Fall 2024
Overview
This is a team and project-based course on video game design and development using Unreal Engine. Topics covered will include geometric modeling, game physics and AI, shader programming, and software and engineering practices within the game industry. The central focus of the course will be the design and development of a game by teams of 3 to 5 students.
Communication
It is your responsibility to stay engaged with the course…at a minimum this means:
- Checking CampusWire every Tuesday for weekly announcements
- Watching the Course Calendar for assignment due dates
- Engaging with your project group and contributing significantly to the project.
Failure to do so can result in failure in the course.
You should also attend the live discussions…but we understand that conflicts come up and will not make attendance mandatory. You definitely should watch all the posted videos in order to successfully complete the Homework and Exams.
CampusWire
We will use CampusWire for answering questions and administering the course.
- Click this link to join/view the forum.
- Use the passcode 6936.
- For any question involving a grade you should select the tag
Post to instructors and TAs.
Course Staff
- Professor Eric Shaffer, shaffer1@illinois.edu
- Janelle Domantay TA
- Jason Situ TA
Instructional Content
The course will be taught using online lectures along with additional reading materials. Everything you need to attend, read or watch will be linked on the Lectures page.
Lectures
- Live discussion on Zoom will be held Tu at 11am Central Time.
ZOOM LINK - If you do miss the occasional discussion…no worries. The lectures will be recorded and available on the Lectures page.
Development Resources
You will need to have access to a computer capable of running Unreal Engine.
- You can test your computer by downloading and installing Unreal vesion 5.4.3 from here
- You should choose the publishing license.
If your computer is not capable of running Unreal, see the Resources page for ways you can find a computer on campus running Unreal Engine.
Assessments
Assigned work will include 6 homework assignments, 2 exams, 2 programming assignments, and a final project.
Homework
There will be 6 short homework assignments on PrairieLearn. This homework will be based on the lecture material.
- You should budget an hour to complete a homework assignment.
- Each homework can be retaken as many times as you wish for full credit.
- The homework is open web.
- Each homework will be available for 2 weeks at full credit.
- After that week, the homework can be submitted for half credit.
Exams
There will be two exams. They will:
- Be on PrairieLearn
- Be very much like the homework…sometimes will even have the same questions!
- Have a strict time limit of an hour
- Will be scheduled for a morning and evening (conflict) session on the exam date.
- Are open web
- The questions are randomized…no two exams will be the same.
- You should not collaborate or share information about the exams.
The sanction for doing so will be failure in the course
The exam dates are:
- Oct 15 11am to noon (conflict at Oct 15 8pm to 9pm)
- Dec 10 11am to noon (conflict at Dec 10 8pm to 9pm)
The exams are not meant to be difficult…do the homework to prepare and you will be fine.
There’s really no need to cheat.
Programming Assignments
There will be 2 machine problems (MPs) that will serve as an introduction to Unreal. You will use Unreal 5 and Blueprints to implement the MPs.
Project
The course project will be team-based with teams of 3 to 5 people working on a project. You will have a choice of what to implement, but your proposed project is expected to be related to game development in some way…typically it should be a game. The grading citeria and development process are described on the Project page.
4 Credit Option
Students taking the course for 4 credits will complete an extra programming assignment using an alternative game engine such as Unity or Godot.
Grades
We will post grades on Canvas.
We weight grades as follows:
| 3 credits | 4 credits | |
|---|---|---|
| MP 1 | 10% | 5% |
| MP 2 | 15% | 10% |
| Homework | 15% | 10% |
| Exams | 24% | 24% |
| Project | 36% | 36% |
| 4 Credit MP | NA | 15% |
The course grade cutoffs can be expected to be:
| Percentage lower bound | Grade |
|---|---|
| 93% | A |
| 90% | A- |
| 87% | B+ |
| 83% | B |
| 80% | B- |
| 77% | C+ |
| 73% | C |
| 70% | C- |
| 67% | D+ |
| 63% | D |
| 60% | D- |
| 0% | F |
How to get an A+
To earn an A+, you must earn an A numerically and do something that stands out as exceptional to the course staff. For example, you could do an exceptional job at answering questions on Campuswire or you could do a great job at asking good questions on Campuswire or your submitted game could truly exceptional in terms of creativity or gameplay.
Mental Health
Diminished mental health, including significant stress, mood changes, excessive worry, substance/alcohol abuse, or problems with eating and/or sleeping can interfere with optimal academic performance, social development, and emotional wellbeing. The University of Illinois offers a variety of confidential services including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, psychiatric services, and specialized screenings at no additional cost. If you or someone you know experiences any of the above mental health concerns, it is strongly encouraged to contact or visit any of the University’s resources provided below. Getting help is a smart and courageous thing to do – for yourself and for those who care about you.
Counseling Center: 217-333-3704, 610 East John Street Champaign, IL 61820 McKinley Health Center:217-333-2700, 1109 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801
Statement on anti-racism and inclusivity
The intent of this section is to raise student and instructor awareness of the ongoing threat of bias and racism and of the need to take personal responsibility in creating an inclusive learning environment.
The Grainger College of Engineering is committed to the creation of an anti-racist, inclusive community that welcomes diversity along a number of dimensions, including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity and national origins, gender and gender identity, sexuality, disability status, class, age, or religious beliefs. The College recognizes that we are learning together in the midst of the Black Lives Matter movement, that Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous voices and contributions have largely either been excluded from, or not recognized in, science and engineering, and that both overt racism and micro-aggressions threaten the well-being of our students and our university community.
The effectiveness of this course is dependent upon each of us to create a safe and encouraging learning environment that allows for the open exchange of ideas while also ensuring equitable opportunities and respect for all of us. Everyone is expected to help establish and maintain an environment where students, staff, and faculty can contribute without fear of personal ridicule, or intolerant or offensive language. If you witness or experience racism, discrimination, micro-aggressions, or other offensive behavior, you are encouraged to bring this to the attention of the course director if you feel comfortable. You can also report these behaviors to the Bias Assessment and Response Team (BART) (https://bart.illinois.edu/). Based on your report, BART members will follow up and reach out to students to make sure they have the support they need to be healthy and safe. If the reported behavior also violates university policy, staff in the Office for Student Conflict Resolution may respond as well and will take appropriate action.
Statement on CS CARES and CS Values and Code of Conduct (Approved by CS CARES Committee, January 13, 2022)
All members of the Illinois Computer Science department - faculty, staff, and students - are expected to adhere to the CS Values and Code of Conduct. The CS CARES Committee is available to serve as a resource to help people who are concerned about or experience a potential violation of the Code. If you experience such issues, please contact the CS CARES Committee. The Instructors of this course are also available for issues related to this class.