CITS4242: Game Design and Multimedia

Overview

This unit draws techniques from several different areas to provide basic understanding of game design and game programming. These include graphics, physics modeling, agent technologies and Artificial Intelligence. The core of the unit explores three dimensional modeling, animation, and rendering of computer graphics. It also introduces Newtonian physics-based modeling of interactions between characters, items (e.g. weapons, vehicles), and the virtual environment. Techniques from Agent-Oriented Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence are introduced to assist advanced user interaction and decision making during game play.

Students will gain theoretical knowledge as well as practical skills required during the process of computer game development. Ongoing lab exercises and one practical project will ensure the application of the theoretical knowledge in the actual design and implementation of the key components of a computer game.

Prerequisite: CITS2231 Introduction to Graphics

Teaching Staff:

Dr. Rowan Davies (Rm 2.16) - Lectures, Labs, Unit Coordination.
rowan@csse.uwa.edu.au

Unit Weekly Activities

Students are required to attend two one-hour lecture every week (starting Week 1), and one three-hour lab every week (starting Week 2). Only two hours of each lab are supervised.

Activity

Time

Day

Venue

Lecture

3:00-3:45pm

Tuesday

CSSE: SR124

Lecture

1:00-1:45am

Thursday

CSSE: SR124

Laboratory

2:00-5:00pm

Monday

CSSE:2.03

Assessment

Component

Percentage

Period

Portfolio draft

10%

Due Week 9
Rough prototype

5%

Due Week 9
Final Portfolio

25%

Due Week 13
Final Game

20%

Due Week 13
Exam

40%

In November Examination Period

Recommended Reading:

"Programming Game AI by Example", by Mat Buckland
ISBN 1-55622-078-2
URL: http://www.wordware.com/files/ai/

"Interactive Computer Graphics : A Top-Down Approach Using OpenGL" by Edward Angel, Fifth Edition, 2009, Addison-Wesley. ISBN : 9780321549433. Chapters 7-11 (or 7-10 in the fourth edition).