Tuesday Intermediate Game Development Lab Spring 2025

Infinite Dungeons: Mastering Game Dev with Python

In this lab students will design and develop their own procedurally generated dungeon crawler game using Python. They will learn the fundamentals of game design and coding, focusing on generating random dungeon layouts, creating enemies, and designing player mechanics. By the end of the course, students will have built a fully playable dungeon game where each level offers a unique, dynamic experience. This class is perfect for students who are eager to explore algorithmic design and bring their game ideas to life.

Class Objectives:

1. Understand the concept of procedurally generated games while learning Python fundamentals, including variables, loops, and conditionals.
2. Explore grid systems to create random dungeon layouts and implement basic player input for movement.
3. Develop player movement and interaction with the environment, designing basic enemy AI with distinct behaviors.
4. Implement collision detection for walls, objects, and enemies, and create smooth transitions between connected dungeon rooms.
5. Build a combat system where players can attack enemies, manage health, and perform damage calculations.
6. Add randomly generated items and power-ups, developing mechanics for player collection and usage.
7. Introduce difficulty scaling to enhance gameplay, ensuring a dynamic challenge as players progress through the game.

Class Stats:
Digital (Device Time): 95%
Analog (Hands on - for game flow ideas): 5%
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Type of Device Provided: Alienware PC Computer
Application: Python
Coding: Python coding is used in game design to create the underlying logic and functionality of a game, often utilizing libraries like Pygame, allowing students to program game elements like character movement, interactions, and graphics with a relatively user-friendly syntax.

Details:
Educator: Lily Peterson
Hours: 3-6pm
Dates: 1/28 – 6/17
No Classes: 2/18, 4/15
Ages: 9+
Available Seats: 5