Design games Evidence Guide

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Evidence Guide: CUFDIG504A - Design 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!

From the Wiki University

CUFDIG504A - Design games

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

Identify project requirements

Confirm the objective and desired outcomes of a game proposal or brief in consultation with relevant personnel
Identify factors that may have an impact on how a game is designed
Clarify target audience to determine format and delivery platform of the game through discussion with relevant personnel

Confirm the objective and desired outcomes of a game proposal or brief in consultation with relevant personnel

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Identify factors that may have an impact on how a game is designed

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Clarify target audience to determine format and delivery platform of the game through discussion with relevant personnel

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Research games and generate ideas

Select state of the art games from different genres to play as a source of inspiration
Search game literature for each game and identify the games' objectives
Generate range of ideas for game designs that are technically feasible, respond to the proposal or brief, and provide creative solutions to design issues
Discuss ideas and collaborate, as required, with relevant personnel to ensure contribution of a range of ideas and creative solutions to initial concepts

Select state of the art games from different genres to play as a source of inspiration

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Search game literature for each game and identify the games' objectives

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Generate range of ideas for game designs that are technically feasible, respond to the proposal or brief, and provide creative solutions to design issues

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Discuss ideas and collaborate, as required, with relevant personnel to ensure contribution of a range of ideas and creative solutions to initial concepts

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Select a game genre

Identify and present a range of game genres to relevant personnel for consideration in terms of their characteristics, differences and ability to meet requirements of proposal or brief
Consult with relevant personnel to ensure that a full range of genres has been identified and sourced
Select the game genre that best meets the creative, technical and production requirements of proposal or brief

Identify and present a range of game genres to relevant personnel for consideration in terms of their characteristics, differences and ability to meet requirements of proposal or brief

Completed
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Teacher:

Evidence:

Consult with relevant personnel to ensure that a full range of genres has been identified and sourced

Completed
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Evidence:

Select the game genre that best meets the creative, technical and production requirements of proposal or brief

Completed
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Evidence:

Draft game design document

Establish the game strategy outcomes
Use design techniques to develop the structure of a game ensuring that all elements, including style and game mechanics, are fully documented
Use a range of criteria to determine the scope of a prototype to be used in the development phase
Ensure that the prototype selected is capable of testing the effectiveness of the proposed game
Include a register of game assets in consultation with relevant personnel
Present draft game design document for discussion with and feedback from other team members

Establish the game strategy outcomes

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Use design techniques to develop the structure of a game ensuring that all elements, including style and game mechanics, are fully documented

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Use a range of criteria to determine the scope of a prototype to be used in the development phase

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Ensure that the prototype selected is capable of testing the effectiveness of the proposed game

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Include a register of game assets in consultation with relevant personnel

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Present draft game design document for discussion with and feedback from other team members

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Finalise game design document

Re-evaluate game design objectives on the basis of feedback on the prototype and draft game design document
Discuss and confirm additional requirements or modifications to the game design with relevant personnel
Specify the game production specifications, including appropriate testing strategies
Write final game design document to reflect all additional requirements or modifications

Re-evaluate game design objectives on the basis of feedback on the prototype and draft game design document

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Discuss and confirm additional requirements or modifications to the game design with relevant personnel

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Specify the game production specifications, including appropriate testing strategies

Completed
Date:

Teacher:

Evidence:

Write final game design document to reflect all additional requirements or modifications

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 following is essential: development of original and innovative concepts for games design of game play methods that are compelling for the user and technically feasible production of clear and well-presented game design documentation ability to work effectively as a member of a design team.
Context of and specific resources for assessment	Assessment must ensure: practical demonstration of skills through the design of a variety of games for at least two platforms access to game proposals or briefs on which designs can be based access to a range of games for viewing access to appropriate learning and assessment support when required use of culturally appropriate processes and techniques appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of learners and the work being performed.
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: direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance evaluation of game designs documented by the candidate and of their quality in terms of meeting creative briefs written or oral questioning to test knowledge as listed in the required skills and knowledge section of this unit case studies to assess ability to develop designs for different types of games.
Guidance information for assessment	Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: CUFPPM404A Create storyboards BSBCRT501A Originate and develop concepts.

Required Skills and Knowledge

Required skills

communication, teamwork and literacy skills sufficient to:

interpret and clarify written proposals and creative briefs

work collaboratively in a team environment

present game design ideas for discussion and feedback from team members

document game design specifications clearly and concisely

initiative, enterprise and creativity in the context of:

generating innovative ideas for game designs

thinking laterally when developing concepts

undertaking background research into game ideas

maintaining design integrity

technical skills sufficient to create complex designs using storyboards, maps and other diagrams to specify the architecture and navigation of game mechanics

self-management skills sufficient to:

meet deadlines

provide appropriate and timely documentation

Required knowledge

industry knowledge, including:

roles and responsibilities of project team members, e.g. designers, content creators, information architects, programmers and coders

sound understanding of game theory, including traditional games

broad range of game genres and styles

technical parameters of various games platforms

issues and challenges that arise in designing games

research methods for staying abreast of the latest changes and design enhancements

requirements of game play design documents

typical formats and techniques for documenting game designs

intellectual property rights and copyright clearance procedures

OHS standards as they relate to working for periods of time on computers

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.
Relevant personnel may include:	art director client designers director graphic artist head of department producer programmer publisher script writer software engineer other technical and creative staff.
Factors may include:	availability of personnel availability of resources available budget complexity of proposed game intellectual property need to attract finance production schedule production values technical parameters, including: technology constraints console platform bandwidth memory/RAM timelines user and audience.
Delivery platforms may include:	CD/DVD digital television set games console internet mobile phone personal digital assistant (PDA) other wireless/mobile devices.
State of the art games may include:	best selling games games that show unique and innovative approaches.
Game literature may include:	game design books game post-mortems magazine, newspaper and journal articles previews and reviews strategy guides user manuals walkthroughs other online game resources.
Game genres may include:	adventure arcade first person shooter massively multiplayer online mazes platforms puzzles racing rhythm role playing simulation sport strategy third person shooter.
Design techniques may include:	drawing flow chart scanning storyboard using image and background generating tools.
Game mechanics may include:	environment and object interactions environment dynamics game objects game play elements that may include: skill levels judgements choices decisions codes rules levels of progression goals actions events levels of difficulty scoring calculation of scoring user control user interaction options for single player or multiplayer customisation key systems object actions object to object interactions.
Criteria may include whether the prototype:	can be demonstrated to a specialist target group can be used for promotional purposes can demonstrate the full potential of the game can sell a concept to potential investors is appropriate for the chosen genre and style.
Testing the effectiveness of the prototype may include:	comparing game design with original objectives group discussion techniques identifying any logical inconsistencies in: design game timing story-lines measuring the levels of user satisfaction paper and pencil techniques (dry running).
Game assets may include:	animations audio, including: sound effects dialogue narration music cut scenes titles video sequences.
Game design document may include:	agent architectures artificial intelligence asset register background story comprehensive designs for each mission and level decision-making systems game mechanics game tools graphics inventories overview production specifications scripts spatial design storyboard and flow chart synopsis title user interface walkthroughs.
Production specifications may include:	budget intellectual property levels of staff expertise production schedule production values size and composition of the development team technology constraints testing strategies timelines.
Testing strategies may include:	alpha beta completion continuous milestone prototype staged.

NTISthis.com

Evidence Guide: CUFDIG504A - Design games

Student: __________________________________________________

Signature: _________________________________________________

Tips for gathering evidence to demonstrate your skills

CUFDIG504A - Design games

Identify project requirements

Research games and generate ideas

Select a game genre

Draft game design document

Finalise game design document

Assessed

Teacher: ___________________________________ Date: _________

Signature: ________________________________________________

Comments:

Instructions to Assessors

Teacher: ___________________________ Date: _