This course is not an introduction to modern game engines or frameworks and will not focus on such technologies. Instead, students will gain an understanding of the engineering principles behind early home computers and game development for retro systems.By completing this course, students will:Develop an understanding of the fundamental architecture of retro gaming systems, with a specific focus on the Commodore 64.Learn to program games using BASIC and Assembly language, gaining hands-on experience with low-level programming.Explore and implement bitmap graphics and sprite animation techniques relevant to the Commodore 64.Gain insights into the creation of retro-style chiptune music and sound effects using the SID sound chip.Understand the historical context of early game development, including the market ecosystem and the culture of game cracking.Apply acquired knowledge in a final project, where they will develop a complete game for the Commodore 64.This course emphasizes practical application, and students should expect to engage in extensive programming and technical problem-solving.

Lectures, blended with hands-on exercises in class and open-ended discussions about individual topics.Individual AssignmentsGroup Game ProjectThe course takes place in person and attendance is mandatory. Absence is treated as per the university's guidelines. When missing out on presenting an exercise in class, an additional appointment is required or, regarding the group project, a team member may present the exercise.Please be sure to acknowledge and follow the GSE Code of Conduct (available on the GSE Forum in Moodle), especially in terms of collaboration in groups and plagiarism, including the usage of AI in your work and exams.See the Assessment criteria / Standards of assessment for examinations section below for additional information on the usage of AI and plagiarism.

In the context of assignments and a practical game project, students shall become familiar with identifying, understanding and iterating on aspects of contemporary games.In groups, students shall focus on implementing and iterating upon one or more of such aspects in a small-scale game project. These aspects include, but are not limited to:Introduction to retro systems and their architecturesIntroduction to the Commodore 64 and toolsGame programming in BASICBitmap graphics on the Commodore 64Sprites and animationMusic and sound generation with the SID chipGame programming in Assembly languageThe Commodore 64 game market ecosystem and game cracking cultureFinal game projectAdditionally, students shall become familiar with the challenges of producing a game project:Tools and TechnologiesRapid PrototypingGame ProductionPlaytesting

This course partially focuses on video game engineering, and proficiency in programming will be helpful. However, prior experience is not strictly required.Students with limited programming experience will have the opportunity to work on simpler coding tasks or focus on foundational aspects of game development. Due to the complexity of the subject, students are allowed one "drop result", meaning their lowest-graded task submission will be discarded.

Chandler, Heather. The game production toolbox. CRC Press, 2020.Schreier, Jason. Blood, sweat, and pixels: The triumphant, turbulent stories behind how video games are made. New York: Harper, 2017.Schell, Jesse. The Art of Game Design: A book of lenses. CRC press, 2008.Madhav, Sanjay. Game programming algorithms and techniques: a platform-agnostic approach. Pearson Education, 2014.Nystrom, Robert. Game programming patterns. Genever Benning, 2014.Brownlow, Martin. Game programming golden rules. Charles River Media, 2004.Link auf weitere Informationenhttps://moodle.aau.at/pluginfile.php/1626728/mod_resource/content/0/GSE%20Code%20of%20Conduct.pdf

Students will be graded upon individual assignments, a practical group project and their participation in class.

Covered topics on retro gaming systems, historical and technical aspects of the Commodore 64, game programming in BASIC and Assembly, graphics and sound generation, practical game project, and project documentation.

Please be sure to acknowledge and follow the GSE Code of Conduct (available on the GSE Forum in Moodle), especially in terms of collaboration in groups and plagiarism, including the usage of AI in your work and exams.The usage of (generative) AI is not strictly prohibited from this course and may even be encouraged if selected and handled as an aspect of contemporary games for your assignments and/or project. However, the usage of AI must adhere to following rules:Any usage of AI must be strictly marked as such.Effort and merit put into the task by the student(s) must be evident and comprehensible.Project size and focus must accomodate the student(s) skills and knowledge and aim to enhance them.Reports on projects and assignments may be written with the help of AI but must reflect the student's experiences and challenges encountered.