Welcome to the Game Development module! In this module you will learn the basics of how to start building games in p5, by recreating a simple but fun existing game. Game development is a long and vast...

Welcome to the Game Development module! In this module you will learn the basics of how to start building games in p5, by recreating a simple but fun existing game.

Game development is a long and vast journey. You may have visions of creating a better version of your favourite “Big Brand” game or even a small indie game that you enjoy. That is a great ambition, but it is important to start with the basics otherwise things become overwhelming fast.

Before You Start Coding

The first thing to do is watch episodes 1-3 of
this video series. It’s a good place to start thinking about the types of games to make as a beginner.

Before you even open p5.js, it is a good idea to plan out the game you want to make, or in our case the modification you want to make. This can be fluid and change as you develop, but it helps to have a starting point.

This is not a game design module and while you are welcome to design your own game, given that you have only a week to do this we strongly suggest you take an existing game, build your own version of it, and modify it.

So, before opening p5.js, choose which game you want to modify, and think of a few ways to modify it. In the Assignment section below, we have a few suggested games and places to start thinking about modifications.

Coding Your Game

Your impulse may be to code everything in one big chunk - after all, you’re an experienced programmer now! This is very dangerous! The best way to code your game is one step at a time, making sure that each new thing you add works, and doesn’t break your code.

Here are some helpful tips for your coding journey:

1. 
   

   Start simple: use basic shapes instead of stunning artworks. Is your game about a spaceship? Then start with a simple rectangle to represent your spaceship.

   
   


2. 
   

   Focus on
   mechanics
   first: Similar to the above, make sure the fundamental parts of your game work before adding flashy effects or stunning artwork. Is player movement very important to your game? Then make sure that is one of the first things you implement!

   
   


3. 
   

   Test, test, test!: Every time you change something, test it. If you are adding a new mechanic, test it to make sure that not only it works, but that it’s fun!

   
   

Required Materials

This section provides videos that walk you through the process of creating an existing game. Pick one: you do not have to watch all of them. Read the Assignment section below for more details.

Please Note: The “possible modifications” are just a suggestion. You are encouraged to come up with your own modification - be as creative as you’d like!

• 
  

  Asteroids (Challenging)
  Part 1,
  Part 2
  

  
  




• 
  

  Possible Modification: What if the engine thruster looked like actual fire?

  
  




• 
  

  
  Snake
  

  
  




• 
  

  Possible Modification: What if your colour changed based on how big you grow?

  
  




• 
  

  
  Flower Invaders
  (Space Invaders spinoff)

  
  




• 
  

  Possible Modification: How would you implement a win condition? How does the player win?

  
  




• 
  

  
  Tic Tac Toe
  

  
  




• 
  

  Possible Modification: What if there were four rows??

  
  

Optional:

Collisions come up over and over in game development. Make sure that you are familiar with them before attempting the assignment. This section is not required, but strongly encouraged, especially if you are not comfortable with the material:

Collision Detection

Assignment

Your assignment for the Game Development Module is:

1. 
   

   Watch episode 1-3 of
   Extra Credits: Making Your First Game.

   
   


2. 
   

   Choose one game from the list above to recreate, watch the video, and create your own version.

   
   




1. 
   

   You are welcome to design your own game or implement any other game instead, but that will be a lot more challenging.

   
   




3. 
   

   Modify some aspects of the game. This can be the look, how it’s played, a mechanic, how you win, anything!

   
   


4. 
   

   Share your sketch as a new post on this week’s discussion board. Write a ~ 200 word description about what you made and your process. You can write anything, but if you’re stuck here are some guiding questions:

   
   

• 
  

  What did you originally intend to create?

  
  


• 
  

  Narrate the process of creating your sketch.

  
  


• 
  

  What resources and examples did you draw on to create your sketch? What was most helpful / least helpful from this week’s materials.

  
  


• 
  

  What problems/discoveries did you encounter along the way?

  
  

5. 
   

   Paste the link to your discussion post (not just the code) as your assignment submission.

   
   

Please also write a short response on at least two other classmate’s sketches on the forum. Review the Feedback Guide (especially the “Content” section) for ideas on what to talk about. Note: It’s okay to do this step after the deadline, when everyone has submitted!