Calendar and Readings

Game Engines

In-class testing (bring a testable version to class.)

Focus Testing Basics (PDF) – handout

Sample Focus Test Document (PDF) - An example of an observer's script/survey. Probably fancier than your team needs, but it covers all the basics.

Bugs & Bug Testing (PDF) – Advice to testers on how to test

Zimmerman, Eric. "Play as Research." In Design Research: Methods and Perspectives. Edited by Brenda Laurel. MIT Press, 2003. ISNB: 9780262122634. [Preview with Google Books]

Osborn, Alex F. "Creative Collaboration by Groups," and "Detailed Procedures of Group Brainstorming." In Applied Imagination. Scribner, 1979. ISBN: 9780023895203.

Fullerton, Tracy. "Prototyping." In Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games. CRC Press, 2008. ISBN: 9780240809748. [Preview with Google Books]

Project Management and Agile I

Project 1 individual writeup and group changelog due.

Fullerton, Tracy. "Digital Prototyping." In Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games. CRC Press, 2008. ISBN: 9780240809748. [Preview with Google Books]

Keith, Clinton. "Scrum," "Agile Planning," "Agile Design," and "Agile Development." In Agile Game Development with Scrum. Addison-Wesley Professional, 2010. ISBN: 9780321618528. [Preview with Google Books]

Mansour, Mark. "Scrum's Product Backlog - Agile Requirements Management." Agile Bench.

Task Lists and Testing

Project 2: Sprint Tasklist with estimates – two minute in class presentation.

Sprint Tasklist with Estimates due (1 per team)

Aesthetics and Project 3

Project 2 Due: Group Presentation – 5 minutes

Digital Game Prototype (1 per team)
Submit link to project web page before class starts. The page must include clearly­labeled links to the Final Build and the build used for focus testing. Additional working builds, labeled with date, will enable instructors to better see your design iteration but are not required.

Individual Postmortems Due (1 per person)

Design Changelog (1 per team) & Focus Test Summary Due (1 per team)

Project 3: Team formation, start changelog, appoint producer or scrummaster.

Project 3: Digital Prototype II: Aesthetics (PDF) – handout

Assets and Project 3 Presentations

Project 3:
Product Backlog due (1 per team)

Either a Paper Prototype delivered in class or a Design Guide document to present & explain in class. Teams using Design Guides must also submit them. (1 per team)

Two minute presentation: the core of your game design idea (using Design Guide or Paper Prototype.)

Independent Focus Test: Using either your Paper Prototype or a running version of your game, conduct a focus test outside of class, gather data from your testers (at least 4), and use the data gathered from that test to improve your game. Record information on the Focus Test Summary (PDF) for submission at end of project.

Spring Retrospectives and Project 3 Presentations

Project 3 Due:
Group Presentation – 5 minutes

Digital Game Prototype (1 per team)
Send link to project web page before class starts. The web page must include clearly labeled links to the Final Build and the build used for focus testing. Additional working builds, labeled with date, will enable instructors to better see your design iteration but are not required.

Individual Postmortems Due (1 per person)

Design Changelog (1 per team) & Focus Test Summary Due (1 per team)

Project 4: Team formation, start changelog, appoint producer or scrummaster.
Project 4: Small Game Project (PDF) – handout

Rapid Iterative Prototyping
Guest Lecture by Eitan Glinert, Co-founder Fire Hose Games

Project 4 High Level Design Document or "Back of Box Copy" vision statement due (1 per team)

Process
Guest Lecture by Alex Schwartz, CEO, Owlchemy Labs

Current Sprint Tasklist due (1 per team)

Mechanics and Narrative

Current Sprint Tasklist due (1 per team)

Run at least 2 Independent Focus Tests: Using either a Paper Prototype (first focus test only) or a running version of your game, conduct focus tests outside of class, gather data from your testers (at least 4), and use the data gathered to improve your game. Create a Focus Test Summary (PDF) for each focus test, & turn in at the end of the project.

Final Postmortems

Project 4 Due

Group Presentation & Game Demonstration – 20 minutes

Digital Game Prototype Due (1 per team)
Send link to project web page before class starts. Web page must include clearly labeled links to the Final Build, each build used for focus testing, and each build presented in class. Additional working builds, labeled with date, will enable instructors to better see your design iteration but are not required.

Individual Postmortems Due (1 per person)

Design Changelog (1 per team) & Focus Test Summaries Due (at least 2 per team)