CS 4803c
Video Game Design and Programming

Spring 1999
College of Computing Building 102
Time: MW 3-4:30


Description
This course will provide an introduction to current and future techniques for electronic game design and programming. Topics will include graphics game engines, motion generation, behavioral control for autonomous characters, interaction structure, and social and interface issues of multi-user play.

Instructors
Jessica Hodgins
jkh@cc.gatech.edu
214 College of Computing
894-9763
Office Hours: Just drop by or send email to schedule an appointment.

Amy Bruckman
asb@cc.gatech.edu
255 College of Computing
894-9222
Office Hours: Drop by Tuesdays 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm, or email to make an appointment.

Teaching Assistant
Scott Lewis
wedge@cc.gatech.edu
Office Hours: Wednesdays from 4:30 - 6:00 after class in the Intel
cluster

CoWeb:
Games Class CoWeb
We have set up a "CoWeb" (also sometimes called a "SWIKI") using technology developed by Mark Guzdial. We've gathered lots of useful information about games there, including: You are encourage not only to use this information, but also to contribute to it.


General Information

There are four optional texts for the class:


You can buy these from the Georgia Tech Bookstore, or from Amazon Books.

The textbooks will be supplemented by handouts in class, pointers to web pages, and articles on both electronic and regular reserve.

We have a games library that you can check games out of for 48 hours at a time from Joan in the GVU office which is on the second floor of the CoC. We're lucky to have so many good games, so take some time and check some out!


Syllabus

Week of Mon Wed
March 29th no class
  • Introduction and overview of course (asb + jkh)
  • How to write a game proposal (asb + jkh)
  • Software for game development (asb + jkh + wedge + kain)
Assignment 1 (game proposal) out.

Start forming into game teams. Teams of 2-3 people recommended.
April 5th
  • Talk on how to give a talk (asb)
  • Game Genres (asb)

Reading:
We will begin discussing people's game ideas in class.
  • What makes a game fun? (asb)

Reading:
  • Herz chapters 1 and 2
  • "Enjoyment and the Quality of Life," chapter 3 of Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihaly. New York: Harper Perennial, 1991. (On electronic reserve.)
April 12th In-class presentations of design proposals
Presentations will continue in the evening from 7 pm to 10 pm. Pizza provided. Attendance is mandatory, unless you have a legitimate excuse and speak to the instructors in advance.

Assignment 1 (game proposal) due.
Assignment 2 (game proposal critique) out.
User Interface Controls for Games (asb)

Reading:


April 19th Low level Behaviors (jkh)
Slides
Reading: Chapter 4 in Black Art
Assignment 2 (game proposal critique) due.
Assignment 3 (progress report) out.

AI in Games (jkh)
Slides

If you were asked to revise your game proposal and resubmit, the revised proposal is due here.
April 26th Guest Speaker: David Kirk
Nvidia
Interactive Narrative (asb)
Reading:
May 3rd Graphics for Games (jkh)
Slides
Reading: Chapter 10 in Black Art
Design for Boys and Girls (asb)

Reading: Assignment 3 (progress report) due.
May 10th Graphics for Games (jkh)
Slides
Reading: Chapter 10 in Black Art

Assignment 4 (game demo and talk) out.
Assignment 5 (play testing and final paper) out.
Music and Sound Effects (jkh)
Multi-user technology (asb)

Reading:

May 17th Guest speaker: Jeff Bishop (games class alum and intern at Holistic Designs)

Guest speaker: Joel Webber
Holistic Designs

Guest speaker: Dov Jacobson
Big Fun

Reading:
May 24th Multi-user design (asb)
Reading:
In-class presentations of games

Presentations will continue in the evening from 7 pm to 10 pm. Pizza provided. Attendance is mandatory, unless you have a legitimate excuse and speak to the instructors in advance.

Assignment 4 (game demo and talk) due.
May 31st Holiday Guest speaker: Amy Kerley Moorhouse
SecureIT
Game Marketing

Assignment 5 (play testing and final paper) due.



Assignments and Grading

There will be five assignments (due on the dates listed on the syllabus). You have 5 late days that you may use for any of the assignments during the quarter but further extensions require an excellent excuse. The assignments will be:

  1. Game proposal (15%)
  2. Critique of another group's game proposal (10%)
  3. Progress report on your game (10%)
  4. Game demo (40%)
  5. Presentation of game in class (10%)
  6. Paper about your game development, and playtesting (10%)
The remaining 5% of your grade is for class participation. Contributions to the collaborative website count towards your participation grade.

Games Library

We will maintain a lending library of games that can be checked out from Vicky Skelton in CoC 244 between 8-5pm M-F. Students will be asked to show an ID when checking out a game and may keep a game for up to 48 hours (unless demand gets too high). The games library will include PC games, Mac games, Nintendo 64 cartridges, and Playstation CD's. We will install a Nintendo 64 and a Sony Playstation in the undergraduate lounge area on the first floor of CoC. PC games that run under NT can be used in the cluster on the first floor. Mac games and PC games that run only under Windows '95 will have to be run outside CoC on home computers, unfortunately.

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