CS/INFO 3152: Introduction to Computer Game Development

In-Class Lectures

The lectures below are the ones that were delivered in class before the semester was radically changed. We have provided links to the lecture slides. However, we will not be going back and recording video for these lectures. They are presented as is.

With each lecture we also have list of additional readings. Some of these readings are demos that were played with in class.


Lecture Topic Additional Materials Date
Lecture 1 Overview
Development Process
Required:
  •
Course FAQ
  • Fullerton, Chapter 1
01/22/20
Lecture 2 Nature of Games Required:
  • Fullerton, Chapter 6
  •
What is a Game? (Extra Credits, Season 7)
01/24/20
Lecture 3 Design Elements Required:
  • Fullerton, Chapter 3
01/27/20
Lecture 4 Game Components Required:
  • Fullerton, Chapter 2
01/29/20
Lecture 5 Rules and Mechanics Required:
  • Fullerton, Chapter 5
Optional:
  •
Rules of Play, Chapters 12 and 14
01/31/20
Lecture 6 Uncertainty and Risk Optional:
  •
Rules of Play, Chapters 15 - 17
  • Careful Use of Randomness in XCom
02/03/20
Lecture 7 Economies and Balance Required:
  • Fullerton, Chapters 10 & 11
Optional:
  •
Adams on Resources
02/05/20
Lecture 8 Prototyping Required:
  • Fullerton, Chapters 7 & 8
Optional:
  •
Visibility Prototype
  • Bezier Prototype
  • Steering Prototype
02/07/20
Lecture 9 Gameplay Modeling   02/10/20
Lecture 10 The Game Loop   02/12/20
Lecture 11 Architecture Design Required:
  •
Design Patterns
  • Class-Responsibility-Collaborator Models
  • UML Activity Diagrams
Optional:
  • Laboratory for Object-Oriented Thinking
02/14/20
Lecture 12 Memory Management Required:
  •
Types of Java Garbage Collectors
Optional:
  • Memory Pool Demo
02/21/20
Lecture 13 Data-Driven Design Required:
  •
Tile-Based Game Techniques
Optional:
  • JSON Demo
  • Tiled Map Editor Manual
  • Blades of Avernum Editor
  • Blades of Avernum API
02/26/20
Lecture 14 Graphics: Sprites Required:
  •
Spritebatch, Textureregions, and Sprites
Optional:
  • Affine Transformations
03/04/20
Lecture 15 Graphics: Perspective Required:
  •
Developer's Guide to Graphical Projections
  • Axonometric Projections in Games
Optional:
  • Isometric Animation Demo
  • Avernum Isometric Tile Set
  • Tiled Terrain Example (Illustrator)
  • Parallax Scrolling
03/06/20
Lecture 16 Graphics: Color & Textures Optional:
  •
Meshes
  • Vertex Demo
03/09/20
Lecture 17 Physics in Games Optional:
  •
Rigid Body Dynamics
  • Essential Math for Games Programmers
  • Fix Your Timestep!
03/11/20
Lecture 18 Box2D Physics Required:
  •
Forces and Impulses
  • Using Fixtures
Optional:
  • Collision Handlers
  • Box2D Demo
03/13/20

Online Lectures

The lectures below are the ones that were lost due to the restructuring of the class. The slides are available by clicking on the Lecture number, just as in the traditional lectures. To see the video, click on the right-most column. Videos will become available starting March 23.

Given the higher priority work of restructuring the critiques, these videos are pretty primitive. They consist of your instructor narrating slides. Do not mistake them for high-quality online instruction. As with the normal lectures, we have included the traditional reading that accompanies the slides.


Lecture Topic Additional Materials Video
Lecture 19 Character Behavior Required:
  •
Handling Complexity in the Halo 2 AI
Optional:
  • Animation State Machines
  • 2D Animations in Unity
Available
Lecture 20 Optimizing Behavior Optional:
  •
Thief (1998) Gameplay Video
  • Building an AI Sensory System
Available
Lecture 21 Pathfinding Required:
  •
A* Pathfinding for Beginners
Optional:
  • Steering Behaviors (applets)
  • Toward More Realistic Pathfinding
Available
Lecture 22 Strategic Planning Required:
  •
An Exhaustive Explanation of Minimax
Optional:
  • AI Experiments are Creating Unbeatable Raid Bosses
Available
Lecture 23 Player Testing Required:
  • Fullerton, Chapter 9
  •
Testing Design with Users
  • Cognitive Walkthrough
Available
Lecture 24 Level Design Required:
  • Fullerton, Chapter 4
  •
Reverse Design: Super Mario World
Optional:
  • No Twinkie For You (Bad Design)
Available
Lecture 25 Story Design Required:
  •
Why Writing in Games Matters
Available
Lecture 26 Dialogue Optional:
  •
Dialog File from Avernum 6
  • Drama Manager in Façade
Available
Lecture 27 The Industry Required:
  • Fullerton, Chapter 15
Optional:
  •
Game Development Is Like Being a Musician
  • Failing to Fail: The Spiderweb Software Way
Available
Lecture 28 Game Audio   Available