Scripting for Game Development
- Attendance and Completed Homework:
- Section 001
- Section 002
- Section 501
DIGM 265, Scripting for Game Development, focuses on advanced multimedia-authoring concepts and tools used in the production of self-contained computer interactive games including classic board and card games like Chess, Solitaire, and Monopoly; arcade games like Space Invaders, Packman, and Defenders, and adventure and educational games like Myst and Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? Attention is given to primary production tools used for creating time motion pieces intended for Internet and CD-ROM distribution.
Midterm
NONE.
Final
Students will create their own interactive multimedia game using Macromedia Flash (Stage size 800x600, Max shocked file size 2,048 kb). This shocked movie must be designed and implemented to be pleasing and engaging to the end player with custom graphics and sounds; it must also keep track of, and constantly display the player's score and game time. This game should have a 2:00 - 5:00 minute time limit with a count down timer. This final can be satisfied by replicating & customizing an existing classic, arcade, adventure, or educational game, or by inventing a brand new game. This final project will be delivered via the Internet AND on a functional MAC/WIN Hybrid CDROM.
Grading
- 20% Class attendance & participation
- 35% Homework (functionality, content, creativity)
- 45% Final (functionality, content, creativity) [15, 15, 15]
Equipment
- Macromedia Flash Professional 8 Game Development by Glen Rhodes
- Flash 8 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual Quickstart Guide
- At least 1 Zip diskette / USB Thumb drive to backup your work
- Headphones (If you want to listen to music while you work!)
06/28.. Welcome... Those of you with weak hearts may want to leave now 8-)
- Introductions
- Lecture: "Welcome... Those of you with weak hearts may want to leave now 8-)"
- Topics:
- Course Overview
- Storyboarding and assets preparation
- Flash basics review
- Symbols
- Layers
- Instance
- Animation
- Components
- etc
- Programming basics review
- Input
- Process
- Output
- Constants
- Variables
- Arrays
- Step by Step processing
- Conditional statements
- Loops
None
07/05.. History of Game development
- Some cool game sites:
- http://www.addictinggames.com/
- http://www.flashplayer.com/games/
- http://www.shockwave.com/
- http://www.miniclip.com/
- http://www.largeanimal.com/
Due midnight the night before next class:
- Submit via email to: jervis.thompson@drexel.edu, subject: "digm265hwk01s###jwt23" [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt23 with your drexel email account prefix]
- URL to 1st draft of the game screens you wish to create including:
- Introduction screen with title & directions on how to play (start)
- Game screen (timer, score)
- Winner/reward screen (score, replay)
- Loser screen (score, replay)
- Final grade extra credit questions:
- Submit two printed copies [NOT handwritten] at the start of next class. Include your name, date due, 3 extra credit questions, correct answers, and page references] based on the following reading:
- Read "Macromedia Flash Professional 8 Game Development"
- Chapter 1 .. The Flash 8 Renaissance
- Chapter 2 .. The Elements of Game Design
- Review games
07/12.. Flash vs Director for Game Development
- Topics:
- Quiz questions
- Last weeks extra credit flash solution
- Homework review
- Flash object movement - Actionscript 2.0
Due midnight the night before next class:
- Submit via email to: jervis.thompson@drexel.edu, subject: "digm265hwk02s###jwt23" [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt23 with your drexel email account prefix]
- URL to your beta screens (800x600) on your web site. Draft screens need to be within in a ShockWave Flash file (swf), look professional and have functional screen navigation.
- Game Design Document
- Introduction screen with title & directions on how to play (start)
- Game screen (timer, score)
- Winner/reward screen (score, replay)
- Loser screen (score, replay)
Bring to class: Sample flash game(s) that are similar to your game, with source *.fla
07/19.. Disadvantages of using Flash for game development
- Topics:
- Some flash game source FLA urls:
- Last weeks extra credit flash solution
- Homework review
- Flash timers - Actionscript 2.0
Due midnight the night before next class:
- Submit via email to: jervis.thompson@drexel.edu, subject: "digm265hwk03s###jwt23" [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt23 with your drexel email account prefix]
- URL to your final interface (with "rollover" and "mousedown" buttons) of the game you wish to create. (800x600) on your web site.
- Introduction screen with title & directions on how to play (start)
- Game screen (timer, score)
- Winner/reward screen (score, replay)
- Loser screen (score, replay)
- Final grade extra credit questions:
- Submit two printed copies [NOT handwritten] at the start of next class. Include your name, date due, 3 extra credit questions, correct answers, and page references] based on the following reading:
- Read "Macromedia Flash Professional 8 Game Development"
- Chapter 9 .. Optimization for Games
- Chapter 10 .. The Optimized Game AA Bomb
07/26.. Moving objects within a constrained area
- Topics:
- Last weeks extra credit flash solution
- Homework review
- Flash Keyboard controller with collision detection
Due midnight the night before next class:
- Submit via email to: jervis.thompson@drexel.edu, subject: "digm265hwk04s###jwt23" [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt23 with your drexel email account prefix]
- URL to your final interface of the game you wish to create. In Flash (800x600 max stage size):
- Game screen with functional count down "timer"
- When the timer reaches zero automatically jump to loser screen
- View sample
- Final grade extra credit questions:
- Submit two printed copies [NOT handwritten] at the start of next class. Include your name, date due, 3 extra credit questions, correct answers, and page references] based on the following reading:
- Read "Macromedia Flash Professional 8 Game Development"
- Chapter 6 .. Sound for Games
- Chapter 7 .. Sound Hunter
08/02.. The Power of sound control
- Topics:
- NOTE: Class instructor for the day.. Jeremy LaCivita
- Sound control with Flash
None
08/09.. Complex games made simple.... Divide and conquer
- Topics:
- Troubleshooting techniques in flash
Due midnight the night before next class:
- Submit via email to: jervis.thompson@drexel.edu, subject: "digm265hwk05s###jwt23" [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt23 with your drexel email account prefix]
- URL of your final flash game. In Flash (800x600 stage size):
- Complete expect for main game functionality
- Winner screen with score text area & replay button
- Loser screen with score text area & replay button
- Detailed list of functional goals in order to complete game
08/23.. Tricks of the Trade
- Topics:
- Flash built-in components
- How to burn true cross platform CDROM's. [view]
08/30.. Project review!
- Topics:
- Beta reviews
- Last call for troubleshooting
- Course Evaluations
Due midnight the night before last class (finals week):
- Submit via email to: jervis.thompson@drexel.edu, subject: "digm265finals###jwt23" [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt23 with your drexel email account prefix]
- URL of your final flash game.
Due the start (first 30 minutes) of our last class (finals week):
- Submit a CDROM (in case) with subject: "digm265finals###jwt23" [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt23 with your drexel email account prefix] written on CDROM.
- Flash file (*.fla), Shockwave file (*.swf). html file (*.htm), & any external files needed to run the game locally.