Microcomputer Applications Course Overview

Trinity Valley Community College <= /h2>

Dr. Thomas W. Hainze, Jr.

Introduction to Game Design = – GAME 1303

Mini-Syllabus

Contact Information

Office
Athens 127 New Technical Building

Phone
Athens 903-675-6317

Email
thainze@tvcc.edu

Introduction to Game Design is a three credit hour freshman course designed to introduce the topic of Game Design and development in both a th= eoretical and practical sense. This cou= rse is NOT about playing games, but about how to design and develop computer based games.

Goals.

The student should be aware of= the disciplines involved in developing a commercial computer game, know what the designer of a game needs to consider during the development process, and be able to build simple games using the Alice 3D tool and Java.

Internet

Internet courses are not for everyone. They are a great convenience and work very well for some people. However, the drop out and failure rate is generally much higher than in fac= t to face classes. If you are not a self starter and very disciplined about keep= ing up, you will not do well in this course.

I will attempt to help you get= your computer configured to access the Blackboard system if needed, but ultimate= ly it is your responsibility to have access to the course content.

Text

Programming with Alice & Java. John Lewis and Peter DePasquale Pearson – Addison

Additional material will be provided inside blackboard that you will nee= d to learn to do well in the course, but no other books are required.

Additional Supplies

A USB storage device with at least 512 MB of storage. These come in a varie= ty of names, Flash drives, Thumb drives, etc.

Grades

A - 90-100
B - 80-89.9
C - 70-79.9
D - 60-69.9
F - Below 60

Grade Calculation

Homework	40%
Two tests	20%
Two Projects	40%

Late work is not accepted. Check the posted assignments for the due dates for all assignments.

In some cases it will be possible to take exams early, but it requires p= rior coordination with me. There are NO Make Up Exams after the scheduled exam d= ate. Exams will require a test proctor.= If you are at TVCC, the testing center in Athens, the LRC on each campus or I = can serve as the test proctor. If= you are from another school, you will need to use the designated test proctor f= rom your institution or work with me for an acceptable alternative.

Cheating

The penalty for cheating is an F in the course (unless you drop the cour= se). Cheating is representing someone else’s work as your own or allowing someone to use your work as if they did it. That is do not copy. On tests cheating is expanded to a= ny help of another student. On t= ests, I want you to all do your own work because I am testing what you know, not = what your neighbor knows. On homework, helping each other is encouraged, but hel= ping is not the same as doing it for one another. Helping is telling your friend on demonstrating how to do something and then that person needs to actually do= it for themselves.

Schedule

This will be provided inside the Blackboard system.

Withdrawals

A new Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Rule has been establishe= d to address a new law enacted by the legislature regarding the number of withdrawals (“Ws”) that a student can have during their academic career (THECB Rules: Chapter 4, Subchapter A, 4-10). The law states that any student whose first semester in college is Fall 2007 or later may not have = more than six unexcused withdrawals during their academic career. This applies t= o a student’s academic record from all higher education institutions that they may attend. If a student has six unexcused withdrawals, they will no longer be able to withdraw from a course without receiving a grade in the c= ourse (usually an F) on the TVCC transcript. Whether a withdrawal is excused or n= ot will be determined by the faculty member and the Dean of Correctional Education.