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|Designing & Producing Video Games

ITP 391x (4 Units)

Fall 2008 (2008-3)

| |

|Objective |The instructor is an experienced game industry professional who leads the students through writing a game design |

| |document and through an imaginary video game project. |

| |On completing the course the student will be able to: |

| |Write a game design according to accepted industry standards. |

| |Have an understanding of what it means to work in games and how to successfully apply for a game job. |

| |Utilize verbal and written, presentation skills to pitch a game concept. |

| | |

|Concepts |The course consists of a semester-long project to design an original video game, side by side with in-depth |

| |instruction on the job of the video game producer. Students are walked through an imaginary video game project |

| |from concept through pre-production to production to release. |

| | |

|Prerequisites/ |- ITP-280 |

|Recommended Preparation |- Students should furthermore be fluent in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, graphic utilities, |

| |scanners, email and Internet. |

| | |

|Instructor |Tom Sloper |

| | |

|Contacting the Instructor |Email: sloper@usc.edu (put “ITP391” in the subject) |

| |Telephone: 310-344-7873 |

| | |

|Office Hours |2-3 PM, Tuesdays and Thursdays, OHE412 |

| | |

|Lab Assistants |None |

| | |

|Lecture |Average 4 hours per week. |

| | |

|Lab |No lab. |

| | |

|Course Structure |Each week the student must write a 2-4 page assignment, for presentation and critique in class. |

| |Each week the instructor lectures on the topic of game production. |

| |Game industry professionals occasionally visit as guest speakers. |

| | |

|Required |Students are required to stay apprised of video game industry news. Two trade dailies are required reading: |

|Textbooks | |

| |GamaDaily - subscribe at |

| | |

|Optional |INTRODUCTION TO GAME DEVELOPMENT, edited by Steve Rabin; Charles River Media; ISBN: 1-58450-377-7 |

|Books | |

| | |

|Web Site |Blackboard is used extensively - |

| |Also: |

| | |

|Grading |The following point structure will be used in determining the grade for the course. Final grade will be based upon|

| |the total points received, the highest total in the class, and the average of the class. |

| | |

| |Criteria |

| |% of Grade |

| |Frequency |

| |Deliverables |

| | |

| |Weekly writing assignments |

| |40% |

| |Weekly (every other class) |

| |Portions of final project, delivered piece by piece. |

| | |

| |Midterm |

| |25% |

| |Once during semester |

| |Written exam |

| | |

| |Final exam and project |

| |25% |

| |Once during semester |

| |Presentation of final project and written exam |

| | |

| |Attendance |

| |10% |

| |Twice weekly |

| |Show up in class or give advance notice |

| | |

| |Total |

| |100% |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| |Grading scale: |

| |A 100-93 |

| |A- 92-90 |

| |B+ 89-87 |

| |B 86-83 |

| |B- 82-80 |

| |C+ 79-77 |

| |C 76-73 |

| |C- 72-70 |

| |D+ 69-67 |

| |D 66-65 |

| |F 64 or below |

| | |

|Policies |Instructor Policies |

| | |

| |Attendance - Students should notify instructor by email in advance if a class will be missed. Students are |

| |expected to come to class on time and attend each class. |

| | |

| |Assignments - Weekly assignments should be delivered online via Digital Dropbox. Assignments are to be in |

| |Microsoft Word format unless otherwise specified. Assignments are to be presented and critiqued in class, and |

| |graded within 2 weeks of due date. |

| | |

| |Late Submissions - Late assignments will be reduced by one letter grade for every week late. |

| | |

| |Make-up policies - To make up for a missed exam, the student must provide a satisfactory reason (as determined by |

| |the instructor) along with proper documentation. Make-up exams are only allowed under extraordinary circumstances.|

| | |

| |ITP Policies |

| | |

| |Classroom Computers - Before logging off a computer, students must ensure that they have emailed or saved projects|

| |created during the class or lab session. Any work saved to the computer will erased after restarting the |

| |computer. ITP is not responsible for any work lost. |

| | |

| |Open Lab - ITP offers Open Lab use for all students enrolled in ITP classes. These open labs are held beginning |

| |the second week of classes through the last week of classes. Please contact your instructor for specific times |

| |and days for the current semester. |

| | |

|Academic Integrity |The use of unauthorized material, communication with fellow students during an examination, attempting to benefit |

| |from the work of another student, and similar behavior that defeats the intent of an examination or other class |

| |work is unacceptable to the University. It is often difficult to distinguish between a culpable act and |

| |inadvertent behavior resulting from the nervous tension accompanying examinations. When the professor determines |

| |that a violation has occurred, appropriate action, as determined by the instructor, will be taken. |

| | |

| |Although working together is encouraged, all work claimed as yours must in fact be your own effort. Students who |

| |plagiarize the work of other students will receive zero points and possibly be referred to Student Judicial |

| |Affairs and Community Standards (SJACS). |

| | |

| |All students should read, understand, and abide by the University Student Conduct Code listed in SCampus, and |

| |available at: |

| | |

| | |

|Students with Disabilities |Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability |

| |Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained |

| |from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me (or to your TA) as early in the semester as possible. DSP |

| |is located in STU 301 and is open 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) |

| |740-0776. |

|Designing and Producing Video Games |

|ITP 391x (4 Units) |

|Course Outline |

| |

|Week 1 – Introduction (August 25-29) |

| |Introduce instructor and course. Examination of the roles of the game designer and producer in video game |

| |production/development. Introduce imaginary project. |

| |Reading: GameDaily Biz, GamaDaily |

| |Project: Concept Elevator Pitch - go see movie |

| |

|Week 2 – The New Producer's New Project (Sept. 1-5) |

| |Producer goes to visit IP owner and learn about the project's design direction guidelines. Writes an internal proposal|

| |for concept greenlight. |

| |Reading: GameDaily Biz, GamaDaily |

| |Project: 2-page Concept Document |

| |

|Week 3 – The Development Team (Sept. 8-12) |

| |Producer identifies, contacts, and vets development candidates. Bid packages. |

| |Reading: GameDaily Biz, GamaDaily |

| |Project: Main Game Screen (2-3 pages) |

| |

|Week 4 – Contracts & Milestones (Sept. 15-19) |

| |Video game development contracts and what sorts of issues usually arise. How to write good milestones. |

| |Reading: The Call of Duty Contract - |

| |Project: Story Elements (2-4 pages) |

| |

|Week 5 – Early project planning (Sept. 22-26) |

| |GDDs, TDDs. The 5 phases of a project. The Golden Spike. Xmas happens in July. |

| |Reading: GameDaily Biz, GamaDaily |

| |Project: Control Inputs (2-4 pages) |

| |

|Week 6 – Graphics approval cycles and politics (Sept. 29 - Oct. 3) |

| |Tracking the creation of assets. Politics that occur during the long wait for First Playable. |

| |Reading: GameDaily Biz, GamaDaily |

| |Project: Gameplay Walkthrough (3-4 pages) |

| |

|Week 7 – First Playable! (Oct. 6-10) |

| |Receiving and reviewing the First Playable build. Red flag spotting. Politics that occur when First Playable arrives. |

| |Reading: GameDaily Biz, GamaDaily |

| |Project: Shell, Menus (3-4 pages) |

| |

|Week 8 – Midterm (Oct. 13-17) |

| |Lecture topic: Flying to developer's location. Conducting developer meetings. |

| |Midterm consists of multiple-choice quiz and a couple of written questions. |

| |Reading: Latest Salary Survey on |

| |Project: Begin collaboration on budget (Google Spreadsheets) |

| |

|Week 9 – IP Owner & Greenlight Committee (Oct. 20-24) |

| |Meet with the IP owner to discuss project direction. Get greenlight committee consensus. |

| |Reading: GameDaily Biz, GamaDaily |

| |Project: Collaborative budget due (Google Spreadsheets) |

| |

|Week 10 – Tracking & Communicating (Oct. 27-31) |

| |Tricks of tracking a project and maintaining constant communication without micromanaging. |

| |Reading: |

| |Project: A Story Cutscene (3-4 pages) |

| |

|Week 11 – Q.A. (Nov. 3-7) |

| |The Producer - Quality Assurance working relationship. |

| |Reading: GameDaily Biz, GamaDaily |

| |Project: Sounds, voice, music (2-4 pages) |

| |

|Week 12 – Marketing (Nov. 10-14) |

| |Working with Marketing. Game's final title, box & docs, demos, screen shots, interviews. |

| |Reading: GameDaily Biz, GamaDaily |

| |Project: Collaborative design (1 page). Each student must present ideas for the other students' designs. Each student |

| |must accept some ideas for his/her design. |

| |

|Week 13 – Down To The Wire (Nov. 17-21) |

| |Working with Operations and the platform holder. Platform holder certification/approval. BOM meetings. Closing the |

| |project in QA. |

| |Reading: GameDaily Biz, GamaDaily |

| |Project: Paper draft of final project. All parts assembled into one whole, with section numbers. |

| |

|Week 14 – Aftermarket (Nov. 24-28) |

| |The producer's work isn't finished when the game is released. Customer support, sequels, localizations, ports. |

| |Reading: Guy Kawasaki's 10-20-30 rule (use Google to find it online) |

| |Project: Powerpoint presentation |

| |

|Week 15 – The Real World (Dec. 1-5) |

| |Getting a job in the game industry. |

| |Reading: GameDaily Biz, GamaDaily |

| |Project: Résumé. Portfolio if applicable. |

| |

|Week 16 – Final (Dec. 10-17) |

| |Final exam consists of the following parts: |

| |Verbal elevator pitch from memory (10%) |

| |Powerpoint presentation (15%) |

| |Hand in final project, digital and hard copy (25%) |

| |Multiple-choice quiz with some written questions. (50%) |

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