This is the syllabus for the Fall 2008 offering of TC455.
Overview
TC455 continues the exploration of the exciting field of computer game design and development beyond what was covered in TC445. The course blends high-level concepts with hands-on instruction and activities. The course focuses on advanced design, architecture, and creation concepts related to the development of real-time interaction 3D game, simulations, and immersive virtual environments.
Course objectives include:
- Analyze and deconstruct game environments and interactions.
- Become proficient with process of designing and constructing highly interactive digital games and simulations.
- Work as a team to implement a functional, original complete 3D game or simulation system.
- Hone your communication, collaboration, and leadership skills.
Prerequisites:
- Open to juniors or seniors or graduate students in the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media or in the Design Specialization or in the Game Design and Development Specialization.
- TC445 and completion of Tier I writing requirement
- TC247 recommended
Philosophy
This course may be different from those you have taken in the past. You may view my teaching philosophy for more details.
Contact Information and Office Hours:
Brian Winn
Email: winnb@msu.edu
Office: 420 Comm Arts Bldg.
GEL Lab: 253 Comm Arts Bldg.
Phone: 353-5497
Usually the best way to reach me is through email. I prefer that all questions relating to class materials be ask either on the class web site, in person, or through email.
Office hours will be held during the following times:
Brian Winn in room 420
Tuesday 1:30pm-3:30pm
or by appointment
Charles Roman in room 246 (in lab)
Sunday 3:00pm-6:30pm
or by appointment
Computer Lab Hours
We are using special game creation software in this course that has limited availability on campus. To our knowledge, CAS 246 is the only lab on campus that has all the necessary software for completing the course projects.
Last we checked, the lab was available (no classes scheduled) during the following times:
Sunday |
12pm to 10pm |
Monday |
6:30pm to 10pm |
Tuesday |
after 6pm |
Thursday |
after 6pm |
Friday |
8am to 5pm |
Saturday |
12pm to 10pm |
Check the for open hours to see when no classes are in the lab.
Please note the Acceptable Use of MSU equipment and services.
Course Web Site
The primary method of out of class communication is the course website. The instructor will use it to post reminders, announcements, and other information. It is your responsibility to check the regularly (daily if possible) for lecture and lab announcements.
Reading and Reference Materials
The following books will be used throughout the course for required reading assignments:
Game Design and Development: Fundamentals of Game Design
by Ernest Adams and Andrew Rollings
ISBN 0-13-168747-6
Publisher: Pearson
Additional reading and reference materials will be distributed in class or available on the web.
Other Course Materials
In addition to your student AFS storage space, it is highly suggested that you have an additional method of storing your course work. Availabe storage methods in the lab include:
- iPod or Portable Hard Drive (USB or Firewire)
- USB Flash Drive
- CD-RW (650 MB)
- DVD-RW Media (5GB)
- Server space of your own
The storage media is available from several computer and office stores around town. You can also purchase them from online store, such as Amazon.com.
Attendance
Class Times:
Monday 6:00-7:50pm in room 175
Monday 8:00-9:50pm in room 246
Attendance is required on all class days. There are no makeups. If you must miss a class, check the Web pages for what you have missed and ask a friend in the class. The class includes lecture, discussion, demonstrations, and work sessions.
If you already know the material that is being covered, please participate in the teaching process, rather than leaving or sitting there feeling bored. Let us know of your expertise as we go along and we will include you as an expert.
Religious Observance: If you wish to be absent from class to observe a religious holiday, make arrangements in advance with the instructor.
Missing Class to Participate in a Required Activity: To be excused from this class to participate in a required activity for another course or a university-sanctioned event, you must provide the instructor with adequate advanced notice and a written authorization from the faculty member of the other course or from a university administrator.
Assignments
Grading: All assignments will be graded on a 4.0 scale. While each assignment may receive fractional grades (ex: 3.78), the final class grade will be rounded to the nearest 0.5 increment (ex: 3.0, 3.5, 4.0).
For each assignment, we will layout the guidelines of what we will be grading on. In general, we will be looking for well thought out work with attention to detail, as is expected of graduate students. The grading standards are based on an industry-quality measure.
We will provide a base-level of feedback on our grading. Additional feedback will be available by request.
Policy on Late Work: Assignments must be turned in sometime during the day they are due. We may begin grading them as early as 8am the next morning. Assignments that are one day to one week late will be marked down one full point (i.e., if it was a 4.0, it is a 3.0, etc). Assignments that are more than one week late will be marked down an additional full grade point. If the assignment is not turned in by the end of finals week, you will receive a 0.0 on that assignment.
You must make every effort to submit your assignments on time. However, we recognize that technology problems can get in the way of submitting a project on time. And we recognize that multimedia design always takes longer than one expects.
With this said, there are at least three good reasons that you should turn assignments in on time:
- There is a lot of work in the course, if you procrastinate on assignments, you will not be able to catch up.
- The assignments are not just busy work. By doing the assignments, you will be gaining valuable knowledge and skills. Further, each assignment builds upon the knowledge and skills of the previous one.
- We will have time to provide feedback to you on how to improve your work, which you can apply to your future assignments.
The one exception to this rule is in class presentations. You must be ready to present on the date you are assigned to present. The presentation will be rescheduled only in extreme circumstances.
Academic Honesty
Academic Honesty: Article 2.3.3 of the Academic Freedom Report states that "the student shares with the faculty the responsibility for maintaining the integrity of scholarship, grades, and professional standards." In addition, the Department of Telecommunicatoin adheres to the policies on academic honesty as specified in General Student Regulations 1.0, Protection of Scholarship and Grades, and in the all-University Policy on Integrity of Scholarship and Grades, which are included in Spartan Life; Student Handbook and Resource Guide.
Plagiarize: Copying material and claiming it as your own is considered plagiarism. Make sure you cite all of your sources and give credit where credit is due.Students who plagiarize may receive a 0.0 on the assignment or fail the course.
Copyright: Most material developed by others is protected by the Copyright Act. There are guidelines available for "fair use" of copyrighted material for education. Make sure you adhere to these fairly restrictive guidelines. And once again, give credit where credit is due.
If you plan to use your project outside of the class setting, make sure you receive permission from the copyright holder for all copyrighted material.
Submitting Work from Other Classes: The Digital Media Art and Technology courses in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences are creative courses. It is not acceptable to turn in the same creative assignment to more than one course. (If you wish to do a larger project that counts for two different courses, please ask permission of the instructors.) It is not acceptable to turn in the same creative assignment in two different semesters. DMAT faculty talk to each other often, and outstanding projects are shown at the annual DMAT Student Showcase. If we discover the same assignment being turned in to more than one course without prior instructor approval, the project grade will revert to 0.0.
Classroom Courtesy
The classroom is a community, and, as such, the instructor requires that the students must follow several basic guidelines:
Cell Phones: The instructor has a strict no cell phone policy (this includes pager’s and PDA phones) during class time. If you have a cell phone, be absolutely sure that it is turned off during class. If any student engages in a phone discussion during class, they will be immediately asked to leave.
Late Arrival: The instructor understands that there are often unpredictable events that prevent students from arriving to class on time. If this is the case, please be respectful of others, and enter the class as quietly as possible.
Departing Early: It is extremely rude and oftentimes disruptive to both fellow classmates and the instructor when students leave early without a genuine reason. If you know in advance that you are going to be forced to leave the class early, be absolutely sure that you take a seat as close to the exit as possible so that when you do leave, your departure will cause a minimum of disruption. You should also notify the instructor at the beginning of class of your early departure.
In Class Talking: It is extremely important that all students respect their peers (as well as the instructor) and refrain from any unnecessary disruptive talking during class. The instructor encourages an open environment in which everyone has a right to express their own opinions and ideas. However, everyone should be able to do so without having to talk over any of their peers in order to be heard.
Portable Music Devices: Under no circumstances are students allowed to use portable music devices (MP3 players, CD Players, etc.) during class. You come to class to learn. If students are observed using portable music devices when the class starts, they will be asked to put the device away. If they persist on using the device, they will be asked to leave the class.
Portable Video Game Systems: Under no circumstances are students allowed to use portable video game systems (GameBoy, etc.) during class. If students are observed using a portable video game system when the lecture starts, they will be asked to put the device away. If they persist on using the device, they will be asked to leave the class.
Accommodations for Disabilities
Students with disabilities should contact the Resource Center for People with Disabilities to develop reasonable accommodations. For an appointment with a counselor, call 353-9642 (voice) or 355-1293 (TTY).
Game Theory, Play, and Analysis
Assignment |
Top Score |
Assigned |
Due Date |
Weekly Knowledge Challenges |
10% |
Monday, January 7 |
Monday at 10pm most weeks throughout the semester |
Game Play and Critique |
10% |
Monday, January 7 |
Monday at 10pm most weeks throughout the semester |
Participation in research studies (extra credit) |
+1% |
|
TBA |
Game Design and Production
Assignment |
Top Score |
Assigned |
Due Date |
Interactive Storytelling Game |
5% |
Monday, August 25 |
Friday, September 12 |
Game 1 High Concept and Pitch |
2.5% |
Monday, September 15 |
Monday, September 22 |
Game 1 Hand-In |
15% |
Monday, September 15 |
Monday, October 13 |
Game 1 Demo |
2.5% |
Monday, September 15 |
Monday, October 13 |
Game 1 Teammate Review |
5% |
Monday, October 13 |
Wednesday, October 15 |
Game 2 High Concept and Pitch |
2.5% |
Monday, October 13 |
Monday, October 13 |
Game 2 Hand-In |
15% |
Monday, October 13 |
Monday, November 10 |
Game 2 Demo |
2.5% |
Monday, October 13 |
Monday, November 10 |
Game 2 Teammate Review |
5% |
Monday, November 10 |
Wednesday, November 12 |
Game 3 High Concept and Pitch |
2.5% |
Monday, November 10 |
Monday, November 17 |
Game 3 Hand-In |
15% |
Monday, November 10 |
Monday, December 8 |
Game 3 Demo |
2.5% |
Monday, November 10 |
Monday, December 8 |
Game 3 Teammate Review |
5% |
Monday, December 8 |
Wednesday, December 10 |
Participation in game jam (extra credit) |
+1% |
|
TBA |
TC455 Weekly Calendar of Events
Topic |
Assigned: |
To Due: |
Week 1 (Monday, August 25 thru Friday, August 29) |
|
Classroom:
- Who is Who?
- About the Course
- Overview of the Assignments
- Interactive Storytelling - Part 1
Lab:
- Overview of the Lab Environment
- Intro to Inform
|
Assigned:
- Interactive Storytelling Assignment
|
|
Week 2 (Monday, September 1 thru Friday, September 5) |
|
Classroom and Lab:
- No class meeting this week as it is Labor Day on Monday which is an official university holiday.
|
Assigned:
- Weekly Knowledge Challenge (due following Monday)
|
Read:
- GD: Chapter 19 Adventure Games
|
Week 3 (Monday, September 8 thru Friday, September 12) |
|
Classroom:
- Interactive Storytelling - Part 2
- Case Study: Uncharted
Lab:
|
Assigned:
- Weekly Knowledge Challenge (due following Monday)
|
Read:
- GD: Chapter 14 Strategy Games
Due:
- Interactive Storytelling Assignment (Friday)
|
Week 4 (Monday, September 15 thru Friday, September 19) |
|
Classroom:
- Fundamentals of Teamwork
- Team formation
Lab:
- Project brainstorming and high concept development
|
Assigned:
- Game Project 1
- Weekly Knowledge Challenge (due following Monday)
|
Read:
- GD: Chapter 18 Construction and Management Simulations
|
Week 5 (Monday, September 22 thru Friday, September 26) |
|
Classroom:
- Game Pitches
- 3D Game Concept Roundup
Lab:
|
Assigned:
- Weekly Knowledge Challenge (due following Monday)
|
Read:
- GD: Chapter 16 Sports Games
Due:
- Game Project 1 High Concept Pitch
|
Week 6 (Monday, September 29 thru Friday, October 3) |
|
Classroom:
- Level Design and Innovation
- Case Study: Portal
Lab:
|
Assigned:
- Weekly Knowledge Challenge (due following Monday)
|
Read:
- GD: Chapter 13 Action Games
|
Week 7 (Monday, October 6 thru Friday, October 10) |
|
Classroom:
Lab:
|
Assigned:
- Weekly Knowledge Challenge (due following Monday)
|
Read:
- GD: Chapter 15 Role-Playing Games
|
Week 8 (Monday, October 13 thru Friday, October 17) |
|
Classroom:
- Project Demos & Playtesting
- Team formation
Lab:
- Project brainstorming and high concept development
|
Assigned:
|
Due:
- Game Project 1 hand-in
- Game Project 1 demo
- Game Project 1 Vote (by 5pm on Wednesday)
- Game Project 1 team reviews (by 5pm on Wednesday)
|
Week 9 (Monday, October 20 thru Friday, October 24) |
|
Classroom:
- Project 1 Feedback
- Game Pitches
Lab:
|
Assigned:
- Weekly Knowledge Challenge (due following Monday)
|
Read:
- GD: Chapter 17 Vehicle Simulations
Due:
- Game Project 2 High Concept Pitch
|
Week 10 (Monday, October 27 thru Friday, October 31) |
|
Classroom:
- Gameplay Innovation
- Part 1
- Case Study: TBD
Lab:
|
Assigned:
- Weekly Knowledge Challenge (due following Monday)
|
Read:
- GD: Chapter 20 Artificial Life and Puzzle Games
|
Week 11 (Monday, November 3 thru Friday, November 7) |
|
Classroom:
- Gameplay Innovation
- Part 2
- Case Study: TBD
Lab:
|
|
|
Week 12 (Monday, November 10 thru Friday, November 14) |
|
Classroom:
- Project Demos & Playtesting
- Team formation
Lab:
- Project brainstorming and high concept development
|
Assigned:
|
Due:
- Game Project 2 hand-in
- Game Project 2 demo
- Game Project 2 vote (by 5pm on Wednesday)
- Game Project 2 team reviews (by 5pm on Wednesday)
|
Week 13 (Monday, November 17 thru Friday, November 21) |
|
Classroom:
- Project 2 Feedback
- Game Pitches
Lab:
|
|
Due:
- Game Project 3 High Concept Pitch
|
Week 14 (Monday, November 24 thru Friday, November 28) |
|
Classroom:
- Future Directions
- Getting a Job
Lab:
|
|
|
Week 15 (Monday, December 1 thru Friday, December 5) |
|
Classroom:
- TC498 Preview
- Course Evaluation
Lab:
|
|
|
Finals Week (Monday, December 8 thru Friday, December 12) |
|
Wednesday, Dec. 10th:
7pm: Have projects loaded on 5 computers
7pm-8pm: Playtest, Mix-and-Mingle, Eat (pizza provided)
8pm-9:30pm: Game Demo & Debriefing |
|
Due:
- Game Project 3 hand-in
- Game Project 3 demo
- Game Project 3 vote (by 5pm on Thursday)
- Game Project 3 team reviews (by 5pm on Thursday)
|
|