Overview
In this unit, you will learn how to develop a mobile game using an agile methodology and device agnostic software tools. You will look at using 3D models and sound assets to develop this game, as well as techniques for good game development. This development process highlights, in particular, the impact that limited computing resources and wireless communication speeds have on the development of games. You will also conduct research on what makes a good game, supported by relevant gaming theories.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-Requisite: COIT20268 Responsive Web Design.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2024
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Unit evaluation
The hands-on approach in the textbook and labs helped students learn how to develop mobile games from scratch.
Continue using a hands-on approach to teach how to develop mobile games from scratch.
Feedback from Unit evaluation
Need more clarity about the portfolio assessment.
Latest developments will be incorporated from the recently published textbook and updated supporting materials.
Feedback from Unit coordinator's reflection
The learning materials of this unit need to be redeveloped.
A new prescribed textbook will be introduced and the lecture and tutorial materials will be updated.
- Design and implement a mobile game
- Detail the challenges in developing mobile apps requiring heavy use of hardware resources
- Apply an agile methodology in the development of software
- Critically assess the user interface design on different platforms, with different hardware affordances.
Australian Computer Society (ACS) recognises the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). SFIA is in use in over 100 countries and provides a widely used and consistent definition of ICT skills. SFIA is increasingly being used when developing job descriptions and role profiles.
ACS members can use the tool MySFIA to build a skills profile at https://www.acs.org.au/professionalrecognition/mysfia-b2c.html
This unit contributes to the following workplace skills as defined by SFIA. The SFIA code is included:
- Systems Design (DESN)
- System Integration (SINT)
- Programming/Software Development (PROG)
- Testing (TEST)
- Applications Support (ASUP).
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Practical Assessment - 20% | ||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 30% | ||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||
| 4 - Portfolio - 20% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
| 4 - Research | ||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| 1 - Practical Assessment - 20% | ||||||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 30% | ||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||
| 4 - Portfolio - 20% | ||||||||
Textbooks
Sams Teach Yourself Unity Game Development in 24 Hours
4th Edition (2021)
Authors: Mike Geig
Sams
ISBN: 9780137445158
Binding: Paperback
Unity in Action
Edition: 2nd (2018)
Authors: Joseph Hocking
Manning
Shelter Island Shelter Island , New York , United States
ISBN: 9781617294969
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Zoom (both microphone and webcam capability)
- Unity 2021.2.17
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
a.chiou@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Topic 1: Introduction to Unity
Topic 2: Game Objects
Chapter
Mike Greig, Sams Teach Yourself Unity Game Development in 24 Hours
Chapters 1 & 2
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 3: Models, Materials, and Textures
Topic 4: Terrain and Environments
Chapter
Mike Greig, Sams Teach Yourself Unity Game Development in 24 Hours
Chapters 3 & 4
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 5: Lights and Cameras
Topic 6: Game 1 - Amazing Racer
Chapter
Mike Greig, Sams Teach Yourself Unity Game Development in 24 Hours
Chapters 5 & 6
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 7: Scripting, Part 1
Topic 8: Scripting, Part 2
Chapter
Mike Greig, Sams Teach Yourself Unity Game Development in 24 Hours
Chapters 7 & 8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Portfolio starts
Module/Topic
Topic 9: Collision
Topic 10: Game 2 - Chaos Ball
Chapter
Mike Greig, Sams Teach Yourself Unity Game Development in 24 Hours
Chapters 9 & 10
Events and Submissions/Topic
Portfolio continues
Practical Assignment 1 Due: Week 5 Friday (5 Apr 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Mid-term Break
Chapter
Catch-up if behind. Relax and refresh.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Portfolio continues
Module/Topic
Topic 11: Prefabs
Topic 12: 2D Game Tools
Chapter
Mike Greig, Sams Teach Yourself Unity Game Development in 24 Hours
Chapters 11 & 12
Events and Submissions/Topic
Portfolio continues
Module/Topic
Topic 13: 2D Tilemap
Topic 14: User Interfaces
Chapter
Mike Greig, Sams Teach Yourself Unity Game Development in 24 Hours
Chapters 13 & 14
Events and Submissions/Topic
Portfolio continues
Module/Topic
Topic 15: Game 3 - Captain Blaster
Topic 16: Particle Systems
Chapter
Mike Greig, Sams Teach Yourself Unity Game Development in 24 Hours
Chapters 15 & 16
Events and Submissions/Topic
Portfolio continues
Module/Topic
Topic 17: Animations
Topic 18: Animators
Chapter
Mike Greig, Sams Teach Yourself Unity Game Development in 24
Chapters 17 & 18
Events and Submissions/Topic
Portfolio continues
Module/Topic
Topic 19:Timeline
Topic 20: Game 4 - Gauntlet Runner
Chapter
Mike Greig, Sams Teach Yourself Unity Game Development in 24 Hours
Chapters 19 & 20
Events and Submissions/Topic
Portfolio continues
Module/Topic
Topic 21: Audio
Topic 22: Mobile Development
Chapter
Mike Greig, Sams Teach Yourself Unity Game Development in 24 Hours
Chapters 21 & 22
Events and Submissions/Topic
Portfolio completes
Practical Assignment 2 Due: Week 11 Friday (24 May 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Topic 23: Polish and Deploy
Topic 24: Wrap-up
Chapter
Mike Greig, Sams Teach Yourself Unity Game Development in 24 Hours
Chapters 23 & 24
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Practical Assessment
You are required to submit a design and interface prototype for a simple 3D Unity game for Android mobile devices. This should include documentation of the game concept and design details, as well as the beginning of a Unity project that implements some sample interface and game mechanics for your game to give an idea of how the game will run. Your submission should demonstrate the application of the knowledge from the first ten chapters of the textbook.
Week 5 Friday (5 Apr 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
The assignment must be submitted to Moodle by the above due date and time.
Feedback will be provided within 2 weeks of submission.
- Game has clear play instructions and an end goal.
- Game interface is well designed and suitable for the game.
- Game design shows creativity and original thinking.
- Design and implement a mobile game
- Apply an agile methodology in the development of software
- Knowledge
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Self-management
2 Practical Assessment
This assignment is a continuation of Practical Assignment 1. You are required to implement and playtest a simple 3D Unity game for Android mobile devices as per the design developed in Practical Assignment 1.
Design and implementation
The game is based on the game concept that you have provided in Practical Assignment 1.
As the game is for mobile devices, your implementation should demonstrate a competent knowledge of the following:
- Mobile game interfacing i.e., the use of mobile touch screen, device orientation, sensors and GUI
- Exploring and using legal sources of graphics, sounds and 2D/3D models
- Applying the overall concepts from the first ten weeks of lesssons
- Include intermediate and advanced techniques, such as those used in the creation of Game 3: Captain Blaster and Game 4: Gauntlet Runner.
Playtesting
Your game should be playtested by two of your friends. You should write a report that includes your observations during the playtesting, your playtesters’ comments and your ideas for improving the game.
Week 11 Friday (24 May 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
The assignment must be submitted to Moodle by the above due date and time.
Feedback will be provided within 2 weeks of submission.
- Game clearly and successfully demonstrates the desired game features.
- Game uses visual and auditory resources appropriately.
- Game code is well written and shows competency in Unity.
- Recommendations for improvements provided.
- Design and implement a mobile game
- Apply an agile methodology in the development of software
- Knowledge
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Self-management
3 Written Assessment
In the assignment, you are also required to write a report explaining your demonstration and the game elements that you have successfully implemented in Practical Assignment 2, according to the design in Practical Assignment 1. As a guideline, the main body of the report should be approximately 1500 words. Your report is expected to include at least two peer reviewed scholarly articles/papers.
You are also required to deliver a presentation based on the report. The presentation will include a live demonstration of the game in a mobile device or emulator and a PowerPoint presentation on game features, techniques and resources used in the game. The presentations will take place in Week 11 and 12. The exact schedule of the presentation sessions will notified by the unit coordinator and tutors.
Week 12 Friday (31 May 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
The report and the PowerPoint presentation must be submitted to Moodle by the above due date and time.
Feedback will be provided on the date of certification of grades.
- Report is well written and provides a clear rationale for the implemented game features and relationship to the original game (if any).
- The game runs on a mobile device or emulator successfully without any major issues.
- The PowerPoint presentation demonstrates all major features, techniques and resources.
- Detail the challenges in developing mobile apps requiring heavy use of hardware resources
- Critically assess the user interface design on different platforms, with different hardware affordances.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
4 Portfolio
Your portfolio is for your future reference. The portfolio will contain two sections: demonstrations and bibliography. The demonstrations section will showcase the mobile game concepts that you have mastered in this unit. The bibliography section will contain a list of references of the learning resources that you have found useful.
CQU Portfolio
Your portfolio should be constructed in CQU Portfolio which is available on the Moodle unit site.
Demonstrations
From Week 3 to Week 10, each week you are expected to add one new mobile game concept to your portfolio with your most impressive demonstration of the concept. For each concept, you should write a short discussion to show how the concept is used in a gaming context. Where possible, your demonstration should be built to run on the web player. Alternatively, you must provide screenshots and/or video clips of your demonstrations embedded in the portfolio. You may be asked to demonstrate your work to your local lecturer and/or tutor.
The textbook hands-on exercises and online Unity tutorials are good resources for this task. As you complete the textbook exercises and tutorials, record and document your work for demonstration. Bonus marks will be given for innovative demonstrations of newly learned concepts.
Bibliography
As you learn mobile game development, you will access extracurricular materials such as the Unity website, YouTube videos, help documentation and books. When you find a useful resource, you should add a reference to it to the bibliography section along with a short discussion of the resource which also justifies the inclusion of the resource. Your bibliography is expected to contain at least 24 useful references - you should try to add roughly two to three per week.
Exam Week Monday (10 June 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
You are required to complete one portfolio item per week from Week 3 to Week 10. You need to submit a secret URL to your CQU Portfolio page or collection by the above due date and time.
Feedback will be provided on the date of certification of grades.
- Demonstrations are of high quality with well written code. Work of a high distinction standard would be expected to demonstrate newly learned concepts in new and innovative gaming contexts.
- Bibliography references point to quality or rare resources, the reference discussions should provide some insights into the resources. Categorise and rate the resources by their content, quality, usefulness and ease of use.
- Detail the challenges in developing mobile apps requiring heavy use of hardware resources
- Critically assess the user interface design on different platforms, with different hardware affordances.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Self-management
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
