Film 4750: Game Development
Instructor: Roger Altizer
University of Utah
Fall 2K9, 10:45-01:45 Marriott Library 1120
Email: roger.altizer@utah.edu
Office Hours: By appt only
Phone: TBD
Course Description
This
course will explore the fundamentals of videogame development through readings,
lectures, discussion, and the creation of videogames. Videogame development and
culture will be discussed in addition to game design. We will be exploring this
popular medium through a critical lens as well as a production focus, incorporating theory and perspectives
from a number of different disciplines.
We will be building 2D games as the major component of this course. Students will work independently and on teams to create videogames that illustrate concepts discussed in class. This course does require computer skills, though no game development experience is required. As with all production courses, students should expect to spend a good deal of time on projects and face problems not discussed in class.
Course Objectives
While the course will contain lectures and discussion, a
major portion of the class is lab work and experimentation. Game development,
like all artistic endeavors, can be a chaotic process. In the end it can be
significantly rewarding, but the process will require much self-directed
learning. While there will be lab time in the course, students are expected to do the majority of their game development work outside of class.
Required Texts
- Articles (available via
electronic course reserve) and games as assigned by the instructor.
- Access to GameTap (subscription not required)
- Highly recommended:
Rabin, S. (2005). Introduction to Game Development . Hingham , Mass: Charles River Media, Inc. – This text is not required, but principles from this book are used in class and it provides a very well rounded approach to game development.
Teaching and Learning Methods
Students are expected to fully participate in the class.
Attendance of lectures, participation in discussion, lab work, as well as
completion of all assignments are expected, and required for satisfactory
competition of the course.
Attendance
Due to the strict enrollment limit and the number of
students on the wait list, registered students must attend class on the first
day in order to retain their spots in class. Students who miss the first two days
forfeit their positions and must drop the class or risk earning a failing grade
for the class. Students who participate in officially sanctioned University
activities (e.g., marching band, debate, athletics)
will be permitted to turn work in early and/or make up assignments without
penalty. Official absences must be documented at least one week prior to the
absence.
Additionally, I treat students as adults and understand that you may not be able to attend every class. I reserve the right to use a point based attendance policy if absenteeism becomes a problem. I can opt to do this on a global or individual basis. If you miss a class it is your responsibility to get the information covered from your peers or the syllabus.
ADA Statement
The University
of Utah seeks to provide
equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities.
If you will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to
be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Union Building, 581-5020
(V/TDD). CDS will work with you and the instructor to
make arrangements for accommodations.
University of Utah Student Code
The Student Code is spelled out in the Student Handbook.
Students have specific rights in the classroom as detailed in Article III of
the code. The code also specifies proscribed conduct (Article XI) that involves
cheating on tests, plagiarism, and/or collusion, as well as fraud, theft, etc.
Students should read the Code carefully to become aware of these issues.
Students will receive sanctions for violating one or more of these
proscriptions. The faculty will enforce the code. Students have the right to
appeal such action to the Student Behavior Committee.
Accommodation
I do not offer content accommodations. If you find any of the content of this offensive you may opt not to participate. If you choose not to participate in a section of the class that is worth points, you will not receive them.
Lab Exercises (room and schedule permitting)
There will be projects assigned that must be completed in
the computer lab. These will include the playing and critical evaluation of
assigned video games, as well as working on basic gaming projects.
Evaluation
Class Participation: 10%
Homework: 10%
Game Designs: 20%
Games Developed: 60%
Grade Scale
- The A range is for
excellent performance and superior achievement.
- The B range denotes good
performance and substantial achievement.
- The C range indicates
standard or average performance and achievement.
- The D range is for
substandard performance and marginal achievement.
- An E is given for
unsatisfactory performance and achievement.
I grade on a standard system: A=94-100; A-=90-93, B+=87-89,
etc.
Late work is accepted, but there is a 10% reduction every
24hrs after due date/time. Homework is not accepted late.
Resources:
Course Schedule and Content, this schedule will likely change. You are responsible to get those changes from your peers or in class announcements.
Week 1 - Aug 25, 27
- Introduction/self intro
- Class structure overview
- What is a Platformer?
- What is a Shooter?
- Alien Hominid
- Fancy Pants Adventure
- Intrusion
- Flash Portal
- HW1 (remember to put Film 4750 in the subject line!)
- Play one shooter and one platformer. List the game, the year, and the company that developed it. List three strengths and weaknesses of each game, and what the one or two defining/novel aspects are
Week 2 Sept 1, 3
-
What is a Platformer/Shooter? Revisited...
-
The Videogame Pitch Process
- Download and see engine, if possible
- Brainstorm games... remember the limitations!
- Previous Games...
- The Game Game
- Pitches
- 1 page pitch doc
- rough draft due (emailed to me Film 4750 in subject line) Weds (have some form to use in your presentation) counts as HW2
- Final version emailed to me Monday; counts as 1/4 of game design grade, so make it snazzy. Must have version ready to present as well, i.e. either on key chain drive or online so you can pull it up for your presentation. You will not be able to access my email, so have a plan to show a second copy. Must present to receive credit.
Week 3 Sept 8, 10 (Monday, Sept 7 - Labor Day)
- Pitch Presentations
- HW3+ (counts as two homework assignments! Get it done and get it done on time! Due Monday at noon.)
- Send me an email with the following:
- Your team members names, majors, and year (Freshman, Soph, Junior, Senior, Super Senior, Retiree)
- You team's name: The Happy Dudes, Laser Toaster Space Monkey, etc.
- Your revised pitch. It can be a modified version of one of your pitches, a combination of your pitches, or a totally new pitch. Regardless make it awesome.
Week 4 Sept 15, 17
-
Sign up for server accounts (Tues.)
- Visit the CFA tech support page and sign up for an account under "FA 3750" we will do this in class together. If you miss class do this ASAP! If you do not you won't be able to complete the task on weds. You will just get to watch. That's less fun.
- Learn how to deposit items into Roger's account (Thurs.) VERY IMPORTANT!!! If you miss, then you must learn how either from a peer or here.
- Introduce teams and revised pitches
-
Power Game Factory Tutorial
- Complete EVERY step in the tutorial
- Start Playing With PGF
-
HW3: PGF Tutorial
- now due Thursday! (much better, right?)
-
(reminder, if I don't state a due date, it's due prior to the first class of the next week)
- After completing the tutorial, beef up your sample game a bit and drop it in my box. Email me after you have done this. You must do both to earn this credit.
- Don't be afraid to explore what the tool can do and go beyond it for this assignment.
- VERY IMPORTANT! You need to send me a built version of the game. So build it, compress it (using Stuff It) and drop it in my box. I can show you how to do this Weds. I can actually show you how to do it anytime, but if it's after Weds. then you will probably be turning in your homework late, and that's sad.
- HW4 : Review your pitch
- You've played with the engine. Send me an email (Film 4750 HW4 in the subject, as always) answering the following questions:
- Can you make the game you pitched with this engine?
- What do you need/want to change in your pitch to make your game using this engine?
- Give me a revised version of your elevator pitch (remember, should be a short paragraph) based on what you now know about the engine
Week 5 Sept 22, 24
- Review putting items in the drop box, make sure it works. Remember to email me when you drop something in there with the file name or you won't receive credit.
- Discuss the tool and your pitches
- What would you have to adjust to make that game?
- Game Design overview due midnight 10/20
- 40% of game design grade - tip for success, read all you can about your game genre. Google it, then read reviews about games in that genre
- It must be 7 to 10 pages in length (pictures can extend this, but not by much) and cover the following:
- Designer's statement, a cross between a pitch and a statement speaking to what your goals were with this game
- Meta analysis:
- What genre is this game? Explain why it fits there.
- Who is the target audience? Provide evidence as to why.
- What are similar games?
- Describe the story, setting, ending
- Describe the characters, enemies, other relevant tokens
- Describe and sketch out the levels, their design and maps (goals, setting, etc.)
- Describe the art direction, provide examples
- Describe the music and sound of the game, provide examples
- Describe and layout the controls / interface
- Be sure to describe menus and any info bars or counters
- Describe the mechanics (how the game is played)
- Describe the rules (how the game interacts with the mechanics)
- Tech Demo
due midnight 10/20 (15% of game dev grade)
- Build two levels of the game in your design document.
- These should serve to illustrate what your game is.
- They may not be complete, the music and images may not be final, but it should be enough for you to explain what you are trying to do and make a case for your game moving forward in the dev cycle.
- Game Design Overviews. Read the following and answer the questions that follow in an email for HW5
- Game Design Doc Template
- Another Game Design Doc Template
-
Claw Bible
- sample "good" game design document
, screenshots
- Doom Bible - sample "bad" game design document
- Bonus: Documents of Newly Published Xbox Live Game Made Public
- Bonus: Intro to roll of game designer - be sure to check out the links at the bottom
- Level Design as Game Design (new!)
- Reviewing Creating "Scenes of Fun" - Strider, Sonic, Mario, Etc.
Week 6 Sept 29, Oct 1
- Go over game industry roles
- More on Various Game Careers
- Go over Shred Nebula documents
- Continue working on Tech Demo/Design Doc
- HW6 - scour the web and provide me a link to another game design document other than the ones I've shown you. In the email tell me two strengths and two weakness you found in the doc.
- Character Design
- 20 Tips for Character Design
- Analysis of game characters: Google
- Top Ten Video Game Characters
- Anything can be a character
- Remember, animated characters and the medium allow for stories and ideas not acceptable in reality or even live action fiction. i.e. A story about a harried father whose child is kidnapped and restrained which is more "fun?" A or B? Same story, different story telling, but it's the characters that allow it. Build your characters around the theme you want to invoke.
- Toonpedia - awful resolution, but great place to get ideas
- p.s. take some of this character stuff to heart. It'll help with your games.
Week 7 Oct 6, 8 - No class Oct 8 - AOIR Conference
Week 8 Oct 13, 15 - No class all week, Fall Break!!!
Week 9 Oct 20, 22
- Review your work that's due tonight at midnight, discuss your characters
- Thursday: play your tech demos as a class
Week 10 Oct 27, 29
-
Review Tech Demo
- Can you do it?
- What needs to be changed to make this happen?
- Where does it need to go to be finished in four weeks or so?
- Tech, check. Now what about art and design?
- Discuss game and work-flow strategy
- Assign responsibilities for:
- Game Design Document
- including keeping track of where all assets came from
- Level Design
- Including storyboarding the levels
- Art
- Sound
- Level/Menu development
- the actual building/putting together
- HW7 (10/30) Email me a short paragraph on how you want to divide your workload and who should be responsible for what
- Partnership discussion - side by side? Second computer as an asset.
- Level Design - Lecture
- Level Design as a Job
- Start on Level design doc
- HW8 (11/3) Read both of the Tim Ryan articles on Gamasutra, send me an email answering the following questions:
- Beginning Level Design, Part 1
- Beginning Level Design, Part 2 Rules to Design By and Parting Advice
- Which of Ryan's points are particularly important to your game?
- What are going to be the key elements of your "design pallet"
- How do you plan to balance challenge and progress?
- How will you maintain Ryan's interpretation of verisimilitude?
- How do you plan to keep your levels entertaining?
Week 11 Nov 3, 5
- Art/assets in videogames discussion
- Weds: Workshop, get ready for presentations on 11/10/ 11/12
- HW9 (11/10): Level design doc of game design doc due - 20% of game design grade
- HW10 (11/12): Art section of game design doc due - 20% of game design grade
- For 11/10: Presentation of one mid-level storyboard
- must be electronic
- must not be in-game
- present and talk through key elements of each level
- show us deliberate level design
- create a scene for the player
- what is it you want them to experience
- what is the challenge/puzzle
- etc,
- For 11/12: Presentation of sprites/foreground art
(three of each of the following)
- Characters
- Power-ups
- Platform/level Tiles
- Animated Scenery
- * Background art/loading/menu art can wait*
- ZYNGA COMPANY PRESENTATION
Week 12 Nov 10, 12
Week 13 Nov 17, 19
- HW11 Two levels in my dropbox, ready to play - 11/16 midnight!
- Alpha presentations - two levels of game, ready to play
- These should be "essentially" done, and should play how you would like their final versions to play
- Early Play Testing as a class
- Feedback will be provided by myself and your peers
- Team email addresses here
- Work towards beta, incorporate feedback items
Week 15 Dec 1, 3
Week 16 Dec 8, 10
Week 17 Dec 15, 17 - Finals Week
