Assignment 1 : unit 70

Unit 70 P1 and P2

A game engine has varies elements

The famous game Doom was a groundbreaking title; it brought into existence and popularized a new game programming model, the ‘game engine.’ This modular, extensible and tweakable engine design concept allowed gamers and programmers to hack into the game’s core to create new games with new models, scenery, and sounds, or put different twists called ‘mods’ on the existing game material. CounterStrike, Team Fortress, TacOps and Strike Force are among numerous new games created from existing game engines, with most using one of iD’s Quake engines as their basis.

The term ‘game engine’ has come to be a standard part of a gamer’s language. Learners need to have a knowledge and understanding of game engines as all games are developed using either a licensed game engine or a studio bespoke engine. It is therefore vital that learners have both a practical working knowledge and a basic technical understanding of 2D and 3D game engines. Through studying this unit learners should be able to understand the processes involved in the production of 2D and 3D game levels through the use of a game engine, the use of graphics and other game assets required to produce a game level.

P1: learners will describe the purpose of game engines and their advancement over the years. For a merit give some illustrative examples.

In simple terms look at the What is the purpose of a game engine?

How have game engines evolved over time. So for unreal from version 1 to version 2 to version 3 and now 4, what are the differences? When and how did they take place. Choose at leat 3 game engines that have evolved over time. 

The evidence produced will describe the purpose of 2D, 3D and mobile game engines, though for this grade the evidence will not be related to examples of particular game engines. Learners should also describe how game engines have helped game enthusiasts to develop and create their own game mods and how this has led to mod teams being funded by game developers. As a minimum to achieve this grade learners must provide correct and substantially complete descriptions of the purpose of a game engine, and must mention graphic rendering, collision detection, artificial intelligence, sound and physics. A pass grade learner might note, ‘A game engine is the core component of a video game. It handles rendering which allows us to see the models in the game world. It basically puts everything in the game together so it can be viewed on screen.’

P2: learners will provide correct and substantially complete descriptions of components of game engines. For a merit give some illustrative examples.

In simple terms look as "graphic rendering, animation systems, systems, artificial intelligence and middleware" descibe what they are and compare them in different game engines. How are they used in game give and example for each element.

The evidence produced will describe components of game engines and must mention , though at this grade the evidence will not be related through examples to particular game engines. As a minimum to achieve this grade, learners must provide correct descriptions of components of game engines, graphic rendering, animation systems, systems, artificial intelligence and middleware. For example, a learner might note, ‘In computer graphics the renderer is viewed as one of the most important parts. The renderer allows us to see the models in the game world. It basically puts all the graphics features in the game together so it can be viewed on screen. With so much to do it needs a lot of processing power. It is the part that is most often criticised when viewed by those playing the game, as graphics can play a key role in how commercially successful a game will become.’

Handin 23/10/17