Interactive Multimedia Games Development COM631

1. Interactive Multimedia Games Development COM631 Module Overview

2. Times and Locations Lecture/practical Tuesday 09.15 – 11.05 Room MG229 (L) Tuesday 12 – 15.05 Room MG122 (P)

3. Contact Details Michael Callaghan MS132 Email: mj.callaghan@ulster.ac.uk Tel: 02871 675771

4. Online Resources Details of Module specification, learning outcomes, marking schemes and other resources can be found online here Module handout http://www.scis.ulster.ac.uk/~michael/COM631/Documents/Module_handout/Module_handout_COM631_2013.doc Module specification http://cis.ulster.ac.uk/administrator/files/modulespecs/com631.pdf

5. Module aims • To provide students with an appreciation for advanced techniques and approaches used in the game design and development process • To provide students with an appreciation of the technical and research challenges facing game designers • To provide students with the skills and expertise necessary to create high quality interactive games

6. Learning Outcomes • Demonstrate their expertise in creating high quality content for use in computer games • Critically evaluate and select appropriate approaches and techniques to design and implement interactive multimedia games • Demonstrate their ability to create game prototypes, • Demonstrate a detailed understanding of industry standard game authoring tools, platforms, techniques and scripting languages

7. Main Topics • Game design/planning/implementation process • Unity • Metrics and analytics

8. Historical context

9. Mobile/pad sales

10. Low barrier to entry

11. New interactions modes

12. Peripherals

13. Rise of the indies

14. Rise of free to play and metrics

15. Rise of free to play and metrics http://thinkgaming.com/app-sales-data/1/clash-of-clans/

16. Game metrics http://www.scis.ulster.ac.uk/~michael/COM631/Spreadsheet/DubitVirtuaWoldModel_v1.3.xls

17. Lost in the crowd God of War Call of Duty Assassins Creed FIFA 2013 Orderly release with big budgets

18. Schedule (Provisional)

19. Assignment weighing & submission deadlines 100% Coursework

20. Submission Deadlines • Assignment 1 08/10/13 (Week 3) • Assignment 2 29/10/13 (Week 6) • Assignment 3 10/12/13 (Week 12)

21. Assignments Overview Three individual assignments with a progressive common theme (Game design) • Awareness, assess and critically evaluate • Propose • Plan and design • Implement

22. Assignment 1 Overview Assignment 1: Pitch and present an innovative game Total available marks 15 Individual assignment Assignment 1 Due 08/10/13 (Week 3)

23. Assignment 1 • Create a short pitch document/presentation for an innovative game you are going to create that you feel would be successful in the Dare competition • Ensure that your game idea could be implemented within the constraints of the module duration • Structure of the document is closely based on the application form for Dare to be Digital • Pitch document generated should follow the format given. Word limits will be strictly adhered to!

24. Assignment 1 • Game should be tailored for mobile platform e.g. iPad, Android pad/iPhone/windows 8 • Must employ platform appropriate game mechanics and control systems • Mechanics need to be innovative but simple! • E.g. multitouch, flick, orientation, tap • Should consider the use of metrics and analytics • Should consider business model e.g. free to play and the in-world economy

25. Pitch Format Pitch document should be comprised of the following; • Concise game description (maximum 100 words) • Description of core game play (maximum 100 words) • Discussion of market potential of title (maximum 100 words) • Discussion of target audience (maximum 100 words) • Description of innovation and creativity (maximum 100 words) • Consideration of in-world economy and monetization (maximum 100 words) • Discussion of which technology you are using and why? (maximum 100 words) • Short work plan clearly showing how you could design a level for your game in the next 9 weeks. (Gantt chart!)

26. 100 Word Games Pitch There’ll be no trick or treating this Halloween! Slyghoul the Hungry has risen and hasn’t fed for a hundred years. He traps the children of Yew-tree Orphanage and grows stronger from their fears. Only three children escape his grasp, but for how long? Bound by need and circumstance; Lofty, Missey, and Rabbit must uncover their inner strengths to escape. Light, Sound and Friendship are their only weapons to defeat Slyghoul and his minions. Time is running out, the light is fading, help them face their fears and save the others... Or be trapped forever by the Creeping Dark!

27. Assignment 1 Output Report and class presentation. Report format • Size: Must comply with the Dare to be Digital application form format and must be within the stated word limit! • Font: Times New Roman • Font size:12 • Spacing: Single line • Style:Technical/Formal

28. Assignment 1 Output Submission Guidelines for presentation • Powerpoint presentation of appropriate length. Submission Details • Assignments should be submitted on day of presentation

29. Assignment 1 Deliverables • Hard copy of report and PowerPoint presentation slides • CDROM containing digital copy of report and presentation slides • Presentation to class in week 3 • 10 minutes presentation 5 minutes questions

30. Assignment 1 Presentations All students must attend all presentations!

31. Assignment 1 Mark Allocation

32. Assignment 1 Warning! • Assignment 1 is 700 words and a project plan • It is worth 15% of the module mark! • The submission should be well researched and thought out • Clear evidence of understanding of your games unique selling points and of similar games out there • Clear rationale for using the technology • Project plan must reflect nuances of the game you are going to develop

33. This is a project plan! http://www.scis.ulster.ac.uk/~michael/COM631/Documents/projectplanning/project%20plan%20microsoft%20project%20file.mpp

34. Assignment 2 Overview Assignment 2: Creation of an abbreviated game design document (Preproduction) Total available marks 35 Individual assignment Assignment 2 Due 29/10/13 (Week 6) Example document here

35. Assignment 2 (Preproduction) • Create an abbreviated game design document for the game level/app you will create in Unity for Assignment 3 • Structure is based on template/examples supplied • Report generated should follow the format given as closely as possible, example document here • Be realistic on time constraints • You must pitch your game to the class in a formal presentation

36. Assignment 2 Guidelines The document should follow the game design document structure provided and also include accompanying support material • Description of level theme/game/app • Level/app design concept development material (including rough sketches/photographs) • Level layout design diagram (Level blueprint) and game board (as appropriate) • Consideration of in-world economy • Model of game/in-world economy • App store description

37. Assignment 2 Output Report, supporting material and class presentation Submission Guidelines for report • As required following format/template given Submission Guidelines for presentation • Powerpoint presentation of appropriate length Submission Details • Assignments should be submitted on day of presentation

38. Assignment 2 Deliverables • Hard copy of game design document • Copy of game model in Excel • CDROM containing digital copy of all report/presentation and supporting material • Presentation/pitch to class in week 6

39. Level blueprint & game board Level blueprint and game board from Level Design for Games, Phil Co

40. App store description

41. Game modeling http://www.scis.ulster.ac.uk/~michael/com631/Models/CircuitWarzStage1.xlsm

42. Game modeling http://www.scis.ulster.ac.uk/~michael/com631/Models/Gina.xlsm

43. Assignment 2 Mark Allocation

44. Assignment 3 Overview Assignment 3: Create a game/app in Unity Total available marks 50 Individual assignment Assignment 3 Due 10/12/13 (Week 12)

45. Assignment 3 (Implementation) • Design a game level/app in Unity • Level/app based on the game design document in assignment 3 • Must be related to and complement your games pitch • Can reuse content/models available online or within Unity provided they adequately referenced. • Assignment includes a presentation where the student will detail to the class each stage in development and implementation process and present their final work

46. Assignment 3 Output Source material, Unity level, screen capture video with voice over and annotations, walkthrough giving overview of level, construction process and game play, class presentation Submission Details • Assignments should be submitted on day of presentation Deliverables (submitted on CD-ROM/DVD) • A walkthrough level in Unity with voice annotation • Source code and support material (E.g. Textures, 3DS Max models etc) • Copy of class PowerPoint presentation

47. Assignment 3 Mark Allocation

48. Resources http://www.design3.com/

49. Resources http://walkerboystudio.com/html/unity_training___free__.html http://www.3dbuzz.com/

50. Recommended Reading Unity 4.x Game AI Programming By: Aung Sithu Kyaw; Thet Naing Swe; Clifford Peters Publisher: Packt Publishing Pub. Date: July 23, 2013 Print ISBN-13: 978-1-84969-340-0 Getting Started with Unity By: Patrick Felicia; Publisher: Packt Publishing Pub. Date: August 26, 2013 Print ISBN-13: 978-1-84969-584-8