This page contains information about the project available in CS 462, Fall 2025.

Status of Project List 

  • Project List is a living document. More information will be added if needed.
  • Last Updated: 09/15/2025

Project Proposal 

It is required that you submit a page proposal (pdf only). In a later part, you will write a longer document from here.

  • Game Title
  • Game Technical Information: where this will be played, audience, devices where people could play this (running on a Windows desktop, web, VR, etc.), 2D or 3D. What engine will you be using?
  • Group information: Group Members. What are each of you doing? Who is leading what? When are you meeting and where? What’s the frequency of those meetings? How many people are in the group?
  • Write the game story
  • Write the game Flow
  • Write about the Character (s)
  • Game Play
  • Game World
  • Summary
  • Deliverables at the end of class.

The “10-pager” Document

You will expand from your proposal and submit what we are calling the 10-pager. This will have the following 10 pages (you can go over if needed, but try to stay with a max of 12 — You can have an appendix with additional figures if you like.

  1. Title Page with basic information
  2. Game Outline
  3. Characther
  4. Game Play
  5. Game World
  6. Game Experience
  7. Gameplay Mechanics
  8. Enemies
  9. Multiplayer and bonus material
  10. Additional information

I will provide further information after the proposal submission.

Deadlines 

See canvas for submission and official deadlines. Here are the deadlines but remember this site is updated slowly compared to Canvas, since it is the main submission system for our class. Dates may be subject to change.

  • Proposal: 09/25/2025
  • Mid-Point Check: 10/21/2025
  • Game Reviews by: 11/16/2025
  • Presentation/Videos Ready by: 12/1/2025. Presentations will start on 12/2/2025, and the material can’t be changed.
  • Final submission of all files: 12/8/2025

Project Information 

The group of members will affect how grading is done. The more members, the more will be expected. More information will be provided if needed here. However, I will not expect 4x times the work if you are 4 members. That would not be realistic. Adding more programmers to a team doesn’t make you go faster, per se.

Core Rubric 

Here you will find the core rubric. An expanded rubric will be added later to provide additional guidance.

Final Project: 350 points

  • Proposal. 10 points
  • 10-Pager. 20 points.
  • Mid-submission Check. 40 points.
  • Evaluation of a game by another group. 20 points (10 points per group). You will need two groups, and your group will need to do two.
  • Other points (e.g., name, forms, etc.): 10 points.
  • Game: 250 points.

The game breakdown is as follows (out of the 250 points):

  • Evaluation of your game and modifications report: 10 points
  • Final Report of the game: 15 points
  • Game Execution: 75 points
  • Game Design: 50 points
  • Game Overall (related to the number of group members): 50 points.
  • Challenge: Pick one of the following challenges (Multiplayer same device, LAN / WAN multiplayer, Create your own models in Blender or similar software, or find something unique to do).
  • Presentations: 20 points
  • Other Videos, Misc, Github, and Material: 10 points

Grades are subject to the number of group members. The professor reserves the right to deduct points for other problems not listed here. The professor reserves the right to adjust the value based on the effort and the number of group members. It also reserves the right to give different grades to the group if needed. Also note the WOW Extra Credit. If I think it is amazing and you did an amazing job, you will receive extra credit, or if I say WOW while grading it.

Optional Use of Latex  

I’m NOT going to enforce that you write your documents in LaTeX. However, Latex is great. LaTeX can be used via Overleaf (web interface) or by installing it on your computer. If you are using MAC OS X, I recommend you use MaxTex. If you are using Windows, I recommend you use TexLiv. If you are using Linux, it may be installed (or you may need to install it using your package manager).

If you do use LaTeX on your computer, then you can use the built-in editor that the LaTeX distro may include or use one of your own preference. For example, Visual Studio Code (which runs in Linux, Windows, and macOS) is able to support LaTeX. I personally use Sublime, but I have also tried Code. VS Code is free; Sublime is not. In reality, you can use any editor, VIM, Emacs, or Notepad. Use what you like.

Challenges

Some part of the 200 points will come as a challenge. Challenges may, for example, include multiple players, networking gaming, or other interesting challenges. But you will not be required to make a game that uses the internet. It will be just one of the challenges. You will need to pick one of those.

The game will be weighted by the number of group members. I will ask questions about the prototype and other items in the project to weigh similar contributions among group members. No free riders.

Mid-Point Review 

The mid-point review will include the following:

  • A video (5 minutes) discussing the current state and showing what has been accomplished. A game running with at least two levels is required at this point, but it doesn’t have to be finished.
  • A video discussing code (5 minutes).
  • Push to github all the updated source code (you may push everyday if you like) and documents.
  • GitHub must include a README file with links to the videos and a link to the LaTeX file/Word files. Additional documents may be included in this repository.
  • Additional videos may be uploaded and references, if needed.

How to upload the Final Project 

  • TBA

Language 

You can use any language or engine. Most students tend to use Unity Game Engine or Unreal Game Engine. A few have tried GoDot.

Latex Templates 

See Canvas

Instructor and TA’s final review 

You may be required to present your final project to the Instructor and/or the TA. A schedule will be provided either in class or outside of class. Individual members may ask questions about the code to understand individual contributions

Grades for Groups 

I reserve the right to change an individual’s grade if the contribution was not similar to the rest of the peers in the group.

Equipment available 

  • Ask me

How can you build your game?

You are allowed to use AI in this class. You are also allowed to use any assets (from the Unity store or anywhere else), use Blender (this will be one of the challenges, creating your own art), use ideas of other games, and use snippets of code from other games. I do want you to build the game from scratch.