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<big>'''WPI IMGD 1001''': The Game Development Process</big>

{{education-course}}

= Teachers =

== Instructors  ==

* [[Mark Claypool]]

= Course Background Information =

== Location ==

[[Worcester Polytechnic Institute]]

'''Last taught:'''
Fall '06


== Classification ==

''See: [[Areas]] for classifing for your course.''

'''Primary classification:'''


'''Secondary classification:'''


== Student background needed ==

None

== Course prerequisites ==

''(describe the course's prerequisites in terms of skills that students need to know)''


== Time periods ==


''Describe how the class was spread out over time, for example:''
* ''Over what length of time was the course taught?''
* ''How often did the class meet and how long were the classes??''

The course was taught over the course of seven consecutive weeks. Two sections (distinct sets of students) were taught, each meeting four times a week for an hour each meeting.

= Course Structure =


== Course description ==

This course discusses the process of game development. It examines the roles of different participants in the development process and how the technical development and the artistic development proceed in tandem. Group work is emphasized, especially the importance of collaboration between technical and artistic efforts. Students are expected to participate in game development using appropriate game development tools.


== Course learning objectives ==

''what do you expect the students to learn? ''


== Week by week topics ==





= Course Materials & Facilities Used =

''Here you can link to and/or describe books and other materials you used for this course. Feel free to create new pages for each item here if a page for it does not yet exist.''

== Books ==

* [[Introduction to Game Development]], edited by Steve Rabin, copyright Charles River Media Incorporated, 2005. ISBN: 1-58450-377-7
http://www.charlesriver.com/Books/BookDetail.aspx?productID=99109
The best book I've found for (nearly) comprehensive coverage of the material in this course. The chapters are individually authored, giving the book rather uneven levels of detail and tone from chapter to chapter, but many of the selected chapters are quite good. At nearly 1000 pages, it has considerably more material than will covered in a term, but it should make a good reference beyond the course. Chapters: 3.1, 3.2, 3.5, 5.5, 6.2, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, and 7.3


* [[Chris Crawford On Game Design]], by Chris Crawford. New Riders, 2003. ISBN: 0131460994
http://www.informit.com/title/0131460994
If you can look past Crawford's arrogance, there are a lot of good war stories about game development and some good, general game design tips.
Chapter: 7


* [[Game Architecture and Design: A New Edition]], by Andrew Rollings and Dave Morris. New Riders, 2004. ISBN: 0735713634
http://www.peachpit.com/title/0735713634
A close a book to the "Game Development Process", but missing artistic content creation and programming. A bit wordy, but with good information and examples on the areas of Game Design, Team Management, and Game Architecture.
Chapters: 1, 2, 3 and 5


* [[Gameplay and Design]], by Kevin Oxland. Addison Wesley, 2004. ISBN: 0-231-20467-0
http://www.aw-bc.com/catalog/academic/product/0,1144,0321204670,00.html
Includes easy-to-read descriptions of the game development process in two phases: components of a game design and the process of creating and formatting design documents. Examples of a Norbot game are worked throughout the text.
Chapter: 18


* [[Creating the Art of the Game]], by Matthew Omernick. New Riders, 2004. ISBN: 0735714096
http://www.peachpit.com/title/0735714096
An informative, easy-to-read book on creating 3D art for games.
Chapters: Foreword, 1 and 2


* [[Designing Arcade Computer Game Graphics]], by Ari Feldman. Out of Print, 2000.
http://www.cs.uu.nl/people/markov/gmaker/feldman.html
Emphasizes the development of 2D graphics for computer games, including animation, proper color usage, and fonts.
Chapter: 9


* Enhancing the Impact of Music in Drama Oriented-Games, by Scott Morton.
http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20050124/morton_pfv.htm
Includes a close look at using music in games, including an informative list of good tips and common mistakes, with examples.


* Behind the Mask - Perceptual Coding: How MP3 Compression Works, by Paul Sellers.
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may00/articles/mp3.htm
Explains the basic theory behind MP3 encoding, and offers some tips on making coded files sound better.

== Other materials ==

''Papers, magazines, videos (add links to online materials)''

== Software (engines, tools) ==

''This could me a mix of external links to software on other servers and links to other wiki pages outlining those tools, which could be useful.''

== Syllabus ==

(This ''could'' link to the class's original syllabus)


== Slides ==

''(link to each file's storage location)''


== Assessment materials ==

''e.g. tests, quizzes, assignment requirements, project requirements ''

Final grades were computed as follows

* Projects: 50%
* Exams: 45%
** Mid-term: 20%
** Final: 25% 
* Other: 5% 

== Digital media used in class ==

''e.g. Video, Multimedia sources, Audio''

''(link to each file's storage location)''


== Tutorial files ==

* Tutorial: What is a Good Game?, by Mark Overmars. 2004.
http://www.gamemaker.nl/tutorials/goodgame.zip
A narrative describing some of the ingredients in a (good) game.


== Other materials ==

''(link to an uploaded resources -- e.g. research papers -- or external storage location)''



= Analysis of learning methods =

== What worked ==

''Please discuss what worked giving sufficient evidence''


== What didn't work ==

''Please discuss what didn’t work giving sufficient evidence ''




[[Category:Courses]]