Schedule

Class meetings are on Tuesday unless otherwise noted.

Week 1 ~ 1/28/2025

  • Course syllabus overview and introduction to topics 
  • Demo: Godot Basics
  • Godot template project
  • Scripting: Player controller
  • Project 1: 3D Maze Scene
    • 3D Game Template on GitHub
    • Create a simple 3D game using a game engine
    • Using first person, third person or platformer controls
    • Use only basic 3d geometry for meshes and colliders
    • Limit to simple lighting, textures materials
    • Create an experience that leads the viewer through a scene in a defined series of events
  • Blog post 1: First Open Lab post, documentation

Week 2 ~ 2/4/2025

Week 3 ~ 2/11/2025

Week 4 ~ 2/25/2025

Week 5 ~ 3/4/2025

Week 6 ~ 3/11/2025

  • Demo: Lights, materials, textures and shaders, video part 1 and part 2
  • Blog post 5: progress documentation

Week 7 ~ 3/18/2025

  • Demo: Navigation areas and NPCs
  • Demo: Sound design
  • Blog post 6: Video playthrough

Week 8 ~ 3/25/2025

  • User testing workshop 2
  • Export and publish your game on itch.io
  • Submit to Garden/Fishtank Jam
  • Test all of your classmates games
  • Post documentation of your feedback

Week 9 ~ 4/1/2025

  • Demo: Collectibles
  • Demo: Physics
  • Project 3: Scavenger hunt
    • Create a scene where the player has to collect a certain number of objects
    • The objects can be different types and lead to different outcomes
  • Blog post 7: Project 3 concept

Week 10 ~ 4/8/2025

  • Demo: Game states, multiple levels
  • Demo: User interface
  • Blog post 8: Progress documentation

Week 11 ~ 4/22/2025

  • Lecture: Game dynamics
  • Blog post 9: Video playthrough

Week 12 ~ 4/29/2025

  • User testing round 3

Week 13 ~ 5/6/2025

  • Begin work on Final project
  • Final project options
    • Create a new game with a new premise
    • Spend more time finalizing a previous level/project with added levels, UI, sound and other elements
    • Combine one or more of the previous scenes into a larger game, adding elements to make the experience cohesive
  • Final project requirements
    • Game build posted on itch.io for Windows and Mac
    • Documentation on Open Lab of the final version of the game, including UI screen shots and game play screen shots, video optional
    • Splash screen with instructions for the player
    • Demonstrates understanding of level design principles
    • Builds on feedback from user testing
  • Present final project concept and get feedback

Week 14 – 15

  • Final workshop ~ 5/13/2025
  • Final project due ~ 5/20/2025