' game
Example:pickStory.htm
Activity: Needed roles in game design (class discussion)
Activity: Work on Project

WEEK6:
Activity: Different Game Platforms (class discussion)
Activity: Work on Project

WEEK7:
Activity: Marketing and Distribution (class discussion)
Activity: Work on Project

WEEK8: MIDTERM (possibly 10/22)
Activity: Work on Project

WEEK9:
Activity:Game Development Tools
Activity: Work on Project

WEEK10: Activity: Debugging and Testing (class discussion)
Activity: Work on Project

WEEK11:
TOPIC:Languages and Game Design (Regular and Context Free)
PRESENTATION:Intro to Language and Grammar
(Regular and Context Free)
Activity:Languages In Class (Regular and Context Free)

WEEK12: TOPIC: Artificial Intelligence; heuristics and minimaxing
TOPIC:Heuristics
Activity:TicTacToe

WEEK13: Review for FINAL
Activity: Work on Project
Activity: Work on Project

Last week of classes:
Presentation of Project(s)

FINAL during Finals Week
(UNLESS swapped to allow presentation to be during finals week)