Course Syllabus

Table of Contents

  1. Lecture Sessions
  2. Staff Information
  3. Course Description and Requirements
  4. Communication and Logistics
  5. Assessment and Grading
  6. Class Management
  7. Academic Integrity
  8. Miscellaneous Policies

Basic Info

Fall 2024 Semester
https://f24.cs4730.org

Lecture Sessions

Tuesdays and Thursdays @ 11:00 AM-12:15 PM in Thornton A120

Staff Information

Instructor: Prof. Mark Sherriff
Office: Rice 400
Office Hours: Wednesdays 9:00-10:30 AM & Thursdays 12:30-2:00 PM
Email: sherriff@virginia.edu
Website: http://marksherriff.com

Teaching Assistants: Thomas Arnold, Sebastian Fugle, and Jennifer Vo

Course Description and Requirements

This course will introduce students to the concepts and tools used in the development of modern 2-D and 3-D real-time interactive computer video games. Topics covered in this include graphics, parallel processing, human-computer interaction, networking, artificial intelligence, and software engineering. -SIS Course Description

Our course is an introductory course in video game design and production. We will focus on both the design and technical aspects of creating a game, from concept inception and prototyping through coding and playtesting.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

  • Understand the social and ethical context in which video games are developed, marketed, and played;
  • Understand the technologies and platforms upon which modern interactive video games are developed;
  • Understand the software engineering concepts necessary to develop video games (and other large systems) in a large development group;
  • Comprehend the computational theory used in video games design, as well as, to a lesser extent, related fields (artificial intelligence, computer graphics, networks, etc.);
  • Understand the theoretical topic of game theory, and how that applies to multi-player games (and, to a lesser extent, artificial intelligence).

Major Topics

  • What exactly are games?
  • Game design elements
  • Game engines and frameworks
  • Game physics and collision detection
  • Game mechanics
  • Level and character design
  • Prototyping
  • AI and pathfinding
  • Graphics / Lighting
  • Statistics / Probability / Game Theory
  • Game balancing

Course Requirements

You should meet the following requirements to take this class:

  • Prerequisite: CS 2150 –OR– CS 3140 with a grade of C- or higher. Students that do not meet this prerequisite may be dropped at any point from the class. It is the student’s responsibility to check this prerequisite and/or speak with the instructor ASAP.
  • Willing and able to attend in-person lectures.
  • Be a meaningful contributor to your team project, which includes being in contact with your team AND writing code that will be incorporated into the final version of the product.
  • You will be expected to learn programming languages and platforms on your own in this class! If you don’t feel comfortable with this, please talk to the staff as soon as possible!

Textbooks

  • Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games by Tracy Fullerton - Available online as a PDF through UVA Library for free

Communication and Logistics

Piazza

Piazza @ https://piazza.com/class/lzwwq1egdud5jl

We will be using Piazza for the following:

  • Long-form questions about the class, code, or project (please post all code privately!)
  • Private messages for faculty or the entire staff
  • A searchable repository of common questions in the course about the project, assignments, etc.

We will not be using Piazza for:

  • Reassessment of graded work (use Gradescope)

Email

We will be using email for the following:

  • Personal issues that can and should only be handled by a professor
  • Team issues that need to be escalated beyond the TA

We will not be using email for:

  • Reassessment of graded work (use Gradescope)
  • Tech help (use Piazza)
  • Project questions (use Piazza)

PLEASE make sure to put “CS 4730” in the subject line somewhere so I can keep track of your request! And please be patient with me in responding. I receive A LOT of email and it’s easy to get behind. If there is a time-critical nature to your note, please let me know that as well.

Assessment and Grading

We will utilize a positive-reinforcement grading policy in this course. As the purpose of this class is for you to gain experience as a software developer working in a team on a larger-scale project, your grade in this course will be based on experience points (XP). Every student begins the course with 0 XP. As you complete assessments, work on the project, defeat bosses (tests), complete Random Encounters (in-class activities), etc. you will earn XP. Some assessments will have a way to retake or resubmit to earn some of the XP that was not earned on the first attempt. Please see individual assessments for more information regarding how this mechanic works.

Assessment Who Instances Max XP Max XP Avail
Random Encounters Small Groups or Individual ??? 10 min 50
Critical Analysis Quests Individual 2 50 100
PICO-8 Mini-Game Quest Individual 1 100 100
Unity Mini-Game Quest Individual 1 100 100
Game Design Document Team 1 50 50
Physical Game Prototype Team 1 50 50
Team Game Project Team 1 250 250
Mini-Boss Battle (Midterm) Individual 1 150 150
Final Boss Battle (Final Exam) Individual 1 150 150
Total Course XP       1000
Letter Grade XP Required
A+ 1000
A 950
A- 900
B+ 875
B 850
B- 825
C+ 775
C 750
C- 700
D+ 675
D 650
D- 625

Assessment Notes

Mini-Game Quests:

  • We will be using two different game framework/engines this semester - PICO-8 and Unity.
  • Students will create two small games individually with each toolset.
  • It is allowed to create the same game twice, once with each toolset, if desired.

Mini-Boss Battle and Final Boss Battle:

  • There are two tests in the course - the Mini-Boss Battle (Midterm) and the Final Boss Battle (Final Exam).
  • The dates for these are set on the course calendar. Students that cannot make either of these dates must inform the instructor at least 72 hours in advance.
  • Students with SDAC accommodations should make those known to the instructor at least 72 hours in advance and should proceed with scheduling a time with SDAC to take their test.

Critical Analysis:

  • Students will write at least two 3-4 page papers during the semester analyzing different video games.
  • See the Critical Analysis section of the course website for more information.

Random Encounters:

  • Random Encounters are short, in-class assessments to ascertain a student’s understanding of a single concept we have been discussing recently.
  • These could take the form of single-question quizzes, analyzing a game in class, or some other activity.
  • The “planned” Random Encounters this semester (all 5 of them) are based around in-class activities that cannot be made up outside of class. Students who miss these, for whatever reason, cannot make them up.
  • However, there will likely be more than 5 and students can earn bonus XP for completing more random encounters.
  • Students with SDAC accommodations for modified attendance can opt to do an extra Critical Analysis in place of the Random Encounters.

Team Assessments:

  • Game teams will jointly submit a physical prototype, a game design document, and a final game.
  • Teams will be comprised of 2-4 students and can be self-selected.

Reassessment Policy

You may request a reassessment of any graded work in this course, subject to the following conditions:

  • Students may only request the reassessment of returned coursework in writing via Gradescope. A verbal appeal is not appropriate and will not be accepted nor will requests made through other methods (e.g. email, office hours, etc.). If a follow up is necessary, we will reach out to you to come to office hours to provide additional information. All reassessment requests will be handled by the instructors.
  • Reassessment requests will open 24 hours after grades are released and will close 7 days after a grade has been released.
  • Students must provide a written rationale for requesting reassessment, with specific reference to: the learning outcomes, assessment rubric, qualitative grade descriptors, and any feedback provided to you.
  • Reassessment requests that are based on feeling or hearsay rather than information indicated above will not be considered and no further reassessment may be made. Examples include: “I feel you graded this too harshly”, “My friend did the same thing and got a better score”, etc.
  • Students who submit an item for reassessment are advised that the entire work will may be reconsidered and that the result of the reassessment may be that the grade will increase, stay the same, or decrease accordingly.
  • Graded work may only be reassessed once – you may not request reassessment a second time for the same item/problem and any changes to the grade made during reassessment will be final.

Class Management

Attendance

  • In-person attendance is expected and generally required for this class, especially on activity days.
  • Attendance will be taken on all activity and random encounter days. There will be (on average) one activity day per week.

Late Policy

  • Mini-Game Quests, Critical Analyses, and Game Design Document: An extension of up to seven calendar days may be requested for any reason by filling out the appropriate Google form with the assignment. Absolutely no extensions will be given beyond what is requested through this form. SDAC students should use this form if they have modified deadlines to request their extension.
  • Random Encounters: As these are in-class only, there is no late policy.
  • Physical Game Prototype: No late submissions allowed as we will demo these in class on the due date.
  • Team Game Project: No late submissions allowed as we will demo these in class on the due date.
  • Mini-Boss Battle: If the Mini-Boss Battle will be missed, it must be made up before scores are returned (typically within 48 hours of the assessment).
  • Final Boss Battle: Students who may miss the Final Boss Battle should contact the professor ASAP.

This Syllabus

This syllabus is to be considered a reference document that can and will be adjusted through the course of the semester to address changing needs. This syllabus can be changed at any time without notification. It is up to the student to monitor this page for any changes. Final authority on any decision in this course rests with the professor, not with this document.

Professionalism

In this course, there will be a focus on working well together and learning about the development process. A large portion of that process involves interpersonal skills and conflict management. Students and staff are all expected to treat each other with respect. This includes, but certainly is not limited to:

  • Proper use of class platforms (Discord, Piazza, YouTube comments, etc.)
  • Respectful behavior in class (including extraneous internet browsing, social media, phone usage, etc.)
  • Respectful language or actions to course staff or other students
  • Promptness for all deadlines and class meetings
  • Quality work
  • Working well with your partners
  • Following the honor code and other collaboration policies
  • Following any University health and safety regulations

Students can and will be penalized for unprofessional behavior.

Academic Integrity

Summary:

  • Know the honor code
  • Work with your team, but not any other team
  • Using code from other students (from any semester) is an honor violation
  • Using publically-available example code and libraries is fine, but you must cite your resources
  • More information on what is allowed will be included with each assignment if necessary
  • It never hurts to ask the staff what is allowed or not allowed!

The School of Engineering and Applied Science relies upon and cherishes its community of trust. We firmly endorse, uphold, and embrace the University’s Honor principle that students will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor shall they tolerate those who do. We recognize that even one honor infraction can destroy an exemplary reputation that has taken years to build. Acting in a manner consistent with the principles of honor will benefit every member of the community both while enrolled in the Engineering School and in the future.

Students are expected to be familiar with the university honor code, including the section on academic fraud http://honor.virginia.edu/academic-fraud. Assessments will describe allowed collaborations, and deviations from these will be considered Honor violations. If you have questions on what is allowable, ask! Unless otherwise noted, all assessments will be considered pledged that you have neither given nor received help. (Among other things, this means that you are not allowed to describe problems on an exam, assignment, or project to a student who has not taken it yet. You are not allowed to show exam papers to another student or view another student’s exam papers while working on an exam.) Sending, receiving, or otherwise copying or describing the contents of electronic files that are part of course assignments are not allowed collaborations (except for those explicitly allowed in assignment instructions).

Assignments or exams where honor infractions or prohibited collaborations occur will receive a zero grade for that entire assignment or exam. Such infractions will also be submitted to the Honor Committee if that is appropriate. Students who have had prohibited collaborations may not be allowed to work with partners on remaining homeworks.

Using code developed by previous students in the course or code written for your use by someone outside the course is not allowed and will likely be an honor violation. This does not apply to the use of publicly available frameworks and libraries, unless indicated in the assessment instructions.

In general, we expect that you will be using code, examples, and ideas from many different websites and resources for your projects. This is allowed within reason. Wholesale copying of an entire project or any major feature from any source (the web, another student, etc.) is definitely not allowed. Using code snippts that you find to round out a feature is allowed. If you ever have a question about what is or is not appropriate, ask first!

In ALL cases, you need to cite all sources at the top of the file where the code or algorithm was used AND you should note all sources in your documentation. Failure to properly attribute your sources will result in a 50% penalty for the project at a minimum.

How to Cite Code

Use the following format (or something functionally similar) as an example citing code you use. You may not have all of these fields available, but this should give you a good idea of things to look for. Order by title of the software package. Use the appropriate commenting format for the programming language of your source code. Below is a general example of a citation format. Does yours have to look exactly like this? No, nor does it have to have all the fields. It does have to have enough to give the proper credit and so we can find the resource if needed.

/***************************************************************************************
*  REFERENCES
*  Title: <title of program/source code>
*  Author: <author(s) names>
*  Date: <date>
*  Code version: <code version>
*  URL: <where it's located>
*  Software License: <license software is released under>
*
*  Title: ....
*
***************************************************************************************/

Policy on Use of Generative AI

In general, we will treat the use of generative AI the same as we would a student asking for help on StackOverflow or finding other sources of code. For coding questions (i.e. “How do I make a 2D sprite appear in Unity?”), students are welcome to use generative AI. This includes tools such as ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, and other code completion systems.

For critical analyses or other creative prompts, generative AI is discouraged. While these tools can give you some impressive boilerplate text that would work for a generic presentation, it’s not going to touch on the things that I expect to see in these documents. Usage of AI for cleaning up grammar or other structural aspects of documents is allowed.

Miscellaneous Policies

Inclement Weather Policy

If there is the possibility of inclement weather that could affect class, it is your responsibility to stay informed. Information about how to sign up for email and/or text alerts from UVA Emergency Management, along with the current University status, can be found at https://uvaemergency.virginia.edu/.

SDAC / Students with Disabilities or other Learning Needs

It is my goal to create a learning experience that is as accessible as possible. If you anticipate any issues related to the format, materials, or requirements of this course, please make an appointment to with your instructor outside of class so we can explore potential options. Students with disabilities may also wish to work with the Student Disability Access Center (SDAC) to discuss a range of options to removing barriers in this course, including official accommodations. We are fortunate to have an SDAC advisor, Courtney MacMasters, physically located in Engineering. You may email her at cmacmasters@virginia.edu to schedule an appointment. For general questions please visit the SDAC website: sdac.studenthealth.virginia.edu.

If you have already been approved for accommodations through SDAC, please send your instructor your accommodation letter as soon as possible. We happily and discretely provide the recommended accommodations for those students identified by the SDAC. For quizzes and other individual assessments, please remind us one week before an exam so we can make accommodations. For team related assessments, we cannot grant significant accommodations for an entire team due to just one person. However, we are more than happy to discuss with you the best way to integrate with your team with your accommodations in consideration. Please make an appointment with your instructor outside of office hours to have this discussion.

If you have other special circumstances (athletics, other university-related activities, etc.), please contact the instructor as soon as you know these may affect you in class.

Health Accommodations

It is in the best interest of everyone in our community to keep the spread of infectious disease to a minimum. If you are ill, please do not come to class. Lectures from previous semesters will be made available along with the course materials on the course pack and you can follow along there. Quiz accommodations can be made on a case-by-case basis. Due to their team-based nature, certain activities cannot be made up. If a student must miss an excessive number of these types of activities, they should meet with the instructor to discuss options.

Religious Accommodations

It is the University’s long-standing policy and practice to reasonably accommodate students so that they do not experience an adverse academic consequence when sincerely held religious beliefs or observances conflict with academic requirements.

Students who wish to request academic accommodation for a religious observance should submit their request to their instructor by email as far in advance as possible. Students who have questions or concerns about academic accommodations for religious observance or religious beliefs may contact the University’s Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights (EOCR) at UVAEOCR@virginia.edu or 434-924-3200.

Accommodations do not relieve you of the responsibility for completion of any part of the coursework - including the team project - missed as the result of a religious observance.

Support for Career Development

Engaging in your career development is an important part of your student experience. For example, presenting at a research conference, attending an interview for a job or internship, or participating in an extern/shadowing experience are not only necessary steps on your path but are also invaluable lessons in and of themselves. We wish to encourage and support you in activities related to your career development. To that end, please notify your instructor by email as far in advance as possible to arrange for appropriate accommodations.

Student Support Team

You have many resources available to you when you experience academic or personal stresses. In addition to your professor, the School of Engineering and Applied Science has staff members located in Thornton Hall who you can contact to help manage academic or personal challenges. Please do not wait until the end of the semester to ask for help!

NOTE: These resources are available for BACS majors as well! You are still a part of our department!

Learning

Health and Wellbeing

  • Kelly Garrett, Assistant Dean of Students, Student Safety and Support
  • Elizabeth Ramirez-Weaver, CAPS counselor
  • Katie Fowler, CAPS counselor

You may schedule time with the CAPS counselors through Student Health. When scheduling, be sure to specify that you are an Engineering student or College student. You are also urged to use TimelyCare for either scheduled or on-demand 24/7 mental health care.

Community and Identity

The Center for Diversity in Engineering (CDE) is a student space dedicated to advocating for underrepresented groups in STEM. It exists to connect students with the academic, financial, health, and community resources they need to thrive both at UVA and in the world. The CDE includes an open study area, event space, and staff members on site. Through this space, we affirm and empower equitable participation toward intercultural fluency and provide the resources necessary for students to be successful during their academic journey and future careers.

Harassment, Discrimination, and Interpersonal Violence

The University of Virginia is dedicated to providing a safe and equitable learning environment for all students. If you or someone you know has been affected by power-based personal violence, more information can be found on the UVA Sexual Violence website that describes reporting options and resources available.

The same resources and options for individuals who experience sexual misconduct are available for discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. UVA prohibits discrimination and harassment based on age, color, disability, family medical or genetic information, gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status. UVA policy also prohibits retaliation for reporting such behavior.

If you witness or are aware of someone who has experienced prohibited conduct, you are encouraged to submit a report to Just Report It (justreportit.virginia.edu) or contact EOCR, the office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights.

If you would prefer to disclose such conduct to a confidential resource where what you share is not reported to the University, you can turn to Counseling & Psychological Services (“CAPS”) and Women’s Center Counseling Staff and Confidential Advocates (for students of all genders).

As your professor and as a person, know that I care about you and your well-being and stand ready to provide support and resources as I can. As a faculty member, I am a responsible employee, which means that I am required by University policy and by federal law to report certain kinds of conduct that you report to me to the University’s Title IX Coordinator. The Title IX Coordinator’s job is to ensure that the reporting student receives the resources and support that they need, while also determining whether further action is necessary to ensure survivor safety and the safety of the University community.