A Video Games Technologies Course: Teaching, Learning, and Research (Eurographics 2016 Conference Presentation)

1. A Video Games Technologies Course:
Teaching, Learning, and Research
Gonçalo N. P. Amador1,2
, Abel J. P. Gomes1,2
1
Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
2
Instituto de Telecomunicações, Covilhã, Portugal

2. Background

In the last 2 decades, higher education institutions introduced
courses/degrees in games (content creation, design, and
development), as a response to the needs of the game industry (one
of the most profitable worldwide).

Video Games Technologies: a MSc in CS and Engineering optative
course, thought at Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal,
since 2008. (Not a game programming/development course!)

Leading idea: to highlight the mathematics, data structures, and
algorithms that sustain the design and development of game engines.

Focus: learning how to extend a game engine sub-engines, e.g.,
graphics engine, physics engine, artificial intelligence engine, etc..
(Requires an open source engine, e.g., jMonkeyEngine 3.0!)

3. Course Syllabus

Introduction, Planning, and Project (week 1).

History of Games (week 1).

Game Genres (week 2).

Game Engines (week 3).

Object Data Structures, e.g., Wavefront OBJ (week 4).

Spatial Data Structures and Algorithms, e.g., BSPs (week 5).

Scene Graph and Management (week 6).

Culling (week 7).

Terrain Generation and Modeling (week 8).

Motion and Collisions (weeks 9 and 10).

Game Physics (week 11).

A.I., i.e., steering behaviors, path finding (weeks 12 and 13).

Game Networking (week 14).

4. Course Methodology

Grades: A (excellent) [18,20]; B (very good, with few errors) [16,17];
C (good, with some errors) [14,15]; D (satisfactory, with many errors)
[12,13]; E (sufficient) [10,11].

1 scientific paper presentation (3.0 marks), basis for the project.

1 project in games (8.0 marks):
1.Architecture/prototyping (2 marks).
2.Alpha code with preliminary report (3 marks).
3.Full project, final report, project defense (3 marks).

3 written theoretical tests (6.0 marks).

6 game engine programming tests (3.0 marks).

5. Final Projects Samples

6. Conclusions

The ideal game engine for this course is one that is: modular, open
source, cross-platform, and has extensive documentation.

Projects assessment, focus is on relevance given to the problem
solving and algorithmic design of each game prototype, specifically in
the integration of novel algorithms into the game engine. However:
1.Students strive to develop near-complete games, i.e., with model
loading and animation, game menus, and the like.
2.Students research made during the project results in them finding
subjects they want to pursue in their MSc thesis.

More than 80% of master’s students enroll in the Video Games
Technologies course, since 2008/2009.

Most students pass with good scores in the practical component.

7. Future work

Theoretical modules need some improvements, to better articulate
the theoretical modules and practicals.

Stronger foundations in mathematics are a requirement, as such, we
are considering the introduction of on-demand maths refreshers
whenever needed.

8. Thank you!
Questions, suggestion, remarks?