Curricula

Objectives

The objective of the course (goals):
Have you ever wondered how games are created and what they are made of?

Nowadays games have similar structures even though the gameplay differs greatly. Many games are made with professional core development tools, like game engine, and it is paramount that all game industry professionals understand the purposes of the tools and how they are used to enable, support, or speed up the game production processes.

Now is your chance to get your first shared experience in the game prototype creation process. So join in and get creative!

Course competences:
- Game Production: Student can produce (use) content for a game project and can work with the tools in meaningful and systematic way. They can use assets and the game engine to implement game prototype (They can implement assets with a game engine). Student understands the role of assets and the game engine.
- Learning to Learn: Also takes responsibility for group learning and sharing what has been learned.

The learning objectives of the course (outcomes):
After the course you know the basic structure of games. You understand what a game engine is, how it works, and how it can be used in unison with other core game development tools and assets to create game prototypes and games. You can apply your game engine related skills to be a part of the prototyping process.

Content

Some of the tools you will familiarise yourself with in this course include a game engine, a game engine editor, game production related assets, and a version control system. You will learn use at least some of the game engine features and components to create basic building blocks for games. You will have experience on the proof of concept (POC) creation process through the usage of predefines assets in the game engine.

Learning materials and recommended literature

This field describes the public learning material that is required for passing the course.

Learning material:
- Teacher's written materials
- Lecture materials (Slides and in the learning environment)
- Databases (in the learning environment)
- Materials related to implemantation (in the learning environment)
- Extra reading materials can be found from the web and Books24x7
- Tutorial materials can be found from the web and YouTube (or the course database)

Practicalities and used tools:
- A Version Control System (VCS) compatible with the game engine (e.g. Git, GitHub as the location)
- A game engine (e.g. Unity / Unreal Engine / Godot...)
- Integrated Development Environment (IDE) related to the game engine (e.g. Visual Studio / JetBrains...)
- A programming language related to the game engine (e.g. C# / C++...)

Some tool related public learning materials:
- Microsoft. (2024). C# programming guide [Documentation website]. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/programming-guide/
- Unity Technologies. (2024a). Unity - Manual [Documentation website]. https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/index.html
- Unity Technologies. (2024b). Unity - Scripting API [Application Programming Interface website]. https://docs.unity3d.com/ScriptReference/index.html

Teaching methods

This field describes the methods of teaching and learning used in the implementation and how student guidance will be arranged.

A blended model:
The primary mode of delivery is a combination of activities in-class on campus, and in specific cases on-line.
However, if the COVID-19 or other similar situation requires the learning will be supported by on-line activities.

The activities will deepen the learning in the following possible ways:
- Theoretical lectures and testing
- Individual and possible group work (implementation)
- Individual and possible group exercises, learning tasks (assignments) and reflection
- Guidance in the form of guided demos and end result reviews (also help with challenges)

The course activities can also contain:
- Project-based learning
- Flipped learning (learning about the topic before theory lectures)
- Knowledge tests
- Topic specific focus teaching
- Topic specific research
- Database use for challenges/problems/tutorials (problem based learning)

Participation to possible on-line activities:
- Zoom is used for on-line activities
- Requires a working webcam, headphones and microphone
- If one or more of the following are missing, the participation can be declined

Artificial intelligence (AI) usage:
- The use of AI and AI-assisted tools is permitted and recommended
- Pure copying (plagiarism) is still prohibited and will result in appropriate penalties

Official communication channels:
- Teams (primary) and email
- Course news (forum)
- DiscordApp / WhatsApp / other comms are prohibited from the faculty members
- The sessions can be recorded and the links added to the workspace (recording permission will always be requested from the participants beforehand)

Practical training and working life connections

This field describes connections to working life and practical training.

The course might have visiting lecturers (game industry experts), and possibly an excursion (virtual or physical).

The possible course project will mimic real-life project experiences.

Exam dates and retake possibilities

This field indicates the date and time of the actual exam and all retake opportunities.

There will be no exam on this course!
- Every student reserves a 30 min evaluation slot, where they will show their end results (portfolio) to verify the skills and knowledge required to pass the course
- The evaluation will be carried out with 1-on-1 evaluation discussion together with the course teacher(s)
- The reservation of the evaluation slots will be made possible through the learning platform

The date and time of the evaluation:
- From mid December to January
- Exact dates and the chances to retakes are announced during the course

Alternative completion methods

This field describes the alternative completion methods for the course.

You have the right to apply for recognition of your studies if you have prior learning (e.g. university studies completed elsewhere) that can be accredited towards the degree you are currently completing.

The recognition of prior learning is possible in the following ways:
- Accreditation of higher education studies (replacement or inclusion)
- Recognition of informal learning

More precise info:
- JAMK Degree Regulations, section 17
- https://www.jamk.fi/en/for-students/degree-student/recognition-of-prior-learning-and-experience

Student workload

This section describes the learning assignments and the time needed for completing them and the student’s other scheduling.

The workload of 5 credits is 135 hours. The load is distributed the following way:
- 60 hours of guided in-class activities
- 75 hours of independent work

This is roughly the following hour amounts:
~60 hours: Weekly in-class activities (Lectures, testing and implementation in demo)
~40 hours: Tasks (weekly and other), module assignments, and preparing for lectures
~10 hours: Possible sprint week or prototyping event
~25 hours: Portfolio preparations (for evaluation purposes)

Content scheduling

This section describes the scheduling of the course. Meaning what happens every week (rhythm, timing, weekly tasks, mandatory parts of the implementation)?

The course consists of 5 modules:
- Modules are 3-5 weeks long
- Every module is mandatory and has weekly in-class activities and independent work
- At the end of each module, there is a mandatory module assignment that checks the student's progress and module-related understanding and skills
- Detailed module contents will be available in the learning environment

The course starts with a 3 week long module. The module focuses on the course introduction, setting up the tools and environments as well as taking the first dive into the course topic. By the end to the 1st module every student must have fill the following criteria:
- Participated to all of the course in-class activities (marked participation)
- Returned the module assignment that has been accepted
- If 1 or more of the criteria is not filled, the student will be considered as inactive / withdrawn from the course (according to Jamk course resource requirements)

Weekly scheduling:
~4 hours per week for mandatory in-class activities (theory, testing, and implementation in demo) -> Possibly in 2 separate sessions
~4-6 hours per week of independent work relating to the tasks (weekly and other), module assignments, preparing for the lectures, and end product work (everything should further the student's end product)

This means that you should reserve ~8-10 hours of working time every week for this course!

The course also expects every student to have an end product to show by the end of the course:
- The end product demonstrates the student's understanding and skills related to the topics of the course
- The course ends with a final end result presentations in December

Further information for students

avoin amk 15 (sis. max-määrään)

Evaluation scale

0-5

Evaluation criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

Sufficient (1): You know the basic structure of games. You understanding the core development tools functionalities, pre-existing components, assets and/or example projects, and how they are used in the creation of games or game content. You can be productive in a limited role as an implementer of specific specialty area. You are also familiar with some other core development tools. You understand the proof of concept creation process.

Satisfactory (2): You are capable of using the core development tools functionalities, pre-existing components, assets and/or example projects, and how they are used in the creation of games or game content. You are able to show your skills through a simple proof of concept created with ready asset(s).

Evaluation criteria, good (3-4)

Good (3): You can analyze a variety of the core development tools functionalities, pre-existing components, assets and/or example projects, and how they are used in the creation of games or game content. You are capable of using them to create simple proof of concept(s) that take several ready assets into use. You can be productive in a role as an implementer of specific specialty area.

Very Good (4): You have a thorough understanding of the core development tools functionalities, pre-existing components, assets and/or example projects, and how they are used in the creation of games or game content. You are capable of using them to create complex proof of concept(s) that take several ready assets into use. You are capable of using 3rd party extensions, or modify the used assets (game content or functionalities). You have done collaboration with another game developer in your game prototype creation process.

Evaluation criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent (5): You can critically evaluate the core development tools functionalities, pre-existing components, assets and/or example projects, and how they are used in the creation of games or game content. You are capable of using them to create complex proof of concept(s). You also have in-depth knowledge on some specific part(s) of the game engine and asset(s). You have participated into the group game prototype creation process.

Prerequisites

No previous experience with game engines needed. Previous competence with a game engine is a plus. Skills with other related tools, like version control system, IDE, or game production specialty related tools, are useful.

Concerns open studies and exchange students: Minimal programming competence (language overall, basic structures, syntax, objects) is expected.

Further information

Suitable for anyone who is interested in the game creation process.