Program Overview

Program Overview

The University of Copenhagen offers a Master's program in Computer Science, which includes a course on Computer Game Development Project (DADIU).

Course Description

The purpose of this course is to teach the art and science of creating computer games. During the course, students will be creating their own sub-engine part that will be integrated into the games being produced. The engine that must be designed and implemented has to add something new, such as implementing algorithms to support data-driven character animation or procedural generation of terrain or worlds.

Learning Outcome

Having completed this course, the student will have:

• Knowledge of the theoretical basis for creating computer games.
• Different aspects and phases of the game development process.
• The key elements for successful teamwork.
• A concrete game implementation platform and development environment.
• Skills to:
  • Analyse and select the best algorithms and/or data structures for solving a given problem in a computer game.
  • Implement complex program components for game logic, visual presentation, and/or player interaction.
  • Evaluate, and possibly optimize, the performance of a computer game.
• Competences to:
  • Cooperate with a game production team as a game programmer.
  • Participate in inter-disciplinary teamwork with multiple member roles, both technical and artistic.
  • Take professional responsibility for a well-defined component or aspect of a large software development project.

Literature and Requirements

• Mandatory formal requirements for course registration: Students must be enrolled in the MSc programme in Computer Science at the University of Copenhagen.
• Recommended Academic Qualifications: It is recommended that students have passed all the mandatory courses in the first year of the MSc programme before taking DADIU (i.e., AP, AADS, ML, and ACS).
• Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree are recommended.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The course will use a mixture of lectures and group work on 2-3 game productions. Part of the activities will take place off-campus at various locations in Copenhagen.

Workload

• Category: Lectures, Preparation, Practical exercises, Project work
• Hours:
  • Lectures: 60
  • Preparation: 240
  • Practical exercises: 60
  • Project work: 464
  • Total: 824

Feedback and Assessment

• Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
• Peer feedback (students give each other feedback)
• Examples of feedback in DADIU:
  • Process evaluation – approximately once a week in relation to a task.
  • Peer reviews – part of the competence development students will conduct peer-review of each other’s code.
  • Evaluation of content – at the end of DADIU, the programmers will meet an experienced game industry programmer who will evaluate the process and technical solutions.
• Exam: Oral examination, 30 minutes (no preparation time)
• Type of assessment details: The oral presentation (30 min. without preparation) at DIKU.
• Aid: All aids allowed
• Marking scale: 7-point grading scale
• Censorship form: No external censorship, several internal examiners
• Re-exam: Same as the ordinary exam

Course Information

• Language: English
• Course code: NDAK15004U
• Credit: 30 ECTS
• Level: Full Degree Master
• Duration: 2 blocks
• Placement: Block 1 and Block 2
• Schedule: The course runs full-time in the fall semester; it is not possible to follow other courses concurrently.
• Course capacity: No limitation – unless you register in the late-registration period (BSc and MSc) or as a credit or single subject student.

Study Board and Contracting Department

• Study Board of Mathematics and Computer Science
• Contracting department: Department of Computer Science
• Contracting faculty: Faculty of Science

Course Coordinators

• Kenny Erleben