Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2012

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Modern games production is a complex process involving teams in the order of a hundred people or more, working with budgets in the tens of millions. One of the roles within a game production team is that of the level designer. It is crucial that the level designer has the ability to lay out levels, construct levels within game engines, plan gameplay scenarios and place non-player characters. This unit will help students develop these abilities as well as skills such as building terrain, building architecture and spaces; designing lighting and atmospheric effects and other genre-specific level design skills.

It is expected that students undertaking this unit will have an understanding of computer and video games and the game industry, as developed in INN180. Students will also be required to have a familiarity with high level game design tasks, as developed in INN280 and INN281. It is assumed you have some computer programming and/or scripting experience.

Aims

The aim of the unit is to provide you with theoretical and practical knowledge of game level design concepts. By the end of this unit you will have the knowledge to identify level design problems and suggest solutions for innovative level designs across genres, as well as understand how to carry out the process of designing a level yourself.

Objectives

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. Understand and apply knowledge and skills in the production of game levels. (GC1, GC6)

2. Effectively and efficiently use a range of techniques and tools in the game level design process. (GC1, GC2, CG6)

3. Understand the role of evaluation in the development of game levels and implement an evaluation framework that is appropriate for a given set of objectives. (GC1, GC2, GC3)

4. Work effectively in a team environment to create game levels that utilise an emerging expertise in level design. (GC1, GC2, CG3, GC4, CG5, GC7)

5. Successfully communicate level design ideas, concepts and models via written, visual and spoken means. (GC3, GC5).

Content

This unit explores topics in game level design. Well-understood techniques drawn from game theory and industry practice will be examined. Topics include:

- Conceptual design process
- Level design principles - universal and genre specific
- Level story elements
- Level gameplay including mechanics, level objects, spawn points
- Level structure - terrain building, architecture and spaces
- Level flow
- Lighting and atmospheric effects
- The use of game engines for level construction

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

A variety of teaching modes will be used in INN282. These include lectures, workshops, and independent learning. The topics for each week are available on Blackboard. Information available on Blackboard includes lecture slides, workshop activities, readings and assessment information. It is expected that you will attend lectures and workshops. After the lecture and workshop, you should (in your own time) study and reflect on the material presented. This will verify your understanding of the material. If something is not understood, check with any tutor or lecturer associated with this unit either by email or during their normal consulting times. The workshops will follow the lecture and are designed to reinforce your understanding of the content. However the learning process is reliant on you maintaining the discipline of implementing it week by week. Assessment focuses on skill development in the area of game level design, critique and evaluation.

Assessment

There are two pieces of assessment for INN282, a report and an applied design project. Appropriate assessment criteria will be made available to students at the introduction of the report and project assessment.Formative feedback will be provided through the return of marked assessment:
- Advice and assistance will be provided by the teaching staff during lectures and workshop sessions.
- Guidelines and objectives will be provided for each piece of assessment to help you assess your progress.
- Written feedback will be provided on items of assessment.

Assessment name: Project (applied)
Description: Students are required complete a level design project. They will be assessed on level of contribution to the project and evidence of active participation in project processes. Students will be required to complete presentations, provide descriptions of level designs and participate in implementation (e.g. scripting) and evaluation (e.g. playtesting) activities. Detailed assessment criteria will be provided during class.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Throughout Semester

Assessment name: Design
Description: Students are required to create a series of game levels that demonstrate their emerging expertise as level designers. Students will work through conceptual design processes and then be required to implement their designs using the game engines provided. Detailed assessment criteria will be provided during class.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End Semester

Academic Honesty

Academic honesty means that you are expected to exhibit honesty and act responsibly when undertaking assessment. Any action or practice on your part which would defeat the purposes of assessment is regarded as academic dishonesty. The penalties for academic dishonesty are provided in the Student Rules. For more information you should consult the QUT Library resources for avoiding plagiarism.

Resource materials

Required Text(s):
None

Reference(s):
Kremers, Rudolf (2009) Level Design: Concept, Theory, and Practice. Wellesley, MA: A.K. Peters.

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: 23-Sep-2011