Computer Games Laboratory (IN7106, IN710615)

Description

This is a practical course which involves a hands-on approach with neither traditional lectures nor exercises. Instead, we will meet ca. once every two weeks to discuss technical issues and to track progress via milestones. Students can utilize available game engines, yet we will make sure that a considerable own programming effort will be invested. While development will take place on PCs, students are free to choose the target platform of their final game.

At the end of the course, all results will be presented to the public at the Demo Day.

Prerequisites

• Good programming skills (course projects are written in C# or C++)
• Students should have succesfully passed the major games lectures from Bachelor Informatics: Games Engineering (esp. Realtime Computer Graphics and Game Physics)
• This practical is open for students of Master Informatics: Games Engineering only

Organization

Regardless the content of the game, the development process must adhere to the guidelines proposed below. Students are encouraged to design a game that has strong links to one of the areas of specialization in the curriculum of the Master program Informatik: Games Engineering.

After choosing their favorite area of specialization, the students plan the project and prototype the intended game. Then, the game is implemented and iteratively improved via playtesting until it is ready to be presented at the end of the semester. Teams from different areas can also join to create an even more complex game.

Registration

This practical course does not use the regular TUM informatics matching system you might know from other seminars and practicals. In order to attend the Computer Games Laboratory, make sure to participate in the mandatory project kick-off meeting to form groups (it might take place before the semester starts because of the tight milestone schedule), and also join the mandatory milestone meetings afterwards. If you are unable to attend the kick-off meeting, send an email to Erik Franz or Georg Kohl beforehand to discuss if you can participate nevertheless.

It is not possible to join later during the semester as the game development projects have to be planned from the first milestone at the beginning of the semester. Note that you should not sign up for this course until you are sure you will fully participate. If you drop out, this can cause significant problems for your other team members!

Timeline

The following table gives an overview of all meetings during the semester. On all weeks that are not mentioned there is no class. For the contents of the report and the team presentations see the project structure document below (or have a look at the previous course instances).

Previous instances of this course

Summerterm 2022

• %undefined variable%
• Light of Daidalos
• CMON, let's jam!
• Pyramid Raiders
• Tank Mania

Winterterm 2021/2022

• DAMN
• KLAP
• Slender Baes
• Splendor MAY
• Well-Meaning Scorpion

Summerterm 2021

• DreiKopf
• Two*2
• Schall und Rauch
• Equilibrium
• Smol
• Meeple People
• Zwiebel auf dem Kopf

Winterterm 2020/2021

• Markedly Minified Olives (MMO)
• Ice Guys
• FünfKopf
• SWAM

Summerterm 2020

• Callstack Overflow 2
• Terrafarm

Winterterm 2019/2020

• Destruction for Dummies
• Kaiju
• Defend the City

Summerterm 2019

• Almost Intelligent Machines
• P.A.U.L.
• Team Rocket
• The Neutral Notwork (8th Sense)

Winterterm 2018/2019

• Easy Cheesy
• Noobisoft
• Cursed Catacombs
• Use With Caution
• Plot Twist
• Twisted Trash Pandas

Summerterm 2018

• Crusaders of Light: Dark Dimensions
• CHⱯOS ARƎNA
• Shadow Walker: The Umbra Project
• Artista

Winterterm 2017/2018

• A Tiny Crisis in Space
• Blood Invaders (Team MOSH)
• RogueGen
• Hikari no Tō
• Caviators
• Riddilikus

Summerterm 2017

• Ready Steady Die
• Solve'n Slide
• Wub Wub Arena

Winterterm 2016/2017

• Icewave
• Ozapft is
• Pandemia Munich
• The Red Line
• Unsolved : Hinterkaifeck

Summerterm 2016

• Lumen Force
• Ar 'n' Dungeon