Game Design Class Descriptions

Game Foundations and Design

Part One - Foundations:  This course is designed to provide an introduction to game and simulation concepts and careers, the impact game and simulation has on society and industry, and basic game/simulation design concepts such as rule design, play mechanics, and media integration.  This course compares and contrasts games and simulations, key development methodologies and tools, careers, and industry-related information. This course also covers strategies, processes, and methods for conceptualizing a game or simulation application; storyboarding techniques; and development tools. 

Part Two - Design:  This course covers fundamental principles of designing a game or a simulation application, in particular Human Computer Interface (HCI) principles, rules and strategies of play, conditional branching, design and development constraints, use of sound and animation, design tools, and implementation issues. The content includes market research, product design documentation, storyboarding, proposal development, and presentation of a project report.  Emphasis is placed on the techniques needed to develop well-documented, structured games or simulation programs. Extensive use is made of evaluating and analyzing existing games or simulations.

Game & Simulation Programming

This course is focused on students acquiring the appropriate programming skills for rendering a game or simulation product, including program control, conditional branching, memory management, score-keeping, timed event strategies and methodologies, and implementation issues.

Multi-User Game & Simulation Programming

This course is focused on students acquiring the appropriate programming skills for rendering a game or simulation product, including program control, conditional branching, score-keeping, timed event strategies and methodologies, and implementation issues specific to multi-user game/simulation products.

Advanced Applications

This program is designed to prepare students for employment as a Game/Simulation Project Manager.  The content includes but is not limited to a capstone opportunity for students to learn and apply principles of project management, team-building, scheduling, coordination and budgeting to create a complete game or simulation product.

AP Computer Science Principles

AP Computer Science Principles offers an approach on many different disciplinary levels to teaching the underlying principles of computation. The course will introduce students to the creative aspects of programming, abstractions, algorithms, large data sets, the Internet, cybersecurity concerns, and computing impacts. AP Computer Science Principles also gives students the opportunity to use current technologies to create computational artifacts for both self-expression and problem solving. Together, these aspects of the course make up a rigorous and rich curriculum that aims to broaden participation in computer science.

Game & Simulation Graphic Artist

This course is focused on students acquiring skills to create, refine, and integrate realistic 2D graphics into a game or simulation product.  Students will essentially learn how to use graphic software package, file maintenance strategies, and migration techniques and issues.

Game & Simulation 3D Graphic Animator

This course is focused on students acquiring skills to create, refine, and integrate realistic 3D graphics into a game or simulation product.  Students will essentially learn how to use a 3D animation software package, file maintenance conventions, and migration techniques and issues.