CS425 Fall 2013: Game Programming 1

• Jyh-Ming Lien (http://cs.gmu.edu/~jmlien)
• jmlien@cs.gmu.edu
• Office: ENGR 4442
• Office hours: See instructor's webpage

Course Scope

This course is a requirement of the ACS Game Design degree (http://cs.gmu.edu/~acsgame/) and can be used as a Senior CS Elective for the BS CS degree. The course will provide an introduction to technologies and techniques used in modern computer games, animations, and special effects. Students will gain knowledge and experience needed to build games, simulations, and animations. Therefore, the key elements of the course will be knowledge, experience, and fun!

Prerequisites

Grade of C or better in CS 310, CS 325 and CS 351.

Required Textbook

Required: Game Engine Architecture by Jason Gregory. ISBN# 978-1-56881-413-1.

Grading (tentative)

1. Assignments 70%,
2. Final project 20%,
3. Quizzes 10%
4. A+: > 95, A: >89, B: >79, C: >69, C-: >60, F<60

List of Topics (tentative)

• Game engines, pipelines, and tools
• Event handling and input devices
• 3D Mathematics for games
• Memory and resource management
• Asset creation, modification, conversion, and management
• Path finding and navigation
• Physics: particle simulations, collision detection and response, dynamics
• 3D Animation tools: Hierarchical animation, FK and IK, Keyframe, interpolation, motion capture, parametric blending techniques, modeling physical and articulated objects, procedural, and behavioral animation
• Game AI: state machines, rules, sensing, memory

Course Outcomes

• Become familiar with advanced techniques used in object-oriented programming
• Realize the manner with which the graphics pipeline may be utilized to create animations, games, and simulations
• Utilize mathematical abilities to create optimum algorithms
• Exhibit skills that demonstrate understanding of physics simulations
• Realize the appropriate techniques for maximizing code reuse
• Experience employing a variety of data structures and algorithms

Classroom Behavior

During the lecture/resentation/demo, the students should not play games, text on your phone and surf the web. All electronic communication devices (including laptops, PDAs, cell phones) should be either turned off or silenced.

Policies

All required assignments should be completed by the stated due date and time. The total score of your finaly project score will be 10 points less every extra day after the due date (i.e., the 100 total points will become zero after 10 days pass the due date). You will be given 0 point for missing your own presentation.

Please note that plagiarizing will be penalized by maximum negative credit and cheating on the exam will earn you an F in the course. See the GMU Honor Code System and Policies at http://academicintegrity.gmu.edu/honorcode/ and http://cs.gmu.edu/wiki/pmwiki.php/HonorCode/HomePage. You are bound by these honor codes. Any submitted work which shows too much commonality with others' work to be completely original, or any plagiarized work, will receive a grade of 0. Any code which is presented in class or provided to you as part of the project may be included in your programs.

Accommodations for Disabilities

If you have a learning or physical difference that may affect your academic work, you will need to furnish appropriate documentation to GMU Disability Resource Center. If you qualify for accommodation, the DRC staff will give you a form detailing appropriate accommodations for your instructor. If you have such a condition, you must talk to the instructor during the first week of the term about the issue.