About This Course:
Grade 11 Video Game Design is a course that teaches the fundamentals of this field. From simple manipulation of graphics to 2D platformers to 3D full featured games, the core concepts are the same and that is what we will explore. In partnership with Digipen in Redmond Washington (one of the top three schools in America for Video Game Design), we will be working through a robust curriculum that introduces students to the fundamentals. Animation, music, visual effects, particle effects, collision events, scoring, graphical user interfaces: we will cover them all. The Game industry is larger by dollar value than the movie industry, it is huge and only getting larger with the advent of mobile technology. If you have an interest in gaming and are excited by the possibility to create a game of your own design, then this is the course for you.
Course outcomes:
The student is expected to develop skills in the following areas:
Evaluation:
In this course you will be evaluated on project work, and tutorial assignments. Some work will be marked based on completion (assignment work) and other work will be assessed based on individuated criteria. The breakdown of the marks is as follows:
Rube Goldberg /10%
Dice Script Game /10%
Top Down Arcade /20%
Platformer /20%
Final Project /40%
Course outcomes:
The student is expected to develop skills in the following areas:
- Gain a working knowledge of the components of the Zero Game Engine
- Sprite development
- Collision events
- Background and music
- Gravity
- Physics effects
- Level Setup
- Create example games with existing sprites and components to quickly create a functioning game.
- Working in a team, develop a game concept and execute it from start to finish.
Evaluation:
In this course you will be evaluated on project work, and tutorial assignments. Some work will be marked based on completion (assignment work) and other work will be assessed based on individuated criteria. The breakdown of the marks is as follows:
Rube Goldberg /10%
Dice Script Game /10%
Top Down Arcade /20%
Platformer /20%
Final Project /40%
Hand-in Information:
All work to be handed in to the following location on completion:
Data (I):/Handin/Kramer/Video Game Design 11 12
Data (I):/Handin/Kramer/Video Game Design 11 12
Assignment List
Download version: 2019.2.17 (Download the unity hub and the engine, either windows or Mac depending on your home computer, and select Unity Installer)
Download the 2017 version, you will need to create a microsoft student account to access this program, it is free.
Rube Goldberg Machine
01_01editor.pdf | |
File Size: | 357 kb |
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01_02_game_objects.pdf | |
File Size: | 570 kb |
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01_03_physics.pdf | |
File Size: | 359 kb |
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01_04_sprites.pdf | |
File Size: | 744 kb |
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01_05_rube_goldberg_machine.pdf | |
File Size: | 128 kb |
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Rube Goldberg Machine requirements and example:
To fully complete this project you must meet the following criteria:
To fully complete this project you must meet the following criteria:
- Rube Goldberg Machine must complete a task (turn on a light, put a ball in a basket, score a goal etc.).
- 20 steps (distinct collision events).
- Backgrounds and sprites must be of a unified theme(Like an ice hockey rink with a puck that collides with hockey sticks and ends in a net).
- Minimum of 4 physics materials.
zero_audio_tutorial.docx | |
File Size: | 3347 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Dice Game / Scripting
02_01_scripts.pdf | |
File Size: | 388 kb |
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02_02_code_structure.pdf | |
File Size: | 427 kb |
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02_03_variables.pdf | |
File Size: | 320 kb |
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02_04_logic.pdf | |
File Size: | 463 kb |
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02_05_loops.pdf | |
File Size: | 255 kb |
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02_06_basic_game1.pdf | |
File Size: | 822 kb |
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02_07_dice_game.pdf | |
File Size: | 126 kb |
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Create a scripted dice fighter game.
Game must have at least two players and must have two 6 sided dies cast for each turn.
For each value there must be an attack or defense, damage must be dealt to the players.
This will occur within a while loop, and all information will be displayed in the console.
You must program in player win or computer win.
On game start, the console will print out the entire sequence of the game up to player or computer win.
Check out I:Handout/kramer/videogamedesign/diceexample.txt for an example program.
Due Feb 28.
dice_game_template.txt | |
File Size: | 3 kb |
File Type: | txt |
Top Down Arcade
03_01_prefabs.pdf | |
File Size: | 562 kb |
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03_02player_input.pdf | |
File Size: | 745 kb |
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03_03_health.pdf | |
File Size: | 416 kb |
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03_04_scenes.pdf | |
File Size: | 336 kb |
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03_05_hud.pdf | |
File Size: | 436 kb |
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03_06_particle_effects.pdf | |
File Size: | 359 kb |
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03_07_the_tpa_game.pdf | |
File Size: | 127 kb |
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Download the proposal sheet below, fill out electronically, print to the library and hand in
vgd_top_down_arcade_proposal_and_assessment.docx | |
File Size: | 32 kb |
File Type: | docx |
player_controller.txt | |
File Size: | 1 kb |
File Type: | txt |
After completing section 2 of the tutorial list, you must complete a functioning top down shooter. It must meet the following criteria:
- Player 1 and 2 game objects that have movement and firing functionality
- A level that includes collision with barriers
- Camera movement that follows the character
- Collision events with bullets, death event for players
- A game end screen on player death
- At least one use of particle effects within the game
Platformer
04_01_player_controller.pdf | |
File Size: | 686 kb |
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04_01_player_controller_script.txt | |
File Size: | 9 kb |
File Type: | txt |
04_02_animator.pdf | |
File Size: | 921 kb |
File Type: |
See image below to fix the issue of character not transitioning back to idle after double jumping:
Add transitions from PJump to PlayerAttack, PlayerIdle and PlayerRun as shown with the red arrows.
Add transitions from PJump to PlayerAttack, PlayerIdle and PlayerRun as shown with the red arrows.
Deselect has exit time and change conditions on each transition to PAttack, PIdle and PRun for the applicable transition. This will solve most of the issues with transitioning back to the appropriate animation. (See below the settings for the transition to PlayerRun, the condition is changed to PRun = true shown with the red arrows, make similar changes to the transitions to PlayerIdle and PlayerAttack).
04_03_tile_editor.pdf | |
File Size: | 338 kb |
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04_04_checkpoints1.pdf | |
File Size: | 472 kb |
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04_05_parallax.pdf | |
File Size: | 474 kb |
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04_06_platformer_game.pdf | |
File Size: | 125 kb |
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Download the proposal sheet below, fill out electronically, print to the library and hand in
vgd_platformer_proposal_and_assessment.docx | |
File Size: | 30 kb |
File Type: | docx |
After completing section 3 of the tutorial list, you must complete a functioning platformer. It must meet the following criteria:
- Functioning character with jump capabilities
- Character animation on movement
- Power-ups
- Collision events with platforms and walls
- Scoring
- Goals (coins, gems, etc. to get points, health what have you)
- Enemies with a bounded movement path (bonus if you program Ai)
- Unified theme
- Collision with projectiles, death event for player
- A game end screen on player death
- Particle effects
- 3 levels
- Difficulty rises progressively from easy, to challenging to difficult
- Each level has its' own unique look, though maintains visual continuity throughout the game. Similar look, but a different feel.
- Hazards/enemies change throughout the game levels
- Controls are intuitive (left, right, WASD etc.)
- Easter Egg
- Opening Screen/information screen
- Due May 8
Final Project
This project will be your final cumulative work in this class. Using what you have learned so far, you will design and create a functioning video game. If you wish to work in groups you may, but you must complete a project plan indicating the duties that each member is responsible for.
The duties are:
The duties are:
- Scripting
- Level Design
- Artwork
05_01_the_final_game.pdf | |
File Size: | 134 kb |
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Video Tutorials
Due Date: June 12
Assessment document below:
Assessment document below:
vgd_final_game_proposal_and_assessment.docx | |
File Size: | 32 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Tutorial on saving game progress between games in unity. More advanced concepts, using serialization and deserialization to pass values from game session to game session. Includes an example game that you can use to work with the concepts before implementing on your own game.
Creating Custom 2D Sprites
The following are resources for creating, or finding existing sprites for your project.
Piskelapp.com-This is used for creating your own sprite pixel by pixel.
Universal LPC spritesheet character generator- has base models for walk cycles for 2d animations. A good place to start then work in piskel.
Spritedatabase.net- tons of sprites from classic games in all positions.
opengameart.org- Open source original game art in sprite sheets.
Piskelapp.com-This is used for creating your own sprite pixel by pixel.
Universal LPC spritesheet character generator- has base models for walk cycles for 2d animations. A good place to start then work in piskel.
Spritedatabase.net- tons of sprites from classic games in all positions.
opengameart.org- Open source original game art in sprite sheets.