Game Design Studio I (CMPS 170) is the first course in a three quarter-long project sequence in which students work in teams to create a large substantial computer game.

Class announcements and discussion takes place via a Piazza class forum: https://piazza.com/class/ib41ehewlno28s

Learning Goals

The primary goal of the class is for students to rapidly develop a wide range of novel game design concepts, then select a small subset of these ideas that will be further developed into complete working computer game. Course activities center on techniques and exercises for presentation and evaluation of game pitches, as well as prototyping and evaluating game concepts.

Students also develop their professional image via the creation of a professional resume, portfolio website, and LinkedIn profile. 

Meeting Times

Lectures are held Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 2-3:10pm, in Kresge 327.

There are four class sections, and attendance in section is required. Section days/times, and associated Teaching Assistants are:

Monday, 11am-12:10pm :: Dylan Lederle-Ensign, James Ryan

Wednesday, 8-9:10am :: Dylan Lederle-Ensign, Ben Spalding

Thursday, 6-7:10pm :: James Ryan, Ben Spalding

Thursday 7:30-8:40pm :: James Ryan, Ben Spalding 

All section meetings are held in Social Sciences 2, room 167.

Teaching Assistants

Teaching assistants for the class are Ben Spalding (bspaldin@ucsc.edu), Dylan Lederle-Ensign (dlederle@ucsc.edu), and James Ryan (joryan@ucsc.edu).

Office Hours

Teaching assistants have office hours scheduled at these times, in the undergraduate game lab (BE 368). Any student can attend office hours for any TA.

Ben Spalding: Wednesdays, 9:30am-10:30am

Dylan Lederle-Ensign: Wednesdays, 12:30-1:30pm

James Ryan: Thursdays, 4-5pm

Professor Whitehead has office hours from 10-11am on Fridays in his office, E2 273. He also holds lab hours from 3:30-5pm on Fridays in the undergraduate game lab.