HP: From Code to Creation: Mastering Game Programming

Übersicht

IGNOU-HP:

01From Code to Creation:

Mastering Game Programming From Code to Creation:

Mastering Game Programming is a course of the SWAYAM programme offered to learners seeking a comprehensive entry into the field of game development.IntroductionGame development is at the intersection of art, technology, and design. This course is a 6-weeks SWAYAM course structured across 6 Weeks consisting of 20 modules, designed to take learners on a progressive journey from the foundational principles of game development.

The course is suitable for students, aspiring game developers, creative professionals, and anyone with a keen interest in understanding how games are developedThis course broadly focuses on the creative and conceptual dimensions of game development, i.e. moving from Code to the Creation of games.By the end of the course, learners will possess both the creative vocabulary and the technical competence to participate meaningfully in the game development process.The topics included in the course are:

Week-1:

Introduction to Game Industry & Foundations - This week marks the transition to the technical half of the course, beginning with a broad survey of the modern game industry, the production pipeline, and the programming and engine foundations that power games.Introduction to the Game Industry:

The scale, structure, and business models of the global game industry — publishers, developers, distributors, and the indie ecosystem.Game Production Pipeline:

Stages of game production — pre-production, production, alpha, beta, gold, and post-launch — and the roles involved at each stage.Programming Behind Games:

An accessible overview of how programming powers game systems — rendering, physics, input handling, audio, and scripting.Game Engines Overview:

A survey of the game engine landscape — what engines do, key options available to developers, and criteria for selecting the right engine for a project.Week-2:

Programming Fundamentals - This week provides a beginner-friendly introduction to programming concepts essential for game development. All topics are contextualised within game scenarios to reinforce relevance and practical application.Understanding the Basics of Programming (Part 1):

Variables, data types, operators, control structures (conditionals and loops), and basic input/output — the fundamental building blocks of any programme.Understanding the Basics of Programming (Part 2):

Functions, scope, arrays, basic object-oriented programming principles — classes, objects, inheritance — and how these concepts apply in game scripting.Week-3:

Game Engines — (Unity) - This week provides hands-on engagement with Unity, one of the most widely used game engines globally.

Learners navigate the Unity environment, work with core systems, and begin writing scripts to bring game elements to life.Game Engine Unity (Part 1):

Unity interface overview, project setup, scene management, the hierarchy and inspector panels, and working with GameObjects and components.Game Engine Unity (Part 2):

Introduction to C# scripting in Unity — writing and attaching scripts, accessing components, handling player input, and controlling game objects.Game Engine Unity (Part 3):

Physics, colliders, rigidbodies, prefabs, and an introduction to the Unity Asset Store — building a small interactive scene as a practical exercise.Week-4:

Game Mechanics & AI – (Building on the Unity foundation), this week focuses on implementing game mechanics in code and introduces Artificial Intelligence techniques used to create responsive and intelligent game worlds.Game Mechanics (Part 1):

Implementing core mechanics in Unity — player movement, collision response, scoring systems, timers, and health/damage systems.Game Mechanics (Part 2):

Advanced mechanics — inventory systems, power-ups, state machines for game objects, and integrating mechanics into a cohesive gameplay loop.Artificial Intelligence in Games:

Fundamentals of game AI — pathfinding (A* algorithm), behaviour trees, finite state machines for enemies, and creating believable non-player character behaviour.Week-5:

Asset Creation & Animation-This week addresses the visual and artistic pipeline of game development — covering the creation of 3D assets, animation principles, and the technical process of integrating assets into a live game project.Asset Creation for Games:

Principles of creating game-ready 3D models and textures — polygon budgets, UV mapping, texture atlasing, and optimisation for real-time rendering.3D Animation for Games:

Fundamentals of 3D animation — rigging, skinning, keyframe animation, and animation cycles (idle, walk, run, attack) designed for game engines.Integrating Assets with Animations in Games:

Importing and configuring 3D assets and animations in Unity — the Animator Controller, animation state machines, blend trees, and triggering animations through code.Week-6:

Production, Management & Industry Practices - The final block brings the course full circle — connecting the creative and technical skills developed throughout the programme to the professional practices of the game industry. Learners gain insight into how games are produced at scale, how teams are managed, and how budgets are planned and controlled.Engine Best Practices:

Writing clean, maintainable code in Unity — naming conventions, project structure, performance optimisation, and avoiding common technical pitfalls.Programming Breakdown Through Own Development:

A practical walkthrough of an independently developed game project — examining real programming decisions, trade-offs made during development, and lessons learned.Production Management Methods:

An introduction to project management methodologies used in game studios — Agile, Scrum, milestones, sprints, and tools for tracking progress and managing risk.Producing the Game in a Production Company:

How professional game studios organise production — team structures, producer responsibilities, publisher relationships, gold certification, and launch processes.Managing the Budget in the Game Industry:

Financial planning in game development — budgeting for development cycles, managing costs across departments, understanding revenue models, and financial reporting within a production company.

Lehrplan

• **Week 1: Introduction to Game Industry & Foundations**
• Introduction to the Game Industry
Global industry scale, structure, and business models
Roles of publishers, developers, distributors, and indies
• Game Production Pipeline
Stages: Pre-production, production, alpha, beta, gold, post-launch
Roles involved at each stage
• Programming Behind Games
Overview of rendering, physics, input handling, audio, scripting
• Game Engines Overview
What game engines do
Key engines and criteria for selecting an engine
• **Week 2: Programming Fundamentals**
• Understanding the Basics of Programming (Part 1)
Variables, data types, operators, control structures, basic I/O
• Understanding the Basics of Programming (Part 2)
Functions, scope, arrays, OOP principles: classes, objects, inheritance
• **Week 3: Game Engines — Unity**
• Game Engine Unity (Part 1)
Unity interface, project setup, scene management, GameObjects, components
• Game Engine Unity (Part 2)
C# scripting, accessing components, handling input, controlling objects
• Game Engine Unity (Part 3)
Physics, colliders, rigidbodies, prefabs, Unity Asset Store
• **Week 4: Game Mechanics & AI**
• Game Mechanics (Part 1)
Player movement, collision response, scoring, timers, health/damage systems
• Game Mechanics (Part 2)
Inventory systems, power-ups, state machines, gameplay loop integration
• Artificial Intelligence in Games
Fundamentals of AI: pathfinding (A*), behavior trees, finite state machines
• **Week 5: Asset Creation & Animation**
• Asset Creation for Games
Principles of 3D models and textures: polygon budgets, UV mapping
• 3D Animation for Games
Rigging, skinning, keyframe animation, animation cycles
• Integrating Assets with Animations in Games
Importing assets, Animator Controller, animation state machines, blend trees
• **Week 6: Production, Management & Industry Practices**
• Engine Best Practices
Writing clean code, naming conventions, project structure, performance optimization
• Programming Breakdown Through Own Development
Walkthrough of independently developed game project
• Production Management Methods
Agile, Scrum, milestones, sprints, progress tracking
• Producing the Game in a Production Company
Studio organization, team structures, producer responsibilities, launch processes
• Managing the Budget in the Game Industry
Financial planning, budgeting, cost management, revenue models, financial reporting

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Unterrichtet von

Dr. Sudhansh Sharma and Dr. Amit Verma

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Fachgebiete

Programming