CS4455

CS4455: Video Game Design and Architecture

Maribeth Gandy

maribeth@cc.gatech.edu

Blair MacIntyre

blair@cc.gatech.edu

CS 4455

Topics

Video Game Design Themes:

– Thing about elements of games• Formal elements, dramatic elements, balance, rules

– Design a fun experience• Brainstorming, prototyping, play testing

– Game technology • 3D graphics, audio, physics, AI, game engines etc.

CS 4455

Texts (optional)

Game Design Workshop, Second Edition: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games (Paperback), Tracy Fullerton, Christopher Swain, Steven Hoffman (1st Edition: : Game Design Workshop: Designing, Prototyping, and Playtesting Games)

The Art of Game Design: A book of lenses (Paperback), Jesse Schell

Unity3D

Unity3d.com LEARN IT, NOW! Leverage forums,

IRC, tutorials, examples, wikis, etc.

DGML or buy– Asset server is very

valuable

Fall 2006 CS 4455

CS 4455

Introductions

Instructor– Blair MacIntyre– blair@cc.gatech.edu

Augmented and Mixed Reality (“interactive 3D in the world”), AR/MR Games– Associate Professor, Coc/IC; Adjunt Professor, LCC– Design of MR/AR experiences (3D in the world)– Background in math, CS, 3D graphics– PhD research in distributed interactive 3D software design

CS 4455

Introductions

Instructor– Maribeth Gandy– Maribeth@cc.gatech.edu– Research Scientist, Interactive

Media Technology Center

Augmented and Mixed Reality, Wearable Computing – Background in CS, HCI,

graphics, audio– Tools for AR design, – Applying HCI techniques to AR– Creating compelling AR

experiences for entertainment and informal education

CS 4455

Introductions

TA– Chris Ernst

CS 4455

Useful Background Knowledge

CS Classes– Computer Graphics– Artificial Intelligence– Networking– Human-Computer Interaction– Software Engineering

Visual Arts– 3D Modeling

Music and Sound Design

CS 4455

What you will do

Think about games Think about what makes a good game Design Learn what it means to prototype core game

elements, and do it Create a game {Test, refine, repeat}

CS 4455

Class Structure and Grading

http://cs4455f11.computing4fun.org

CS 4455

Group Project

Design and build a game– Unity3D appropriate for all types of games!

Everyone must make a significant technical contribution– EVERYONE WRITES CODE

CS 4455

Group Project

Build a team– Teams of 3

Build a game Must include range of technology

– 3D game– Non-completely-trivial AI – Network (2 player)– Physics– Audio

CS 4455

Resources

Know what’s going on!– Grades on Tsquare– Annoucements, syllabus and schedule on blog– Please check often

DML/Mac Lab– Lots of software (Unity3D, Maya, Creative Suite)

Free models– Don’t spend a lot of time modeling!

Audio Libraries

Annoying Warnings

You are responsible for anything we talk about in class. If you miss class, talk to classmates.

No open laptops in class, unless we ask you to take them out– If you like to take notes on your laptop, fine. But,

we will ask you to submit them after each class.

CS 4455

Cross-Institute Collaboration

Berklee College of Music– Have Berklee students in your group, creating

custom music and sound– More later

SCAD– Opportunity for a small number of you to join

class at SCAD

CS 4455