University of Derby
I graduated with a First with Honours in BSc (Hons) Computer Games Programming at the University of Derby, and I have built a small portfolio of projects that I have completed at my time there, which can be found here.
While the course is a games development course, only a few modules are gaming related, and most focus on the subject of computer science overall as opposed specifically to gaming.
Year 3
Independent Studies- 78%
The Independent Studies module is all about independent learning, and was spread over two semesters. The goal was to create a dissertation, which I called "Simulations of collisions and interactions between fluids and elastic deformable structures in real time”.
I created a Lattice-Boltzmann fluid simulation and a mass-spring elastic structure simulation in C++ using CUDA to parallelize the simulations to run in real time.
The second assignment was about the programmable graphics pipeline, where we were given the task to create an endless dungeon game as well as writing our own shaders.
Game Development - 73%
This module was a team project, where I was a member of a ten man team consisting of 4 programmers and 6 artists, animators and 3D modellers. We had a theme of disability, and were tasked to make a computer game around the theme.
We chose to make a game about a man in a wheelchair called Agent Zapp, built in Unreal Engine 4, and I took the roles of programming the wheelchair physics, UI, game flow and some of the animation programming.
Initially I used blueprint for prototyping basic controls and movement mechanics, but progressed to C++ coding to create the final product.
Game Behaviour - 66%
This module brought together the fields of physics and AI programming to create a physics based 2D platformer with an AI that could complete its levels.
There were many issues that arose from creating an AI that needed to move and jump when movement was physics based, and the physics had to be smooth with collisions and interesting features.
I decided to create mine using C# in the Monogame Framework, with custom collisions and physics with an AI that could be switched between Manhattan and Chebyshev heuristics.
Systems Programming - 66%
Systems programming was a module designed to reinforce the knowledge of operating systems.
Over the course of the module, I had to create an operating system from scratch in Assembly language and C including the both stages of the bootloader, the kernel, a basic FAT12 file system and a simple IO system.
Year 2
Graphics 2 - 75%
The Graphics 2 module is all about 3D rendering, specifically in regards to game engines. There were two assignments, which both used the OpenGL API and written in C++.
The first was about Ray-tracing, where we were given a basic framewrok, and were given the task of extending the framework to render a scene, as well as give advanced features such as reflections, refraction and shadows.
The second assignment was about the programmable graphics pipeline, where we were given the task to create an endless dungeon game as well as writing our own shaders.
Team Project - 79%
The Team Project module is about working with others to create an overall project that would be available to the public upon completion. I was put in a group with 3 of my peers.
I was elected project manager, and we decided to make a 2D game written in C# in the MonoGame framework called "Maze Blaze".
The purpose of this module was to allow us to work with others towards a goal and to give us experience programming in our chosen field.
Application Development - 62%
The Application Development module is about creating apps which utilise both a user client and a server. There were two assignments for this module.
The first assignment was an essay about the different available options to a company wanting to build an online presence in the mobile market.
The second assignment involved me creating an app of my choice that featured both a server, a database and a user client. I chose to make a game written in Windows Forms in C# which would call various PHP scripts on the server side.
Graphics 1 - 62%
The Graphics 1 module is about an introduction to low level graphics using the OpenGL API in C++.
There were two assignments, the first of which required me to complete a GUI framework.
I implemented many features such as windows, buttons, dropdown menus and sliders, which I designed in a versatile way.
The second assignment was to create a 3D model viewer that implemented maths to transform the models.
Databases - 76%
The databases module was about relational databases, and the robust storage of data.
There were multiple pieces of coursework that related to databases that outlined the creation of database designs and the implementation using MySQL and PostgreSQL.
Networks and Security - 74%
The networks and security module consisted of two assignments, an essay based on network protocols and the issues facing them, and the second was a practical piece written in Python.
The aim was to create a number guessing game with both a user client and a server component to a certain specification which allowed any client to work with any server.
This module gave me experience in Python, and allowed me to work with sockets and network programming for the first time.
Year 1
Subject in Computer Science - 92%
Subjects in computer science was a module designed to show me the large amount of different areas in computer science.
It consisted of an exam and practical piece of coursework.
I was given a choice for the second assignment, and decided upon the task of creating a game, and creating bots to use that game.
I decided to create the game Othello in Windows Forms written in C#, and created various different AI’s.
Foundations of Computer Science - 72%
Foundations of computer science consisted of two assignments, an essay about responsive web design, and an exam based on the C programming language.
This was my first experience with C based programming.
Computational Mathematics - 98%
The computational maths module was based around the mathematics that surrounded computer science such as sets and relations, vectors, matrices, Boolean logic, graph theory and basic calculus.
The module consisted of five separate exams.
Programming 2 - 72%
Programming 2 was an extension of programming 1, and consisted of two assignments, an exam and a practical piece. For the practical piece, I chose one of the more advanced options which consisted of creating AI that fit with the GVG-AI API that could complete as many games as possible, which keeps with the themes of the GVG competition.
Programming 1 - 95%
The Programming 1 modules was designed as an introduction to programming.
C# was the primary language that was used, and the modules consisted of two assignments.
The first was a programming style test based on a portfolio that we were building throughout the year, and the second was an exam based the portfolio I had constructed and questions on reading code and programming theory.
Introduction to Computer Science - 88%
The introduction to computer science module consisted of two assignments.
The first was an article on a subject of our choice, and the second was an exam.
I chose to research and write my article about gaming communities, and called the article “Evolution and Impact of Online Communities Surrounding Social Entertainment and Gaming”.