Tools for Game Development (Sommersemester 2023)

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Robert Hirschfeld (Software-Architekturen) , Dr. Jens Lincke (Software-Architekturen) , Eva Krebs (Software-Architekturen) , Stefan Ramson (Software-Architekturen) , Tom Beckmann (Software-Architekturen) , Leonard Geier (Software-Architekturen)

General Information

• Weekly Hours: 4
• Credits: 6
• Graded: yes
• Enrolment Deadline: 01.04.2023 - 07.05.2023
• Teaching Form: Project seminar
• Enrolment Type: Compulsory Elective Module
• Course Language: German
• Maximum number of participants: 20

Programs, Module Groups & Modules

Description

According to the “Rule of The Loop” [1], the more you iterate on a game (mechanic), the better it gets. Traditional game development tools are designed to eventually produce a finished game that can be shipped. What would, instead, a development tool look like that is designed only for prototyping a mechanic?

In this seminar students will alternate between developing a specific mechanic and improving and extending such a mechanic prototyping tool collaboratively. For example, in the spirit of “a game a week”, students will aim to produce a mechanic (as a throw-away prototype, not a full game) using the mechanic prototyping tool in the first week, and in the second week extend and consolidate the tool to better serve their needs that were revealed in the first week. In these two week “sprints”, students will thus collaboratively develop a single, powerful prototyping tool over the course of the semester.

[1] Game Design: A Book of Lenses, Jesse Schell (ISBN 978-1466598645)

Requirements

We will be using the Godot game engine and the Python-like language GDScript language as a basis for the tool. Prior experience with Godot is helpful but not required. We will use the first week to both introduce Godot to people unfamiliar with it and the core concepts of the mechanics prototyping tool.

Prior experience with game development (e.g., with Unity or Unreal) is required.

Students will work in teams of 2 - 3, depending on the number of participants. All teams will collaborate on improving the prototyping tool as a common code base.

The seminar will meet every week to present progress (5min max per group). The remainder of the meeting slot will be used to discuss architectural directions with the teaching staff, individually or among concerned groups.

All code will be released publicly under the MIT license.

Examination

Grades will be based on changelogs that students design for each sprint. The changelog describes what was changed and why. It also points to the documentation (e.g., in the form of engaging 30 second videos) that is relevant to the implemented changes to inform other students of the effect and use of the changes.

Dates

The seminar will take place every Thursday in the 11:00 to 12:30 slot in seminar room A 2.2.
Participation in presence is encouraged. Participation via Zoom is possible but should be the exception.

https://uni-potsdam.zoom.us/j/68602997460
Meeting ID: 686 0299 7460
Passcode: 12699608

Seminar and topic introduction: 20th April 2023
Team formation/assignment: 27th April 2023

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