University of Baltimore, Fall 2010

Remember that your final Game Maker projects, as well as any late make-up work, are due today by MIDNIGHT. Email your Game Maker files (the .gmk file) to asalter (at) ubalt.edu. I am responding to projects as they arrive–make sure to watch your email for confirmation that your file was received and is working!!

Final grades will be posted tomorrow. If you have any questions or concerns, I will be in my office Thursday from 12:30 to 5:00.

(If you have trouble reaching the UB account, or want to send a back-up file, try anastasia.salter (at) gmail.com)

Remember that we are meeting in the normal room (NOT the lab)

If you are presenting today:

–Check your technology BEFORE class starts

–Remember to introduce yourselves

–You have 20 minutes max: you will be timed

If you are not presenting today:

–Pick up three peer review sheets

–Write your name on at least one

–Be respectful of other students presenting

Remember, Game Make project 2 is due 12/15. You are accountable for peer review on the class day your group is not scheduled to present.

Meet in lab – AC 219!

Pre-final Gradesheets distributed
Discussion: state of final presentations /revisiting the pitch
Things to remember:

• Presentations must be 20 minutes or less
• Remember to spell-check your text, even if you are using Prezi
• Consider incorporating a visual hand-out to explain rules or enhance your marketing
• While you do not need a physical prototype, incorporate elements of your prototype in your presentation–that is, answer the question “What’s in the box?”

Group meetings for preliminary review

Next week: meet in normal room for presentations. Remember, order is reversed! (so if you went first, you go last, and vice versa)

Remember we are meeting in AC 219 today and all next week.

Turning in your GameMaker project:

Email me your GameMaker project file (the .gmk file). If, for whatever reason, your file is too big for email, you can bring it up on a thumb drive. Make sure to name the file with YOUR LAST NAME so I know whose game it is!

Today is a planning session for your group’s progression to the finish line.

Final Steps for the Group Project:

Divide up responsibilities for your final presentation among your group members. Here’s a list of the primary tasks to take into account:

Art: build the concept art for your game and images of the final board and card designs. You only need to create concept art for a representative sample, but make sure it is enough to convey the game design clearly.

Revised rules: taking into account the feedback you got from your playtesting session, revise the rules and content of your game for clarity and fun. Consider how you will present this during your presentation — one option is to guide us through a quick “sample game”, describing a few turns of play with combat as applicable.

Presentation materials: a Prezi or other digital aid that incorporates all your content. You do *not* need to build the physical board or units, but if you do, this can be an additional visual aid. You might also consider designing a logo, imagining a concept for the box and packaging, or offering a slogan for a marketing campaign to accompany your design.

Final presentations are December 6th and December 8th. Your second GameMaker project is due December 15th.

In Class: Discussion and work on Project 1

How to Debug

Remember to:

• Start by isolating the real problem–make sure you can reproduce it and you know what case causes it to occur
• Don’t try to fix more than one thing at a time — when you have an idea of your solution, don’t implement every change at once
• Don’t assume your code works: compare it to the examples and test sections
• Check your numbers – often a small error ( a positive instead of a negative value in coordinates, for instance) can throw off your program
• Try explaining your bug to someone else or getting help from someone who will be looking at your code for the first time

Deadline reminder:
Testing day 11/17 – bring your game, rules, and surveys!
GameMaker project 1 due 11/22