Computer Graphics Laboratory

Download the flyer as pdf here.

Description

Short Summary

The goal of this course is the in-depth understanding of the technology and programming underlying computer games.
Students gradually design and develop a computer game in small groups and get acquainted with the art of game programming.

Description

The Game Programming Laboratory addresses modern three-dimensional computer game technology. During the course, small groups of students will design and develop a computer game. Focus will be put on technical aspects of game development, such as rendering, interaction, physics, animation, and AI. In addition, we will cultivate creative thinking for advanced gameplay and visual effects.

The "laboratory" format involves a practical, hands-on approach with neither traditional lectures nor exercises. Instead, we will meet once a week to discuss technical issues and to track progress. We will utilize Unity 3D, which is a powerful framework that facilitates game development. While development will take place on PCs, students are free to choose the target platform of their final game.

At the end of the course results will be presented to the public. The best projects, choosen by the audience and a jury of experts from the industry, will be awarded hard- and software prices. Student mentors and jury experts from Studio Gobo were Huw Bowles, Asher Einhorn, Gioacchino Noris, Tom Williams, Daniel Zimmermann. Information about the impressive games of the previous years can be found in the section below.

The number of participants is limited.

Previous Results

• Game Programming Lab 2014:
  • Team 1: Bring Back Winter!
  • Team 2: Battle Of The SeaSons
  • Team 3: Survival of the Carrot People
  • Team 4: Starving Worms, Crawling to Victory
  Game Programming Lab 2013:
  • Team 1: The Drunken Dream Maker (With a Cold)
  • Team 2: NEED.MOAR.SHEEP
  • Team 3: Oneiroi
• Game Programming Lab 2012:
  • Team 1: Atomic Race
  • Team 2: Space Trouble!
  • Team 3: Dawn of Time
  • Team 4: Polarity
  • Team 5: Human Harvesters
• Game Programming Lab 2011:
  • Team 1: Morph Madness
  • Team 2: Reign of Darkness
  • Team 3: Trunk Enlargement
  • Team 4: Little Sister's Big Adventure
  • Team 5: Adam!
  • Team 6: Llams And Egral
  • Team 7: Office Onslaught
• Game Programming Lab 2010
• Game Programming Lab 2009
• Game Programming Lab 2008
• Game Programming Lab 2007

Prerequisites

• Good programming skills (course projects are written in C#).
• CG experience: Students should have taken, at a minimum, Visual Computing. Higher level courses are recommended, such as Computer Graphics, Shape Modeling and Geometry Processing, Physically-based Simulation in Computer Graphics and Image Synthesis.

Participation

The number of participants for the game programming laboratory is limited. If you want to participate, make sure to sign up for the course and attend the first lectures, as this is where the teams are assembled. It is usually not possible to join later on during the semester.

Administration

Number	252-0570-00L
Lecturers	Prof. Dr. Bob Sumner (sumnerbdisneyresearch.com),
Exercises	Antoine Milliez (antoine.milliezdisneyresearch.com) Fabio Zünd (fzuendinf.ethz.ch),
Language	English
Location	CAB G 51, Tuesdays 15:15-18:00
Credits	10 KP