Units
Game Project Design
Unit code: INB379
Contact hours: 1 hour lecture - 2 hour supervisor meetings
Credit points: 12
Information about fees and unit costs
INB379 BGIE Game Project Design (P1) extends your work on the role, design, and plan of a computer game concept. The unit covers the conceptualisation and game design stages up to the game design pitch. If the project is given a green light by the assessment panel, it may be developed later in the P2 unit.
Availability
| Semester | Available |
|---|---|
| 2013 Semester 1 | Yes |
| 2013 Semester 2 | Yes |
Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013
Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.
Rationale
INB379 Games Project Design (P1) and INB380 Games Project (P2) allow you to extend your professional skills by taking a substantial game development project from a suitable concept to a satisfactory prototype. The successful project will provide tangible evidence of your skill and mastery of the discipline. It will extend your intellectual abilities whilst introducing you to professional practice, enabling you to apply and develop your understanding of game design, and to integrate concepts obtained from other units.
P1 and P2 are designed so that they can be taken separately or consecutively. In P1 you will, as part of a team, produce a Game Design Document and Prototype that may be implemented properly in P2. Some students may decide not to proceed immediately from P1 to P2. Students beginning P2 are expected to carry forward or obtain a Game Design Document to implement. Game Design Documents will be assessed at the end of P1 for their suitability to be implemented in P2. However, it is your responsibility to have a suitable project plan prior to beginning P2.
Specific Rationale for Project 1
This unit extends your work on the role, design, and plan of a computer game concept. The unit covers the conceptualisation and game design stages up to the game design prototype and pitch. If the project is given a green light by the assessment panel, it may be developed later in the P2 unit.
This unit furthers your understanding of the discipline at both a technical and professional level. More specifically, it extends your technical skills within your area(s) of specialisation and, in a more limited fashion, to other areas. Above all, the unit develops the critical professional skill of working within a project team on a task of substantial size: you will understand the function and operation of a project team, and the documentation and planning required to initiate a major project. You will become more familiar with professional communication and documentation within a game development project, producing formal reports according to agreed standards, and developing your ability to present to a professional audience. The unit extends your knowledge and skills in team work through focusing on the activities necessary in creating a high performing team. You will also have opportunities to better understand your personal learning, decision making and information gathering styles. You will understand the use of project management tools, methods and decision making.
Aims
This unit helps you to make the transition from the undergraduate curriculum to professional practice, allowing you to acquire specific technical skills and to enhance your ability to work in a team. It enables you to understand the process of project management and to build on this base in the following P2 Project (or your Co-op appointment).
In this unit you will design a game, document it thoroughly in a Game Design Document and create a playable prototype. At the end of semester you will pitch this design to a panel which will decide whether the game concept goes ahead (given the green light) to the preproduction stage in P2.
Objectives
On successful completion of this unit you should be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to apply your knowledge of the game design process to the development of a complete Game Design Document.
- You will also demonstrate the ability to pitch this design document to a panel of game professionals (GC1);
- Apply critical and creative thinking to identify issues and suggest improvements to your game design (GC2);
- Communicate both orally and in writing, an understanding of how you will develop this design document into a fully functional game in the future (GC3);
- Show an understanding of team management during the process of developing this game design (GC5);
- Show awareness of the key issues related to ethical professional behaviour within the game industry (GC6).
Key Graduate Capabilities
GC1- Knowledge and Skills
GC2- Critical and Creative Thinking
GC3- Communication
GC5- Independence and Collaboration
GC6- Social and Ethical Responsibility
Content
You will, via weekly meetings with your supervisor, produce a Game Design Document and prototype including, amongst other things:
Other components of the Game Design Document will be developed by negotiation with your Supervisor.
Approaches to Teaching and Learning
You will be working within a team as part of a simulation of an authentic Game Design project. The project will act as a vehicle for you to develop an understanding of professional game design skills. Activities will be team-based, and may include: developing design documents, identifying and analysing gameplay requirements, producing game flow and game mechanics specifications and the production of the final game design document and playable prototype.
Assessment
Criterion-Referenced AssessmentFeedback will be available on your progress during weekly studio sessions.
Assessment name:
Workbook
Description:
An objective record of observations, completed tasks and goals that have been met. Log of activities.
Relates to objectives:
1-5
Weight:
30%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Week 5 and 13
Assessment name:
Portfolio
Description:
This will be a complete Game Design Folio for your game concept as agreed to by your project supervisor. Group 30%, with individual component 20%.
Relates to objectives:
1-6
Weight:
50%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Group with Individual Component
Due date:
Week 13
Assessment name:
Presentation (Oral or Group)
Description:
This element is assessed by an assessment panel.
Relates to objectives:
2-6
Weight:
20%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Group
Due date:
Week 14
Academic Honesty
QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.
A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.
Resource materials
Nil.
Risk assessment statement
There is minimal health and safety risk in this unit. It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the Health and Safety policies and procedures applicable within campus areas and laboratories.
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.
Last modified: 31-May-2012
