Year 9 Game Development 1 - Introduction

• Computer Science
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)

Game Development 1 - Introduction

Key Vocabulary:

Interactive

Gameplay

State

Player

AI

Agile

Sprint

Iterative Development

Project Management

Today's lesson objectives:

Explain what gameplay is.

Use real-world examples of games to explore the principles of game development.

Understand the need for current games to evolve through continuous development.

See how concepts such as seasons and DLC are a product of iterative development.

Learn about the Agile methodology and key ideas behind it.

Starter: Plink

🥈 Silver Badge:

Open and play Plink

You will need headphones for this game.

In the following slides, answer the questions in an analytical way to attain your silver badge.

Video games, just like any other medium, can be analysed. The sort of skills to do this are actually ones you’ll have used in English lessons.

What kind of game is Plink? Could you put it into a category or genre?

How did you learn how to play Plink?

How does playing Plink make you feel?

Would you play Plink again? Why/why not?

Think:

What is this kind of analysis useful for in game design?

Pair:

What is this kind of analysis useful for in game design?

Share: What is this kind of analysis useful for in game design?

🥇 Gold Badge

1: Prepare a new word document, save it in your computer science area in your network drive.

2: Make notes on the video coming up on the following slide.

3: Answer the questions about the video.

Which word(s) describe the Agile methodology?

1. Flexible
2. Inflexible
3. Strict
4. Iterative

Define iteration

1. The final version of a game, completed after all changes and testing.
2. A tool used to create assets for an application.
3. Repetition of a procedure, algorithm or process.
4. A single movement or animation.

Why is Agile a great choice of project management methodology for games development?

The unit project

Later on in this this unit you will be working on a game project as a group. The aim of this is to give you a range of skills, including working with;

• Software development
• Working within a team.
• Project management.
  
• A professional game development environment.

Each person within the group will be expected to make a contribution of a similar proportion, quality, and level to your finished project at the end of the term.

This does not necessarily mean that everyone in the group will be expected to do a similar quantity of programming, as there are other tasks that surround this which are key to a successful project.

You will alternate between roles.

Assets

🥉 Platinum Badge Quiz

These questions are for your platinum badge, answer depth should be appropriate.

You may use the internet to help research your answers, however answers should be in your own words, do not copy and paste.

Describe a Sprite.

Define a script.

Provide 1 difference and 1 similarity between a sound effect and music.

Define a font.

Define a user interface