Course Syllabus Level Design GAME 1304

Transcription

1 Semester with Course Reference Number (CRN) Instructor contact information (phone number and address) Office Location and Hours Summer Course Syllabus Level Design GAME 1304 Christopher Khuong Office Phone: Learning Webpage: learning.hccs.edu/christopher.khuong Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 12:00PM 1:00PM Office: Faculty Room C256 Course Location/Times West Loop Center, Rm C125 Tuesday/Thursday 9:00AM 12:00PM June 06 August 14 Course Semester Credit Hours (SCH) (lecture, lab) If applicable Total Course Contact Hours Course Length (number of weeks) Type of Instruction Course Description: Course Prerequisite(s) Credit Hours: 3 Lecture Hours: 2 Laboratory Hours: 4 External Hours: Hybrid Face to Face and Eagle Online 2.0 Introduction to the tools and concepts used to create levels for games and simulations. Incorporates level design, architecture theory, concepts of critical path and flow, balancing, play testing, and storytelling. Includes utilization of toolsets from industry titles. PREREQUISITE(S): Departmental Approval 1

2 Academic Discipline/CTE Program Learning Outcomes Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLO): 4 to 7 Learning Objectives (Numbering system should be linked to SLO - e.g., 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, etc.) Key activities from the industry-defined Electronic Game Content Production skill standards recognized by the 1. Develop assets for game or simulation. 2. Define and identify terminologies used in the gaming and simulation industry. 3. Demonstrate the use of appropriate tools to develop the assets. 4. Create documentation for game or simulation Analyze the pros and cons of a level including balance and emotional impact Create original game environments using existing game engines and tools Evaluate existing architectural spaces for game aesthetics Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) A:Develop Concept Art Assets Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) B: Create User Interface Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) C: Create Models Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) F: Create Special Effects Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) G: Create lighting 1. Analyze the pros and cons of a level including balance and emotional impact. 1.1 Understand environmental design, game spaces, game sequences, immersive storytelling, and multiplayer balance. 1.2 Understand differences between genre, level design elements, level flow, memory constraints, difficulty, rhythm, anatomy of level design, player ergonomics, team roles. 2. Create original game environments using existing game engines and tools. 2.1 Use current generation game engine to design and develop levels. 2.2 Understand exports, project design, user interface. 2.3 Design levels with the use of CSG, BSP, static meshes, textures, and materials. 3. Evaluate existing architectural spaces for game aesthetics. 3.1 Make use of game space and immersive environmental design. 3.2 Study existing levels in games of many different genres. 4. Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) A: Develop Concept Art Assets A.2 Develop preliminary drawings of level environments 5. Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) B: Create User Interface B.1 Design game interface hierarchy 6. Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) C: Create Models C.1 Create objects or character game geometry C.2 Create game geometry for level environments C.3 Create game geometry for secondary game objects C.4 Create game placeholder geometry 7. Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) F: Create Special Effects F.1 Create texture animation F.2 Create cycled keyframed mechanical motions F.4 Create particle animation 8. Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) G: Create lighting G.1 Create environmental lighting G.2 Create and apply light maps SCANS 1. Analyze the pros and cons of a level including balance and emotional impact. 2. Create original game environments using existing game engines and tools. 3. Evaluate existing architectural spaces for game aesthetics. 4. Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) A: Develop Concept Art Assets 2

3 Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) Course Calendar Instructional Methods Student Assignments 5. Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) B: Create User Interface 6. Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) C: Create Models 7. Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) F: Create Special Effects 8. Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) G: Create lighting The calendar is subject to change at the instructor s discretion. Students will be immediately notified if for any reason the schedule changes. HCC Calendar: Week Day Agenda 1 June 7 th Lecture: Introduction to Level Design June 9 th Lab: The Tools 2 June 14 th Lecture: Basic Theory and Drafting June 16 th Lab: Map Draft Series 1 Lab: The Software 3 June 21 st Lecture: Simple Level and Game Types June 23 rd Lecture: Elements of Level Design Lab: Map Draft Series 2 4 June 28 th Lecture: Single and Multi-Player Design June 30 th Lab: Map Draft Series 3 5 July 5 th Lab: Map 1 July 7 th 6 July 12 th Lab: Map 2 July 14 th 7 July 19 th Lab: Map 3 July 21 st 8 July 26 th Lab: Map 3 July 28 th 9 August 2 nd Lab: Map 3 August 4 th 10 August 9 th Lab: Map 3 August 11 th Web-enhanced (49% or less) Face to Face Midterm Lab: Map Draft Series 4 1. Analyze the pros and cons of a level including balance and emotional impact. 2. Create original game environments using existing game engines and tools. 3. Evaluate existing architectural spaces for game aesthetics. 4. Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) A:Develop Concept Art Assets 5. Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) B: Create User Interface 6. Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) C: Create Models 7. Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) F: Create Special Effects 8. Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) G: Create lighting 3

4 Create original game environments using existing game engines and tools in one or multiple of the following software: Source SDK Unreal Development Kit, Unreal 4 Unity3D, Unity 4 GameMaker 8.1, GameMaker: Studio Using the elements of level design, you will be designing and drafting, analyzing your own levels, and creating environments based off of those levels. Each week you will create a level and playtest someone else s. Your peer and instructor will provide notes and feedback to your level suggesting change for you to take into consideration whether it is an aesthetic issue, a programming problem, or simply just a bug that needs fixing. These things can range from falling into infinity and beyond or dying by nothingness. Learn to test and learn to be a constructive critic. Evaluate existing architectural spaces for game aesthetics. Source Engine: Half Life 2, Team Fortress, Left 4 Dead, Counter-Strike, Portal, Titanfall, The Stanley Parable, Contagion, Dota 2, Black Mesa, Dear Esther, Nuclear Dawn, Alien Swarm, E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy, Dino D-Day, Vindictus, Neotokyo, Zenoclash, Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, Zombie Panic, D.I.P.R.I.P. Warm Up, The Hidden: Source, Insurgency, The Ship, GoldenEye: Source, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, Blade Symphony Unreal Engine: Bioshock, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Mirror's Edge, Mass Effect, Hawken, Gears of War, Enslaved, Dust 514, DmC: Devil May Cry, Dishonored, Chivalry: Medieval Warfare, Borderlands, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, Brothers in Arms, Deadpool, Dungeon Defenders, Global Agenda, Killing Floor, Lost Planet, Monday Night Combat, Mortal Kombat, Quantum Conundrum, Red Orchestra, Sanctum, Section 8, Spec Ops: The Line, SMITE, Thief, The Last Remnant, Too Human, Turok, Viscera Cleanup Detail Unity Engine: The Forest, Gone Home, Surgeon Simulator 2013, Kerbal Space Program, Wasteland 2, Thomas Was Alone, Endless Space, Guns of Icarus Online, Iron Grip: Marauders, Max and the Magic Marker, ittle Dew, Pid, Rochard GameMaker: Valdis Story, Risk of Rain, Love, Super Crate Box, Gunpoint, Hotline Miami, Stealth Bastard, Home, ArcaneSoul, Terrian Saga: KR-17, Uncanny Valley, Hyper Light Drifter, Spelunky, Nidhogg, Uncanny Valley, ArcaneSoul, Fenix Rage, Blackhole, Savant - Ascent Student Assessment(s) Assignments Instructor's Requirements External Harddrive or Flash Drive Dropbox or Other Online Storages Graph/Grid Paper Pen or Pencil Game Engine to be Announced Program/Discipline Requirements: If applicable Students are expected to be on time for class. If a student is absent for any reason, it is the student s responsibility to find out what was covered in class. Students are not expected to buy their own software. The open lab has all the software needed for the students to complete the work. It is the 4

5 responsibility of the students to use class time wisely and if work is not completed they are expected to go to open lab and complete the work. TURN OFF cell phones or place phones on vibrate, away from the desk. NO surfing the web unless for class work. At NO time should a student be playing games (PC or portable device) during class time unless required by the instructor. Students will be expected to turn in all work with profession quality. Students will be expected to be self-motivated and enthusiastic about the work to be completed. Students will be expected to be encouraging and professional at all times. If there is a presentation requirement, students will be expected to be in professional attire for all presentations. Students are expected to respect constructive comments from peers. TITLE IX OF THE EDUCATION AMENDMENTS OF 1972, 20 U.S.C. A 1681 ET. SEQ. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 requires that institutions have policies and procedures that protect students rights with regard to sex/gender discrimination. Information regarding these rights are on the HCC website under Students-Anti-discrimination. Students who are pregnant and require accommodations should contact any of the ADA Counselors for assistance. It is important that every student understands and conforms to respectful behavior while at HCC. Sexual misconduct is not condoned and will be addressed promptly. Know your rights and how to avoid these difficult situations. Log in to: Sign in using your HCC student account, then go to the button at the top right that says Login and enter your student number. HCC Grading Scale: A = points per semester hour B = 89-80: 3 points per semester hour C = 79-70: D = 69-60: 2 points per semester hour 1 point per semester hour 59 and below = F FX (Failure due to non-attendance) IP (In Progress) W (Withdrawn) I (Incomplete) AUD (Audit) IP (In Progress) is given only in certain developmental courses. The student must reenroll to receive credit. COM (Completed) is given in non-credit and continuing education courses. FINAL GRADE OF FX: Students who stop attending class and do not withdraw themselves prior to the withdrawal deadline may either be dropped by their professor 5

6 for excessive absences or be assigned the final grade of "FX" at the end of the semester. Students who stop attending classes will receive a grade of "FX", compared to an earned grade of "F" which is due to poor performance. Logging into a DE course without active participation is seen as non-attending. Please note that HCC will not disperse financial aid funding for students who have never attended class. Students who receive financial aid but fail to attend class will be reported to the Department of Education and may have to pay back their aid. A grade of "FX" is treated exactly the same as a grade of "F" in terms of GPA, probation, suspension, and satisfactory academic progress. To compute grade point average (GPA), divide the total grade points by the total number of semester hours attempted. The grades "IP," "COM" and "I" do not affect GPA. Health Sciences Programs Grading Scales may differ from the approved HCC Grading Scale. For Health Sciences Programs Grading Scales, see the "Program Discipline Requirements" section of the Program's syllabi. Instructor Grading Criteria 40% Assignments Students will be handed a list of requirements and objectives to be completed by specified deadline. 20% Midterm Assessment on key words, the elements behind the production, and basic level design theories. Midterm will follow a review. 40% Project/Lab The projects will follow specified objectives and student must be able to present their level by the end of the semester. Each project will require a blueprint to be approved by your professor. If the blueprint is not approved for production, then your project will not be accepted. Instructional Materials Optional Material 1: Game Level Design by Ed Byrne ISBN: HCC Policy Statement: Optional Material 2: An Architectural Approach to Level Design by Christopher W. Totten ISBN: Access Student Services Policies on their Web site: EGLS3 -- Evaluation for Greater Learning Student Survey System responsibilities/ At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback is necessary to improve teaching and learning. During a designated time near the end of the term, you will be asked to answer a short online survey of research-based questions related to instruction. The anonymous results of the survey will be made available to your professors and department chairs for continual improvement of instruction. Look for the survey as part of the Houston Community College Student System online near the end of the term. 6

7 Distance Education and/or Continuing Education Policies Access DE Policies on their Web site: Access CE Policies on their Web site: 7