CIS 300: Introduction to Computer Game Design

CIS 300 Course Schedule

[Jan] [Feb] [Mar] [Apr] [May] [Deadlines]

Note: The schedule is subject to change.


January

Week's Objective Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Form Groups 21

Lecture 1: Nature of Games

 

22

Exercise: Constrained Game

 

21

Lecture 2: Players, Designers,
Ideas

 

24

Lab 1

 

25

Case Studies: Small Games

 

Generate Ideas 28

Lecture 3: Challenges & Genres

 

29

Case Studies: The Wii

 

30

Lecture 4: Design & Dev.

 

31

Lab 2

 

 


February

Week's Objective Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Generate Ideas         1

Comm Lab: Game Ideas

 

Proposal & Charter 4

Lecture 5:
Dev. & Doc.

 

5

Case Studies: Flash Games

 

6

Lecture 6: Parts of a Game

 

7

Lab 3

 

8

Comm Lab: Concept Document

 

Concept Doc 11

Lecture 7: Mechanics and Balance

 

12

Case Studies: Game Engines

 

13

Lecture 8: Prototyping

 

14

Lab 4

 

15

Comm Lab: Milestone Document

 

Milestone & Func. Spec
(GDC)
18

Guest Lecture: Graeme Bailey

 

19

Case Studies: TBA

 

20

Discussion: Game Balance

 

21

Prototype Work Day

 

22

Comm Lab: Milestone Followup

 

Gameplay Prototype 25

Lecture 9: Setting and Story

 

26

Case Studies: Storytelling

 

27

Lecture 10: User Interface Design

 

28

Gameplay Prototype

 

29

Comm Lab: Game Wiki

 



March

Week's Objective Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Game Wiki 3

Lecture 11: Sprite Graphics I

 

4

Case Studies: Usability

 

5

Lecture 12: Sprite Graphics II

 

6

Prototype Work Day

 

7

Comm Lab: Wiki Followup

 

Technical Prototype 10

Lecture 13: Game AI I

 

11

Case Studies: Super Smash Brothers!

 

12

Lecture 14: Game AI I

 

13

Technical Prototype

 

14

Comm Lab: Web Site

 

Spring Break 17

 

18

 

19

 

20

 

21

 

Web Site 24

Guest Lecture: Ben Kalb, ActiveXL

 

25

Case Studies: Workshop

 

26

Lecture 15: Physics Engines

 

27

Work Day

 

28

Comm Lab: Presentations

 

Alpha
(Code Complete)
31

Lecture 16: 3D Graphics Overview

 

       


April

Week's Objective Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Alpha
(Code Complete)
  1

Case Studies: Workshop

2

Alpha Demo

3

Alpha Demo

 

4

Comm Lab: Game Manual

 

Game Manual 7

Lecture 17: Data-Driven Design I

 

8

Case Studies: Workshop

 

9

Lecture 18: Data-Driven Design II

 

10

Work Day

 

11

Comm Lab: Presentations

 

Beta
(Feature Complete)
14

Lecture 19: The Industry

 

15

Case Studies: Workshop

 

16

Beta Demo

 

17

Beta Demo

 

18

Comm Lab: Presentations

 

Final Portfolio 21

Lecture 20: Networking I

 

22

Work Day

 

23

Lecture 21: Networking II

 

24

Work Day

 

25

Comm Lab: Wrap-Up

 

Release 28

Work Day

 

29

Release Demo

 

30

Release Demo

 

   


May

Week's Objective Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Release       1

Release Demo

 

2

Release Demo

 

Showcase 5

 

6

 

7

GDIAC Showcase

 

8

 

9

 



Project Schedule

Week Task Deadline
Week 1 Form Groups 01/25/08
Week 2 Initial Concepts 02/02/08
Week 3 Final Proposal
Project Starts
02/09/08
Week 4 Concept Document 02/16/08
Week 5 Milestone Document and Functional Specification 02/23/08
Week 6 Gameplay Prototype 02/28/08
Week 7 Game Script/Wiki 03/08/08
Week 8 Technical Prototype 03/13/08
Spring Break
Week 9 Initial Website 03/29/08
Week 10 Alpha (Code Complete) 04/02/08
Week 11 Game Manual 04/12/08
Week 12 Beta (Feature Complete) 04/16/08
Week 13 Final Portfolio 04/26/08
Week 14 Release (Balanced and Tested) 04/29/08
Week 15 GDIAC Showcase 05/07/08