106314 - GAME PRODUCTION

Subject type: Mandatory

Coordinator: Adso Fernández Baena

Trimester: First term

Credits: 4

The subject of Game Production deals with the process, planning and management of video game production in the framework of the subject of Production and Business. We work from the vision of a game to the description and estimation of the tasks to be performed in order to produce it. The course consists of theoretical sessions, workshops and teamwork sessions. In order to acquire the knowledge, the subject is evaluated on the one hand the planning of a group video game and on the other the theoretical knowledge individually, both with exercises in class and in the final exam.

This subject has methodological and digital resources to make possible its continuity in non-contact mode in the case of being necessary for reasons related to the Covid-19. In this way, the achievement of the same knowledge and skills that are specified in this teaching plan will be ensured.

At the end of the course students must be able to:

E13.1. Demonstrate knowledge about the structure and organization of a company.

E13.2. Use forecasting and business planning tools. 

E14.3. Contribute to generating a culture of learning, error management, feedback and criticism management.

The subject uses the following work methodologies:
Master class, lectures, video capsules, seminars, debates and forums, collaborative learning and problem solving.

Topic 1: Production process

1.1 Actors in video game production

1.2 Production phases

1.3 Production equipment

Topic 2: Planning

2.1 Basic concepts

2.2 Calendars

2.3 Risk

Topic 3: Agile methodologies

3.1 Agile principles

3.2 SCRUM

3.3 Agile vs Waterfall

Topic 4: Development

4.1 Engine architecture

4.2 Production tools

4.3 Agile engineering

Topic 5: Prioritization

5.1 Basic concepts

5.2 Qualitative prioritization methods

5.2 Quantitative prioritization methods

With the aim of collecting evidence of the achievement of the expected learning outcomes, the following activities of an evaluative nature will be carried out (related to all the common competences):

A1. Exercises in class: Workshops (Evidence of learning outcome E13.1 and E13.2)

• Simulation of a negotiation between publisher and development studio
• Planning the development of an extension of an existing video game
• Creating a User Story Map from scratch
• Estimation of tasks using planning poker
• Creating a compom for Unity
• Use of version control software

A2. Group work: Simulation of the production of a video game (Evidence of learning outcome E13.2 and E14.3)

Writing BHAG (Big Hairy Audicious Goal), epics, user stories and acceptance criteria, and task planning and estimation.

A3. Final exam (Evidence of all learning outcomes)

General criteria of the activities:

- The teacher will present a statement for each activity and the evaluation and / or rubric criteria.
- The teacher will inform of the dates and format of the delivery of the activity.

The grade of each student will be calculated following the following percentages:

A1. Exercises in class: Workshops 25%

A2. Group work: Simulation of the production of a video game 40%

A3. Final exam 35%

Final grade = A1 0,25 + A2 0,4 + A3 0,35

Considerations:

- It is necessary to obtain a mark superior to 5 in the final exam to pass the asignatura.
- An activity not delivered or delivered late and without justification (court summons or medical matter) counts as a 0.
- It is the responsibility of the student to avoid plagiarism in all its forms. In the case of detecting a plagiarism, regardless of its scope, in some activity it will correspond to have a note of 0. In addition, the professor will communicate to the Head of Studies the situation so that measures applicable in matter of sanctioning regime are taken. .

Recovery:

- It is necessary to obtain a mark superior to 5 in the examination of recovery to pass the asignatura.
- The mark of the resit exam will be applied only to the mark of activity A3 in the calculation of the final mark.
- In case of suspending activity A2, it can be re-delivered in a call for recovery with the possibility of obtaining a maximum grade of 5.

Chandler, Heather Maxwell. The game production handbook. Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2009.

Keith, C. (2010). Agile Game Development with Scrum (Adobe Reader). Pearson Education.

Patton, Jeff, and Peter Economy. User story mapping: discover the whole story, build the right product. O'Reilly Media, Inc., 2014.

Rosenfield Boeira, Julia Naomi. Lean Game Development: Apply Lean Frameworks to the Process of Game Development. Apress, 2017.