Computing Games Development (Top Up)

This module gives students the opportunity to apply the skills they have learnt theoretically in other modules to practical engaging case studies. This will enable an awareness of emerging techniques and technologies and how to use them practically. Two topics that are of current interest will be focussed and may vary over different runs of the module. Example topic areas include Robot Manipulator Motion Planning, Control of Unmanned Vehicles, Genetic Algorithms, Particle Swarm Optimisation, Cellular Automata.

The module provides you with an introduction to computer games programming through the use of an industry standard programming language, game engine and formal development process. It includes the architecture of computer games, input, user interfaces, audio, cameras and collision detection and resolution. On completion of the module, you should be able to understand the principles of computer game architectures and be able to understand how to produce your own computer games.

This module begins the journey from serial programs with one thread of execution to concurrency and on to high performance computing. You will learn about multi-threading using algorithms from numerical methods as a focus for implementation. You will also learn about the pitfalls of multi-threading (such as deadlocks and race conditions) and how to modify algorithms to avoid them. Simple methods of measuring performance may be analysed.

In this module you will start by looking at the Professional issues related to working in the Computing and IT industry. You will consider professional conduct and the social, legal and ethical implications related to the profession – in-line with BCS guidelines. In the first semester you will also start to consider the subject of your final year project. Following discussions with staff members you will produce a project proposal document and start a literature review on your chosen topic. You will be assigned a project supervisor who will meet with you at regular intervals to provide you with feedback on your work as it progresses. In your second semester you will continue to work individually on the main part of your final year project with regular meetings with your supervisor. This supervisor plus another member of staff will assess your project.

This module builds on the principles and methodologies introduced in “Games Development”. You will learn about games development theory with particular focus on game maths, physics and virtual character decision-making and movement. It includes topics such as trigonometry, vectors, gravity, movement algorithms, finite state machines and path-finding.