Final Year Information Technology (Entertainment Systems) Project Specification

ITES-001

1. Project Title

Development of an Interactive online/desktop video game

2. Aims of the Project

• To Research, Design, Implement and Evaluate an Interactive online/desktop video game

• To use a range of technologies in order to develop high quality interactive content that should
include image, text, animation, audio and video.
• To provide adequate documentation and evidence of good systems design methods and
professional practice in game development.

3. Basic Tasks & Deliverables

In order to be considered for a pass at Third Class Honours standard on this project,
a student must give evidence of having adequately attempted to:

• Task 1: Research related to the requirements of the game, including genre analysis, an analysis of
similar games, player profiling and other such techniques.
• Task 2: Design of the game including the use of storyboards, high concept document and other
appropriate documents.
• Task 3: Implementation of the game using suitable tools and methods.
• Task 4: Evaluation of the final game, using suitable techniques and methods.

AND must have produced:

• Documentation related to the system design process, analysis, design, implementation and
evaluation, such as:
o High concept document
o Sketchbook, suitable annotated
o Game design document
o Character treatment document
o World design document
o Flowcharts and storyboards
o Story and level progression document
o Game script document
• An interactive game suitable for playing on a standard PC computer, either as a desktop or online
application
• All source files for video, audio, image, text and animation. These MUST NOT have been
downloaded from the internet. Where audio and video mixing has taken place, these source files
must also be provided.
• High quality animation, using a suitable programming or scripting language.
• All editable files must be submitted relating to final executable and published files
• A usability report and reflective evaluation

A student who wishes to get a higher grade will need to extend the project beyond this basic level (in
both quantity and quality).

4. What we will be looking for when assessing the project for a pass

• Evidence of professional practice and game design

• High quality media and interactive content

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 • Skilled production of video, audio, text, image and animation, using professional methods to
high standards
• Playability of the game, which must be robust and have at least three levels
• Evidence of due consideration to game usability

5. Skills that will be required (identify all that apply)

• User Interface Design / Interface Modelling

• Game Development / Analysis / Design / Implementation / Evaluation / Documentation
• Animation / Video / Audio / Media production
• Program Design / Programming / Scripting
• Human Computer Interaction

6. Specialism (if any)

Entertainment Systems

7. Pre-requisite module(s)
Students undertaking this project will be expected to have taken the following module(s) or the
equivalent, and the assessment of their work will be based on this assumption:

• 1com0047- E-Media Design

• 2com0093- Interaction and Games Design
• 3com0263- Digital Entertainment Systems A
• 3com0262- Digital Entertainment Systems B

The following modules may also prove useful:

8. Background to the problem

The development of digital entertainment systems such as described in this project may be considered
to represent a fusion between the arts and sciences. It is important therefore that standard methods in
computer science and information technology as well as those derived from the art domain are brought
to bear on the development of such systems. This project is intended to challenge a student to use a
wide range of techniques from these areas to achieve a high quality and professional artefact to
specified standards.

9. Requirements

The game must be developed for a specific genre and audience. This will be determined largely by the
choice of game by the student. There must be on-screen instructions, ability to save the state of the
game, saveable high score table, evidence of research and analysis, rigorous player testing and
evaluation. Documentation must be provided for all stages of the game development cycle.

10 Target platform(s) for development and demonstration of finished product (if any)

Multimedia (PC) computer which may be connected to the internet via a broadband connection.

11. Recommended reading / references

Course notes, practical work and set reading from 2com0093, 3com0263, 3com0262