EECS 494 – Game Design and Implementation – Schedule

Here is the tentative schedule for EECS 494 – Game Design and Implementation, Winter 2017. Please understand that this is subject to change. You're responsible for paying attention to the due dates listed on Canvas first and foremost and for monitoring both this schedule and the Google Calendar second.

Week Date Time Readings Due Assignments Class Content
1

Wednesday, January 4

Slides 01

 2:30 PM IGDPD Chapter 1
Assign Tutorial IGDPD Chapter 29
Assign Tutorial IGDPD Chapter 30
Course Overview
Introduction to Unity3D
Bartok
2

Monday, January 9

Slides 02

 2:30 PM IGDPD Chapter 27
Debugging in Unity
Some Software Design Patterns for C# games: Update, Component, Double Buffer, State, Singleton, Factory, Decorator, Delegate, ...
Game Engine Basics
zenilib
2

Wednesday, January 11

Slides 03

 2:30 PM IGDPD Chapter 24 Pages 815‑817
Tutorial IGDPD Chapter 29 Due
Tutorial IGDPD Chapter 30 Due
 Assign Project 1 – Classic Game
Research and Analysis
Burndown Charts and Agile Methodology
3 Monday, January 16 NO CLASS Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Symposia
3

Wednesday, January 18

Slides 04

 2:30 PM IGDPD Chapters 2 and 3 Project 1 – Progress Milestone (Playtest)
Working in Teams
Introduction to Game Design
Thinking Like a Designer
4

Monday, January 23

Slides 05

 2:30 PM IGDPD Chapter 3, 5, and 13
Discussion of Game Analysis Frameworks
The Inscribed and Dynamic Layers
Guiding the Player
4 Wednesday, January 25 2:30 PM Project 1 – Alpha Due
Project 1 – Present Custom Level Sketches to the Class
Project 1 – Alphas (Playtest)
5

Monday, January 30

 2:30 PM IGDPD Chapter 7
Guest Speaker: Christina York (Application Form)
Design Goals
5

Wednesday, February 1

Slides 07

 2:30 PM Assign Project 2 – Individual Prototype Project 1 – Final Due
Brainstorming and Ideation
Project 2 – Kickoff
Puzzle Design
6

Monday, February 6

 2:30 PM IGDPD Chapter 12
Juiciness in Games
Project 2 – Discussion and Playtesting
6

Wednesday, February 8

 2:30 PM Project 2 – Gold Spike Due
Project 1 – Custom Level Presentations
Project 2 – Gold Spike Playtests
7

Monday, February 13

 2:30 PM
Guest Speaker: David Cai and Kevin Jeon (slides)
Project 2 – Playtesting
7

Wednesday, February 15

 2:30 PM Project 2 – Final Due Assign Project 3 – Showcase Project
Project 3 – Assignment Kickoff
Brainstorming and Ideation Activity
8 Monday, February 20 2:30 PM Project 3 – Concept Due
Project 3 – Teams Locked
Project 3 – Concept Presentations
8

Wednesday, February 22

 2:30 PM
Video Game Horror
Monday, February 27 NO CLASS Spring Break
Wednesday, March 1 NO CLASS Spring Break
9 Monday, March 6 2:30 PM Project 3 – Prototype Due
Project 3 – Whole-Class Presentation of Prototypes
9 Wednesday, March 8 2:30 PM Women and Video Games
10 Monday, March 13 2:30 PM Project 3 – Gold Spike Due
Guest Speaker: Matthew Thompson
Create Documents for Music Class
10 Wednesday, March 15 2:30 PM Assign Project 3 – Music Class Information
Guest Speakers: Pete Knepley and Dave Ratti
Discuss Upcoming Playtest Assignment
Project 3 – Playtest Gold Spikes
11 Monday, March 20 2:30 PM Assign Project 3 – Pivot Playtest Project 3 – Alpha Cutoff
Project 3 – Pivot Playtest Partner Teams Assigned
Project 3 – Playtest Alphas
11 Wednesday, March 22 2:30 PM Project 3 – Music Class Information Cutoff
Guest Speakers: UM3D Lab Tours
Demo Project 3 Trailers
12 Monday, March 27 2:30 PM Project 3 – Pivot Playtest Cutoff
Project 3 – Pivot Playtest Partner Team Meetings
Project 3 – Status Updates
12 Wednesday, March 29 2:30 PM
Project 3 – Playtest Builds
13 Monday, April 3 2:30 PM Assign Project 3 – Polish Playtest Project 3 – Beta Due
Project 3 – Polish Playtest Partner Teams Assigned
13 Wednesday, April 5 2:30 PM
Business of Games
Showing Your Games
Graphics
14 Monday, April 10 2:30 PM Project 3 – Polish Playtest Cutoff
Project 3 – Polish Playtest Partner Team Meetings
Project 3 – Whole-Class Beta Presentations
14 Wednesday, April 12 2:30 PM Project 3 – Trailers
Project 3 – Trailer Presentations and Critique
15 Thursday, April 13 12:00 PM Design Expo Winter 2017
15 Monday, April 17 2:30 PM Project 3 – Updated Trailers Project 3 – Gamma Due
Project 3 – Whole-Class Gamma Presentations
15 Thursday, April 20 7:00 PM Special: Connecting the Game Dev Community: April Exhibition at Eastern Michigan
15 Friday, April 21 6:00 PM Project 3 – Final Due EECS 494 Computer Games Showcase in the Bob and Betty Beyster Building Atrium – PARTICIPATION REQUIRED