IGME-340 |
Multi-platform Media App Development |
Interactive media applications are no longer restricted to personal computers. They can now be found on many distinct hardware platforms including mobile, tablet, wearable, and large-screened computing devices. In this course, students will learn to design, prototype and develop media rich interactive experiences that can be deployed to a wide variety of hardware devices. Programming projects are required. (Prerequisites: IGME-330 or equivalent course and student standing in GAMEDES-BS or NWMEDID-BS.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring). |
IGME-350 |
International Game Industry |
This course will immerse students in the international games industry via a study-abroad experience in a location that will vary. The course will hold several meetings on campus before departure, but then the bulk of the course will center on a two-plus-week intensive experience abroad. While abroad, RIT students will spend half the course on the campus of a host university where they will participate in classes and/or other academic offerings, participate in a weekend game jam at the host university, and visit local and regional sites with cultural, historical, and/or game industry significance. Students will spend the rest of the course in a major city center of game development visiting game studios, governmental offices related to the games industry, and/or cultural and historical sites. This course has been offered for both Germany (the largest European games market) and Japan. Other offerings in other countries may emerge over time and the country visited varies for year to year. International travel is required. (Prerequisites: IGME-320 or IGME-330 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Spring). |
IGME-382 |
Maps, Mapping and Geospatial Technologies |
This course provides a survey of underlying concepts and technologies used to represent and understand the earth, a form of new media collectively referred to as Geospatial Technologies (GTs). Students will gain hands-on experience with GTs, including Global Positioning Systems (GPSs), Geographic Information Systems (GISs), remote sensing, Virtual Globes, and geographically-oriented new media such as mapping mashups. Students also will develop basic spatial thinking, reasoning, problem solving, and literacy skills. Lec/Lab 3 (Fall). |
IGME-384 |
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems |
This course introduces students to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for understanding and representing people, places and culture through new media. Through applied research projects, students will learn how GIS is a support mechanism for spatially-oriented thinking, reasoning, literacy, and problem-solving at the global scale. Such global problems include international disaster management, digital humanities, climate change, and sustainable development. Course lectures, writing and reading assignments, and in-class activities cover a mix of conceptual, practical and technical GIS topics. Topics include interactions among people, places and cultures around the world, GIS data models, basic cartography, geodatabases, spatial data acquisition and creation, and spatial analysis. This general education course also examines GIS ethical issues such as privacy, information ownership, accuracy, and mapping and social power. Lec/Lab 3 (Spring). |
IGME-386 |
Spatial Algorithms and Problem Solving |
This course is targeted to students with a serious interest in geographical problem solving via underlying spatial algorithms. Students will learn how to compare and contrast different specific spatial algorithms for solving specific geographic problems and develop proficiency with encoding and implementing spatial algorithms in computer programs. Students taking this course will gain a broad interdisciplinary skill set in how to think spatially and computationally through critical engagement of geographical problem solving. (This class is restricted to undergraduate students with at least 2nd year standing.) Lecture 3 (Fall). |
IGME-420 |
Level Design |
This course introduces level design theory and best practice through game level analysis, evaluation, and creation. Students will learn by analyzing game levels from existing games and discussing what made those levels successful or unsuccessful. Through their analysis and hands on experience, students will gain an understanding of overall level design including layout, flow, pacing, and balance. They will enhance their understanding of level design principles by creating their own game levels. (Prerequisites: IGME-219 and IGME-220 or equivalent courses and student standing in NWMEDID-BS or GAMEDES-BS.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall, Spring). |
IGME-422 |
Level Design 2 |
This course expands upon the level design concepts presented in IGME-420, further exploring advanced level design topics and applying them to additional game genres. The course delves deeper into level design processes and methodologies as they relate to more complex game types using a project-based format. Throughout the course, various game genres will be studied and explored, with projects including game analysis and the creation of custom levels. (Prerequisites: IGME-420 or equivalent course.) Lab 3 (Fall, Spring). |
IGME-423 |
Games for Change |
This course provides students with the opportunity to explore games and simulations for social change and learning. Students will explore various research, design, and development techniques for applying games to addressing issues and problems in communities, from local to global. Students will learn to design and develop games and simulations as well as how to gather and analyze data about the games’ usage. Topics may include issues-based organizing and advocacy, place-based learning, and games for civics. In addition, students are exposed to current debates in the field of Games for Change. (Prerequisites: IGME-220 or equivalent course and GAMEDES-BS or NWMEDID-BS Major students.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring). |
IGME-430 |
Rich Media Web Application Development II |
This course provides students the opportunity to continue the exploration of Media Rich Internet Applications (MRIAs). Topics include communications for media ecologies, distributed web application frameworks, advanced interactivity, data transformation, representation, automation, persistence, and large scale systems deployment. In addition, students are exposed to concepts and technologies related to the next generation of MRIA development. (Prerequisites: IGME-330 or equivalent course and student standing in GAMEDES-BS or NWMEDID-BS.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall, Spring). |
IGME-431 |
Digital Video for the Web |
Web-deployed video is an increasingly important medium. It is used for illustration, instruction, entertainment and marketing. Students working with video for the web require an understanding of its inherent qualities, limitations and how it may be implemented. This course will focus on video and specifically how to create and implement quality work suitable for web delivery. (Prerequisites: IGME-202 and IGME-330 or equivalent courses.) Lec/Lab 3 (Spring). |
IGME-450 |
Casual Game Development |
This course explores the design and construction of casual game experiences. Topics include modes of casual game play, mechanics for casual games, characteristics of successful games, development processes, and the distribution of casual games. Students will create casual games, and employ technologies to address issues of scalability, presentation, social interconnectivity, and game analytics. (Prerequisites: IGME-330 or equivalent course and restricted to students in NWMEDID-BS or IGME-320 or equivalent course and restricted to students in GAMEDES-BS.) Lec/Lab 3 (Spring). |
IGME-451 |
Systems Concepts for Games and Media |
This course focuses on systems-based theoretical models of computation in the context of a media-delivery modality. Students will explore concepts such as memory management, parallel processing, platform limitations, storage, scheduling, system I/O, and optimization from a media-centric perspective. Particular emphasis will be placed on the integration of these concepts in relation to industry standard hardware including game consoles, mobile devices, custom input hardware, etc. (Prerequisites: IGME-309 or equivalent course and student standing in GAMEDES-BS or NWMEDID-BS.) Lec/Lab 3 (Spring). |
IGME-460 |
Data Visualization |
Our world is flooded with data, and making sense of it can be a challenge. Visualizations help by exposing information, trends, and correlations that might otherwise go unnoticed in the raw data. In this course, students will learn to collect, clean, organize, and filter data sets of their own choosing. They will learn and apply principles from multiple fields including visual design, the psychology of perception, user experience design, and ethics. They will create static and interactive visualizations with a variety of information structures (hierarchies, maps, timelines, etc.). Students will learn to develop exploratory experiences that tell the story within the data. Programming projects are required. (Prerequisites: IGME-330 or equivalent course.) Lec/Lab 3 (Spring). |
IGME-470 |
Physical Computing & Alternative Interfaces |
The rich variety and widespread adoption of gestural touch screens, motion-sensing devices, weight-reactive surfaces, wearable digital devices, and similar interface products demonstrates the demand for well-integrated devices and services that seamlessly couple people and environments. Such products can interface computers with real-world inputs and outputs, and give people new ways of controlling and experiencing their devices and information. This course provides a rapid technical introduction to basic electronics (components, circuits, microcontrollers, etc.) and emphasizes the application of interface design concepts to physically interactive and innovative product development. The course requires solo and team projects that blend electronics, programming, and design. (Prerequisites: IGME-102 or IGME-106 or IGME-206 or equivalent course and at least 3rd year standing.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall). |
IGME-480 |
Current Topics in Interactive Development |
Interactive media development is a rapidly evolving field. This course provides an opportunity for students to learn and experiment with emerging themes, practices, and technologies that are not addressed elsewhere in the curriculum. Topics covered in this course will vary based on current developments in the field. Students will explore, design, and develop creative interactive experiences pertaining to the semester's domain area. Programming projects are required. (Prerequisites: IGME-330 or equivalent course and student standing in GAMEDES-BS or NWMEDID-BS.) Lec/Lab 3 (Spring). |
IGME-484 |
Geographic Visualization |
This course examines the use of maps for geographic problem solving and scientific inquiry. Students will learn theory, concepts and techniques associated with maps and new media such as geographic problem solving and scientific inquiry devices such as map comprehension, evaluation, construction, usage, and assessment. Students will also learn how to compare, contrast, and implement map-based geographic problem solving and scientific inquiry techniques with geographically-oriented new media such as thematic cartography, geographic information visualization, three dimensional modeling and animated and interactive maps. A geographic problem solving research project that incorporates thematic cartography and geographic visualization solutions is required. (This class is restricted to undergraduate students with at least 3rd year standing.) Lecture 3 (Spring). |
IGME-529 |
Foundations of Interactive Narrative |
This course focuses on the major elements of narrative for interactive environments. Students in this course explore the basics of narrative in the context of interactive games and media, with examination of digital storytelling in games and interactive environments of several varieties. Branching narrative, hypertext, multi- and non-linear concepts are also explored with an emphasis on balancing immersive and interactive aspects of digital narrative. (NWMEDID-BS,GAMEDES-BS) Lec/Lab 3 (Spring). |
IGME-531 |
Aesthetics and Computation |
Students will design and build creative applications, while studying the history of computation in the visual arts, music, and other relevant areas. Technical topics include advanced audiovisual programming techniques, while theoretical topics include foundational discussions on artificial life, generative art, microsound, participatory and process-based art, programming as performance, and computational creativity. Individual and/or group projects will be required. (Prerequisites: IGME-330 or equivalent course.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall, Spring). |
IGME-540 |
Foundationsof Game Graphics Programming |
Students will explore the use of an advanced graphics API to access hardware-accelerated graphics in a real-time graphics engine context. The course will involve discussion of scene graphs, optimizations, and integration with the API object structure, as well as input schemes, content pipelines, and 2D and 3D rendering techniques. Students will also explore the advanced use of the API calls in production code to construct environments capable of real-time performance. Students will construct from scratch a fully functional graphics engine, with library construction for game development. (Prerequisites: IGME-309 or equivalent course and student standing in GAMEDES-BS.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall). |
IGME-550 |
Foundations of Game Engine Design and Development |
This course will provide students with theory and practical skills in game engine design topic areas such as understanding the graphics pipeline as it influences engine design, hardware principles and the relationship to game engine construction, mathematical principles involved in game engine design, scene graph construction and maintenance, texture and materials management, collision systems, physics systems, particle systems, and control systems. Furthermore, this course will examine software and toolsets that assist game engine designers in their tasks. Students will be expected to design and implement a game engine in teams as well as properly document their design and development strategy. (Prerequisites: IGME-540 or equivalent course and student standing in GAMEDES-BS.) Lec/Lab 3 (Spring). |
IGME-560 |
Artificial Intelligence for Game Environments |
This course explores introductory artificial intelligence concepts through both a theoretical and practical perspective, with an emphasis on how to apply these concepts in a game development context. In particular the course focuses on applying concepts such as search, reactive intelligence, knowledge representation, and machine learning to real-time situations and applications as relevant to the field of entertainment technology and simulation. (Prerequisites: IGME-309 or equivalent course and student standing in GAMEDES-BS.) Lec/Lab 3 (Spring). |
IGME-570 |
Digital Audio Production |
Technologies and techniques for producing and manipulating digital audio are explored. Topics include digital representations of sound, digital audio recording and production, MIDI, synthesis techniques, real-time performance issues, and the application of digital audio to multimedia and Web production. (Prerequisites: IGME-202 or equivalent course and student standing in GAMEDES-BS or NWMEDID-BS.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall). |
IGME-571 |
Interactive Game Audio |
This course provides students with exposure to the design, creation and production of audio in interactive applications and computer games. Students will become familiar with the use of sound libraries, recording sounds in the studio and in the field, generating sound with synthesizers, and effects processing. Students will create sound designs for interactive media, integrating music, dialog, ambient sound, sound effects and interface sounds within interactive programs. (Prerequisites: IGME-202 or equivalent course and student standing in GAMEDES-BS or NWMEDID-BS.) Lec/Lab 3 (Spring). |
IGME-580 |
IGM Production Studio |
This course will allow students to work as domain specialists on teams completing one or more large projects over the course of the semester. The projects will be relevant to experiences of the interactive games and media programs, but will require expertise in a variety of sub-domains, including web design and development, social computing, computer game development, multi-user media, human-computer interaction and streaming media. Students will learn to apply concepts of project management and scheduling, production roles and responsibilities, and their domain skill sets to multidisciplinary projects. Students will complete design documents, progress reports and final assessments of themselves and their teammates in addition to completing their assigned responsibilities on the main projects. (Prerequisites: IGME-330 or equivalent course and restricted to students in NWMEDID-BS or IGME-320 or equivalent course and restricted to students in GAMEDES-BS.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall, Spring, Summer). |
IGME-588 |
New Media Interactive Development Capstone II |
This course is designed to engage the New Media major in a capstone production experience. The instructor will form interdisciplinary student teams that will design, plan, prototype, and implement new media projects. Student groups are required to test their product with users and provide written feedback and analysis. Students will be evaluated on individual contributions and their team’s final capstone project. (Prerequisites: NMDE-401 or equivalent course and student standing in NWMEDID-BS program.) Lab 3 (Spring). |
IGME-589 |
Research Studio |
This course will allow students to work as domain specialists on teams completing one or more faculty research projects over the course of the semester. The faculty member teaching the class will provide the research topic(s). Students will learn about research methodology to implement, test, and evaluate results of projects. Students will complete research reports and final assessments of themselves and their teammates in addition to completing their assigned responsibilities on the main projects. (This course is restricted to students in NWMEDID-BS or GAMEDES-BS with 3rd year standing.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall, Spring, Summer). |
IGME-590 |
Undergraduate Seminar in IGM |
This is intended to allow for special one-time offerings of undergraduate topics or to allow faculty to pilot new undergraduate offerings. Specific course details (such as the course topics, format, resource needs, and credit hours) will be determined by the faculty member(s) who propose a given special-topics offering. (This course is restricted to students in NWMEDID-BS or GAMEDES-BS with 3rd year standing.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall, Spring, Summer). |
IGME-599 |
Independent Study |
The student will work independently under the supervision of a faculty advisor on a topic not covered in other courses. (Enrollment in this course requires permission from the department offering the course.) Ind Study (Fall, Spring, Summer). |
IGME-601 |
Game Development Processes |
This course examines the individual and group roles of the development process model within the game design and development industry. Students will transform design document specifications into software and hardware needs for developers, testers, and end users. Students will examine team dynamics and processes for technical development, content development, testing, deployment, and maintenance. Students will explore the design process through the deconstruction of the game industry's software lifecycle model. (This course is restricted to students in the GAMEDES-MS program.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall). |
IGME-602 |
Game Design |
This course presents students with core theories of game design, informed by research results from media theory, narrative methods and models, theories of ideation, and the nature of games, play and fun. Specific emphasis is placed on the examination of historical successes and failures, along with presentation of ethical and cultural issues related to the design of interactive software. Students will engage in formal critique and analysis of media designs and their formal elements. (This course is restricted to students in the GAMEDES-MS program.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall). |
IGME-603 |
Gameplay and Prototyping |
This course explores the pragmatic issues of creative concept development through story-boarding, pitching, prototyping and play-testing. Students will use various tools and techniques to build game prototypes that they will evaluate through play-testing in an incremental design process informed by market research and analysis. (This course is restricted to students in the GAMEDES-MS program.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall). |
IGME-621 |
Board and Card Game Design and Development |
This course explores issues pertaining to design, mechanics, development, and production of analog, tabletop “hobby” games, which include board games, card games, wargames, and other non-digital games catering to multiple players. Students will analyze and apply concepts and mechanics of modern tabletop game design, and build and test both competitive and cooperative tabletop games, designed specifically for a global audience. Students will work with development and prototyping tools, explore component design and art direction, and work with desktop publishing technologies. In addition, they will work directly with board game publishing and manufacturing technologies and services, and study factors pertaining to the business of tabletop games, and produce a professional, polished tabletop game. (Prerequisites: (IGME-602 and student is matriculated in GAMEDES-MS); or (IGME-220 and student is matriculated in GAMEDES-BS/NWMEDID-BS)) Lecture 3 (Spring). |
IGME-622 |
Game Balance |
This course is an in-depth exploration of the sub-field of game design known as balance. Topics include: transitive mechanics and cost/power curves; economic systems in games; probability and the psychology of randomness; pseudorandom numbers; situational balance; level/XP curves, advancement and pacing; tuning; statistics, metrics, and analytics; intransitive mechanics, game theory, and payoff matrices; and the applied use of spreadsheets. (This course is restricted to students in the GAMEDES-MS program.) Lecture 3 (Fall). |
IGME-623 |
Theory and Design of Role Play and Interactive Narrative |
Role playing games (RPGs) are among the most popular game forms. RPG design incorporates elements from most game genre. This course will address all aspects of design relevant to role play, both digital and analog, and the course will focus on the underlying theory of role play as a practice. We will talk about popular games, but will also spend time on experimental and innovative role play. Students should expect to study playing styles, RPG structure, and to both study and produce effective interactive narrative. Lab 3 (Spring). |
IGME-624 |
Tabletop Role-Playing Game Design and Development |
This course explores the concepts and mechanics of analog role-playing games, such as tabletop "pencil-and-paper" and live-action role-playing games, from a practical, hands-on perspective. In this project-based course, students will develop their own rule systems to facilitate various facets of role-playing and associated game mechanics, then playtest and publish their games. Students will also use desktop publishing tools to produce game rules and supplemental materials suitable for publication. Note that this course assumes that students have extensive experience in playing tabletop role-playing games. (Prerequisites: (IGME-602 and student is matriculated in GAMEDES-MS); or (IGME-220 and student is matriculated in GAMEDES-BS/NWMEDID-BS)) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring). |
IGME-670 |
Digital Audio Production |
Technologies and techniques for producing and manipulating digital audio are explored. Topics include digital representations of sound, digital audio recording and production, MIDI, synthesis techniques, real-time performance issues, and the application of digital audio to multimedia and Web production. (Students must be in GAMEDES-MS or GAMEDES-BS and have taken IGME-202. Undergraduate students may not take and receive credit for this course if they have already taken IGME-570.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall). |
IGME-671 |
Interactive Game and Audio |
This course provides students with exposure to the design, creation and production of audio in interactive applications and computer games. Students will become familiar with the use of sound libraries, recording sounds in the studio and in the field, generating sound with synthesizers, and effects processing. Students will create sound designs for interactive media, integrating music, dialog, ambient sound, sound effects and interface sounds within interactive programs. (Students must be in GAMEDES-MS or GAMEDES-BS and have taken IGME-202. Undergraduate students may not take and receive credit for this course if they have already taken IGME-571.not if IGME-571) Lec/Lab 3 (Spring). |
IGME-680 |
IGM Production Studio |
This course will allow students to work as domain specialists on teams completing one or more large projects over the course of the semester. The projects will be relevant to experiences of the interactive games and media programs, but they will require expertise in a variety of sub-domains, including web design and development, social computing, computer game development, multi-user media, human-computer interaction and streaming media. Students will learn to apply concepts of project management and scheduling, production roles and responsibilities, and their domain skill sets to multidisciplinary projects. Students will complete design documents, progress reports and final assessments of themselves and their teammates in addition to completing their assigned responsibilities on the main projects. (Prerequisites: IGME-601 or equivalent courses.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall, Spring). |
IGME-690 |
IGM Seminar |
This is intended to allow for special one-time offerings of graduate topics. Specific course details (such as the course topics, format, resource needs, and credit hours) will be determined by the faculty member(s) who propose a given seminar offering. (Varies) (This course is restricted to GAMEDES-MS students or (GAMEDES-BS or NWMEDID-BS students with at least 3rd year standing).) Lecture (Fall, Spring, Summer). |
ISTE-230 |
Introduction to Database and Data Modeling |
A presentation of the fundamental concepts and theories used in organizing and structuring data. Coverage includes the data modeling process, basic relational model, normalization theory, relational algebra, and mapping a data model into a database schema. Structured Query Language is used to illustrate the translation of a data model to physical data organization. Modeling and programming assignments will be required. Note: students should have one course in object-oriented programming. (Prerequisites: ISTE-120 or ISTE-200 or IGME-101 or IGME-105 or CSCI-140 or CSCI-142 or CA-161 or NMAD-180 or BIOL-135 or GCIS-123 or equivalent course.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall, Spring). |
ISTE-454 |
Mobile Application Development I |
This course extends the material covered in the Foundations of Mobile Design course and provides students with the experience of creating interesting applications for small-size form factor mobile devices such as smartphones These devices are exceptionally portable, have unique sets of hardware and communications capabilities, incorporate novel interfaces, are location aware, and provide persistent connectivity. Students are encouraged to make creative use of these unique device characteristics and operating properties to develop innovative applications. Programming projects are required. (Prerequisites: (ISTE-252 and ISTE-340) or IGME-330 or equivalent courses.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall, Spring). |
ISTE-456 |
Mobile Application Development II |
This course extends the Foundations of Mobile Design course in that students will learn to apply mobile design skills to develop applications in the Android platform. Students will design, develop, and test mobile applications using the Android Studio IDE. This course covers the major components such as activities, receivers, content providers, permissions, intents, fragments, data storage, and security. Programming projects are required (Prerequisites: (ISTE-252 and ISTE-340) or IGME-330 or equivalent courses.) Lec/Lab 3 (Fall, Spring). |