Assessor Resource

ICAGAM402A
Identify and apply principles of games design and game playing

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: April 2024


This unit applies to concept artists, games designers, games programmers, animators and other personnel working in the game development industry.

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to identify and apply principles of games design and game playing.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Prerequisites

Not applicable.


Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.




Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the ability to:

differentiate game genres

differentiate game design and play principles.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure access to:

computer hardware, software, games engines and file storage

internet access for research purposes

copyright and intellectual property legislation

OHS legislation and enterprise policy

appropriate learning and assessment support when required

modified equipment for people with special needs.

Method of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

evaluation of work samples or simulated workplace activities

verbal questioning concerning aspects of game design and game-play principles, including:

industry standards for game design

game genres

design of non-computer based games

history of games industry.

Guidance information for assessment

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, where appropriate.

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and suitable to the communication skill level, language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.

Indigenous people and other people from a non-English speaking background may need additional support.

In cases where practical assessment is used it should be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge.


Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)


Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Required skills

communication skills to:

collect, interpret and communicate in visual and written forms

communicate clearly using speech and text

communicate complex designs in a structured format drawn from industry standards, styles and techniques

communicate technical requirements related to software development, graphics requirements and code development to supervisors and other team members

initiative and enterprise skills to exercise a high level of creative ingenuity in game design and innovation

literacy and numeracy skills to read briefs, work instructions and technical and conceptual information

research skills to:

analyse quantitative and qualitative data

identify relevant information

obtain information

sort and summarise information

undertake practical technical desktop research into game design and game-play principles

use a range of sources of materials and information

technical skills to:

develop concepts and use visualisation skills

resolve basic hardware, software and other technical issues associated with games production.

Required knowledge

procedures and processes for computer game development, including specific terminology

current game-play hardware and software products

technical constraints that hardware imposes on software development, graphics requirements, code development and creative visual design.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Game-play elements may include:

buildings

command

cooperation

core game play

damage states

edge

enemies

fight

game flow

player activity

shoot

special talents:

magic

power

steer

switches

terrain objects

transportation

transformations

traps

weapons.

Game genre may include:

adventure

alternative reality

ancient

casino

cyberpunk

educational

edutainment

fantasy

first person shooter

flight shooter

flight simulation

futuristic

god simulation

massively multi-player online games

massively multi-player online role-playing games

medieval

modern

multi-player

post-apocalyptic

puzzle

racing shooter

racing simulation

real-time strategy

role-playing games

science fiction

side-scrolling shooter

single player

sports

strategy, including:

action strategy

turn-based strategy

tactical combat.

Target markets may include:

age-specific consumer segments:

children

adolescents

adults

educational market segments

gender-specific consumer segments.

Games industry may include:

Australian games

international games.

Non-computer based games may include:

board games

card games

non-computerised arcade games, such as Pinball

table-top games.

Research may include:

contact with industry associations

game play

reading newspapers, books, magazines, conference papers, industry organisation papers, and other references

research on audience, including research on attitudes toward game play from various viewpoints, including cultural, societal, national, and age group

talking and listening to experts

use of the internet

user surveys.

Game-design principles may include:

closed environments

complexity management and slow bullets

constant positive feedback with sporadic negative feedback

discovery and exploration

movement versus animation

player control

third-person presentation

use of ‘weenies’

use of maps.

Technical limitations and constraints may include:

current technology

future technology and release date

pixels

platforms

polygon count

software capability.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Review game-play elements in an example of a chosen or given game genre 
Identify objectives of play in an example of a chosen or given game genre 
Identify the target markets for various types of games 
Interpret the choices and patterns of buyers and players 
Review social, emotional, and cognitive aspects of contemporary interactive game play 
Review and describe the history of the games industry 
Review game play and design for non-computer based games 
Review the uses of games in commercial, industrial, education, military training, and therapeutic and assessment contexts 
Research and identify current industry game-design principles 
Identify game-design principles for a chosen or given game 
Outline game design and play strategies 
Outline technical limitations and constraints of current hardware and software 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

ICAGAM402A - Identify and apply principles of games design and game playing
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

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Assessment Record Sheet

ICAGAM402A - Identify and apply principles of games design and game playing

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: