Course Syllabus

Game Development Lab

Course Description:

In the lab component of the Game Development course, you will put into practice the theories and concepts you have discussed in the seminar section of the course. The semester begins with a crash course in Unity, an intuitive game development environment produced in Denmark that allows you to immediately tinker with a simple, existing game template and move on to develop simple 2D or 3D game designs of your own making. Simulating the Danish indie game community, which is characterized by small teams of 1-3 people rather than major game production conglomerates, you will work individually or in small groups throughout the semester. The games will be created using existing freely available game assets (graphics and sounds). The hands-on work in the Game Lab is supplemented with a mini game jam with Danish students at Vallekilde Højskole (see Game Development Syllabus)

After successful completion of the lab part of this course, you:

• Use the Unity Editor to create interesting game levels
• Create game scripts using C# and the Unity API
• Understand the fundamentals of using 2D and 3D graphics
• Are acquainted with advanced topics such as shaders, physics, AI, and Network based games.
• Understand the process of game development from idea to beta version
• Can apply theories and develop and test an actual game

Course Schedule (subject to change)

The course schedule is a combined schedule for the two co-requisite courses: ”Game Development: Programming & Practice” and “Game Development Lab”.

Approach to Teaching   

The lab is a continuation of the Game Development course and is a hands-on class with ample opportunities to try out - through trial and error - your skills as a game developer. Throughout the semester, you will be revising, developing and testing actual games. The Game Lab is intended to be a collaborative community and plenum discussions, and faculty and peer feedback sessions will be an important part of the learning.

Faculty

Michael Tran, MA (Game Design, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, 2021). Game Designer, Unity Developer and Illustrator. Game Developer & Research Assistant at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (2021 - 2022). Unity Developer & Game Designer at Pat The Head (2022). With DIS since 2024.

Grading and Evaluation

2D Platform Game:

• Class part
• Unity web player build.
• Analysis of the formal elements of the game.
• Small game description and how to play, and game development diary (max ½ a page per week), where all major game design decisions and obstacles are described.
• Lab part
• Full Unity project including source code, assets and project settings.
• Work schedule and a description of the implementation structure, showing the layout and interaction of the game logic.

Final Project:

• Class part
• Unity web player build.
• A Game design document.
• Small game description and how to play, and game development diary (max ½ a page per week), where all major game design decisions and obstacles are described.
• Lab part
• Full Unity project including source code, assets and project settings.
• Work schedule and a description of the implementation structure, showing the layout and interaction of the game logic.

Tutorials and additional Unity information

• https://learn.unity.com
  • https://learn.unity.com/course/unity-basics
  • https://learn.unity.com/course/beginner-scripting
• https://unity.com/
  • https://store.unity.com/download?ref=personal

For more readings and information, see syllabus for Game Development: Programming and Practice

Academic Regulations  

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on: 

• Course Enrollment and Grading  
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code 

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org