Game Programming

The lecture topics will focus on what the students need to know to to progress in the development of games using modern technology. The topics can include:

• Design patterns
• Graphics
• Physics in games
• Character development
• Animation
• Game specific AI
• Implementing game mechanics
• Game production process
• Project management in teams
• Memory management
• Algorithm efficiency
• Advanced programming techniques

On completion of this course the students have:

Knowledge

The students can:

• explain the architecture and core subsystems of modern game engines (rendering, physics, input, animation, scripting, asset pipeline)
• describe how common design patterns (component-based design, state machines, event systems, ECS) are used in game programming
• explain how version control and continuous integration / continuous delivery (CI/CD) support game development workflows
• discuss typical approaches to game-specific AI (e.g. finite state machines, behaviour trees, navigation) and their impact on gameplay
• analyse social, cultural, and ethical issues in game development, including representation, player well-being, monetisation models, and online behaviour

Skills

The students can:

• design, implement, and iteratively refine a small but complete computer game as part of a group
• estimate the amount of effort required to implement various features in a computer game
• use project management tools to plan and monitor the development work
• integrate and manage assets (graphics, audio, animation) and implement basic UI/UX flows, including rapid GUI prototyping of interactions
• ask focused, critical questions about games, their mechanics, and the development process, and use the answers to guide design and implementation

General Competence

The students can:

• collaborate effectively in a development team, including taking roles, handling dependencies, and reflecting on group communication and dynamics
• give and receive specific, constructive criticism on game design, code, and player experience in a professional manner
• document the game and its development process (design documents, technical notes, changelogs) and present the results in both written and oral form
• reflect on their own strengths and weaknesses as game programmers and team members, and identify concrete steps for further professional development

This is a group project and so a significant part of the learning outcomes are related to working in a group and being able to scope the time taken to design and implement a game.

• Lectures
• Exercises
• Project work

Further information: Students will work in groups to develop a game. In-class exercises and lectures will be linked to the current stage of the development process.