CSC 490/590 Computer Game Pgming Spring 2004

Resources: bitmap loader     Final now available    Spot

Projects: Program Due Points Status Star Trek  4/06    50  T Gater Hunt  4/29  100  T Ned's Turkey Farm  5/18  150  T Final project  6/08  200  I  T = team, I = individual

Misc.: Team rules Program guidelines Labs Overheads Quiz Final

Text: Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus (Second Edition)
    By: Andre' LaMothe

Prerequisite: CSC 425/525 no exceptions

Students in CSC 590 will learn a graphics or sound editing tool and make an instructional presentation to the class.

Objectives: Game programming can be approached from two different perspectives. A pre-developed rendering engine can be used to allow the rapid development of game scenes, characters and interactions or everything can be developed from scratch.. While the pre-developed approached would allow development of a more complete game in a ten week period, it fosters little understanding of the underlying principles and technologies involved and students come away knowing only how to manipulate a development tool.

This class will take the complete development approach. We will learn Windows event driven programming, Windows API, GDI and Win32 libraries, DirectX 9, DirectInput and DirectSound. To do this and still have time to write a video game is an ambitious undertaking.

Projects: Three or four small projects will be assigned during the term which will allow you to implement key video game components. Projects are due at 6:30 on the specified day. Late projects are subject to a 5% per day penalty, up to a maximum of 20%. A final project, a complete video game, is due week 10 of the term.

During the final exam period, each team will make a presentation of their final project for the class.

Participation: This class is operated in a seminar format. Therefore, individual participation is very important to the success of the class. Each student is expected to come to class prepared to contribute to the class in a meaningful way. Since the Internet is a rich source of game programming resources, students should spend time each week exploring what is available and post their findings on the webBoard so that others may benefit also. Graduate students will be doing individual presentations during class time.

Grading: 

Schedule of Topics and Readings (subject to changes)