Program Overview

Course Overview

The course CGRA 252, Game and Graphics Engine Programming, introduces students to a range of game and graphics engines, teaching them how to use various tools within these engines to build games and graphics output. Students will evaluate the engines as implementations of graphics pipelines and game development systems, learning how to program extensions to games and graphics engines and use graphics APIs such as OpenGL in their programming.

Course Details

• Dates: 6 July 2026 to 8 November 2026
• Starts: Trimester 2
• Fees:
  • NZ$1,083.45 for domestic students
  • NZ$5,058.00 for international students
• Lecture Start Times:
  • Monday 3.10pm
  • Wednesday 3.10pm
  • Thursday 3.10pm
• Campus: Kelburn
• Estimated Workload: Approximately 150 hours or 8.3 hours per week for 18 weeks
• Points: 15

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: CGRA 151, COMP 103
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: None

Taught By

The School of Engineering and Computer Science — Faculty of Science and Engineering

Disclaimer

This course outline may be subject to change.

Key Dates

Important dates, including mid-trimester teaching breaks, can be found on the University's key dates calendar. Assessment dates will be announced once the course has begun.

About This Course

This course covers the introduction to the use of Game Engines to create games, visual effects, and graphical outputs. Students should have a background in programming and an understanding of game design. The course also covers the ethical and effective use of AI tools in game development.

Course Learning Objectives

Students who pass this course will be able to:

1. Use standard conceptual frameworks and vocabulary for computer game engines, their components, and designs.
2. Identify key qualities and features of different game engine systems to evaluate them and use them effectively.
3. Extend various engine systems and combine them to engage in game development.
4. Describe and modify the graphics pipeline within a game/graphics engine to demonstrate understanding of core algorithms in computer graphics.
5. Work in teams to build technical demonstrations of game/graphics engine features and extensions.
6. Understand the ethical and effective use of Generative AI and Agentic AI tools in the game and graphics development process.

How This Course Is Taught

The course includes lectures, online and in-person tutorials, online Discord assistance, AI tutors, and online Unreal and Godot resources.

Assessment

• Assignment 1: Individual, 25%
• Group Project: Group Work, 50%
• Assignment 2: Individual, 25%

Assessment Dates and Extensions

Assessment due dates and information about extensions can be found on the University's online learning environment once enrolled in the course.

Mandatory Requirements

There are no mandatory requirements for this course.

Group Work

The final project is a group project with multiple deadlines. The first assignment can be done individually or in pairs, and the second assignment individually.

Lecture Times and Rooms

Lecture times are from 6 July 2026 to 16 August 2026 and from 31 August 2026 to 11 October 2026.

What You'll Need to Get

The course will use online resources and the most recent releases of game engines. Ideally, students should have personal access to a machine that can run Unreal Engine 5, but accommodations can be made for those without access to a medium to high-powered computer. Access to a computer that can run Unreal would be useful, but the entire course can be completed in Godot, which runs on most computers.