CS4455 CS4455: Video Game Design and Architecture Maribeth Gandy Blair MacIntyre

CS 4455 Topics Video Game Design Themes: –Thing about elements of games Formal elements, dramatic elements, balance, rules –Design a fun experience Brainstorming, prototyping, play testing –Game technology 3D graphics, audio, physics, AI, game engines etc.

CS 4455 Texts (optional) Game Design Workshop, Second Edition: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games (Paperback), Tracy Fullerton, Christopher Swain, Steven Hoffman (1 st Edition: : Game Design Workshop: Designing, Prototyping, and Playtesting Games) The Art of Game Design: A book of lenses (Paperback), Jesse Schell

Unity3D Unity3d.com LEARN IT, NOW! Leverage forums, IRC, tutorials, examples, wikis, etc. DGML or buy –Asset server is very valuable Fall 2006 CS 4455

Introductions Instructor –Blair MacIntyre Augmented and Mixed Reality (“interactive 3D in the world”), AR/MR Games –Associate Professor, Coc/IC; Adjunt Professor, LCC –Design of MR/AR experiences (3D in the world) –Background in math, CS, 3D graphics –PhD research in distributed interactive 3D software design

CS 4455 Introductions Instructor –Maribeth Gandy –Research Scientist, Interactive Media Technology Center Augmented and Mixed Reality, Wearable Computing –Background in CS, HCI, graphics, audio –Tools for AR design, –Applying HCI techniques to AR –Creating compelling AR experiences for entertainment and informal education

CS 4455 Introductions TA –Chris Ernst

CS 4455 Useful Background Knowledge CS Classes –Computer Graphics –Artificial Intelligence –Networking –Human-Computer Interaction –Software Engineering Visual Arts –3D Modeling Music and Sound Design

CS 4455 What you will do Think about games Think about what makes a good game Design Learn what it means to prototype core game elements, and do it Create a game {Test, refine, repeat}

CS 4455 Class Structure and Grading

CS 4455 Group Project Design and build a game –Unity3D appropriate for all types of games! Everyone must make a significant technical contribution –EVERYONE WRITES CODE

CS 4455 Group Project Build a team –Teams of 3 Build a game Must include range of technology –3D game –Non-completely-trivial AI –Network (2 player) –Physics –Audio

CS 4455 Resources Know what’s going on! –Grades on Tsquare –Annoucements, syllabus and schedule on blog –Please check often DML/Mac Lab –Lots of software (Unity3D, Maya, Creative Suite) Free models –Don’t spend a lot of time modeling! Audio Libraries

Annoying Warnings You are responsible for anything we talk about in class. If you miss class, talk to classmates. No open laptops in class, unless we ask you to take them out –If you like to take notes on your laptop, fine. But, we will ask you to submit them after each class. CS 4455

Cross-Institute Collaboration Berklee College of Music –Have Berklee students in your group, creating custom music and sound –More later SCAD –Opportunity for a small number of you to join class at SCAD CS 4455