Create design documents for interactive games Evidence Guide

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Evidence Guide: ICAGAM403A - Create design documents for interactive games

Student: __________________________________________________

Signature: _________________________________________________

Tips for gathering evidence to demonstrate your skills

The important thing to remember when gathering evidence is that the more evidence the better - that is, the more evidence you gather to demonstrate your skills, the more confident an assessor can be that you have learned the skills not just at one point in time, but are continuing to apply and develop those skills (as opposed to just learning for the test!). Furthermore, one piece of evidence that you collect will not usualy demonstrate all the required criteria for a unit of competency, whereas multiple overlapping pieces of evidence will usually do the trick!

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ICAGAM403A - Create design documents for interactive games

What evidence can you provide to prove your understanding of each of the following citeria?

Research, create and document game concept

Research, identify and describe the target market for the game
Research, identify and describe game genre and working title
Identify a suitable game platform
Identify a suitable game engine
Prepare initial concept art to establish look and feel of characters, environment and game play

Research, identify and describe the target market for the game

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Research, identify and describe game genre and working title

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Identify a suitable game platform

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Identify a suitable game engine

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Prepare initial concept art to establish look and feel of characters, environment and game play

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Create and document specifications for game design

Develop storylines and levels
Develop artwork for characters and environment
Describe game-play elements
Develop graphical user interface (GUI)
Identify suitable sounds and music for game

Develop storylines and levels

Completed
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Evidence:

Develop artwork for characters and environment

Completed
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Evidence:

Describe game-play elements

Completed
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Evidence:

Develop graphical user interface (GUI)

Completed
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Evidence:

Identify suitable sounds and music for game

Completed
Date:

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Evidence:

Create and document technical specifications for game

Determine game mechanics
Finalise platform, game engine and operating system
Describe the source and purpose of the code to be used, including level-specific code
Determine game physics and artificial intelligence
Determine sound engineering requirements
Determine procedures to test game prototype

Determine game mechanics

Completed
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Finalise platform, game engine and operating system

Completed
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Evidence:

Describe the source and purpose of the code to be used, including level-specific code

Completed
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Evidence:

Determine game physics and artificial intelligence

Completed
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Evidence:

Determine sound engineering requirements

Completed
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Determine procedures to test game prototype

Completed
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Evidence:

Collate game design document

Explain proposed game features in comparison to existing games
List estimated resources required to develop game
Prepare estimated schedule for game development
Collate design information, estimates and proposals into comprehensive game design document

Explain proposed game features in comparison to existing games

Completed
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Evidence:

List estimated resources required to develop game

Completed
Date:

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Evidence:

Prepare estimated schedule for game development

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Collate design information, estimates and proposals into comprehensive game design document

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Assessed

Teacher: ___________________________ Date: _

Signature: ________________________________________________

Comments:

Instructions to Assessors

Evidence Guide

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: develop concept art and design specifications for characters, environments, splash screens, start screens and game field screens consistent with an identified game genre develop technical specifications for game mechanics, artificial intelligence, physics, sound, game play and overall usability develop game design documents to required industry standard, consistent with client brief and specifications.
Context of and specific resources for assessment	Assessment must ensure access to: internet for research purposes computer hardware, software, games engines and file storage 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: work samples or simulated workplace activities observation of game document development activities verbal questioning concerning aspects of game document development, including: industry standards for concept art design and technical specification development game testing and trialling procedures resources required for game development.
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.

Required Skills and Knowledge

Required skills

analytical skills to interpret briefs, work instructions, and technical and conceptual information

communication skills to:

check and confirm design requirements

provide practical advice, support and feedback to colleagues and management

translate design requirements into specifications

literacy and numeracy skills to:

develop game design and technical design documents

write instructions for the normal and competent operation and testing of all game features and permutations

planning and organisational skills to:

organise equipment and resources to achieve required outcomes

organise own time to meet milestones

problem-solving skills to recognise and address potential quality issues and problems at design development stage

research skills to undertake practical, technical and desktop research

teamwork skills to contribute to and work in a collaborative team

technology skills to use correct file formats and archiving procedures.

Required knowledge

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

techniques for applying concept development skills

techniques for applying concept visualisation skills.

Range Statement

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.

Research techniques may include:	conducting surveys and interviews to collect primary data conducting technical experiments and tests developing concept sketches playing games reviewing literature for suitable storylines reviewing secondary sources of information in books, journals, newspapers and on the internet viewing film and performance.
Target market for the game may include:	age-specific consumer segments: children adolescents adults educational market segments gender-specific consumer segments.
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 game massively multi-player online role-playing game medieval modern multi-player post-apocalyptic puzzle racing shooter racing simulation real-time strategy role-playing game science fiction side-scrolling shooter single player sports strategy, including: action strategy turn-based strategy tactical combat.
Game platform may include:	arcade console platforms: Microsoft Xbox 360 Nintendo DS (hand-held) Nintendo Wii Sony PlayStation hand-held digital device platforms: Apple IIe, C, C+ Apple IIGS Blackberry BREW Flashlite J2ME Java Palm OS Sidekick Symbian WAP Windows Mobile PC web.
Game engine may include:	BigWorld Blender3D Dunia Half Life Jade Quake Riot Scimitar Second Life Unreal.
Concept art may include:	illustrations models settings sketches storyboards.
Storylines may involve:	adventure back-story cinematics (cut scenes) heroes journey key features (edge) level diagrams missions narrative scripted dialogue scripts storyboards.
Characters and environment may include:	backgrounds environments lighting main characters scenery secondary characters terrain textures.
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 transformations transportation traps weapons.
Graphical user interface elements may include:	buttons and button clicks command acknowledgements edit boxes file saving and loading icons list boxes markers menus options and settings picture boxes pointers radio buttons scroll bars shell splash screens text boxes window opening Windows.
Sounds and music may include:	ambient sounds cinematic soundtracks event jingles intellectual property protection level themes musical compositions radio chatter situational music sound effects voice wind, rain and storms.
Operating system may include:	Linux Macintosh PC Unix.
Code may include:	code libraries code objects control loop operating system code.
Game physics may include:	collision combat: blood spots debris explosions footprints salvo smoke and fire sparks water wreckage movement: creaking floors footfalls puddle stepping wading wind.
Artificial intelligence may include:	decisions movement pathfinding reactions simulated intelligence situations statistics target selection tests and events for reactionary behaviour.
Sound engineering requirements may include:	data path direct memory access (DMA) file requirements mixing multiple channels sample lengths sample rates sound definitions third-party drivers.
Testing game prototype may involve play test procedures, such as:	determining criteria for measurement of success with a given audience monitoring player frustration, progress and enjoyment selecting test subjects testing game with target market and other diverse populations.
Game features may include:	edge fun originality playability.
Resources may include:	game assets (collateral) hardware money personnel software time.
Schedule may include:	allocating work tasks in consultation with other team members analysing key requirements of the brief assessing concept viability against resource availability conducting risk assessment regarding possible issues and constraints and potential solutions creating an overall project plan and schedule determining workflow with consideration to available resources identifying key milestones and associated deliverables: alpha version - pre-production beta version - playable prototype gold version - completed game trialling and testing identifying stakeholders and devising strategies to meet stakeholder needs identifying the critical path researching background information setting project objectives against achievable timeframes.

NTISthis.com

Evidence Guide: ICAGAM403A - Create design documents for interactive games

Student: __________________________________________________

Signature: _________________________________________________

Tips for gathering evidence to demonstrate your skills

ICAGAM403A - Create design documents for interactive games

Research, create and document game concept

Create and document specifications for game design

Create and document technical specifications for game

Collate game design document

Assessed

Teacher: ___________________________________ Date: _________

Signature: ________________________________________________

Comments:

Instructions to Assessors

Teacher: ___________________________ Date: _