March 28:
introductions, expectations, presentation on Design Patterns in FPS Levels

March 31:
towards game design patterns
Read: Timeless Way of Building, Ch. 4-5
Read: Design Patterns, Ch. 1
Read: Formal Abstract Design Tools
Read: The Case For Game Design Patterns

April 4:
game design patterns
Read: A Pattern Language, Ch.1 & Examples
Read: Patterns in Game Design, Ch. 1-4, Intro to Part II (Instructions for off-campus access)

April 7:
FPS patterns
Read: Analysis of Halo: Combat Evolved using Game Design Patterns
Read: Design Patterns in FPS Levels
Read: Level Design Patterns

April 11:
level design analysis
Read: Game Level Design, Ch. 4-5
Due: FPS patterns (1st pass)

April 14:
level design analysis, feedback on FPS patterns
Read: Level Design: Concept, Theory, and Practice, Ch. 13
Read: A Framework for Analysis of 2D Platformer Levels
Due: Research proposal (draft), reading list, game list

April 15: (no meeting)
Inventing the Future of Games (optional)

April 18:
evaluation of levels

April 21:
pacing in levels
Read: Analysis of Level Design 'Push & Pull' within 21 games
Read: A Method for Pacing Analysis
Read: Examining Game Pace: How Single-Player Levels Tick

April 25:
navigation in levels
Read: Design Patterns to Guide Player Movement in 3D Games
Read: How Level Designers Affect Player Pathing Decisions: Player Manipulation through Level Design
Read: No More Wrong Turns
Due: FPS game patterns (2nd pass)

April 27: (no meeting)
Due: Research proposal (final)

April 28:
Read: Super Mario Bros. 3 Level Design Lessons, Part 1
Read: Super Mario Bros. 3 Level Design Lessons, Part 2

May 2:
Due: Poster session abstract (draft)

May 5:
student selected readings: Gabe, Rob (Gamasutra features and SMU Guildhall Master's theses are good sources)
Read: Character Progression in F.E.A.R.
Read: Designing Enemies With Distinct Functions

May 9:
Game case study: Singularity
Due: Poster session abstract (final) (Submit to SOE)

May 12:
student selected readings: Stacey, Chris
poster session and presentation skills, poster feedback
Read: Embracing the Chaos: Freedom as the Cornerstone for Open World Mission Design
Read: Multiplayer Level Design In-Depth, Part 1: The Specific Constraints of Multiplayer Level Design
Watch: SACNAS poster tutorial (all 3 parts)

May 16:
Due: Poster (draft)

May 19:
Review levels

May 23:
Game case study: F.E.A.R.
Due: Report (draft)
Due: Poster (2nd draft)

May 25: (no meeting)
Due: Poster (final) (Submit to BELS by May 26th to avoid rush printing charges) (Please add an SOE logo to your poster)

May 26:
Ken out of town, no meeting

May 30:
Memorial Day, no meeting

June 2:
practice presentations & feedback
Due: Presentation slides
Poster session: 2pm

June 6: (no meeting)
Due: Report (final)
Due: End of quarter project (1 page writeup)

List of games available in the library or E2-392
Ken's single-player level design patterns
Game Design Patterns wiki
Beginning Game Level Design
Introduction to Level Design for PC Games
Gamasutra features
SMU Guildhall Master's theses
Halo 3 Heatmaps
Half-Life 2: Episode 2 stats
Everything I Learned About Game Design I Learned From Disneyland
Launchpad Demo
1001 Sci-Fi Weapons
Classic Game Postmortem: Doom
3D Level Design: Expert Advice
Filip Coulianos' portfolio

Rob - Weapons
Chris - Multiplayer
Gabe - NPCs
Stacey - Open World Games