This unit examines the fundamental issues of games development. The history of games and the games industry is studied. A variety of games genre are explained and contrasted. Topics include the different contributions from members of the games development team, the types of hardware used across various platforms for game implementation, the role of games engines, the importance of physics in ensuring realism and the manner in which system analysis can be applied to games development.
If you are finding problems with this requirement please ensure you speak to your unit adviser as early as possible.
Due to the nature of group work in this subject, it is expected that all students will attend 100% of classes.
This unit, like all Monash units, is built on the assumption that you will spend twelve hours a week attending classes and working on your assignments.
Attendance at tutorials without any work outside of this allocated class time will not be sufficient.
You should ensure that you can make this commitment before you embark on this subject
There will be a two-hour lecture and a two-hour laboratory class each week. To get the most out of this time you should make sure you have with you a copy of the project you are working on with you.
MMS1802 or FIT1002
, or equivalent.FIT2048 is a core unit in the Multimedia Games Development major of the Bachelor of Information Technology and Systems (BITS).
You may not study this unit and
MMS2102
in your degree.Monash is committed to ‘Excellence in education’ (Monash Directions 2025 - http://www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions/directions.html) and strives for the highest possible quality in teaching and learning.
To monitor how successful we are in providing quality teaching and learning Monash regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through Unit Evaluation Surveys. The University’s Unit Evaluation policy (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/unit-evaluation-policy.html) requires that every unit offered is evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys as they are an important avenue for students to “have their say”. The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.
Faculties have the option of administering the Unit Evaluation survey online through the my.monash portal or in class. Lecturers will inform students of the method being used for this unit towards the end of the semester.
Contact hours : Monday 10-12, Thursday 2-4
This unit will be provided via lectures and laboratory classes.
Lectures: During the lecture, you will be introduced to key theoretical concepts behind game design, production and analysis.
Laboratory: Laboratory classes will be used to work through practical exercises related to assignments
Monash aims to provide a learning environment in which students receive a range of ongoing feedback throughout their studies. You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This may take the form of group feedback, individual feedback, peer feedback, self-comparison, verbal and written feedback, discussions (on line and in class) as well as more formal feedback related to assignment marks and grades. You are encouraged to draw on a variety of feedback to enhance your learning.
It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem that is affecting your study. Semesters are short, so we can help you best if you let us know as soon as problems arise. Regardless of whether the problem is related directly to your progress in the unit, if it is likely to interfere with your progress you should discuss it with your lecturer or a Community Service counsellor as soon as possible.
| Week | Topic | Study guide | Key dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Game Concepts | Chapters 1-3 | |
| 2 | Storytelling and Narrative | Chapters 6-8 | |
| 3 | Game Genres | Chapters 13-20 | |
| 4 | Gameplay | Chapters 9-11 | |
| 5 | Ethics of Gaming | Chapter 4 | |
| 6 | Physics and Level Design | Chapter 12 | |
| Mid semester break | |||
| 7 | Online Games | Chapter 21 | Group presentation of Game Design due |
| 8 | Cinema in games | Chapter 7-8 | |
| 9 | AI, Flexible game mechanics | Chapter 20 | |
| 10 | Mod Development | Chapter 5 | |
| 11 | The Future of Gaming | Chapter 22 | |
| 12 | Exam revision | Group Assessment game level due | |
| 13 | no lecture | ||
Rollings, Andrew and Ernest Adams, 'Game Design and Development: Fundamentals of Game Design', Pearson, 2006, ISBN: 0-13-168747-6
Rollings, Andrew and Ernest Adams, 'On Game Design', New Riders, 2003, ISBN: 1592730019
Software may be:
Study resources we will provide for your study are:
The FIT2048 web site on MUSO, where lecture slides, weekly lab requirements, assessment specifications and supplementary material will be made available.The Monash University Library site contains details about borrowing rights and catalogue searching. To learn more about the library and the various resources available, please go to http://www.lib.monash.edu.au.
The Educational Library and Media Resources (LMR) is also a very resourceful place to visit at http://www.education.monash.edu.au/library/
All unit and lecture materials are available through MUSO (Monash University Studies Online). Blackboard is the primary application used to deliver your unit resources. Some units will be piloted in Moodle. If your unit is piloted in Moodle, you will see a link from your Blackboard unit to Moodle (http://moodle.monash.edu.au) and can bookmark this link to access directly. In Moodle, from the Faculty of Information Technology category, click on the link for your unit.
You can access MUSO and Blackboard via the portal: http://my.monash.edu.au
Click on the Study and enrolment tab, then Blackboard under the MUSO learning systems.
In order for your Blackboard unit(s) to function correctly, your computer needs to be correctly configured.
For example:
For more information, please visit: http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/downloadables-student.html
You can contact the MUSO Support by phone : (+61 3) 9903 1268
For further contact information including operational hours, please visit: http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/contact.html
Further information can be obtained from the MUSO support site: http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/index.html
If a student does not achieve 40% or more in the unit examination or the unit non-examination assessment then a mark of no greater than 44-N will be recorded for the unit.
To be eligible to pass and maintain your enrolment in FIT2048 you must attend 80% of your tutorial sessions. If you are absent for more than two tutorial sessions you must supply a medical certificate or other appropriate documentation. Absence of more than two tutorial sessions will result in a 5% penalty of the final mark.
If you are finding problems with this requirement please ensure you speak to your unit adviser as early as possible.
Due to the nature of group work in this subject, it is expected that all students will attend 100% of classes.
This unit, like all Monash units, is built on the assumption that you will spend twelve hours a week attending classes and working on your assignments.
Attendance at tutorials without any work outside of this allocated class time will not be sufficient.
You should ensure that you can make this commitment before you embark on this subject.
Title : Group presentation of Game Design
Description :
Presenting your game design to peers in a class environment
Weighting : 10%
Criteria for assessment :
Due date : Week 7
Title : Group Assessment: Game Level
Description :
Weighting : 30%
Criteria for assessment :
Due date : Week 12
Remarks ( optional - leave blank for none ) :
The exact due date will be dependent on homework progress.
Title : Individual Assessment
Description :
Weighting : 20%
Criteria for assessment :
Due date : Ongoing weekly tasks
Remarks ( optional - leave blank for none ) :
Weighting : 40%
Length : 2 hours
Type ( open/closed book ) : Closed book
CD-ROM assignments will be submitted at the drop-box near the Faculty information desk, with the appropriate cover sheet correctly filled out and attached .
The due date is the date by which the submission must be received.
The due dates for the submission of assignments are given in the previous section. Please make every effort to submit work by the due dates. It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are seldom regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions. Students are advised to NOT assume that granting of an extension is a matter of course.
Assignments received after the due date will be subject to a penalty of 10% per day late, measured 24 hours after the submission time.
Assignments received later than one week after the due date will not normally be accepted.
Students can expect assignments to be returned within two weeks of the submission date or after receipt, whichever is later.
Assessment for the unit as a whole is in accordance with the provisions of the Monash University Education Policy at http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/assessment/
We will aim to have assignment results made available to you within two weeks after assignment receipt.Plagiarism and cheating are regarded as very serious offences. In cases where cheating has been confirmed, students have been severely penalised, from losing all marks for an assignment, to facing disciplinary action at the Faculty level. While we would wish that all our students adhere to sound ethical conduct and honesty, I will ask you to acquaint yourself with the University Plagiarism policy and procedure (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/plagiarism-procedures.html) which applies to students detected plagiarising.
In this University, cheating means seeking to obtain an unfair advantage in any examination or any other written or practical work to be submitted or completed by a student for assessment. It includes the use, or attempted use, of any means to gain an unfair advantage for any assessable work in the unit, where the means is contrary to the instructions for such work.
When you submit an individual assessment item, such as a program, a report, an essay, assignment or other piece of work, under your name you are understood to be stating that this is your own work. If a submission is identical with, or similar to, someone else's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. If you are planning on working with another student, it is acceptable to undertake research together, and discuss problems, but it is not acceptable to jointly develop or share solutions unless this is specified by your lecturer.
Intentionally providing students with your solutions to assignments is classified as "assisting to cheat" and students who do this may be subject to disciplinary action. You should take reasonable care that your solution is not accidentally or deliberately obtained by other students. For example, do not leave copies of your work in progress on the hard drives of shared computers, and do not show your work to other students. If you believe this may have happened, please be sure to contact your lecturer as soon as possible.
Cheating also includes taking into an examination any material contrary to the regulations, including any bilingual dictionary, whether or not with the intention of using it to obtain an advantage.
Plagiarism involves the false representation of another person's ideas, or findings, as your own by either copying material or paraphrasing without citing sources. It is both professional and ethical to reference clearly the ideas and information that you have used from another writer. If the source is not identified, then you have plagiarised work of the other author. Plagiarism is a form of dishonesty that is insulting to the reader and grossly unfair to your student colleagues.
The university requires faculties to keep a simple and confidential register to record counselling to students about plagiarism (e.g. warnings). The register is accessible to Associate Deans Teaching (or nominees) and, where requested, students concerned have access to their own details in the register. The register is to serve as a record of counselling about the nature of plagiarism, not as a record of allegations; and no provision of appeals in relation to the register is necessary or applicable.
The Faculty of Information Technology is committed to the use of non-discriminatory language in all forms of communication. Discriminatory language is that which refers in abusive terms to gender, race, age, sexual orientation, citizenship or nationality, ethnic or language background, physical or mental ability, or political or religious views, or which stereotypes groups in an adverse manner. This is not meant to preclude or inhibit legitimate academic debate on any issue; however, the language used in such debate should be non-discriminatory and sensitive to these matters. It is important to avoid the use of discriminatory language in your communications and written work. The most common form of discriminatory language in academic work tends to be in the area of gender inclusiveness. You are, therefore, requested to check for this and to ensure your work and communications are non-discriminatory in all respects.
Students with disabilities that may disadvantage them in assessment should seek advice from one of the following before completing assessment tasks and examinations:
Deferred assessment (not to be confused with an extension for submission of an assignment) may be granted in cases of extenuating personal circumstances such as serious personal illness or bereavement. Information and forms for Special Consideration and deferred assessment applications are available at http://www.monash.edu.au/exams/special-consideration.html. Contact the Faculty's Student Services staff at your campus for further information and advice.