In this course the student learns to research and develop the gameplay needs for the overall game project and create specific game design core mechanics accordingly using the iterative process of game prototyping. Featuring a complete description of the game development process, game prototyping instructs in the methodologies of both analog (pen and paper) and digital (computer) game prototyping, compares and contrasts the advantages of each. Students will develop skills in rapid game prototyping and be able to define a game’s core mechanics and create game mods

Evaluation and Grading

1. Add up all of the values of the optimum possible number of points that you could have earned to date.
2. Divide the number in your Total * column on the far right side of the table by the sum from step 1.
3. Multiply the result by 100 to obtain your Percentage Score.
4. Compare your Percentage Score with the Grading Scale above, and that's where you currently stand.

For example, let's say that, to date, the optimal possible score would be 55. Your total score, including -1 point for a tardy and +1 point of extra credit, is currently only 38 out of that possible 55 points, so the math works out thus: (38 / 55) * 100 = 69.1 (when rounded up to the nearest tenth of a point). If you look up 69.1 on the above Grading Scale, you're only getting a D+. (However, you're very close to a C-, so just try a little harder!)

Course Policies

Exam Schedule

Lessons and Homework by Week (Course Syllabus)

Below is a detailed, week-by-week look at the course, complete with hyperlinks to various materials in this web site. If you get lost during a given week of class, you can always find you way back by looking here. Note: the various lecture links provide the weekly Review Sheet notes for students; these are password protected files.

You will need Adobe Reader to view most of the lecture files. If you don't have have it, don't panic; it's a free download from Adobe. Just click on this button and download the proper version.

Advanced Game Prototyping: Course Flow

Lessons 9 and 10 are merged in the ten-week version of this course. All three of the homework assignments for both of those weeks are due during lesson 10.

Week	Lectures and Labs	Weekly Assignments
1	Explain course subject and methodologies; the web site. Lecture: Game Prototyping and Game Maker Review; Advanced Game Prototyping Preview. Review Quiz (10 points) Lab: Game Maker Tutorial 10 (3D Game Techniques).	Homework: Using any of the four different pseudo-3D art techniques learned in this week’s Tutorial, create an original, complete game. It must have some original art that you’ve created for a snazzy 3D look, plus a splash screen, cheese screen, help screen (<F1> key), victory conditions, and at least 3 minutes of great gameplay. Email me the .gm6 file before class next week. Show some real thought and effort with this assignment.
2	Review Sheet: Homework instructions. Lab: Homework Games “Show & Tell;” Game Maker Tutorial 11 (Tank Wars).	Due: Game Maker Tutorial 10: an original 3D Game. (10 points) Homework: “Finishing touches” and a major modification (‘mod’) of this week’s Tutorial game (Tank Wars). You must include a splash screen, cheese screen, and some combination of new artwork, rules, levels, items, etc. designed to “wow” the instructor and extended the gameplay and enhance play balance (see this week’s textbook homework). Textbook / Apprentice: Chapter 11, Balance in Multiplayer Games: pages 211 – 221.
3	Lecture: Balance in Multiplayer Games (an Apprentice Chapter 11 walkthrough / review). Lab: Game Maker Tutorial 12 (Tic-Tac-Toe).	Due: Game Maker Tutorial 11: a “finished” major mod of Tank Wars. (10 points) Homework: 1) Finish Game Maker Tutorial 12 (Tic-Tac-Toe) and consider doing an Extra Credit assignment for it (see below). 2) Read and re-read the textbook chapter assigned below: Textbook / Apprentice: Chapter 12, Become a Programmer: pages 225 – 244. Extra Credit: Mod the Tic-Tac-Toe game to either: 1) have the AI choose a position that lets it win two different ways (see page 257 in the Apprentice textbook); 2) Create a 4-in-a-Row variant; 3) create the graphics and AI for a 3D (i.e., 3-level) Tic-Tac-Toe game; or 4) create a Nine Men’s Morris computer game.
4	Lecture: Game Programming 101 for Game Maker (an Apprentice Chapter 12 walkthrough / review). Lab: Game Maker Tutorial 13 (Slightly Less Doomed).	Due: Nothing except for possible Tic-Tac-Toe Extra Credit. Homework: 1) “Finishing touches” and a major modification (‘mod’) of this week’s Tutorial game (Slightly Less Doomed). You must include a splash screen, cheese screen, and some combination of new artwork, rules, items, etc. designed to “wow” the instructor and extended the gameplay to at least 7 minutes (so plan on more levels). Note: there are many ideas and web sites listed on the web site’s Homework Page link (above).
5	Exam 2 (15 points) on Apprentice Textbook Chapters 11 and 12, three Lectures, four Tutorials, plus the Required Reading. Review Sheet: Homework instructions. Lab: Game Maker Tutorial 14 (Pyramid Panic).	Due: Game Maker Tutorial 13: a “finished” major mod of Slightly Less Doomed. (10 points) Homework: 1) Take-Home Midterm Exam. Based on Theme (next week in class, the student will give a live demo of their original theme-based game prototype, graded by classmates). 2) Prepare 3 Inception Documents (1 page each) for your proposed Final Course Project game. These ideas will be ‘pitched’ to the class next week and they will choose your Final game from among those pitched. Extra Credit: Mod the Pyramid Panic rules and features by: 1) Adding new monster, wall, and / or treasure items (be sure to come up with appropriate artwork for them) – some ideas from The Maze Game in last quarter’s Game Prototyping class or Chapter 7’s game Koalabr8 might inspire you; or 2) Adding Random Events (using “Create an instance of a random object” or perhaps a “die roll” chance to begin a Time Line).

Presentation 1, Midterm Game: Theme; evaluated on a rubric (22 points) by classmates (each student: 3 points as in-class evaluator).

Presentation 2, Final Project Pitch: Inception Documents – Pitch presentations (4 points) and hand in Inception Documents (6 points for corpus).

Lecture: Concept Documents (a review from Game Prototyping); Small Project Scheduling (homework preview).

Due: Midterm Game and Final Game Inception Documents. Also possible Pyramid Panic mod for Extra Credit.

Homework: 1) Iterate the chosen game’s Inception Document into a Concept Document (4 to 6 pages, including the cover sheet) and hand it in next week.

2) Create a Final Course Project Plan as per this week’s lecture. Bring this to class every week for the duration of the course!

3) Begin work on your Final Course Project game.

Lecture: The Pre-Production Stage (an overview);
Hairy-Chested He Man Game Design Documents, Part I: (defining, synching up with game prototyping, preparing to write, and style guidelines).

Lab: 1) Review Concept Document, Make Final Game Project Schedule for Weeks 8-12 (individually with instructor).

2) A quick look at Tutorial 15: a Game Maker Role-Playing Game (Cursed Undead).

3) Work on production of Final Project game.

Due: 1) Concept Document for Final Course Project game (5 points).

2) Initial Final Course Project Plan (5 points).

Homework: 1) Revise and update your Final Course Project Plan.

2) [Optional] Examine / complete Game Maker Tutorial 15 (Cursed Undead) and consider doing an Extra Credit assignment for it (see below).

3) Continue to work on your Final Course Project game.

Textbook: Chapter 9, Audio: pages 258 – 289.

Extra Credit: Mod Cursed Undead: 1) Adding new monster, wall, and / or treasure items (be sure to come up with appropriate artwork for them);
or 2) Beautify / re-theme the game with a graphics overhaul.

Lecture: Hairy-Chested He Man Game Design Documents, Part II: (the four content sections, “living” design docs, and why game design docs fail).

Lab: 1) Review Final Game Project Schedule for Weeks 9-12 (individually with instructor).

2) A quick look at Tutorial 16: a Game Maker Real-Time Strategy Game (Warcraft 1).

3) Work on creating Alpha of Final Project game.

Due: Revised and updated Final Course Project Plan (3 points). Also possible Cursed Undead mod for Extra Credit.

Homework: 1) Revise and update your Final Course Project Plan.

2) Create a draft version of your game’s Design Document (6-10 pages).

3) [Optional] Examine / complete Game Maker Tutorial 16 (Warcraft 1) and consider doing an Extra Credit assignment for it (see below).

4) Also, continue to work on your Final Course Project game – it should hit Alpha (feature complete) by next week at the latest.

Textbook: CD-ROM / Design Documentation / Sub Hunter Design.

Extra Credit: Mod Warcraft 1 by: 1) Adding new unit, building, or terrain types (be sure to come up with appropriate artwork for them); 2) alter the game’s rules or improve its AI; or 3) Beautify / re-theme the game with a graphics overhaul.

Exam 4 (15 points) on Game Concept and Game Design Documentation, Essentials Textbook Chapter 9, and Required Reading.

Lecture: Level Design (free ‘bonus’ lesson).

Lab: 1) Review Final Game Project Schedule for Weeks 10-12 and Discuss Design Document (individually with instructor).

2) Work on creating Beta of Final Project game.

Due: 1) Revised and updated Final Course Project Plan (2 points).

2) Draft version of your game’s Design Document (8 points).

3) Also possible Warcraft 1 mod for Extra Credit.

Homework: Continue to work on your Final Course Project Game – it should hit Beta (feature complete + some polish) by next week at the latest.

Lab: 1) Review Final Game Project Schedule for Weeks 11 and 12, Review Draft Design Document (individually with instructor).

2) Work on creating Gamma of Final Project game.

3) Live Beta Testing (you may invite guests), work on completion testing of Final Project game.

Homework: 1) Complete your Graded Course Project game – it should hit Gamma (final candidate) by next week.

2) Complete the game’s Design Document.

3) Write a review / analysis of the class and suggest improvements.

Final Exam: Instant Game Analysis (critical written evaluation 5 points); Graded Course Project (40 points) as per grading rubric, and Presentation Pitch (5 points)

Due: 1) Final Course Project game; 2) Final game Design Document
(17 points); 3) Class analysis survey form (5 points)

Lessons 9 and 10 are merged in the ten-week version of this course. All three of the homework assignments for both of those weeks are due during lesson 10.

Homework Game Mods	30 points (10 ea.)
Review Quiz	10 points
Take-Home Midterm Game	22 points
Midterm Game Evaluations	3 points
Final Game Pitch	4 points
Final Game Inception Docs	6 points (2 ea.)
Second Exam	15 points
Final Game Concept Doc	5 points
Course Project Plan	10 points¹
Fourth Exam	15 points
Draft Game Design Doc	8 points
Final Game	40 points² (via rubric)
Final Game Evaluations	5 points
Final Game Pitch	5 points
Final Game Design Doc	17 points
Class Analysis Survey	3 points
Total ³	200 points ⁴

First Exam (Quiz)	Week 1
Second Exam	Week 5
Midterm Exam	Week 6
Fourth Exam	Week 9
Course Project Exam	Week 11

Game Prototyping

Course Objective and Grading Criteria

Methodology

Evaluation and Grading

Course Policies

Exam Schedule

Lessons and Homework by Week (Course Syllabus)

Advanced Game Prototyping: Course Flow

Week

Lectures and Labs

Weekly Assignments