Subject

Video game programming

Course Title

Video game programming
Video Game Programming

Code

F23L3W152

Study Programme

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Organizer of the study programme (unit, institute, department or division)

Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering

Degree level (first, second, third cycle)

First Cycle

Academic year / semester

7 / Winter

Number of ECTS credits

Teacher

Katarina Troyanets Dineva, Suzana Loshkova

Prerequisites for enrolling in the course

Algorithms and Data Structures or Applied Algorithms and Data Structures

10.

Objectives of the course programme (competences)

The goal of the course is to introduce students to the process of video game programming. To that end, students will be introduced to the basic components of a video game and how they are programmed. Upon completion of the course, the student is expected to understand video game programming concepts and be able to independently or as part of a team develop a simple video game.

11.

Course content

Lectures:
1. Introduction. Definition. Brief history. Classifications and types of games.
2. Game architecture. Game initialization. Providing an exit from the game.
3. Actors in the game. Ways of defining actors. Composition of objects for defining actor characteristics.
4. Main game loop. Ways to control the flow of the game. Using threads.
5. Caching game resources. Data types. Techniques for efficient data calculation and efficient reading of the same.
6. Input devices. Types. Input control.
7. User interfaces for games. Defining the view. Programming controls and on-screen elements. Localization.
8. Managing in-game events. Adding and controlling in-game sound.
9. Fundamental Principles of In-Game Graphics. Defining Materials. Coordinate Systems and Transformations. Representation of Graphics Objects in the Game. Lighting Model.
10. In-game graphics. Using textures. Representation and programming of 3D scenes.
11. Physics in games. Laws and embedding laws into element behavior. Collision programming.
12. Artificial Intelligence. Techniques for describing the behavior of virtual agents.

Practical Classes:
Introduction to technologies and programming languages for video game programming.
2. More advanced features of technologies and programming languages that enable video game programming.
3. Implementation of examples for defining actors and their characteristics.
4. Implementation of a basic form of the game's main loop.
5. Implementation of a more complex form of the game's main loop. Loading and reading data.
6. Implementation of examples that include game input and input control,
7. Implementation of the game's user interface. Programming controls and on-screen elements. Localization.
8. Implementation of examples with in-game event management. Adding and controlling in-game sound.
9. Examples involving in-game graphics. Defining materials. Coordinate systems and transformations. Representation of graphical objects in the game. Lighting model.
10. Examples that include the use of textures. Representation and programming of 3D scenes.
11. Examples of physics applied in games. Laws and the integration of laws into element behavior. Collision programming.
12. Examples involving artificial intelligence. Techniques for describing the behavior of virtual agents.

12.

Learning methods

Lectures supported by slide presentations, interactive lectures, practical classes (using equipment and software packages), teamwork, case studies, guest lecturers, independent preparation and defence of a project assignment and seminar paper, and learning in an electronic environment (forums and consultations).

13.

Total available time

6 ECTS x 30 hours = 180 hours

14.

Distribution of available time

30 + 45 + 15 + 15 + 75 = 180 hours

15.

Forms of teaching activities

15.1.	Lectures - theoretical instruction	30 hours
15.2.	Exercises (laboratory, auditory), seminars, teamwork	45 hours

16.

Other forms of activities

16.1.	Project assignments	15 hours
16.2.	Independent assignments	15 hours
16.3.	Home study	75 hours

17.

Assessment method

17.1.	Tests	10 points
17.2.	Seminar paper / project (presentation: written and oral)	15 points
17.3.	Activities and learning	10 points
17.4.	Final exam	50 points

18.

Grading criteria (points / grade)

up to 50 points	5 (five) (F)
from 51 to 60 points	6 (six) (E)
from 61 to 70 points	7 (seven) (D)
from 71 to 80 points	8 (eight) (C)
from 81 to 90 points	9 (nine) (B)
from 91 to 100 points	10 (ten) (A)

19.

Requirement for obtaining a signature and taking the final exam

completed activities 15.1 and 15.2

20.

Language of instruction

Macedonian and English

21.

Method for monitoring the quality of teaching

internal evaluation and survey mechanism

22.

Literature

22.1.

Required literature

22.2.

Additional literature

No. Author Title Publisher Year