Course

Computer Game Development I

Faculty
Science & Technology
Department
Computing Science
Course code
CMPT 1267
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15 Weeks
Max class size
35
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Lab
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Typically offered
To be determined

Overview

Course description
This course introduces students to computer programming methods for game development. Students will use a hands-on approach to learn practical programming concepts for interactive game design using an object-oriented programming language (such as C++), graphics libraries, and game engines. Topics include fundamental game concepts, an introduction to object-oriented programming for game development, basic 2D game graphics, and an introduction to modern game engines.
Course content
  • Basic game concepts
    • The game development lifecycle
    • Actors, mechanics, goals, space, and rules
  • A brief introduction to object-oriented programming
    • Classes and objects
    • Private and public members
    • Object pointers and references
    • Inheritance
    • Templates
  • Basic 2D game graphics
    • The color buffer
    • Double buffering
    • Implemention of 2D graphics in a game
  • An introduction to game engines
    • Maps, levels, actors, components, transforms, and vectors
    • Visual scripting basics
    • Level design
    • Compiling game projects using an integrated development environment
    • Live coding basics
    • Tick, frame rate, and delta-time concepts
    • Using inheritance to create classes
    • Game modes
    • Debugging games using output logs
    • Processing player input
    • Particle systems
    • Line traces
    • Object collision
    • Spawning actors
    • User interfaces and heads-up displays
    • Adding audio to games
Learning activities

Lectures, labs, and self-directed learning (programming assignments)

Means of assessment

Assessment will be in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on the following:

Labs 5-25%
Assignments       0-20%
Projects 0-20%
Term Test(s) 20-30%
Final Exam 25-35%
Total 100%

** In order to pass the course, in addition to receiving an overall course grade of at least 50%, students must achieve a grade of at least 50% on the combined weighted examination components (term test(s) and final exam).

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Describe the game development lifecycle from a programming perspective;
  • Explain the fundamental concepts behind games;
  • Apply object-oriented programming techniques in the context of computer game development;
  • Utilize an integrated development environment for game programming;
  • Design and implement object-oriented programs for computer game development;
  • Program logic and game mechanics with collisions and particle effects;
  • Create game prototypes using game engines and graphics libraries;
  • Build basic user interface elements and interactive menus for computer games.
Textbook materials

Consult the Douglas College Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials.

Sample textbooks and materials may include:

  • Blueprints Visual Scripting for Unreal Engine 5 (current edition), Marcos Romero, Brenden Sewell, and Luis Cataldi, Packt Publishing
  • Game Programming in C++ (current edition), Sanjay Madhav, Pearson

Requisites

Prerequisites

Minimum C grade in CMPT 1109 or CMPT 1110 or CSIS 1175

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer details for CMPT 1267
Acsenda School of Management (ASM) ASM GEN 1XX (3)
Alexander College (ALEX) ALEX CPSC 1XX (3)
Athabasca University (AU) AU COMP 2XX (3)
Camosun College (CAMO) No credit
College of New Caledonia (CNC) CNC CSC 1XX (3)
College of the Rockies (COTR) COTR COMP 1XX (3)
Columbia College (COLU) COLU CSCI 1st (3)
Coquitlam College (COQU) COQU CSCI 1XX (3)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) No Credit
North Island College (NIC) NIC CPS 1XX (3)
Northern Lights College (NLC) NLC ITEC 2XX (3)
Okanagan College (OC) OC COSC 229 (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU CMPT 2XX (3)
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) TRU COMP 1XXX (3)
University Canada West (UCW) UCW CPSC 1XX (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) UBCV CPSC_V 1st (3)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV COMP 1XX (3)
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC CSC 167 (1.5)
Vancouver Community College (VCC) VCC CMPT 1XXX (3)
Vancouver Island University (VIU) VIU CSCI 1st (3)

Course Offerings

There are no course offerings this semester.