Video Game Development
         sichas.com
Topics for Today

• Game Design
• Mobile Development (iOS)
• Interactive Fiction with Java & Eclipse
• Unity3d Engine
• Autodesk Maya modeling
Game Design
Game Design
• Who am I developing for?
Game Design
• Who am I developing for?
• What do I want their experience to look like?
Game Design
• Who am I developing for?
• What do I want their experience to look like?
• How am I going to structure this?
Game Design
• Who am I developing for?
• What do I want their experience to look like?
• How am I going to structure this?
• Why will this project be successful?
Design Tips
Design Tips

• If the game isn’t fun within the first 3 minutes, you’ve failed. It
  doesn’t matter how amazing your story is.
Design Tips

• If the game isn’t fun within the first 3 minutes, you’ve failed. It
  doesn’t matter how amazing your story is.
• Once you’ve designed a great interface, throw it away and do it
  again.
Design Tips




“Good artists copy, but great artists steal.”
               -Steve Jobs
Mobile Development
Mobile Development
• iOS gamers want to listen to their music while they play
Mobile Development
• iOS gamers want to listen to their music while they play
• They don’t want the game to demand so much that they miss
 their train or bus
Mobile Development
• iOS gamers want to listen to their music while they play
• They don’t want the game to demand so much that they miss
 their train or bus
• They expect the game to remember where they were and pick
 right back up
Mobile Development
• iOS gamers want to listen to their music while they play
• They don’t want the game to demand so much that they miss
 their train or bus
• They expect the game to remember where they were and pick
 right back up
• They want to play for about 2-3 minutes at a time when on the
 go.
Interactive Fiction
Interactive Fiction

• Text based, minimal artwork
Interactive Fiction

• Text based, minimal artwork
• Engaging, exciting story
Interactive Fiction

• Text based, minimal artwork
• Engaging, exciting story
• Control is in the user’s hands
Interactive Fiction

• Text based, minimal artwork
• Engaging, exciting story
• Control is in the user’s hands
• Expandable, upgradable
Interactive Fiction

• Text based, minimal artwork
• Engaging, exciting story
• Control is in the user’s hands
• Expandable, upgradable
• Easy to understand, pick up and play
GodWars
GodWars

• Original, epic story
GodWars

• Original, epic story
• Phenomenal hand-drawn artwork by Nick Baldwin
GodWars

• Original, epic story
• Phenomenal hand-drawn artwork by Nick Baldwin
• Customize your character
GodWars

• Original, epic story
• Phenomenal hand-drawn artwork by Nick Baldwin
• Customize your character
• Many expansions planned
GodWars

• Original, epic story
• Phenomenal hand-drawn artwork by Nick Baldwin
• Customize your character
• Many expansions planned
• Hiatus in development, will resurface as an iOS app in 2012
Demo
Unity3d
Unity3d
• “The most powerful game engine this side of a million dollars”
Unity3d
• “The most powerful game engine this side of a million dollars”
• All-in-one development environment
Unity3d
• “The most powerful game engine this side of a million dollars”
• All-in-one development environment
• 3 languages supported: JavaScript, C#, Boo
Unity3d
• “The most powerful game engine this side of a million dollars”
• All-in-one development environment
• 3 languages supported: JavaScript, C#, Boo
• Port your games to iOS, Android, Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, PSP,
 XBOX 360 with very little revision
Unity3d
• “The most powerful game engine this side of a million dollars”
• All-in-one development environment
• 3 languages supported: JavaScript, C#, Boo
• Port your games to iOS, Android, Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, PSP,
 XBOX 360 with very little revision
• Seamless integration with popular 3D modeling tools, such as Autodesk Maya
 and Blender
Unity3d
• “The most powerful game engine this side of a million dollars”
• All-in-one development environment
• 3 languages supported: JavaScript, C#, Boo
• Port your games to iOS, Android, Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, PSP,
    XBOX 360 with very little revision
• Seamless integration with popular 3D modeling tools, such as Autodesk Maya
    and Blender
•   Built-in physics, collision, light mapping, animation, and more
Pricing

Unity Basic   Unity Pro   iOS     iOS pro   Android   Android Pro



  FREE         $1500      $400     $1500     $400       $1500
Pricing

                                                                     Unreal
Unity Basic   Unity Pro   iOS     iOS pro   Android   Android Pro
                                                                    Engine 3


  FREE         $1500      $400     $1500     $400       $1500       $750,000
Demo
Autodesk Maya
Autodesk Maya

• Most popular, powerful, professional 3d modeling software
Autodesk Maya

• Most popular, powerful, professional 3d modeling software
• South Park, Call of Duty, Uncharted, World of Warcraft all use it
Autodesk Maya

• Most popular, powerful, professional 3d modeling software
• South Park, Call of Duty, Uncharted, World of Warcraft all use it
• Low barriers to entry
Autodesk Maya

• Most popular, powerful, professional 3d modeling software
• South Park, Call of Duty, Uncharted, World of Warcraft all use it
• Low barriers to entry
• Only limited by you!
Pricing
Pricing

                Autodesk Maya through free
Autodesk Maya
                     Student Program




$3,495               FREE
Pricing

                Autodesk Maya through free
Autodesk Maya
                     Student Program




$3,495               FREE
Demo
sichas.com // resources
•   All materials from this lecture (including slides and video) are
    available at sichas.com, including links to Autodesk Maya,
    Unity3D, Eclipse, and Blender.
• Download the free demo of GodWars from sichas.com
• Curriculum in development
• Articles posted multiple times per week!

Game Development

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Topics for Today •Game Design • Mobile Development (iOS) • Interactive Fiction with Java & Eclipse • Unity3d Engine • Autodesk Maya modeling
  • 3.
  • 4.
    Game Design • Whoam I developing for?
  • 5.
    Game Design • Whoam I developing for? • What do I want their experience to look like?
  • 6.
    Game Design • Whoam I developing for? • What do I want their experience to look like? • How am I going to structure this?
  • 7.
    Game Design • Whoam I developing for? • What do I want their experience to look like? • How am I going to structure this? • Why will this project be successful?
  • 8.
  • 9.
    Design Tips • Ifthe game isn’t fun within the first 3 minutes, you’ve failed. It doesn’t matter how amazing your story is.
  • 10.
    Design Tips • Ifthe game isn’t fun within the first 3 minutes, you’ve failed. It doesn’t matter how amazing your story is. • Once you’ve designed a great interface, throw it away and do it again.
  • 11.
    Design Tips “Good artistscopy, but great artists steal.” -Steve Jobs
  • 12.
  • 13.
    Mobile Development • iOSgamers want to listen to their music while they play
  • 14.
    Mobile Development • iOSgamers want to listen to their music while they play • They don’t want the game to demand so much that they miss their train or bus
  • 15.
    Mobile Development • iOSgamers want to listen to their music while they play • They don’t want the game to demand so much that they miss their train or bus • They expect the game to remember where they were and pick right back up
  • 16.
    Mobile Development • iOSgamers want to listen to their music while they play • They don’t want the game to demand so much that they miss their train or bus • They expect the game to remember where they were and pick right back up • They want to play for about 2-3 minutes at a time when on the go.
  • 17.
  • 18.
    Interactive Fiction • Textbased, minimal artwork
  • 19.
    Interactive Fiction • Textbased, minimal artwork • Engaging, exciting story
  • 20.
    Interactive Fiction • Textbased, minimal artwork • Engaging, exciting story • Control is in the user’s hands
  • 21.
    Interactive Fiction • Textbased, minimal artwork • Engaging, exciting story • Control is in the user’s hands • Expandable, upgradable
  • 22.
    Interactive Fiction • Textbased, minimal artwork • Engaging, exciting story • Control is in the user’s hands • Expandable, upgradable • Easy to understand, pick up and play
  • 23.
  • 24.
  • 25.
    GodWars • Original, epicstory • Phenomenal hand-drawn artwork by Nick Baldwin
  • 26.
    GodWars • Original, epicstory • Phenomenal hand-drawn artwork by Nick Baldwin • Customize your character
  • 27.
    GodWars • Original, epicstory • Phenomenal hand-drawn artwork by Nick Baldwin • Customize your character • Many expansions planned
  • 28.
    GodWars • Original, epicstory • Phenomenal hand-drawn artwork by Nick Baldwin • Customize your character • Many expansions planned • Hiatus in development, will resurface as an iOS app in 2012
  • 31.
  • 39.
  • 40.
    Unity3d • “The mostpowerful game engine this side of a million dollars”
  • 41.
    Unity3d • “The mostpowerful game engine this side of a million dollars” • All-in-one development environment
  • 42.
    Unity3d • “The mostpowerful game engine this side of a million dollars” • All-in-one development environment • 3 languages supported: JavaScript, C#, Boo
  • 43.
    Unity3d • “The mostpowerful game engine this side of a million dollars” • All-in-one development environment • 3 languages supported: JavaScript, C#, Boo • Port your games to iOS, Android, Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, PSP, XBOX 360 with very little revision
  • 44.
    Unity3d • “The mostpowerful game engine this side of a million dollars” • All-in-one development environment • 3 languages supported: JavaScript, C#, Boo • Port your games to iOS, Android, Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, PSP, XBOX 360 with very little revision • Seamless integration with popular 3D modeling tools, such as Autodesk Maya and Blender
  • 45.
    Unity3d • “The mostpowerful game engine this side of a million dollars” • All-in-one development environment • 3 languages supported: JavaScript, C#, Boo • Port your games to iOS, Android, Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, PSP, XBOX 360 with very little revision • Seamless integration with popular 3D modeling tools, such as Autodesk Maya and Blender • Built-in physics, collision, light mapping, animation, and more
  • 46.
    Pricing Unity Basic Unity Pro iOS iOS pro Android Android Pro FREE $1500 $400 $1500 $400 $1500
  • 47.
    Pricing Unreal Unity Basic Unity Pro iOS iOS pro Android Android Pro Engine 3 FREE $1500 $400 $1500 $400 $1500 $750,000
  • 48.
  • 50.
  • 51.
    Autodesk Maya • Mostpopular, powerful, professional 3d modeling software
  • 52.
    Autodesk Maya • Mostpopular, powerful, professional 3d modeling software • South Park, Call of Duty, Uncharted, World of Warcraft all use it
  • 53.
    Autodesk Maya • Mostpopular, powerful, professional 3d modeling software • South Park, Call of Duty, Uncharted, World of Warcraft all use it • Low barriers to entry
  • 54.
    Autodesk Maya • Mostpopular, powerful, professional 3d modeling software • South Park, Call of Duty, Uncharted, World of Warcraft all use it • Low barriers to entry • Only limited by you!
  • 55.
  • 56.
    Pricing Autodesk Maya through free Autodesk Maya Student Program $3,495 FREE
  • 57.
    Pricing Autodesk Maya through free Autodesk Maya Student Program $3,495 FREE
  • 58.
  • 59.
    sichas.com // resources • All materials from this lecture (including slides and video) are available at sichas.com, including links to Autodesk Maya, Unity3D, Eclipse, and Blender. • Download the free demo of GodWars from sichas.com • Curriculum in development • Articles posted multiple times per week!