🎉 Public Play Day!

Game Programming - CSCI 3213

Spring 2026 - Week 16 (FINAL)

Oklahoma City University

🎮 Congratulations on completing your games! 🎮

Today's Agenda:

• Set up your showcase station
• Welcome public players to your game
• Observe and gather feedback
• Play each other's games
• Celebrate your achievements
• Reflect on the development process

Public Play Day Timeline:

What You Need:

• Computer/Laptop:
  • Your game running and ready to play
  • Ideally full-screen mode
  • Tested and stable build
• Controls:
  • Keyboard/mouse or controller
  • Clear control reference visible
• Signage:
  • Game title prominently displayed
  • Brief description (1-2 sentences)
  • Controls reference sheet
  • Your name (developer credit)
• Optional:
  • Screenshots or concept art
  • QR code to download/feedback form
  • Business cards with your contact/portfolio
  • Headphones (if game has audio)

During Public Play Day, You Should:

Perfect Your 15-Second Pitch:

Examples:

• Tower Chaos:
  • "Tower Chaos is a tower defense game where you place towers with unique abilities to stop waves of enemies from reaching your base."
• Gravity Shift:
  • "Gravity Shift is a puzzle platformer where you flip gravity to navigate challenging levels and collect all the stars."
• Card Battler:
  • "Card Battler is a turn-based strategy game where you build a deck and battle AI opponents using unique cards with special abilities."

Feedback Collection:

• During Play:
  • Observe where players get stuck
  • Note their reactions (smiles, frustration, confusion)
  • Watch if they replay or quit after first run
• After Play:
  • "What did you think?"
  • "What was the most fun part?"
  • "Did anything confuse you?"
  • "Would you play it again?"
• Document Feedback:
  • Keep notebook or digital notes
  • Common themes = valuable insights
  • Use for post-mortem document

Responding to Criticism:

• ✅ "Thank you for the feedback!"
• ✅ "That's a great suggestion!"
• ❌ "Well, you're supposed to..."
• ❌ "That's not a bug, it's a feature..."

What You've Accomplished:

Special Recognition Categories:

• Most Fun Game: Voted by public players
• Best Visuals: Outstanding art direction
• Best Audio: Sound design and music
• Most Creative Mechanic: Unique gameplay innovation
• Best Polish: Highest quality and refinement
• Technical Excellence: Best use of design patterns and architecture
• Most Improved: Biggest growth from First Playable to Final
• People's Choice: Overall favorite

Final Assignment (Due 1 Week After Play Day):

Write a 2-3 page post-mortem reflection on your project.

Required Sections:

1. Project Overview:
   • Game title, genre, description
   • Initial vision vs. final result
2. What Went Well:
   • Technical successes
   • Design wins
   • Proud moments
3. What Went Wrong:
   • Challenges faced
   • Mistakes made
   • Features cut and why
4. Lessons Learned:
   • Technical lessons
   • Design lessons
   • Process lessons
5. Future Improvements:
   • What would you add/change?
   • What would you do differently next time?

Submit to Canvas by [Due Date]:

• Final Game Build:
  • Executable (.exe or WebGL build)
  • README with controls and instructions
• Source Code:
  • GitHub repository link
  • Ensure repo is public or professor has access
• Game Design Document (Final Version):
  • Updated to reflect final game
  • Design pattern explanations included
• Post-Mortem Document:
  • 2-3 pages
  • Covers all required sections
• Showcase Materials:
  • Poster (PDF)
  • Screenshots or promotional images

Next Steps:

• Portfolio:
  • Add this game to your portfolio
  • Upload to itch.io or your website
  • Create a game page with screenshots and description
• Iterate:
  • Keep working on your game if you love it
  • Implement post-mortem improvements
  • Release updates based on feedback
• Game Jams:
  • Ludum Dare (quarterly)
  • Global Game Jam (January)
  • Game Off (November)
  • Weekly game jams on itch.io
• Learn More:
  • Specialize in an area (AI, graphics, networking, etc.)
  • Study advanced Unity features
  • Explore other engines (Unreal, Godot, custom engines)

Platforms to Publish:

• itch.io:
  • Free, indie-friendly
  • WebGL or downloadable builds
  • Pay-what-you-want pricing
  • Great for portfolio
• Steam:
  • $100 fee (recoupable)
  • Largest PC game platform
  • Requires more polish
• Game Jolt:
  • Free, community-focused
  • Good for getting feedback
• Your Own Website:
  • Full control
  • WebGL builds work great
  • Use GitHub Pages for free hosting

Roles in Game Development:

• Gameplay Programmer: Core mechanics and systems
• Engine Programmer: Low-level systems and tools
• Graphics Programmer: Rendering and shaders
• AI Programmer: NPC behavior and navigation
• Network Programmer: Multiplayer systems
• Tools Programmer: Editor tools and pipelines
• Technical Designer: Scripting and implementation
• Game Designer: Design mechanics and systems
• Level Designer: Create levels and experiences
• Indie Developer: Solo or small team

Where to Apply:

• AAA Studios (EA, Ubisoft, Activision, etc.)
• Indie Studios (local or remote)
• Mobile Game Companies
• Serious Games / Educational Games
• Start your own studio!

Acknowledgments:

Thank you for an amazing semester!

• To You (The Students):
  • Thank you for your hard work and dedication
  • Your creativity and perseverance have been inspiring
  • I'm proud of what you've accomplished
• To Oklahoma City University:
  • For supporting game development education
  • For providing resources and space
• To Our Guests:
  • Thank you for coming to support our students
  • Your feedback and encouragement mean the world

"The best way to learn game development is to make games."

Final Advice:

• Finish Your Projects: Shipped games > perfect prototypes
• Iterate Based on Feedback: Playtesting is invaluable
• Scope Smartly: Small, polished > large, unfinished
• Learn from Others: Play games critically, study code
• Join Communities: Reddit, Discord, local meetups
• Never Stop Learning: Game dev evolves constantly
• Have Fun: You're making games - enjoy it!

Congratulations, Game Developers! 🎉🎮🚀

Now go enjoy Public Play Day - you've earned it!

Game Programming CSCI 3213
Spring 2026
Public Play Day

🎓🎮🎉

You did it!