Course Syllabus
Game Development: Programming and Practice |
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| Semester & Location: |
Autumn 24 - DIS Copenhagen |
| Type & Credits: |
Core Course - 3 credits |
| Long Study Tour |
Sweden, Stockholm |
| Core Course Study Tours: |
Denmark, Aarhus |
| Major Disciplines: |
Computer Science, Design, Mathematics |
| Prerequisite: |
One year of computer science and one mathematics course at university level. Knowledge of at least one programming language, preferably with object-oriented programming such as Java, C# or C++. |
| Corequisite Course: |
Game Development Lab |
| Faculty: |
Jorge Villa Yagüe (current students please use the Canvas Inbox) |
| Program Director: |
Natalia Landázuri Sáenz, PhD |
| Program Contact: | |
| Time & Place: |
Monday and Thursdays 14:50-16:10 Location: F24-403 |
Course Description
Video games is a booming multi-billion dollar industry and with its flourishing independent gaming culture and public funds for game developers, Denmark is a unique place to study this subfield of computer science. This course - in conjunction with the lab component - is a practical and conceptual introduction to game design and development. The juxtaposition between theory and practice is a cornerstone of the course and you will have ample opportunities to try out concepts and theories. Individually or in small groups, you will design, develop and test a beta version of a 2D or 3D game.
The course is also set up so that you have a chance to immerse yourself in the Danish gaming community. Together, we will explore the gaming trends in Copenhagen and venture to Sweden, a European referent in gaming. The main platform will be Unity, a Danish produced cross-platform game editor and engine widely in use by many companies in the industry.
Student Profile
This course is for you if you are interested in computer science and want to gain experience in applying programming skills to the creation of games.
Learning Objectives
After successful completion of the course, you will:
- Master basic game development (produce, test and present a beta version of a game of your own design)
- Understand game design
- Have immersed yourself in the Danish “indie” gaming community
After successful completion of the lab, you will be able to:
- 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
- Become acquainted with advanced topics such as shaders, physics, AI, and Network based games.
- Understand the process of game development from idea to beta version
- Apply theories and develop and test an actual game
Faculty
Jorge Villa Yagüe
Summary
Hi! I am Jorge, nice to meet you! I am a games industry professional with +5 years of experience. I have worked on Premium and F2P games both for Mobile and PC/Consoles, in Game & Level Design, Production, Programming and Management roles. I also founded my and ran my own indie game studio for some years, and now work as a freelance gameplay programmer while I work on stablishing my next one. I love a good challenge, whether it is designing a combat system, fixing a production bottleneck or polishing a game's onboarding. I'm looking forward to sharing my experience during these last years with you, as well as learning from each other at DIS!
Education & Experience
BSc, Industrial Design Engineering and Product Development, University of Zaragoza 2016
MSc, Medialogy, Aalborg University, 2019
Level Designer, Tactile Games, 2019-2020
Producer & Game Designer, Tactile Games, 2020 - 2021
Co-founder & Managing Director, Pine Creek Games, 2021 - 2023
Gameplay Programmer, Floppy Club 2024 - Currently
With DIS since 2023.
Approach to Teaching
Throughout the semester we will do multiple exercises during the lectures and the lab, aimed at obtaining a deep understanding of the abstractions that we must comprehend in order to successfully make our first games. Some lectures will be more slides-heavy, while others will have us making towers out of pasta and tape. We will have regular sessions to touch base and see how the course is going for you, what is working and what could be improved, in order to make the experience as personalized as possible.
Readings
Textbook: Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Third Edition, 2014, Tracy Fullerton
Tutorials and additional Unity information
Grading & Evaluation
| Participation, including study tour activities: | 10% |
| 2D Game (midterm) | 40% (Lecture 5-10) |
| Final Project | 50% (Lecture 11 -20) |
2D Platformer Game:
- Class part
- Unity web player build.
- A playable prototype with a beginning, an end, a tutorial and a level progression. The game must be created in 2D, and it must be a platformer.
- Lab part
- Full Unity project including source code, assets and project settings.
Final Project:
- Class part
- Unity web player build.
- A playable prototype with a beginning, an end, a tutorial and a level progression. The game can be made in 2D or 3D, in any genre, but it must demonstrate an increase in your skills from the 2D Platformer project.
- Lab part
- Full Unity project including source code, assets and project settings.
Core Course Week and Study Tours
The Core Course week and study tours are integral part of this course as we take the classroom on the road. You will have the opportunity to develop games together with Danish peers and see how theory presented in the classroom translates to practice in the field by visiting start-ups and more established game studios. You will travel with your classmates and your faculty on two study tours; a short study tour during Core Course Week and a long study tour to Germany.
Core Course Week: Denmark
This intense week dedicated to this course will give you an insight into the gaming industry in Denmark. In Copenhagen, you will learn all about the Danish game industry, meet people from the industry, and visit some of the important companies in the area. The two days will also investigate different aspects of both the gaming culture and how this culture is reflected in the Danish game industry ranging from experiment indie companies to AAA productions.
Long Study Tour: Sweden
Sweden is a referent in game development worldwide, hosting studios like Mojang (Minecraft), DICE (Battlefield) and King (Candy Crush). This tour provides you with a greater understanding of the Game Industry and Game Studio world in a computer science context. You will gain a broader European view of what game development is and what is the programmer’s role and relationship within the process of creating a game. By meeting professionals within the field, you will be exposed to how a concept turns into products.
Optional events: Game Jam, hackathons, and Game Lectures
The annual Nordic Game Jam is the biggest game jam in the world and the biggest video game industry event in Denmark. Several smaller Game Jams take place in Copenhagen year round. During your semester at DIS, you will have the opportunity to take part in Game Jams and join a team to make a game in 48-hours. This is a great opportunity to challenge yourself and experiment with new game ideas and technologies in an intense and fun atmosphere. DIS also hosts hackathons where you develop projects and create finished (or nearly finished) products. A panel of professionals will judge your product and mentors are on hand to help out during game jams and hackathons. It is a great learning experience and a chance to meet professionals from the local game community. DIS also collaborates with makerspaces that you will visit and make use of during your semester in Copenhagen.
Check out also game lectures at the IT University (http://game.itu.dk/index.php/Game_LecturesLinks to an external site.), monthly talks at ”Spilbar” (Game bar) (https://www.facebook.com/groups/148420778510244/Links to an external site.) and the Unity User Group Copenhagen (https://www.facebook.com/groups/922888687797593/Links to an external site.).
Academic Regulations
Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:
DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org
Course Summary:
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