CS 679: Computer Game Technology

1. CS 679: Computer Game Technology http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~cs679-1/ Fall 2003 CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

2. The Professor… • Stephen Chenney • schenney@cs.wisc.edu • Office: 6387 Comp Sci • Office Hours: Email to arrange a time CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

3. The TAs • Matt Anderson (manderso@cs.wisc.edu) • Eric McDaniel (chate@cs.wisc.edu) • Office: 1347 (Graphics research lab) • Office Hours: Email CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

4. Contacting Us • Email Prof and TAs: cs679-1@cs.wisc.edu • Email class: cs679-1list@cs.wisc.edu • Use these lists • Email to one TA or Prof will not be read by others, thus slowing the response CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

5. The Interactive Entertainment Industry • Hardware makers produce gaming hardware • eg Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, … • Game Developers create games • eg Electronic Arts (EA), Epic, ID, thousands of others • Publishers publish games • eg Sony, Nintendo, EA, … • The model is similar to books or movies • One group creates it, another distributes it, and another supplies the underlying infrastructure CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

6. Flavors of Game Developer • Game Designers decide on the format and behavior of the game • Artists design models, textures, animations and otherwise are responsible for the look of the game • Level Designers create the spaces in which the game takes place • Audio Designers are responsible for all the sounds used in the game • Programmers write code, to put it all together, and tools, to make everyone else’s job simpler • And others: Production, management, marketing, quality assurance CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

7. Course Outline • Real-time graphics • Lighting and shading, modeling, data management • AI: Game term for behavior • Creating characters, path planning, generating motion • Networking: Playing together • Protocols for gaming, architectures, managing bandwidth • Full (tentative) syllabus online CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

8. Disclaimer • Game development requires more than graphics, AI and networking • Design, Art, Software engineering, Production, Audio, … • This course won’t formally cover any of that stuff • Nor will it give you much experience with middleware, console programming, mobile gaming, contract negotiation, … CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

9. Books • Official textbook: “Real-Time Rendering, 2nd Edition” • Probably the best single book on real-time techniques, and not just rendering • Other useful books: • “The OpenGL Programming Guide” • “The Cg Tutorial” covers some material for the project • “Game Programming Gems” and the sequels and offshoots have many useful things • “3D Game Engine Design”, lots of equations, not much exposition • Website: www.gamasutra.com • Game developer technical and trade news • Other specific web sites CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

10. What I assume you know • 3D graphics concepts and programming • “Standard” lighting and shading • Modeling techniques • Vectors, matrices, geometric reasoning • OpenGL will be the graphics API discussed in lectures • I assume you are competent with at least one user interface toolkit eg FLTK, MFC, Glut, Gtk, … • Make sure it’s supported on Windows • I assume you are competent with at least one programming language and environment under Windows CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

11. Grading • Midterm and final • Approx 40% of the grade, might change • Project • Multiple stages staggered through the semester • Work in groups of 3-4 CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

12. Project • The project is to create a game • Issues: • Game design • Groups • Timeline • Grading • Tools CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

13. Game Design • Design your game around the concept of guiding a vehicle • Race games • Scavenger hunt games • Puzzle games • Why this theme? • Easy to get started and clear progression • Simple alternatives for all the important pieces: art, physics, control • Wide range of potential game styles • Feel free to steal ideas from existing games • It’s what the professionals do CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

14. Working in Groups • Working in groups is not easy, and it is an acquired skill • For some information on group functioning, read • http://www-honors.ucdavis.edu/vohs/index.html • I want you to form groups by Monday • Use the whiteboard in 1347 • Move your name from the “unattached section” to the “groups” section, starting a new group if necessary • There will be some group evaluation exercises through the semester CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

15. Timeline • Something due roughly every 2 weeks throughout the semester • First stage: Design and User Interface programming • Subsequent stages: • Advanced rendering • AI • Physics • Networking (?) • Refinement of earlier stages is allowed CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

16. Grading • Groups will be graded as one, but there may be adjustments for individuals • Each group will set goals for the stage • Advice will be given on reasonable goals • Goals will be discussed and recorded near the start of each stage • Goals can be modified in the face of problems • You will be graded based on how well you achieve your goals, with a degree of difficulty factor • Each stage will require a demo CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

17. Tools • The only requirement is that your project run in B240 (Windows 2000) • We strongly prefer OpenGL • The lectures will assume OpenGL, and we know nothing about DirectX • Choose any UI toolkit: Natural options are FLTK, MFC, Glut, … • We are most familiar with FLTK, but it has some (non-debilitating) issues for real-time interactive programming • You will probably want to use Cg for the second project stage CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

18. More Tools • Models and art will be an issue • We have licenses for Maya, but no well established path to get models into OpenGL • Building models by hand might be the most efficient option • You are free to use any available tools, provided you acknowledge it • Textures should be a lesser problem • Don’t be scared to write small tools if you think it will make your project easier CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

19. First Stage • Due Mon Sept 22, 4pm • First stage, 1st part: Design a game, put it on paper • Outline of game objectives • Sketches of potential looks • First stage, 2nd part: Get a simple environment up and running with a vehicle and some control • Minimal requirements for rendering quality – colored boxes is fine • You can modify something you have previously written • You can even borrow something from someone else CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin

20. Todo • By Monday: Formulate groups, whiteboard room 1347 • By Monday: Read booklet on group work • http://www-honors.ucdavis.edu/vohs/index.html • By Friday, Sept 12: Goals for stage 1 CS679 - Fall 2003 - Copyright Univ. of Wisconsin