Dr. Kirk
Game and Simulation
Programming at
Tech-High at Seminole
A site for gamers and critical thinkers!
Check out this lesson archive to see older lessons.
2015-2016 School Year Lessons
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August 24-28th (Week 1)
How do I use Office365? Check out the video tutorial for detailed information.
Complete the "Career Assignment"
Watch the weekly topic video tutorial. Review the "How Do I Begin Weekly Assignments" document. Teacher will go over the weekly assignment rubric.
Save the "Weekly Topic Planning Calendar" on your flash-drive and network drive.
Sign up for Code Studio. Video tutorial on how to sign up on Code Studio.
August 31-Sept 4th (Week 2)
Need to upload an assignment? Go to O365.pcsb.org choose OneDrive, Click on "Shared with me", find your period folder and the assignment folder, choose "Upload", find where you saved the document, then click "Open".
Open up your Weekly Topic Planning Calendar.
Monday: Teacher will dicuss the history of video games. Absent Monday? Watch this video.
Need resources for learning about the history of games? Try the 3 below:
1. IGN's 25 Greatest Breakthroughs in Video Game History!
2. History of games timeline.
3. Check this interesting blog post about a Dad and son playing retro games.
Want to create a blog?
Here's how in Wix (can create from school or home).
Here's how in blogger (must first create an account at home for blogger).
Thursday: Watch a video on Consoles
Sept 8-11th (Week 3)
Cover Video Game Genres- Complete a project on genres and upload to O365.
Digital portfolios. Video Tutorial on digital portfolios. We will begin to build portfolios this week.
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Step by Step instructions on Wix.com Portfolios.
Digital Portfolio Samples: Concept Artist, Art Director, Game Developer, and there are many others- do a google search for inspiration!
Sept 14-18 (Week 4)
Monday: Form teams for NGT Competition (3-5) students.
Open the assignment Information for this week.
Review contest documents: Charter (how to sheet), Charter (fill this one in), Expectations, Rubric.
Use the below articles to answer some of the "why" questions on the charter. Forbes, Alpine Valley Schools, TeachThought, English Forum, Cognosenti, LiveStrong, Game Dev Blog
Tuesday: Fill out the project charter (get from mrskirk.com) and finalize game ideas.
Wed: Research Video Game Business Models
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Thursday: Target Audience
Unsure of your target market? Click Here (Retrieved from: http://www.theesa.com/article/150-million-americans-play-video-games/)
Click Here for "Gamer Demographics that Every Developer Should Know"
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Sept 28-Oct 2 (Week 5)
Check out "Week 5" Information on the Weekly Topic Resources page.
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Back to School Night! Parents and students join us form 6:30-8:00PM.
Monday is also Mrs. Kirk's Birthday! :) All homemade cards welcome!
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Tuesday-Thursday: Complete a project on gaming trends and upload to O365.
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Friday: Sharing session! Be prepared to contribute, discuss, and share what you learned.
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Week 6
Monday: Teacher will dicuss the game development life cycle.
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Tuesday: Complete a project on the game development life cycle and upload to O365.
Wednesday: Complete charter and gaming engine choice; upload to O365.
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Thursday: Game Development Lifecycle Outline (Click here for template)
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Week 7
Monday: Teacher will dicuss legal issues game developers deal with and game industry vocabulary. Students will look over an article on legal issues game developers deal with.
Wednesday/Thursday: Complete your Concept Planning Guide with your group. Students will also save the Design Document Template to two flashdrives and begin to fill out your team name and general information.
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Week 8
Monday: GameMaker Intro
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Tuesday:
External Tutorial for movements
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Wednesday (Thursday if you are taking the PSAT or taking a college day):
Do Finishing touches and upload to O365
Week 9
Tuesday: Week 9- Overall Game Design
In your group- Finish your design document (pages 4-10).
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Tuesday-Thursday: Complete tutorials based on your role in the group. Create products based on your role. Notes and product will be uploaded.
Week 10- Storytelling
Week 11- Puzzle Games
Week 12- Monday-Tues: Envrionmental DesignSurvival Game-
Wednesday: In your group... Business Requirements Template
Week 13 -Monday-Thurs: Evaluating GamesGame Evaluation TemplateGame Evaluation Analysis
Digital Portfolio Samples:
3D Animator 2
Game Writer & Narrative Designer
Week 14:
Developers:
Everyone Else:
Semester 2
Week 1-3
Competition Presentations- Jan 5 & 7th
ENSURE THIS IS DONE AND UPLOADED BEFORE PRESENTATION:
Tuesday-Friday: Information Technology Tools
CLICK HERE FOR INDUSTRY CERT TRAINING
Week 4:
Monday-Thursday: Player Choice
Tuesday- Industry Certifications
Article with player choice examples
Friday: Dicussion/Sharing session
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Week 5:
Monday-Thursday: Standard 24.0- Create a working game.
GameMaker Projectiles- Top Down or Left to RightWork on your group game. Developers work on coding, QA work on bug reports, others work on report outs, status updates, re-evaluate scope, assets, background music/sounds, etc.
Week 6:
Monday-Thursday: Player Immersion Project
Friday: Discussion and sharing session! Be ready to talk about what you learned this week!
Week 7:
Tuesday-Thursday: Demonstrate Math (22.0) and Science (23.0) Skills.
Contest Students- Work on printing out items for your board for Friday's breakfast.
Tuesday:
Math: Play a game of your choice at http://www.math-mage.com/
Write a review about the game you choose.
Wednesday-Friday:
Create a scientific experiment in gaming, set a hypothesis, document results. An example is testing a hypothesis that a certain game will improve your spatial reasoning. **Document what your hypothesis is, talk about the game you are going to play (cannot be rated M), take the test you choose before you begin to play, play the game then take the test after and compare and document results.
Week 8:
Developers- Finish programming
PM or DBA- Marketing teasers
QA testers- Test Cases and Bug reports (type of error, how were fixed, what level of importance, and all other info)
Other:
-Package Graphic: Create package cover with game info/name, rating, etc.
-Survey: Create a customer survey (in survey monkey or just print one and have them fill it out), have other groups play your game and give you feedback. You will turn in the survey results.
-Scope Changes: Type up all changes to scope that were done throughout the process since September.
Friday: Discussion and sharing session!
Period 1/2 Group Game Survey
Period 6/7 Group Game Survey
Week 9
Mon-Thursday: Challenge Rule Creation Elements (37.0)
Thursday: Replay Museum!
Friday: Mrs. Kirk will be out.
-Finish and upload your project
-Update your digital portfolio with your group game build. See how here!
-Once you are done you can play a game, work on other school work, do a tutorial of your choice, or listen to music (with headphones).
Week 10
Mon-Friday: Inventory Systems
This week you will be creating a game that has an inventory system. The link above has several tutorials to assist you. GET CREATIVE! HAVE FUN!
Want tutorials to add some different things to your game? Check out the below tutorials for different additions.
Assets:
Mrs. Kirk's Dropbox of Resources
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Week 11
Week 12
Mon-Friday: Environmental Design and Level Design
Friday: Class Discussion- be ready to talk, discuss, and share
Week 13
Mon-Friday: Art & Animation
Check out all the new Adobe programs we have on your computer- choose something new!
Some options if you aren't sure where to start:
Blender:
http://gryllus.net/Blender/3D.html (use the project ones- may have to do the interface ones first if you haven't used before)
https://www.lynda.com/Blender-training-tutorials/164-0.html
Week 14
Monte Carlo Simulation & Pertinent Issues Facing Game Designers
Week 14-18
Items you will need to turn in with the final game:
Word doc outlining team & roles
Word doc with deliverables & timeline
Market Teaser, brochure, or commercial
Final .exe file
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Assets & Tutorials:
Mrs. Kirk's Dropbox of Resources
Image Assests:
Music:
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