The following represents a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Game Programming Concentration, from what courses are when to what people are doing with the games they make. If none of these is the response to your particular question, or you need more information on the Concentration in Game Programming and integrating the Concentration with your degree choice, please contact the Department of Information Technology. You may also contact Prof. Andrew Phelps, who is the Director of Game Design & Development within the College of Computing.

1. Q: Do I get to build real games? A: Yes. The 2D and 3D courses in the concentration are focused around building a complete game, over the course of the quarter. That said, several teams have elected to take their game from a given class and add more to it over the summer in the hopes of entering the Independent Games Festival or a similar competition.

2. Q: What Language(s) Do You Program In? A: 501/502/734/735 are all taught in Visual C/C++/C#, using the DirectX API for graphics, sound, and input.

3. Q: Where can I look at some previous student work? A: On this website, and also at Professor Phelps’ website, at http://andysgi.rit.edu

4. Q: Why do I have to take VRML when it isn't in the degre programs? A: VRML is a historical part of the concentration that we will still accept as credit towards the coure list. If you wish, you can replace VRML with another appropriate games-oriented course. Many students choose to use MUMS to fill this course slot. (NOTE: You cannot count MUMS towards more than one concentration (ie you may not use it for Game Programming and for Multi-Media Application Development)).

5. Q: What can I do to get ready? A: Read the books we’re using for class early. Try to work through the examples. Get a “Teach Yourself” book and learn the MS Visual Studio environment. Hang out in the Entertainment Technology Lab and get to know the students that are already in the Concentration.

6. Q: Has anyone sold their game from 2D/3D graphics and made a ton of cash? A: You will not be producing games that are likely to be smash hits as students have a budget of roughly $0.00 and a staff of 5, as opposed to the millions of dollars and hundreds of people involved in building professional quality titles. The purpose of the work in the concentration is to build portfolio pieces that students can use to land jobs in the industry, not to compete with the industry. Several students have entered, and been competitive in, the Independent Games Festival and similar competitions.

7. Q: If I get my own machine to do this kind of work, what do I get? A: This changes every quarter, as new stuff is made available. You want a professional quality graphics card (nVidia or ATI), with a lot of RAM, a very fast processor, and a large screen. What software comes bundled with it is largely unimportant – the DirectX SDK is free, and no one currently bundles Visual Studio or 3dsMax on a consumer-level machine. If you have specific questions, look at the hardware in the Entertainment Technology Lab as a guide.

8. Q: I like to play games. Will I like your class? A: Maybe. It’s a very different thing to build games than it is to play them. Students are encouraged to play a lot of games, but while playing to constantly analyze why they enjoy certain features, and to dissect how those features were likely constructed. These courses have some of the highest workload in the College (according to student reports) – if what you really want to do is play games and get academic credit for it, this is not the right place.

9. Q: What kind of game do I have to build in course xxx? A: The specific style of game (shooter, RPG, platformer, etc) is up to you, as is the writing, plot, and character design of your demo. The coursework has educational objectives in place in terms of the design of the engine, input feedback, and graphics techniques, but students are encouraged to be creative in the specific projects they undertake. You must, however, convince at least 3 other people in the class to agree to your idea, and produce a workable team.

10. Q: What other courses are relevant to studying games? A: Some students use IT courses in databases and networking if they want to build multi-user worlds. Students that want more graphics knowledge frequently also take Computer Graphics II from Computer Science. Also of interest is the “Game AI” course by Jessica Bayliss, the “Computer Animation [Programming]’ course by Joe Giegel, and the “Virtual Theatre” course by Joe Giegel, which are in the CS Department. Also of note is the Computer Music course by Al Biles, and the modeling and animation courses in the Computer Graphics Design Department.