Series of themed seminars, guest lectures and practical lab and project work sessions concerning the following topics:
Interactive entertainment technologies including real-time computer graphics and animation / physics / AI for AAA games, data-driven engines and game development tools, concept development, computer game history, social gaming, game rules, game experience, computer game market and business opportunities.
After completion of the course the student will be able to
Analyse the market for various types of interactive entertainment products, explain the theory behind game rules and game experience, and analyse how rules affect games.
Appraise advanced core technologies (computer graphics and animation, physics, artificial intelligence) applicable to the domain of real-time interactive entertainment products and implement (program) a chosen technology using appropriate infrastructures.
Describe and apply design patterns and graphic quality analysis on computer games, with a focus on the entertainment experience.
So the students will be able to
Develop prototypes of interactive entertainment products, founded on core technologies, which are sufficiently advanced for presenting to a publisher or for self-publishing (i.e. as an 'indie' product).
PhD students in computer science or other programming related subject. Please consult your PhD supervisor before taking the course.
Lectures, seminars, assessment, etc in this course will take place in English.
Programming experience (ideally C/C++ or JAVA).
There is no mandatory course literature. Examples of optional literature and technologies relevant to the course include, but are not limited, to the following:
T. Akenine-Moller, E. Haines and N. Hoffmann (2008). Real-Time Rendering (third edition). AK Peters/CRC Press.
D. Shreiner and E. Angel (2011). Interactive Computer Graphics: A Top-Down Approach with Shader-Based OpenGL (sixth edition). Pearson Education.
K. Salen (2003). Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. MIT Press.
I. Millington and J. Funge (2009). Artificial Intelligence for Games. CRC Press.
Gamasutra , http://www.gamasutra.com/
Ars Technica , http://arstechnica.com/
AiGameDev.com , http://aigamedev.com/
Edge magazine , http://www.edge-online.com/
OpenGL , http://www.opengl.org/
OpenSteer , http://opensteer.sourceforge.net/
Bitsquid Game Engine , http://www.bitsquid.se/
Havok Project Anarchy , http://www.projectanarchy.com/
If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.
Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.
The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.
LAB1 - Laboratory Work (Product session and presentation), 1.5 credits, grade scale: P, F
LAB2 - Laboratory Work (Technology showcase), 1.5 credits, grade scale: P, F
PROJ1 - Project Work (Design project), 3.0 credits, grade scale: P, F
In this course all the regulations of the code of honor at the School of Computer science and Communication apply, see: http://www.kth.se/csc/student/hederskodex/1.17237?l=en_UK.
Laboratory work:
Entertainment product session and presentation (LAB1; 1,5 university credits);
Technology showcase (LAB2; 1,5 university credits)
Project work:
Design project encompassing chosen technology implementation (PROJ1; 3 university credits)
