COMP30540 Game Development

Academic Year 2023/2024

The module will provide an introduction to the essentials of computer game development.
The process of development by small independents, even single individuals, shares important features with development by large companies: innovation, creativity, storyboarding, software development, testing, deployment and (sometimes) marketing.
Topics to be covered include: the economic importance of the computer game industry; common genres of games; the development of game software using specialized tools which promote rapid development through their integration of numerous prepackaged components; techniques for representing objects in 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional space, and determining whether they collide; techniques for equipping non-player characters with AI; techniques for producing special effects;gamification, that is, the provision of enjoyably gamelike experience to promote education or customer loyalty or other purposes.
Practical work will give experience of small-scale game development using specialized software tools.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of the module, students should be able to
- demonstrate an understanding of the main techniques involved in game development
- use at least two suites of tools to develop a new game from concept through to delivery

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24

Specified Learning Activities

48

Autonomous Student Learning

48

Total

120

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Task-based learning
Lecture based 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

Students should have satisfactorily completed most of Stage 3 of UCD Computer Science, or equivalent.

Learning Recommendations:

The student should have a working knowledge of Java and Object-Oriented programming.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Examination: End of semester exam 2 hour End of Trimester Exam No Graded No

50

Assignment: Second assignment Week 10 n/a Graded No

25

Assignment: First assignment Week 6 n/a Graded No

25


Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback during Interview with the students if they pass or not for the second assignment. Letter grades not given if they pass, but feedback on what elements of their project were strong or weak.

Name Role
Mayank Jain Tutor
Yuan Liang Tutor
Mr Jin-Hau Liu Tutor
Shane Smyth Tutor
Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
 
Spring
     
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 09:00 - 09:50
Practical Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 14:00 - 15:50
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Wed 12:00 - 12:50
Spring