Upper-Division

CMPM120 Game Development Experience

Teaches the concrete programming and collaboration skills associated with making a digital game from start to finish, including but not limited to: establishing a team, concepting, storyboarding, prototyping, producing, and testing a game for release. Students are organized into groups and work together to create and produce a playable game. This course is taught in conjunction with Art 120G which covers the skills required to design and critique digital games.

Credits

5

Instructor

The Staff, Nathan Altice

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): CMPM 80K, CSE 15 and CSE 15L, and FILM 80V; and ARTG 80G or ARTG 80H or ARTG 80I; and concurrent enrollment in ARTG 120.

General Education Code

PR-E

Quarter offered

Spring

CMPM121 Game Technologies

Introduction to construction of games using game engine technology, using a specific game engine as a focus. Covers major game engine features: input, collision, animation, model import, lighting, camera, rendering, textures, particle systems. Introduction to a specific game scripting language, custom game logic, game programming patterns.

Credits

5

Instructor

Adam Smith, Jim Whitehead

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): CMPM 120.

Quarter offered

Fall

CMPM131 User Experience for Interactive Media

Theories and practices for approaching the design problems of interactive media holistically, beyond usability and accessibility. Includes hands-on learning, application of human-centered design and evaluation skills in group projects, and peer critique.

Credits

5

Instructor

Sri Kurniawan

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): CSE 15. Enrollment is restricted to juniors, seniors, and graduate students.

Quarter offered

Winter

CMPM146 Game AI

Course provides a comprehensive introduction to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in computer games. Building on fundamental principles of AI, course explains how to create non-player characters (NPCs) with progressively more sophisticated capabilities. (Formerly Computer Science 146.)

Credits

5

Instructor

The Staff, Adam Smith, Michael Mateas

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): CSE 101; familiarity with C++. Enrollment is restricted to sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students.

Quarter offered

Winter

CMPM147 Generative Design

Introduces generative methods for design. Uses algorithmic techniques to generate and evaluate game content (images, sounds, map designs) along with mechanics and progression systems. Search-based and learning-based techniques with connections to artificial intelligence are also covered.

Credits

5

Instructor

Adam Smith

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): CMPM 120.

Quarter offered

Fall

CMPM148 Interactive Storytelling

Covers a range of design approaches and technologies including storytelling in games, interactive fiction, interactive drama, and artificial intelligence-based story generation. Through a mixture of readings, assignments, and project work, students explore the theoretical positions, debates, and technical and design issues arising from these approaches. (Formerly Computer Science 148.)

Credits

5

Instructor

The Staff, Michael Mateas

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): CSE 101. Enrollment is restricted to juniors and seniors.

Quarter offered

Spring

CMPM150 Creating Digital Audio

Introduces digital sound recording and editing technologies, sound synthesis, and concepts in sound design for media production. Covers the basics of sound capture, microphones, audio manipulation and editing, effects, sound formats, mixing and dynamics, synthesizers, audio software, and game audio.

Credits

5

Instructor

Nathan Altice

Requirements

Enrollment is restricted to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

General Education Code

PR-C

Quarter offered

Winter

CMPM151 Algorithmic Music for Games

Introduces compositional techniques and procedural audio as exhibited in the sound and music of video games. Surveys different styles of music implemented in video games and associated compositional approaches. Students develop skill in procedural audio via a series of workshops and assignments.

Credits

5

Instructor

Nathan Altice

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): CSE 14 and CSE 14L, or CSE 11.

Quarter offered

Spring

CMPM163 Game Graphics and Real-Time Rendering

Introduces real-time, hardware-accelerated graphics programming suitable for game development, visual effects, and interactive multimedia projects. Emphasizes contemporary shader-programming techniques and developing custom effects using game engines and multimedia software.

Credits

5

Instructor

Angus Forbes

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): CSE 15 and CSE 15L (exceptions granted in special cases by permission of the instructor.)

Quarter offered

Spring

CMPM164 Game Engines

Covers the graphic elements in computer games. Topics include modifying, optimizing, adding components, and building a game engine. Course evaluation based on exams and several programming projects, including a game built using the student's game engine. (Formerly Computer Science 164.)

Credits

5

Instructor

Forbes, A. Smith, A.

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): CSE 160 and CSE 160L. Concurrent enrollment in CMPM 164L is required.

Quarter offered

Fall

CMPM164L Game Engines Lab

Provides hands-on experience in using, designing, and building game engines. Students also explore different special effects, such as particle systems, spring systems, and game physics. (Formerly Computer Science 164L.)

Credits

2

Instructor

A. Forbes, A. Smith

Requirements

Concurrent enrollment in CMPM 164 is required.

Quarter offered

Winter

CMPM170 Game Design Studio I

First of a three-course capstone sequence for the computer game design program. Students work in teams to develop a comprehensive game design for a substantial computer game, including detailed storyline, level design, artistic approach, implementation technologies, and art-asset pipeline. Emphasis placed on creating novel, artistic game design concepts. Includes design reviews and formal presentations. Companion lectures cover advanced topics in game design, game programming, and software project management. Students are billed a materials fee. (Formerly Computer Science 170.)

Credits

5

Instructor

The Staff, Jim Whitehead, Michael Mateas, Noah Wardrip-Fruin, Nathan Altice

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements; CMPM 120, ARTG 120 and CSE 111. Enrollment is restricted to Computer science: computer game design majors.

Quarter offered

Fall

CMPM171 Game Design Studio II

Second of a three-course capstone sequence for the computer game design program. Students work in teams on the software design, implementation, and testing of the computer game designed in course 170. Includes design reviews, progress reviews, and formal presentations. Companion lectures cover topics in software engineering, including design, testing, and project management. Game design and game programming also covered. Students are billed a materials fee.

Credits

7

Instructor

J. Whitehead, M. Mateas, E. Melcer

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): CMPM 170 and CMPM 176 and one computer game engineering elective. Enrollment is restricted to computer science: computer game design majors.

Quarter offered

Spring

CMPM172 Game Design Studio III

Third of a three-course capstone sequence for the computer game design program. Students work in teams on the software design, implementation and testing of the computer game designed in courses 170 and 171. Includes progress reviews and formal presentations. Companion lectures cover topics in software engineering, including user and software testing, release engineering and project management; also covered are game design and game programming. Students are billed a materials fee. (Formerly Computer Science 172.)

Credits

7

Instructor

The Staff, Jim Whitehead, Michael Mateas, Noah Wardrip-Fruin

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): CMPM 171. Enrollment is restricted to Computer science:computer game design major.

Quarter offered

Spring

CMPM176 Game Systems

Presents game design as the interplay of multiple interacting game systems. Surveys various game systems: movement, combat, reward, economic, logistics, quest, information visibility, narrative. Students explore systems via study, design, and play of board, card, and computer games.

Credits

5

Instructor

The Staff, Nathan Altice

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): CMPM 80K.

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter

CMPM177 Creative Strategies for Designing Interactive Media

Surveys tactical, structural, contextual, and other methods to enhance creativity and innovation in the design of games and other interactive media. Investigates strategies for creativity and innovation drawn from diverse fields, including interactive affordances, narrative and poetics, biology, contextual inquiry, and design research. To innovate in a field of fixed genres is challenging: the allure of modeling exemplars is strong. Although imitation can be successful in the marketplace, the most creative action occurs on the leading edge of change. Innovation benefits from strategies and methods that are directly aimed at exploring new perspectives and structures to learn through the process of discovery. (Formerly Computer Science 177.)

Credits

5

Instructor

Katherine Isbister

Requirements

Enrollment is restricted to juniors and seniors.

Quarter offered

Spring

CMPM178 Human-Centered Design Research

Students move through a rigorous design-research process involving skills and principles in human-centered design research as well as selected formal research methods. They learn to use tools for ideation, human-centered qualitative research, domestic probes, mock-ups, and prototypes. (Formerly Computer Science 178.)

Credits

5

Instructor

S. Kurniawan, K. Isbister, L. Takayama

Requirements

Enrollment is restricted to juniors, seniors, and graduate students.

General Education Code

PR-C

Quarter offered

Winter

CMPM179 Game Design Practicum

Provides the opportunity to practice the creation of novel computer games. Students learn a new game-making technology, then create three games using this technology.

Credits

5

Cross Listed Courses

ARTG 179

Instructor

The Staff, Jim Whitehead, Nathan Altice

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): CMPM 120 and CMPM 80K.

Repeatable for credit

Yes

General Education Code

PR-C

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring

CMPM194 Group Tutorial

Provides a means for a small group of students to study a particular topic in consultation with a faculty sponsor. Students submit a petition to the sponsoring agency.

Credits

5

Repeatable for credit

Yes

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

CMPM194F Group Tutorial

Provides a means for a small group of students to study a particular topic in consultation with a faculty sponsor. Students submit a petition to the sponsoring agency.

Credits

2

Repeatable for credit

Yes

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

CMPM195 Senior Thesis Research

Students submit a petition to the sponsoring agency.

Credits

5

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

CMPM195F Senior Thesis Research

Intended for majors. Students submit a petition to the sponsoring agency.

Credits

2

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

CMPM198 Individual Study or Research

Students submit petition to sponsoring agency.

Credits

5

Repeatable for credit

Yes

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

CMPM198F Individual Study or Research

Intended for majors. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency.

Credits

2

Repeatable for credit

Yes

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

CMPM199 Tutorial

For fourth-year students majoring in computational media. Students submit a petition to the sponsoring agency.

Credits

5

Repeatable for credit

Yes

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

CMPM199F Tutorial

For fourth-year students majoring in computational media. Students submit a petition to the sponsoring agency.

Credits

2

Repeatable for credit

Yes

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer