Game Development Fundamentals

Unit Outline (Higher Education)

Level of Unit in Course

AQF Level(s) of Course

Level of Unit in Course

Introductory

Intermediate

Effective Term:

2025/05

Institute / School :

Institute of Innovation, Science & Sustainability

Unit Title:

Game Development Fundamentals

Unit ID:

ITECH2001

Credit Points:

15.00

Prerequisite(s):

(ITECH1101 or ITECH1400 or ITECH1501)

Co-requisite(s):

Nil

Exclusion(s):

(GPSIT2001)

ASCED:

020103

Other Change:

Brief description of the Unit

This unit introduces you to games development, emphasising a mix of creative content design, development, and technical specialisation. You will gain an understanding of the games industry from its conception through to current trends. Initially, you will study the lifecycle of games development, focusing on story design, character design, game mechanics, and level design, as well as content development including textures and interface, 3D modelling, game development, and programming. You will learn event driven programming through triggers and updates in a games development environment.

Grade Scheme:

Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF)

Work Experience Indicator:

No work experience

Placement Component: No

Supplementary Assessment:Yes

Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment

Course Level:

Learning Outcomes:

Knowledge:

K1.	Describe the games industry, technologies and cultures;

K2.	Discuss games design and development methodologies;

K3.	Identify and explain the appropriate and correct syntax and programming constructs for different game development requirements.

Skills:

S1.	Select and apply appropriate games design and development approaches to align with industry needs;

S2.	Design and develop a range of art and programming assets, implementing aesthetics and logic into a game project;

S3.	Analyse, design, implement and test game concepts using a games engine and programming constructs;

Application of knowledge and skills:

A1.	Utilise appropriate software packages to design, build and program game prototypes and assets that align with user experience and project expectations;

Unit Content:

Topics may include:

1. Definitions, characteristics, and mechanics of games;

2. Uses and applications of games related skills and practice;

3. Delivery platforms for games;

4. 2D and 3D asset development;

5. Game character design;

6. Games story development;

7. Game level design;

8. Games design and development processes

9. Current trends and developments in games;

10. Programming constructs such as methods, basic Object Oriented Programming, event driven programming;

11. Implementing object and character behaviours;

12. Identification and utilisation of programming libraries;

13. Testing and debugging code syntax and game logic;

14. Documentation of code

Graduate Attributes:

Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.

FED TASK and descriptor		Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit
FED TASK and descriptor		Level
FEDTASK 1 Interpersonal	Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams.	N/A - Not Applicable
FEDTASK 2 Leadership	Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative	N/A - Not Applicable
FEDTASK 3 Critical Thinking and Creativity	Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving.	Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines
FEDTASK 4 Digital Literacy	Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities.	Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines
FEDTASK 5 Sustainable and Ethical Mindset	Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life.	N/A - Not Applicable

Learning Task and Assessment:

Assessment for this unit will be based on a number of tasks including practical assignments, laboratory exercises covering the creation and editing of multimedia assets, documentation and code implementation, as well as an end of semester examination covering theoretical aspects of the unit.

	Learning Outcomes Assessed	Assessment Tasks	Assessment Type	Weighting
1.	K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, A1	Theoretical and practical demonstrations of design and technical skills in game production; including pitching, planning and creating functional prototypes.	Assignments	60% - 80%
2.	K1, K2, K3, S1	Tests and/or examinations covering a range of taught game theory, design, development and programming topics.	Tests &/or examinations	20% - 40%

Adopted Reference Style:

APA

Professional Standards / Competencies:

Standard / Competency

Australian Computer Society - Core Body of Knowledge: 2023 accreditation

Attribute			Assessed	Level
Core ICT Knowledge
	ICT Fundamentals
		Design thinking: methods and tools that are used for handling abstraction could vary a great deal with the branch of ICT, from circuit diagrams to data modelling tools to business process modelling	Yes	Intermediate
		Information processing in humans and machines, artificial intelligence	Yes	Introductory
		Systems thinking: components and interactions between them, structure and function, emergent properties and functions, systems layers	Yes	Introductory
		History of computing and ICT, drivers of technology evolution and trends for the future	Yes	Introductory
	Computational Science and Engineering
		Process and algorithm modelling: methods of algorithm design, software quality	Yes	Introductory
		Programming: programming language constructs, coding methods, scripts and apps, interfaces	Yes	Introductory
		Software Engineering: systematic practices of specification, development and testing to produce reliable, safe, maintainable computing systems, integrated development and configuration management environments	Yes	Introductory
	Application Systems
		User experience: interface design, physical and cognitive ergonomics	Yes	Introductory
	ICT Projects
		Nature and types of projects: exploratory, prototype, agile, maintenance, construction and acquisition, etc	Yes	Introductory
Professionalism as it applied in ICT
	Professional Communication
		Communication with different audiences (technical, managerial, users and non-digitally orientated audiences) in different forums (meetings, presentations, networking)	No	Introductory

Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA): Version 8

Attribute			Assessed	Level
Development and implementation
	Systems development
		PROG Programming/software development (Levels 2 - 6) Developing software components to deliver value to stakeholders.	Yes	2
		TEST Testing (Levels 1 - 6) Investigating products, systems and services to assess behaviour and whether this meets specified or unspecified requirements and characteristics.	No	1
		ADEV Animation development (Levels 3 - 6) Designing and developing animated and interactive systems such as games and simulations.	Yes	3