Interactive Multimedia Games Development COM631

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Interactive Multimedia Games Development COM631

• Module Overview

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Times and Locations

• Lecture/practical
• Tuesday 09.15 11.05 Room MG229 (L)
• Tuesday 12 15.05 Room MG122 (P)

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Contact Details

• Michael Callaghan
• MS132
• Email mj.callaghan_at_ulster.ac.uk
• Tel [phone]

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Online Resources

• Details of Module specification, learning
• outcomes, marking schemes and other
• resources can be found online here
• Module handout
• http//www.scis.ulster.ac.uk/michael/COM631/Docum
  ents/Module_handout/Module_handout_COM631_2013.doc
  
• Module specification
• http//cis.ulster.ac.uk/administrator/files/module
  specs/com631.pdf

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Module aims

• To provide students with an appreciation for
  advanced techniques and approaches used in the
  game design and development process
• To provide students with an appreciation of the
  technical and research challenges facing game
  designers
• To provide students with the skills and expertise
  necessary to create high quality interactive
  games

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Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate their expertise in creating high
  quality content for use in computer games
• Critically evaluate and select appropriate
  approaches and techniques to design and implement
  interactive multimedia games
• Demonstrate their ability to create game
  prototypes,
• Demonstrate a detailed understanding of industry
  standard game authoring tools, platforms,
  techniques and scripting languages

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Main Topics

• Game design/planning/implementation process
• Unity
• Metrics and analytics

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Historical context
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Mobile/pad sales
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Low barrier to entry
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New interactions modes
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Peripherals
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Rise of the indies
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Rise of free to play and metrics
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Rise of free to play and metrics
http//thinkgaming.com/app-sales-data/1/clash-of-c
lans/
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Game metrics
http//www.scis.ulster.ac.uk/michael/COM631/Sprea
dsheet/DubitVirtuaWoldModel_v1.3.xls
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Lost in the crowd
God of War
Call of Duty
Assassins Creed
FIFA 2013
Orderly release with big budgets
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Schedule (Provisional)
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Assignment weighing submission deadlines
100 Coursework
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Submission Deadlines

• Assignment 1 08/10/13 (Week 3)
• Assignment 2 29/10/13 (Week 6)
• Assignment 3 10/12/13 (Week 12)

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Assignments Overview

• Three individual assignments with a progressive
• common theme (Game design)
• Awareness, assess and critically evaluate
• Propose
• Plan and design
• Implement

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Assignment 1 Overview

• Assignment 1 Pitch and present an innovative
• game
• Total available marks 15
• Individual assignment
• Assignment 1
• Due 08/10/13 (Week 3)

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Assignment 1

• Create a short pitch document/presentation for an
  innovative game you are going to create that you
  feel would be successful in the Dare competition
• Ensure that your game idea could be implemented
  within the constraints of the module duration
• Structure of the document is closely based on the
  application form for Dare to be Digital
• Pitch document generated should follow the format
  given. Word limits will be strictly adhered to!

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Assignment 1

• Game should be tailored for mobile platform e.g.
  iPad, Android pad/iPhone/windows 8
• Must employ platform appropriate game mechanics
  and control systems
• Mechanics need to be innovative but simple!
• E.g. multitouch, flick, orientation, tap
• Should consider the use of metrics and analytics
• Should consider business model e.g. free to play
  and the in-world economy

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Pitch Format

• Pitch document should be comprised of the
  following
• Concise game description (maximum 100 words)
• Description of core game play (maximum 100 words)
• Discussion of market potential of title (maximum
  100 words)
• Discussion of target audience (maximum 100 words)
• Description of innovation and creativity (maximum
  100 words)
• Consideration of in-world economy and
  monetization (maximum 100 words)
• Discussion of which technology you are using and
  why? (maximum 100 words)
• Short work plan clearly showing how you could
  design a level for your game in the next 9 weeks.
  (Gantt chart!)

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100 Word Games Pitch

• Therell be no trick or treating this Halloween!
• Slyghoul the Hungry has risen and hasnt fed for
  a hundred years.
• He traps the children of Yew-tree Orphanage and
  grows stronger from their
• fears. Only three children escape his grasp, but
  for how long?
• Bound by need and circumstance Lofty, Missey,
  and Rabbit must uncover their
• inner strengths to escape. Light, Sound and
  Friendship are their only weapons
• to defeat Slyghoul and his minions.
• Time is running out, the light is fading, help
  them face their fears and save the
• others...
• Or be trapped forever by the Creeping Dark!

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Assignment 1 Output

• Report and class presentation. Report format
• Size Must comply with the Dare to be Digital
  application form format and must be within the
  stated word limit!
• Font Times New Roman
• Font size12
• Spacing Single line
• StyleTechnical/Formal

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Assignment 1 Output

• Submission Guidelines for presentation
• Powerpoint presentation of appropriate length.
• Submission Details
• Assignments should be submitted on day of
  presentation

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Assignment 1 Deliverables

• Hard copy of report and PowerPoint presentation
  slides
• CDROM containing digital copy of report and
  presentation slides
• Presentation to class in week 3
• 10 minutes presentation 5 minutes questions

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Assignment 1 Presentations
All students must attend all presentations!
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Assignment 1 Mark Allocation
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Assignment 1 Warning!

• Assignment 1 is 700 words and a project plan
• It is worth 15 of the module mark!
• The submission should be well researched and
  thought out
• Clear evidence of understanding of your games
  unique selling points and of similar games out
  there
• Clear rationale for using the technology
• Project plan must reflect nuances of the game you
  are going to develop

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This is a project plan!
http//www.scis.ulster.ac.uk/michael/COM631/Docum
ents/projectplanning/project20plan20microsoft20
project20file.mpp
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Assignment 2 Overview

• Assignment 2 Creation of an abbreviated game
• design document (Preproduction)
• Total available marks 35
• Individual assignment
• Assignment 2
• Due 29/10/13 (Week 6)
• Example document here

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Assignment 2 (Preproduction)

• Create an abbreviated game design document for
  the game level/app you will create in Unity for
  Assignment 3
• Structure is based on template/examples supplied
• Report generated should follow the format given
  as closely as possible, example document here
• Be realistic on time constraints
• You must pitch your game to the class in a formal
  presentation

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Assignment 2 Guidelines

• The document should follow the game design
  document
• structure provided and also include accompanying
  
• support material
• Description of level theme/game/app
• Level/app design concept development material
  (including rough sketches/photographs)
• Level layout design diagram (Level blueprint) and
  game board (as appropriate)
• Consideration of in-world economy
• Model of game/in-world economy
• App store description

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Assignment 2 Output

• Report, supporting material and class
  presentation
• Submission Guidelines for report
• As required following format/template given
• Submission Guidelines for presentation
• Powerpoint presentation of appropriate length
• Submission Details
• Assignments should be submitted on day of
  presentation

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Assignment 2 Deliverables

• Hard copy of game design document
• Copy of game model in Excel
• CDROM containing digital copy of all
  report/presentation and supporting material
• Presentation/pitch to class in week 6

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Level blueprint game board
Level blueprint and game board from Level Design
for Games, Phil Co
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App store description
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Game modeling
http//www.scis.ulster.ac.uk/michael/com631/Model
s/CircuitWarzStage1.xlsm
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Game modeling
http//www.scis.ulster.ac.uk/michael/com631/Model
s/Gina.xlsm
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Assignment 2 Mark Allocation
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Assignment 3 Overview

• Assignment 3 Create a game/app in Unity
• Total available marks 50
• Individual assignment
• Assignment 3
• Due 10/12/13 (Week 12)

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Assignment 3 (Implementation)

• Design a game level/app in Unity
• Level/app based on the game design document in
  assignment 3
• Must be related to and complement your games
  pitch
• Can reuse content/models available online or
  within Unity provided they adequately referenced.
  
• Assignment includes a presentation where the
  student will detail to the class each stage in
  development and implementation process and
  present their final work

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Assignment 3 Output

• Source material, Unity level, screen capture
  video with voice over and
• annotations, walkthrough giving overview of
  level, construction process and
• game play, class presentation
• Submission Details
• Assignments should be submitted on day of
  presentation
• Deliverables (submitted on CD-ROM/DVD)
• A walkthrough level in Unity with voice
  annotation
• Source code and support material (E.g. Textures,
  3DS Max models etc)
• Copy of class PowerPoint presentation

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Assignment 3 Mark Allocation
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Resources
http//www.design3.com/
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Resources
http//walkerboystudio.com/html/unity_training___f
ree__.html
http//www.3dbuzz.com/
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Recommended Reading

• Unity 4.x Game AI Programming
• By Aung Sithu Kyaw Thet Naing Swe Clifford
  Peters
• Publisher Packt Publishing
• Pub. Date July 23, 2013
• Print ISBN-13 978-1-84969-340-0
• Getting Started with Unity
• By Patrick Felicia
• Publisher Packt Publishing
• Pub. Date August 26, 2013
• Print ISBN-13 978-1-84969-584-8

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Recommended Reading

• Beginning 3D Game Development with Unity 4
  All-in-One, Multi-
• Platform Game Development, Second Edition
• By Sue Blackman
• Publisher Apress
• Pub. Date August 28, 2013
• Print ISBN-10 1-4302-4899-8
• Print ISBN-13 978-1-4302-4899-6
• Unity Game Development Essentials
• Author W Goldstone
• Publisher PACKT PUBLISHING (13 Oct 2009)
• ISBN-10 184719818X/ISBN-13 978-1847198181

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Recommended Reading

• Game Development with Unity
• Michelle Menard
• Paperback 480 pages
• Publisher Delmar Cengage Learning(18 Feb 2011)
• ISBN-10 1435456580
• ISBN-13 978-1435456587
• Unity 3 Game Development Hotshot
• Jate Wittayabundit
• Paperback 380 pages
• Publisher PACKT PUBLISHING (26 Aug 2011)
• Language English
• ISBN-10 1849691126
• ISBN-13 978-1849691123

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Recommended Reading

• Game Level Design
• Author Ed Byrne
• Publisher Charles River Media (Dec 2004)
• ISBN-10 1584503696, ISBN-13 978-1584503699
• Level Design for Games Creating Compelling Game
  Experiences
• Author Phil Co
• Publisher New Riders (Feb 2006)
• ISBN-10 032137597, ISBN-13 978-0321375971

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Recommended Reading

• Beginning Game Level Design
• Author John Feil
• Publisher Course Technology (18 Feb 2005)
• ISBN-10 1592004342, ISBN-13 978-1592004348
• Introduction to Game Development
• Editor Steve Rabin
• Publisher Charles River Media
• ISBN-10 1584503777, ISBN-13 978-1584503774

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Recommended Reading

• 3D Game Environments Create Professional 3D Game
  Worlds
• Luke Ahearn (Author)
• Paperback 400 pages
• Publisher Focal Press Pap/Dvdr edition (May 19,
  2008)
• Language English
• ISBN-10 0240808959
• ISBN-13 978-0240808956

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Recommended sites

• Game Developer Magazine http//www.developmag.com
  /
• Ernest Adamshttp//www.designersnotebook.com/
• Game design magazineshttp//www.gdmag.com/homepag
  e.htm
• Dare to be Digital Team Blogs
• http//www.daretobedigital.com/
• 3D Buzz
• http//www.3dbuzz.com
• Walker Unity tutorials
• http//walkerboystudio.com/html/unity_traini
  ng___free__.html

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Questions?

• Any questions?

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Interactive Multimedia Games Development COM631

• Module Overview