Design Studio 4

Course title: Design Studio 4
Course number:IMD-4902
Course description: Lectures and projects on interactive multimedia systems for art and entertainment, especially computer games, covering the production process from idea to design, development and testing, and also discussing related topics and technologies such as management skills, character and story development, game engines, and online games.
Location: AP-236
Lecture: Wednesday 9:00-11:00
Tutorials/Labs: Wednesday, 11:30-13:30, Friday, 9:30-13:30

Instructor Information

Name: Ali Arya
Email: arya@carleton.ca or Use WebCT Mail
Office location: 230D Azrieli Pavilion
Office hours: T,W,Th 14:30-15:30 (Google Chat or in-person)
Google Account for Chat: raminarya@gmail.com

Text

Fundamentals of Game Design, Ernest Adams and Andrew Rollings, Prentice-Hall, 2007
Microsoft XNA Game Studio 3.0 Unleashed, Chad Carter. SAMS, 2009 (available online at CU library)
Some Supplementary Material
Web Resources

Evaluation

Project , 45% (2 parts: 25% same for the group, 20% individual)
   full-term, Group
   Simple 3D Game Development with XNA (or another approved tool)
   MUST GET AT LEAST 15% AS GROUP AND 10% INDIVIDUAL TO PASS THE COURSE!
   See example of previous projects.
Assignments , 40%
   Weekly, Individual (unless an assignment is explicitly specified as group work)
   MUST GET AT LEAST 20% TO PASS THE COURSE!
Class Participation , 10%
   Including online discussions and in-class research (1% each, 12 of them during the term, 6 online and 6 in-class), seminar (5%)
   Contribution to a discussion should be at least equivalent of a one-page essay
   Seminar is at least a 5-page essay on a student-selected topic approved by the instructor
   There are up to 17 class participation points and students need 10 of them.
Peer Evaluation , 5%
   For projects

Topics

Week-1, Introduction to IMD4902 and Game Production Process
Week-2, Basic Concepts in Games (Definitions, Components, Genres, Audience)
Week-3 and Week-4, Principles of Level Design
Week-5 and Week-6, Games and Stories (Interactive and Non-linear Stories, Narrative Strategies)
Week-7 and Week-8, Character Design (Styles, Personality and Mood, PC and NPC Character Groups, Behavioural Animation)
Week-9 and Week-10, Game AI
Week-11, Player Experinece and User Interface Design
Week-12, Interactive Art
Week-13, Seminars

Notes

1- Project groups must be formed by mid September, or they will be set by instructor.
2- Assignments will be given at the end of a lecture and should be submitted before midnight on due date.
3- Assignments should be submitted through WebCT.
4- Assignments must be done individually unless specified.
5- Peer Evaluation is submitted at the time of project submission, but individually and through email. Use the Senior Projct form. The PE mark for those who submit the evaluation is the average mark given by others. For those who do not submit the evaluation, it will be zero regardless of others' evaluation!
6- Class Participation includes in-class activities, discussions on web forum, and general role in class progress. The evaluation is NOT necessarily based how much you talk and how many questions you ask!
7- There will be formal project meeting on tutorial time. Attending these meetings is a required task.
8- Project evaluation is based on management, design, and final implementation. Lectures provide the basic rules and guidelines on multimedia project management and design. These rules have to be followed.
9- Tutorials might include a brief review of last lecture, some technical information, and general Q/A, but they are mostly the time students have to work on their coursework with the possibility of accessing the instructor or TA who will be available in the room or in their offices.
10- Contact the instructor through WebCT Mail primarily. Your WebCT messages will be checked regularly and a reply will be sent within 48 hours. If you need faster reply, email arya@carleton.ca
11- There is a 25% deduction penalty for each day of late submission of assignments (up to 4 days) and 10% for projects (up to 5 days). After that submission is not accepted.
12- Submission files must have the student name as the first part of filename, e.g. AliArya-*.* where *.* is the rest of the file name based on what it is.

Academic Accommodation

You may need special arrangements to meet your academic obligations during the term. For an accommodation request the processes are as follows:

Pregnancy obligation: write to me with any requests for academic accommodation during the first two weeks of class, or as soon as possible after the need for accommodation is known to exist. For more details visit the Equity Services website: http://carleton.ca/equity/accommodation/student_guide.htm

Religious obligation: write to me with any requests for academic accommodation during the first two weeks of class, or as soon as possible after the need for accommodation is known to exist. For more details visit the Equity Services website: http://carleton.ca/equity/accommodation/student_guide.htm

Students with disabilities requiring academic accommodations: in this course must register with the Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities (PMC) for a formal evaluation of disability-related needs. Documented disabilities could include but are not limited to mobility/physical impairments, specific Learning Disabilities (LD), psychiatric/psychological disabilities, sensory disabilities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and chronic medical conditions. Registered PMC students are required to contact the PMC, 613-520-6608, every term to ensure that I receive your Letter of Accommodation, no later than two weeks before the first assignment is due or the first in-class test/midterm requiring accommodations. If youonly require accommodations for your formally scheduled exam(s) in this course, please submit your request for accommodations to PMC by the last official day to withdraw from classes in each term. For more details visit the PMC website: http://www.carleton.ca/pmc/students/acad_accom.html