2012/Spring        Video Game Programming

 

Announcements

 Topics list for presentation here.

Overview

We will explore video game design through the creation of few focused game prototypes using game tools such as the game engine XNA. The goal of this course to build a better understanding of what makes a good game, and how interesting game mechanics and systems can be developed and iteratively improved by means of rapid prototyping and play-testing.

Video games encompass many fields of computer science, such as computer graphics, information visualization, human-computer interaction, artificial intelligence, software engineering and data structures, and are also very relevant to the perceptual and cognitive sciences. We will discuss how video games incorporate technologies and theories to form an interactive and unique medium in its own right.

Requirements:

We will experience with rapid prototyping in the first part of the course. During the first 4-6 weeks, you will be required to (individually) implement 4-5 very simple game prototypes using a quick-and-dirty approach. Following, teams of 3-4 people will develop the most successful prototype into a full game.

Course material:   Introduction 1st prototype Game Design Essentials Game Review Assignment Game Mechanics Prototype Programming Graphics for Games Game Design Document     Additional resources:   XNA ·         XNA Resources url=http://xnaresources.com/ Tons of resources and tutorials   ·         2D XNA Tutorial for C# url=http://www.riemers.net/eng/Tutorials/XNA/Csharp/series2d.php Quick and interesting tutorial on XNA that includes some neat special effects   Game development ·         gamasutra.com, gamedev.net,igda.com   Game news/blogs ·         kotaku.com,1up.com,gamespot.com tigsource.com,indiegames.com/blog/ brainygamer.net