A First Course in Video A First Course in Video Game DesignGame Design

Dr. Michael KatchabawDr. Michael KatchabawDepartment of Computer Department of Computer ScienceScienceThe University of Western The University of Western OntarioOntarioLondon, Ontario, CanadaLondon, Ontario, Canada

OutlineOutline

1)1) Computer Science at WesternComputer Science at Western

2)2) Introducing a Course on Video Introducing a Course on Video GamesGames

3)3) A Course on Video Game DesignA Course on Video Game Design

4)4) ExperiencesExperiences

5)5) Future DirectionsFuture Directions

Computer Science Computer Science at Westernat Western

The University of Western The University of Western Ontario, located in London, Ontario, located in London, Ontario, is home to 23,000 Ontario, is home to 23,000 students and nearly 1,200 students and nearly 1,200 faculty members.faculty members.

Computer Science at Computer Science at Western, housed in Western, housed in Middlesex College (shown Middlesex College (shown at right), has 400 at right), has 400 undergraduates, 140 undergraduates, 140 graduate students, and 25 graduate students, and 25 research faculty members.research faculty members.

Computer ScienceComputer Scienceat Westernat Western Western offers several Western offers several

undergraduate and graduate undergraduate and graduate programs, and a wide variety of programs, and a wide variety of courses:courses: Computer graphics.Computer graphics. Artificial intelligence.Artificial intelligence. Software engineering.Software engineering. Systems and networking.Systems and networking. Theory of computation.Theory of computation. Algorithms and data structures.Algorithms and data structures. And many, many more.And many, many more.

Computer ScienceComputer Scienceat Westernat Western Like most universities and colleges, Like most universities and colleges,

Western did not offer any courses that Western did not offer any courses that directly dealt with video games.directly dealt with video games.

It offered all of the background It offered all of the background courses and core components of courses and core components of game technology, but nothing that game technology, but nothing that tied it all together and put it in tied it all together and put it in context.context.

A new course was clearly needed …A new course was clearly needed …

Introducing a Course Introducing a Course on Video Gameson Video Games The first thought was introduce the The first thought was introduce the

course at the senior undergraduate course at the senior undergraduate level.level. All such courses would first go before All such courses would first go before

our departmental curriculum our departmental curriculum committee, and then on to other committee, and then on to other committees at the faculty and committees at the faculty and university levels.university levels.Departmental

CurriculumCommittee

FacultyCurriculumCommittee

UniversityCurriculumCommittee

Introducing a Course Introducing a Course on Video Gameson Video Games It was not thought that the chances It was not thought that the chances

for success would be high this way.for success would be high this way. Would the very idea of a course on video Would the very idea of a course on video

games be acceptable?games be acceptable? When this kind of course is rare, and has When this kind of course is rare, and has

never been done at Western before, how never been done at Western before, how do we know it will succeed?do we know it will succeed?

Would we have the instructional Would we have the instructional resources within our department to resources within our department to support the addition of such a course?support the addition of such a course?

Introducing a Course Introducing a Course on Video Gameson Video Games As a result, it was decided to introduce As a result, it was decided to introduce

a gaming course at the graduate level.a gaming course at the graduate level. There is much more freedom in selecting There is much more freedom in selecting

topics … it is essentially up to the topics … it is essentially up to the Professor, with approval of the Graduate Professor, with approval of the Graduate Chair.Chair.

There is also more flexibility if things do There is also more flexibility if things do not quite go as well as planned.not quite go as well as planned.

With this, the course was formed.With this, the course was formed. Now, the trick was to decide what aspect Now, the trick was to decide what aspect

of video game development to cover in it of video game development to cover in it ……

A Course on Video A Course on Video Game DesignGame Design To decide the perspective for the To decide the perspective for the

course, our current curriculum was course, our current curriculum was consulted. consulted. We had courses covering the main We had courses covering the main

technical aspects of gaming (graphics, technical aspects of gaming (graphics, animation, artificial intelligence, animation, artificial intelligence, networking, and so on).networking, and so on).

We had courses covering many of the We had courses covering many of the facets of software development.facets of software development.

We needed something to bring it all We needed something to bring it all together just for game development.together just for game development. A course on video game design!A course on video game design!

A Course on Video A Course on Video Game DesignGame Design

GameDesign

Software Design

Technical Design(Graphics, Artificial Intelligence, Animation, Physics, Networking, …)

A Course on VideoA Course on VideoGame Design: TopicsGame Design: Topics Games in generalGames in general The evolution of The evolution of

video gamesvideo games Game genresGame genres The early game The early game

development processdevelopment process Layers of designLayers of design Principles of game Principles of game

design (generic and design (generic and genre-specific)genre-specific)

StorytellingStorytelling

Level designLevel design Puzzle/obstacle designPuzzle/obstacle design Trade offs and warning Trade offs and warning

signs in game designsigns in game design Preproduction and Preproduction and

productionproduction Software lifecycle Software lifecycle

models for game models for game developmentdevelopment

Technical issuesTechnical issues Ethical issuesEthical issues The future of gamingThe future of gaming

A Course on Video A Course on Video Game Design: TextsGame Design: Texts

A Course on Video A Course on Video Game Design: TextsGame Design: TextsMain course text:Main course text: B. Bates. B. Bates. Game Design: The Art and Game Design: The Art and

Business of Creating GamesBusiness of Creating Games. Prima Tech, . Prima Tech, 2001. 2001.

Technical references:Technical references: K. Hawkins and D. Astle. K. Hawkins and D. Astle. OpenGL Game OpenGL Game

ProgrammingProgramming. Prima Tech, 2001. . Prima Tech, 2001. M. Collins, et al. M. Collins, et al. Linux Game Linux Game

ProgrammingProgramming. Prima Tech, 2001. . Prima Tech, 2001. W. Engel and A. Geva. W. Engel and A. Geva. Beginning Direct3D Beginning Direct3D

Game ProgrammingGame Programming. Prima Tech, 2001. . Prima Tech, 2001. T. Petchel. T. Petchel. Java 2 Game ProgrammingJava 2 Game Programming. .

Premier Press, 2001. Premier Press, 2001.

A Course on VideoA Course on VideoGame Design: Game Design: EvaluationEvaluation Marks for students were made up of Marks for students were made up of

three main components.three main components. Participation:Participation:

To encourage attendance and discussion.To encourage attendance and discussion. Assignments:Assignments:

Two medium-length research papers:Two medium-length research papers: An in-depth review of a game of their choice.An in-depth review of a game of their choice. A discussion of whatever they consider to be A discussion of whatever they consider to be

the most significant in the history of gaming.the most significant in the history of gaming.

A Course on VideoA Course on VideoGame Design: Game Design: EvaluationEvaluation A group development project:A group development project:

Each group had to develop a reasonably Each group had to develop a reasonably large-sized game on their own.large-sized game on their own.

The game genre, target platform, The game genre, target platform, development environment, and so on development environment, and so on were up to each group to decide.were up to each group to decide.

Deliverables included a proposal, game Deliverables included a proposal, game design document, technical design design document, technical design document, testing document, and the document, testing document, and the actual game itself (in source and binary actual game itself (in source and binary format).format).

A Course on Video A Course on Video Game Design: WebsiteGame Design: Website

Course website: http://www.csd.uwo.ca/courses/CS641b

ExperiencesExperiences

Planning for the course on video game Planning for the course on video game design began in the summer of 2002.design began in the summer of 2002.

This course began in January 2003, This course began in January 2003, and is scheduled to be completed at and is scheduled to be completed at the end of this April.the end of this April.

In setting up and teaching this course, In setting up and teaching this course, many valuable lessons were learned many valuable lessons were learned ……

Experiences:Experiences:Setting up the CourseSetting up the Course Approval for the graduate course went Approval for the graduate course went

quite smoothly and without objections. quite smoothly and without objections. Obtaining some resources for the Obtaining some resources for the

course, however, was not as easy:course, however, was not as easy: Finding suitable texts, and obtaining copies Finding suitable texts, and obtaining copies

was difficult. Traditional text publishers do was difficult. Traditional text publishers do not carry them, and other trade publishers not carry them, and other trade publishers were not cooperative. were not cooperative.

Getting software or development hardware Getting software or development hardware for the course was hard. Some companies for the course was hard. Some companies were very helpful; many others were not.were very helpful; many others were not.

Experiences:Experiences:Setting up the CourseSetting up the Course Shortly after announcing the course, Shortly after announcing the course,

we were swamped with requests from we were swamped with requests from undergraduates wanting to take it.undergraduates wanting to take it. Dozens and dozens of e-mails!Dozens and dozens of e-mails!

Undergraduates, however, need Undergraduates, however, need special permission and an 80%+ special permission and an 80%+ average to enroll in graduate courses average to enroll in graduate courses at Western. at Western. A cross-listed course was added to let a A cross-listed course was added to let a

select few undergraduates in.select few undergraduates in. Enrolment had to be limited though.Enrolment had to be limited though.

Experiences:Experiences:LecturesLectures The selection of course topics was very The selection of course topics was very

well received by the students.well received by the students. A lot of preparation time, however, was A lot of preparation time, however, was

required for each lecture.required for each lecture. There was not a single book with all of the There was not a single book with all of the

desired material for the course, so it often desired material for the course, so it often required searching through multiple required searching through multiple sources.sources.

Demonstrating concepts required the Demonstrating concepts required the collection of screen shots, videos, and collection of screen shots, videos, and game saves, which can be time consuming.game saves, which can be time consuming.

Experiences:Experiences:LecturesLectures It is surprising how cultural the notions It is surprising how cultural the notions

of video games and games in general of video games and games in general are.are. We have a very strong international student We have a very strong international student

population at Western, with students from population at Western, with students from around the world.around the world.

In many countries, video games are not as In many countries, video games are not as common as they are here.common as they are here.

Furthermore, the games people play in Furthermore, the games people play in general vary greatly from country to general vary greatly from country to country.country.

In some cases, age boundaries are starting In some cases, age boundaries are starting to show in many ways.to show in many ways.

Experiences:Experiences:AssignmentsAssignments Assignments for the course were very Assignments for the course were very

well done and without any problems.well done and without any problems. Papers showed a great amount of insight, Papers showed a great amount of insight,

and were generally a pleasure to read.and were generally a pleasure to read. To assist with submissions, a system To assist with submissions, a system

of late coupons was used to allow of late coupons was used to allow students to create their own extensions students to create their own extensions as necessary.as necessary. They were well used, but not abused.They were well used, but not abused.

Experiences:Experiences:Group ProjectsGroup Projects In many cases, group projects, did not go In many cases, group projects, did not go

as smoothly as individual assignments.as smoothly as individual assignments. Each project started out reasonably well.Each project started out reasonably well.

All of the games proposed were interesting All of the games proposed were interesting and innovative in a variety of ways.and innovative in a variety of ways.

It was clear, however, that many projects had It was clear, however, that many projects had serious scope issues.serious scope issues.

As project deadlines loom now, it would As project deadlines loom now, it would appear that only one project will be fully appear that only one project will be fully realized according to its original vision.realized according to its original vision.

Experiences:Experiences:Group ProjectsGroup Projects What went wrong in the other projects?What went wrong in the other projects?

Scope. They tried to do too much, and did Scope. They tried to do too much, and did not heed warnings to the contrary.not heed warnings to the contrary.

Feature bloat. In some cases, features Feature bloat. In some cases, features were actually added as the projects were actually added as the projects progressed. progressed.

Asset development. A lot time and effort Asset development. A lot time and effort was spent on graphics, sound, and so on.was spent on graphics, sound, and so on.

Tools and platforms. Most groups tried to Tools and platforms. Most groups tried to learn and use a new environment.learn and use a new environment.

Time. Workloads were often quite heavy.Time. Workloads were often quite heavy.

Future DirectionsFuture Directions

Learn from experience:Learn from experience: Knowing our needs, make arrangementsKnowing our needs, make arrangements

for suitable teaching, text, software, andfor suitable teaching, text, software, andhardware resources.hardware resources.

Make adjustments to lecture material toMake adjustments to lecture material tomaintain currency.maintain currency.

Add a more international flavour to Add a more international flavour to some discussions.some discussions.

More restrictions on group projects.More restrictions on group projects.

Future DirectionsFuture Directions

Next year, this course will be offered Next year, this course will be offered as a cross-listed senior level special as a cross-listed senior level special topics course to both undergraduate topics course to both undergraduate and graduate students.and graduate students.

After that:After that: Bring this course on as a regular offering?Bring this course on as a regular offering? Investigate multi-disciplinary Investigate multi-disciplinary

collaboration with Visual Arts, Media collaboration with Visual Arts, Media Studies, and Music?Studies, and Music?

Introduce a specialization in video game Introduce a specialization in video game development at the undergraduate level?development at the undergraduate level?