MIDTERM: None.

FINAL: Students will create their own interactive multimedia game using Adobe Flash CS5, Actionscript 3.0 (Min stage size 800×600, Max stage size 1024×768, Max *.swf file size 4,048 kb). This shocked game must be designed and implemented to be pleasing and engaging to the end player with custom graphics and sounds. It must also keep track of game time, and constantly display the player’s score. This game should have a 2:00 – 4:00 minute time limit with a count down timer. This final can be satisfied by replicating & customizing an existing classic, arcade, adventure, or educational game, or by inventing a brand new game. This final project will be delivered via the Internet AND on a functional MAC/WIN Hybrid CDROM.

INSTRUCTORS:

• Jervis Thompson: st966rc2@drexel.edu
• Phil Sinatra: phil.sinatra@gmail.com

GRADING:

• Class attendance & participation
  • Late -1
  • 1st absence .. No penalty
  • 2nd absence .. -1 letter grade
  • 3rd absence .. “F”
• 40% Homework (functionality, content, creativity)
• 60% Final (functionality, content, creativity) [20, 20, 20]

FINAL GRADE SCALE:

• 100% or above = A+
• 95% to 99% = A
• 90% to 94% = A-
• 88% to 89% = B+
• 83% to 87% = B
• 80% to 82% = B-
• 78% to 79% = C+
• 73% to 77% = C
• 70% to 72% = C-
• 65% to 69% = D
• 64% or below = F

HONORS:

• An Honors Option is available to students in the Honors Program. If interested, please ask me about it.

EQUIPMENT:

• “ActionScript 3.0 Game Programming University” by Gary Rosenzweig .. Purchase .. Web
• Complete “Flash Gaming University” iTunes podcast
• At least two forms of backup media (flash drive, server storage, DropBox, etc)
• Headphones (If you want to listen to music during lab time)

Academic Honesty Policy

Drexel University is committed to a learning environment that embraces academic honesty. Faculty, students, and administrators share responsibility for maintaining this environment of academic honesty and integrity, accepting individual responsibility for all actions, personal and academic. Each member of our community is expected to read, understand, and uphold the values identified and described in our “Academic Polices, Procedures and Regulations” as written in the official student handbook. Instances of academic dishonesty, such as cheating and plagiarism, will be dealt with appropriately.

Americans with Disabilities Act

In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and applicable federal and state laws, Drexel University ensures people with disabilities will have an equal opportunity to participate in its programs and activities. Members and guests of the Drexel community who have a disability need to register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS), if requesting auxiliary aids, accommodations, and services to participate in Drexel University’s programs. All requests for reasonable and appropriate auxiliary aids, academic adjustments, and services will be considered on a case-by-case basis and in a timely fashion.

Office of Disability Services
3201 Arch Street, Suite 210
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: 215.895.1401
TTY: 215.895.2299 (Reserved for those who are deaf or hard of hearing)
Fax: 215.895.1402
E-mail: disability@drexel.edu

Acknowledging Conditions and Obligations in Syllabus

The student acknowledges receipt of this syllabus and the information herein contained by continuing to attend classes and turn in assignments. This syllabus is intended as a guideline. The instructor reserves the right to change from it in interest of responding to individual class need.

Lecture:

“Welcome… Those of you with weak hearts may want to leave now 8-)”

Topics:

• Course Overview
• Prior student work 01works
• Official Top Picks
• DIGM works on kongregate

• Storyboarding and assets preparation
  • Intro screen with instructions
  • Game screen
  • Win screen
  • Lose screen

• Flash basics review
  • Symbols
  • Layers
  • Instance
  • Animation
  • Components
  • etc

• Programming basics review
  • Input
  • Process
  • Output
  • Constants
  • Variables
  • Arrays
  • Step by Step processing
  • Conditional statements
  • Loops

Homework 01:

• Read Introduction, Chapter 1 & 2 of “ActionScript 3.0 Game Programming University”
• Review ALL relative “Flash Gaming University” podcasts
• Download and play ALL games in the book
• Go online and play other flash based games
• Due before midnight the night before next class:
  • Submit via email to your instructor, subject: “digm265hwk01s###jwt23″ [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt23 with your drexel email account prefix]
  • URL to 1st draft of the game screens you wish to create including: Introduction screen with title & directions on how to play (start)
    • Intro screen
    • Game screen (timer, score)
    • Win screen (score, replay)
    • Lose screen (score, replay)

Lecture:

HISTORY of game development.

Topics:

• Homework Review
• What makes AS3 better than AS1-AS2?
  • Speed – Up too 10 times faster
  • True OOP – Allows for more complex development
  • Memory – Less memory leaks
  • MORE
• Introduction to Flash 9 – AS3
  • View basic navigation with sound
  • Download basic navigation with sound assets

Homework 02:

• Review ALL relative “Flash Gaming University” podcasts
• Due before midnight the night before next class:
  • Submit via email to your instructor, subject: “digm265hwk02s###jwt23″ [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt23 with your drexel email account prefix]
  • URL to your alpha flash game.
    • Upgrade your 1st draft game screens
    • Add instructions screen
    • Bring all screens into flash
    • Integrate basic navigation we covered in class
    • Add “Score” dynamic text field
• Download, backup, and play ALL sample games mentioned in the book from “Flash Game U”
• Bring to class sample flash game(s) from “Flash Game U” that are similar to the game you want to create, with source *.fla

Lecture:

Flash vs Director for Game Development.

Topics:

• Homework Review
• Score and Timer functionality
  • Text fields in the root timeline
  • Dynamically create text fields
  • Game object with time management
• Flash 9 – AS3
  • View navigation, sound, and count down timer
  • Download basic Score with Timer assets

Homework 03:

• Review ALL relative “Flash Gaming University” podcasts
• Due before midnight the night before next class:
  • Submit via email to your instructor, subject: “digm265hwk03s###jwt23″ [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt23 with your drexel email account prefix]
  • URL to your beta flash game.
    • Final game screens
    • Bring them into flash
    • Integrate Score and Timer functionality we covered in class

Lecture:

Disadvantages of using Flash for game development.

Topics:

• Homework Review
• Controlling Sprite Objects with Keyboard
  • Creating sprite objects
  • Adding movie clips to sprites objects
  • Controlling sprite objects
• Flash 9 – AS3
  • View ship mover
  • Download ship mover assets

Homework 04:

• Review ALL relative “Flash Gaming University” podcasts
• Due before midnight the night before next class:
  • Submit via email to your instructor, subject: “digm265hwk04s###jwt23″ [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt23 with your drexel email account prefix]
  • URL to your final game screens in flash.
    • Final game screens
    • Flash navigation buttons “Play”, “Replay”, “Instructions”, etc
    • Remove all lecture navigation buttons
    • All of your buttons should have different rollover and down states
    • Integrate Score and Timer functionality we covered in class

Lecture:

The POWER of Text control.

Topics:

• Homework Review
• Controlling Text in Flash AS3
  • Static -vs- Dynamic Text
  • Fonts, Size, Selectable, Anti-aliasing, Drop Shadows, etc
  • Control with AS3
• Flash 9 – AS3
  • View ship mover with embedded text
  • Download ship mover text assets

Homework

• Review ALL relative “Flash Gaming University” podcasts
• Come to class with your ALL relative files and specific questions

Lecture:

Collision detection.

Topics:

• Complex collision detection in Flash AS3
  • Hit test object
  • Hit test point
  • Distance
  • Advanced Pixel Perfection Detection
• Flash 9 – AS3
  • Download collision samples

Homework

• Review ALL relative “Flash Gaming University” podcasts
• Come to class with your ALL relative files and specific questions

Lecture:

Alpha troubleshooting.

Topics:

• Alpha Game trouble shooting
• Troubleshooting from known too unknown
• Updating user’s final SCORE in winner or loser screen

Homework 05:

• Review ALL relative “Flash Gaming University” podcasts
• Due before midnight the night before next class:
  • Submit via email to your instructor, subject: “digm265hwk05s###jwt23″ [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt23 with your drexel email account prefix]
  • URL to your beta game in flash.
    • Beta game
    • All of your buttons should have different rollover and down states
    • Integrated Score and Timer functionality
    • Game functionality covered in class(i.e. movement, collision detection, etc)

Lecture:

Beta troubleshooting.

Topics:

• Shooting ARRAY “bullets”
  • View Ship with bullets
  • Download Ship with bullets assets
• MIW (Making It Work)

Homework

• Review ALL relative “Flash Gaming University” podcasts
• Come to class with your ALL relative files and specific questions

Lecture:

Beta troubleshooting.

Topics:

• Course Critiques
• Beta Game Reviews
• Trouble Shooting

Lecture:

Beta troubleshooting.

Topics:

• Beta Game Reviews
• Troubleshooting – last call

Finals:

• Review ALL relative “Flash Gaming University” podcasts
• Due midnight the night before last class (finals week):
  • Submit via email to your instructor, subject: “digm265finals###jwt23″ [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt23 with your drexel email account prefix]
  • URL to your final flash game.

• Due the START (first 10 minutes) of our last class (finals week)
  • Early CDROM submittals can be dropped in my mail box UCROSS, Sharon walker and Johni Crosland office
  • Submit a MAC/WIN CDROM (in case) with subject: “digm265finals###jwt23″ [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt23 with your drexel email account prefix] written on CDROM
  • Flash file (*.fla), Actionscript files (*.as), Shockwave file (*.swf). html file (*.htm), & any other files needed to run your game locally from the CDROM are required.
  • View burning a MAC/WIN CDROM