CTIN 483 – Programming for Interactivity

Instructor: Peter Brinson

Lecture: 10am-1pm OR 6-9pm WEDNESDAY

Lab: 10am-12 MONDAY

Contact: peterbrinson@gmail.com

Forum: here

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This introductory production class is focused on creating 2D games. We will develop a number of prototypes while learning the technical capabilities and challenges of the game engine, Torque Game Builder. In doing so, we will prepare ourselves for making a class project- a complete game.

A great amount of time in and out of class will be devoted to learning the world builder, scripting environment and syntax, and the gui editor of T2D. Honing such skills is essential to game development, but this class is not about learning tools. It is about developing playable games, playtesting them, reworking them, and reflecting on what did and did not work. And yes, we will learn software tools along the way.

We will discuss the history and practice of games relevant to the prototypes developed early in the semester. This will help us develop a framework for experimenting with game mechanics, narrative content, and player agency. We will study relevant topics (sometimes in non-game media), including game vs. real time, player/camera perspective, multiplayer roles, perfect vs. imperfect information, physics engines, and cybernetic systems.

Grading:

40% week 4, 6, and 7 assignments prototypes

10% two milestones for final- week 12,14

40% final

10% participation and attendance

Week 1

-Introduction to class

-Our forums

-Evaluation student interests, skills, and console/computer availability

Week 2

-Assignment 1 due: present an indie game

-Visuality versus Gameplay- game depicitons of Los Angeles

-Torque 2D - introduction: functions, variables, sprites, datablocks

-in class tutorial (Tutorial A). Complete for week 3

Week 3

-Representation and Processes- behaviors, systems, and events

-Torque 2D - scripting environments. if/then, schedules

Week 4

-Assignment 2 due

-brainstorm: navigation systems

-Torque 2D - collision detection, tile editor, physics system

Week 5

-Assignment 3 progress: maze genre (oral) description

-brainstorm: technical checklist for each maze type

-Torque 2D- script organization, tile editor, camera, mounting, recursive schedules

-work in class

Week 6

-Assignment 3 due: maze game

-Cybernetic Systems: risk vs. reward and player agency

-Torque 2D- gui, flags, review collision system

Week 7

-Assignment 4 due: Hybrid Genre Proposal

-Torque 2D- more physics

-discuss: what we now know

Week 8

-Imperfect and Perfect Information

-comment/documentation (in class) assignment

-brainstorm: final project ideas

Week 9

-make significant final decisions on final project

-review all behaviors available

Week 10

- begin final project

Week 11

-get approval on iteration 1 of final

-work in class

Week 12

-get approval on iteration 2 of final (Assn 6)

-work in class

Week 13

-get approval on iteration 3 of final

Week 14

-get approval on iteration 4 of final (Assn 7)

-work in class

Week 15