1. Level 3 Extended Diploma Unit 22 Developing Computer Games
Game Design
Level 3 Extended Diploma
Unit 22
Developing Computer Games

2. Your task (criteria P3)
Produce a design for a computer game for a given specification
Must be a design you are capable of developing in HTML5 and JavaScript
For confident programmers:
Side scroller
Platform
Snake
For less confident programmers:
Breakout

3. Design techniques Storyboards Pseudo code Narrative Action lists
Graphical tools

4. Storyboards

5. Storyboards
A series of simple drawings created by games designers which show:
The different stages of the game
The order in which they will be played
The appearance of:
Start screens
Levels
Menus
Scores
How game development can be split and allocated to different developers

6. Story board for breakout
Start screen
Options menu
Difficulty?
Levels
Different numbers of bricks?
More than one ball?
Scores
Time taken?
Points?
Game over screen

7. Pseudo code Cross between programming code and English
Designers understand:
Game features
What makes good games
What motivates players to continue
Programmers understand:
How the code works
Pseudo code is used to communicate between designers and programmers

8. Pseudo code for Breakout
If ball is at bottom of screen and ball is on paddle Then reverse direction Else End game End If

9. Narratives This is the story of the game
Encourages the player to find out what happens next
Creates atmosphere (scary, tense, calm)
Creates emotional link to characters
Acts as carrot and stick
Creates rewards
More or less important depending on genre

10. Narrative for breakout
Increased tension in levels
Speed?
Number of balls?
Rewards
Faster paddle?
Slower ball?
More points if more than brick knocked out per bounce?
Different ball shapes or sprites?

11. Action lists Splits the complete development job into individual tasks
Shows them in order
Shows who will be doing them
How long they take
When they need to be done by
The skills and resources needed
Used by the project manager
Given to the whole team

12. Action list item for Breakout
Create storyboard
Duration: 1 week
Developer: A student
Dependency: Choice of game
Due by: April 27
Skills: Drawing
Resources: Graphical package

13. Assignment 2
P3 Produce a design for a computer game for a given specification
M1 Determine appropriate data types for a computer game and show how they are declared
D2 Explain how the structure and design of a game can assist in maintenance and capacity for extension.

14. Task 1
P3 Produce a design for a computer game for a given specification
Your design must include
Storyboards
Pseudo code
Narrative
Action lists
Graphical tools

15. Task 2
M1 Determine appropriate data types for a computer game and show how they are declared
Explain the data typing in JavaScript
Decide which variables you will need
Describe the type they will be
eg text, number, array
Include the declarations

16. Task 3
D2 Explain how the structure and design of a game can assist in maintenance and capacity for extension.
Using comments
Write small blocks of code – functions
Invoke existing code blocks - call a function
Use consistent indentation
Using sensible variable names