Rafael Reis

This course offered a solid education in all aspects of information technology and provided me with many skills to succeed in a career as a game developer. As a student, I gained enhanced work-ready expertise in games development, I enhanced my problem-solving skills based on leading-edge IT theory and I developed my communication skills by participating in various group projects. During the first year I developed my programming skills in C# and C++ and applied them to the development of 2D computer using frameworks like XNA and SDL/SFML. My first year also provided me with a taste of other disciplines within the games industry including an introduction to games design and game algorithms. In the second year I continued to enhance my programming skills (Objective-C and Java) to develop games for mobile platforms. I continued to develop my 3D programming skills with the creation of a solar system simulator in OpenGL and with the development of a XNA game that moved a war tank across a terrain to defeat other computer controlled enemies. I also had an introduction to 3D modelling and character animation using Blender and I was taught about the processes involved in managing the development of complex games within large teams. The major component of my final year was a 3D Tower Defense Game that I developed using Unity 3D to apply everything I’ve learned during the three years. I also extended my understanding of complex AI techniques used within games, such as pathfinding, state machines and behavior trees and I developed a 3D application using only OpenGL and Bullet Physics to simulate a stacker that transported items across a “moon-like” terrain.