CIS 3000: Introduction to Computer Game Design

Lectures

Lecture Title Day
Lecture 1 The Nature of Games 01/19/09
Lecture 2 Developing Ideas
Bonus (Related Reading):
  Players Who Suit MUDs
01/21/09
Lecture 3 Challenges & Genres 01/26/09
Lecture 4 Documentation & Development
Bonus (Related Reading; also in CMS):
  Sample Design Documents
01/28/09
Lecture 5 Parts of the Game 02/02/09
Lecture 6 Rules & Mechanics 02/04/09
Lecture 7 Prototyping
Bonus (Class Demos):
  java -cp potential.jar potential.Main
  java -cp prototype.jar playingfields.Main
02/09/09
Lecture 8 Data-Driven Design
Bonus (Class Demos):
  Sample Level Editor
  Tile-Based Game Techniques
  Blades of Avernum API
02/16/09
Lecture 9 2D Graphics I 02/18/09
Lecture 10 2D Graphics II
Bonus (Class Demos):
  Parallax Scrolling
02/23/09
Lecture 11 Strategic AI 02/25/09
Lecture 12 Character AI I 03/02/09
Lecture 13 Character AI II
Bonus (Related Reading):
  Hierarchical Logic in Game AI
  Handling Complexity in the Halo 2 AI
03/04/09
Lecture 14 Game Physics I 03/09/09
Lecture 15 Game Physics II 03/11/09
Lecture 16 Tutorial Design and Player Difficulty
No Lecture Notes
Bonus (Related Reading):
  No Twinkie For You
  Ten Tips For Managing Difficulty
  Difficulty Levels
03/23/09
Lecture 17 User Testing
Guest Lecture: Dan Cosley
Bonus (Related Reading):
  Testing Design with Users
  Cognitive Walkthrough
03/25/09
Lecture 18 Game Balance 03/30/09
Lecture 19 Story and Setting 04/08/09
Lecture 20 Dialog & Story II
Bonus (Related Reading):
  Where Stories End and Games Begin
  Why Writing in Games Matters: Part I
  Why Writing in Games Matters: Part II
  Why Writing in Games Matters: Part III
04/10/09
Lecture 21 The Industry 04/13/09
Lecture 22 Networking I 04/22/09
Lecture 23 Networking II 04/24/09