Instructor Information

Prof. Tony Jefferson

Teaching Assistant: Rebecca Vessal

Meeting times and Location

Section 02: TR 12:30PM-1:45PM in room (GOL)70-3690

Course Description (from course catalog)

In this course, students will create mobile games that perform well for the user in a mobile context. Topics explored include a native device programming language and graphics API, user input, mobile gameplay issues, performance profiling and optimization, and caching data on the device.

Individual and group programming projects will be required. 3 Credits

Class Textbooks

Computer Accounts

You don't need an account to login in to the classroom computers. Additionally, 4 Lab Macs are available in IGM lab GOL-2550, and more Macs are available in IST lab GOL-2670.

All of these Macs are on "deep freeze" which means when you restart the machine every change you made or file you saved is wiped out. Always restart the machine (rather than logout) when you are done for the day. So bring a USB drive to class, or save your files to the cloud before you leave.

If you have problems logging in, please bring them to my attention.

Software

Xcode 4.6, iOS Simulator, and Instruments. All are available for free for registered developers from developer.apple.com (If you did not receive an invitation from me to join the iOS Developer University Program, send me an email and I will do so.)

Your text editor of choice to author HTML documents for project proposals

Your FTP client of choice to transfer files to gibson.

Your image editor of choice to optimize digital images for both the web and iOS apps.

Hardware

Many of you already have access to an iOS device. For the others I am attempting to provide to each of you an iOS device that can be kept by you for the entire semester. At a bare minimum, each project 2 team will have access to an iOS device.

Those of you who already own an iOS device will need to send me the 40-digit UDID of the device to be able to install apps on the device. You can obtain this identifier this using either iTunes - see this tutorial - or by using Xcode (Window > Organizer ... and then choosing the Devices tab)

Once you have the device identifier, email it to me along with a short description (ex. Ima Student's iPhone 4S).

Course Goals and Outcomes

See course topics and outcomes page.

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory and you are expected to be on time. Lectures will start promptly at the beginning of class, and will be followed by an in-class assignment or exercise that you are expected to work on until the end of the meeting (i.e. no leaving early).

Classroom Behavior

You should not be talking to another student while the instructor is speaking. Doing so means that:

• you cannot hear what the instructor is saying ...
• neither can the person you are speaking to ...
• nor can nearby students.

These are all bad things - so please respect this rule, and raise your hand if you have a question.

Keep your voice at a reasonable level:

Typically after the lecture you will be given time to work on an assignment. Quiet discussion and conversation is allowed and the volume needs to be kept at a low level so as to not disturb your classmates. If you are easily distracted by background noise, you may wish to bring headphones to class and wear them while working on assignments.

Excessively checking your email, playing games, surfing the web, or working on assignments during lectures can have negative impacts:

• Performing more than one task at the same time is difficult. While you are paying attention to the computer, you are likely missing out on the content of the lecture.
• You are also distracting neighboring students..
• If your computer screen is visible to the hallway, your behavior is broadcast to a broader audience (students, faculty, administrators, visiting parents, ...) and reflects poorly, especially on you.

Violations of these classroom behavior policies will be dealt with through deductions in your attendance grade.

Grading

• Projects: 50%
• Exams: 35%
• HW: 10%
• Attendance: 5%

Note: Grade A = superior work, not just satisfactory.
90+=A, 80+=B, 70+=C, 65+=D, 64.999-=F

Note: 1 absence 4/5 points, 2 absences 2.5/5 points, 3 absences 0/5 points. Each additional absence is 2.5% off of final average. Late is 1/2 absence. Facebooking or similar off-task activity during lectures or demos will count as a absence for the day.

Note: There are no make-ups and no extra credit.

Note: Late homework or in-class exercises are NEVER accepted late without a valid excuse.

Note: Late projects are sometimes accepted. Overdue projects will lose 10% for every 24 hour period that they are late.

Note: The MAXIMUM grade awarded on any late project is an 85%

Academic Honesty

ANY instance of academic dishonesty (cheating, collusion, or duplicate submission) will result in a failing grade in the course and will be reported to the chair of the student's home department. This policy includes all assignments, including seemingly trivial ones like homework. There will be no second chances given.

IGM Academic Integrity Policy (pdf)
RIT Academic Honesty Policy

Important RIT Deadlines

• Last day of add/drop is the beginning of week 2.
• Last day to withdraw with a grade of W is the end of week 12.
• You have one semester to challenge your grade. After that, grades cannot be challenged (IGM department policy).