CIS 3000: Introduction to Computer Game Design

Frequently Asked Questions
and Frequently Answered Answers

Who can take the course, and what are the prerequisites? CIS300 takes many different kinds of students. But, each "track" (art, music, programming) has prerequisites:

Programmers
CS 211. While the programming in this course is in C#, and not Java, these languages are similar enough that you should be able to get up to speed quickly. See the course resources or the programming TAs if you need more help.
Artists
Drawing skill at the level of ART 251, and experience with Photoshop and/or Illustrator.
Musicians
MUSIC 120, COMS 100, and familiarity with digital music creation software.

How is the course graded?

In terms of percentages, your grade is determined as follows:

  • 60% - Final game project
  • 15% - Intermediate milestones (e.g. concept document, prototypes)
  • 5% - Showcase and final presentation
  • 15% - Game labs 1-4
  • 5% - Communication labs
However, that is not particularly helpful unless you understand how each of these are graded.
  • The game labs are all assigned letter grades according to how well you did on the lab as an individual.
  • The final presentation is assigned a letter grade, with the same grade being given to all of the members of the group.
  • For the final game project, we will assign you an individual letter grade determined by both the quality of your grade and your peer reviews. Each member of your group will submit a peer review documenting the quality of your contribution to the team.
  • All other items such as intermediate milestones and the communication labs will be graded on a pass-fail basis. You will pass these assignments so long as you are not slacking off and are making acceptable progress towards a final goal (e.g. making revisions as requested).

The idea behind this grading scheme is that, with such an open-ended project, things do not always work out as planned. You should get used to things falling apart, forcing you to start over. The grading system is designed to encourage you to keep working constantly without penalizing you for "going back to the drawing board".

When and where does the class meet?

For Spring 2009, lectures and labs now meet at separate times. Lectures are MWF 10:10-11:00, in Olin 165. Labs, on the other hand, are assigned by section; they are TuTh 12:20-1:10 or 1:25-2:15 in CL3, unless otherwise noted.

How do project teams work?

Students usually work in teams of about 4-6 people. The course staff picks the teams by matching people according to the interests they indicate. The staff also tries to accommodate "pre-made" teams, but we cannot guarantee that you'll always be able to work with a particular person. Artists, in particular, are a precious commodity and often need to be reassigned to balance out teams.

Does this course fulfill technical writing credit?

CIS3000 does fulfill Engineering's technical writing credit. However, you must submit the appropriate forms in order to get credit. This will be discussed during the Communication Labs.

What does CIS 3000 count for?

For the most part, it is simply an elective to help you get into games. It does not count as a 4000-level project/practicum course. For that you would have to take the continuation CIS 4002, or a CS 4999. Furthermore, it is the primary course in the game-design minor.

Can I be a TA?

We employ undergraduates TA as staff to help us deal with the course. Because of budget pressures, we are trying to reduce the number of TAs that we use (previous semesters used upwards of 10). Currently we are looking at 2-3 programming TAs, 1 or 2 art TAs, and a music TA. As our TAs graduate, we need to fill these spots. In order to qualify for a TA position, you must have taken CIS3000 and CIS4002. Check back with the course staff at the end of the semester for TAship opportunities.

For other questions, please check out the labs, homeworks, and past projects on this site and the GDIAC site, or contact the course staff.