Courses
Artificial Intelligence in Games
Understand the differences between traditional AI and AI applied to game development, where other factors such as playability are more relevant that the oponent’s intelligence level. Be familiar with the practical problems when developing AI for video games, and with the several techniques applied in comercial video games. Know how to design and build an AI system for a video game independently of its genre (action, sport, strategy, narrative).
Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems
To acquire general notions about agents and multi-agent systems; knowing how to identify and classify agents and environments, according to different properties. Knowing how to develop complex systems and systems from different application areas, using an agent-oriented methodology. Knowing how to define a society of agents in order to solve a specific problem. Being able to design agents with reactive, deliberative and hybrid architectures. Being able to create societies of agents that communicate, in a practical way, using suitable languages and platforms.
Computer Graphics for Games
This course covers both theory and practice of game engine software development. It delves into the different engine subsystems including, but not limited to, rendering, character animation, and physics, and details the articulation required to support gameplay development. By the end of this course, students should understand how modern game engines work, and be able to design and develop their own game engines.
Game Design
This course grants the students the opportunity to develop their skills on experience design and prototyping for games. The learning process is sustained in the discussion of what is a game, what are its components and what is its relation to the players (having in mind their differences). It is expected that the student develop design documents and prototypes to support his/her work on the course.
Game Development Methodology
Present a vision of the different methodologies and technologies involved in the development of digital games discussing the main features and issues in each one. Grant students with conceptual tools and techniques to develop user interfaces for games with special emphasis on player controls. Develop the ability to reflect and test the player experience and gameplay. Discuss the role of conceptual modelling and user testing. Highlight the importance to take a user centred approach in the exploration of the player experience.
Multimedia Content Production
Know the different types of multimédia information and how to manipulate them to poduce multimedia content. To understand the technological constraints that affect Production. To understand critical factors affect the success of a production, namely in aspects such as capture, encoding, processing and visualization of the different media. To know the different kinds of available authoring tools. To create Multimedia contents; To identify the different contexts in which multimedia can be consumed, with emphasys on online and network issues (evaluate bandwidth, latency, synchronization, etc.) and mobile devices. Introduce some advanged multimedia usages such as procedural modelling, generative art augmented reality. Apply efficient methods of multimedia content retrieval.
Thesis
Treme-Treme 2.1: Improving a Game for Children Awareness of Seismic Phenomena
Children are usually the age group that is most affected by natural catastrophes. Therefore it is extremely important to educate them on what they need to do in case of danger to protect themselves. To achieve this goal appeared Treme-Treme, a serious game that endeavors to educate school-age children on how to behave before, during, and after the occurrence of an earthquake and/or a tsunami. The game was first developed in 2014 in a partnership between the Departments of Computer Science and Engineering and Civil Engineering for a European project on Urban Disaster Prevention Strategies using Macroseismic Fields and Fault Sources. As the game continued to be used, it became evident, in early 2018, that some changes were needed, not only to keep up with the new web and mobile technologies but also to improve some of the existing features. However, this restructuring has not concluded, and since this game is still active in multiple schools, it was important to complete all the changes to provide all the elements for the students. Thus, this work comes as a follow-up to the previous one, with the missing levels being migrated to the new platforms and making several changes to the structure and functioning of the pre-existing game. In addition to completing the restructuring of the game, this work also resulted in a remote monitoring mechanism of the performance that provides researchers/project managers with information on both the game and the player, both nationally and internationally.
Treme-Treme 2.0 - A serious game to teach children earthquake preparedness
Earthquakes continue to be one of the most destructive natural disasters. Even with the technological advances that have been made, it is impossible to predict when the next earthquake will occur or what magnitude it will have, so it is critical that everyone is prepared for an earthquake. In 2014 a serious game was developed to teach people, particularly primary school children, which behaviours should be adopted before, during and after an earthquake. This game, Treme-Treme, had a huge success and 5 years later still continues to be used by elementary school teachers as a complement to teaching. In addition, it was also adopted by schools of children with educational difficulties, having a greater impact than initially thought. The opportunity has now arisen to continue the development of this game, and this work portrays the whole process inherent to the realisation of the new version. Over the years, Treme-Treme's code has become obsolete, so the game has been successfully rebuilt from scratch and improved, using a new platform, Godot. Game design was rethought and successfully implemented to provide an improved player experience. The results got with the tests show that Treme-Treme's new solution provides better engagement with children than the previous one, transmitting the intended pedagogical knowledge more effectively and representing a better tool for teachers.