Course description
The GameLab seminar will again be given Spring 2026! It is a 10 credit course where you will design, develop, and launch your own game. You will learn and explore a combination of valuable topics such as programming, entrepreneurship, game design and development process.
Throughout the course we will have go through, and learn, the complete cycle of game development from idea to launch. The course is focused on launching a functioning end product that marries user experience and technology:
- Design: Create a game design with accompanied design document.
- Technology: Make and reason the correct technology choices to create the designed game considering the constraints of time, resources, technical performance and user experience.
- Team: Decide roles and share tasks and responsibilities across team based on suitable skillset and area of interest.
- Process: Agree on process, milestones and approach to development.
- Development: Implement end to end game features in a time and performance efficient manner with the goal of creating usable and fun experience for the player.
- Business: Launch the game on the target platforms app store with a clear plan how and why the game will make money in the market.
Previous GameLabs
- The third GameLab: https://uit-gamelab.github.io/Spring25/
- The second GameLab: https://uit-gamelab-s24.github.io/
- The first GameLab: https://site.uit.no/tromsogamelab/
Administrative information
The course will be given as a master’s level course.
Admission requirements, learning goals, exam information and other administrative information is on the uit websites. You can also find the course schedule / information about the rooms used for the lecture and group on timeplan.uit.no.
Staff and collaborators
- Andre Henriksen https://uit.no/ansatte/andre.henriksen (responsible teacher).
- Ernie Roby-Tomic (Lecturer).
- Sindre Frantzen Dalvik (Teaching assistant)
- Ismet Bachtiar (Tvibit).
- Lars Ailo Bongo (UiT)
- In collaboration with local game development industry.
Project and evaluation
The course has a very practical and hands-on approach. The primary evaluation criteria is the successful completion and launch of a game. It is equally important that the choices related to featureset, technologies and programming languages are consistent with the user experience and usage patterns of the game itself.
Students decides for them selves which technologies to use.
In addition to being evaluated on the successful completion of the game you will be evaluated on the technical design and implementation within the chosen technologies. From code patterns, architecture and implementation to database schema and client-werver communications. The evaluation is done in collaboration between representatives of the local game industry and the faculty itself.
Tentative lecture plan and course timeline
- Colloquiums every Thursday 14:15-16:00 REALF A053, where you can work with your projects. A TA will be available.
- Colloquium times will also be used to give shorter talkes/lectures.
- GameJam Friday 30/1 to Sunday 1/2.
- Half or full day workshop : Friday 13/3
- Some additional days will be used for milestone presentations.
NB: All lecture titles are tentative
| Lecture/ seminar / event | Date | Location | Lecturer | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick-off | Thursday 15/1, 12:15-16:00 | REALF A259 | André, Ernie, Kim-Daniel | Kick-off, Game development introduction & Concept development |
| Lecture 1 | Thursday 22/1, 14:15-16:00 | REALF A053 | Henriette Myrlund | Game Jams/Game Ideation |
| Lecture 2 | Thursday 29/1, 14:15-16:00 | REALF A053 | Cris Kevin Bjørndal | Generative AI in Game Development |
| Game Jam | Friday 30/1 - Sunday 1/2 | REALF A010/A036/B203 | Michael David Elliott and Sebastian Røed Mangseth | Game Jam |
| Lecture 3 & Submission Deadline | Thursday 5/2, 14:15-16:00 | REALF A053 | Ernie Roby-Tomic | Game Technologies & Milestone 1 Submission Deadline |
| Presentation 1 | Thursday 12/2, 13:15-16:00 | TEO-H6 6.222/Movie theatre | Milestone 1 Presentation | |
| Submission Deadline | Thursday 19/2, 14:15-16:00 | REALF A053 | Milestone 2 Submission Deadline | |
| Presentation 2 | Friday 20/2, 10:15-13:00 | TEO-H6 6.222/Movie theatre | Milestone 2 Presentation | |
| Thursday 26/2, 14:15-16:00 | REALF A053 | |||
| Thursday 5/3, 14:15-16:00 | REALF A053 | Ernie Roby-Tomic | Game assests | |
| Lecture 4 | Thursday 12/3, 14:15-16:00 | REALF A053 | ||
| Thursday 13/3,08:15-16:00 | TEKNOBYGGET 2.019 | Full-day workshop | ||
| Submission Deadline | Thursday 19/3, 14:15-16:00 | REALF A053 | Milestone 3 Submission Deadline | |
| Playtest Presentation 3 | Tuesday 24/3, 09:15-12:00 | ILP 1.007 | Milstone 3 Presentation | |
| Lecture 5 | Thursday 26/3, 14:15-16:00 | REALF A053 | Henriette Myrlund | Juicing |
| Lecture 6 | Thursday 9/4, 14:15-16:00 | REALF A053/TEAMS | Alexander Espeseth | Funding and Launching your game |
| Lecture 7 | Thursday 16/4, 14:15-16:00 | REALF A053/TEAMS | Alexander Espeseth | Sound design |
| Submission Deadline | Thursday 23/4, 14:15-16:00 | REALF A053 | Milestone 4 Deadline | |
| Playtest Presentation 4 | Tuesday 28/4, 09:15-12:00 | ILP 2.072 | Milestone 4 Presentation | |
| Lecture 8 | Thursday 30/4, 14:15-16:00 | REALF A053 | Anna Dranovska | Funding opportunities for students |
| Thursday 7/5, 14:15-16:00 | REALF A053 | |||
| Submission Deadline | Thursday 21/5, 14:15-16:00 | REALF A053 | Milestone 5 deadline | |
| Playtest Presentation 5 | Friday 22/5, 09:00-12:00 | ILP 1.006 | Milstone 5 Presentation | |
| Deadline exam | Monday 1/6, 14:00 | Exam |
Exam dates:
- Monday 01.06: final delivery of project
- TBA: oral presentations
Readings
There are no mandatory readings.
Recommended readings are:
- The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses. Jesse Schell. Describes the non-technical aspects of game design.
- Various links and other resources posted in our Discord.
Mandatory assignments
Presentation at each milestone is mandatory. The presentations will be graded pass/no-pass.
Assignment 1:
Submit and present project milestones:
| Milestone | Deadline (submit) | Presentation | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. High-level concept | Thursday 5/2 | Thursday 12/2, TEO-H6 6.222/Movie theatre | General overall direction |
| 2. Design | Thursday 19/2 | Friday 20/2, TEO-H6 6.222/Movie theatre | Game and technology defined |
| 3. Prototype | Thursday 19/3 | Tuesday 24/3, ILP 1.007 | Playable game |
| 4. Alpha | Thursday 23/4 | Tuesday 28/4, ILP 2.072 | Feature complete |
| 5. Beta | Thursday 21/5 | Friday 22/5, ILP 1.006 | Content complete |
| 6. Live | Monday 1/6 | Exam | Game launched! |
Assignment 2: TBA
Deliverables / Exam
You will submit one final report that should be organized according to the milestones presented at the kick-off:
- High Concept presents the overall direction of the game. You can include the high concept you presented in February as this part of your report.
- Design defines the game and technology. You can include the design document you presented later in February.
- Prototype is an implementation of a playable game. The report should include a description of this prototype. What was the goal of the prototype and what did you learn from it? A short discussion of the current state of the game is also expected here.
- Alpha is a feature complete implementation of the game. The report should include a description of this alpha version. What was the goal of the alpha version and what did you learn from it? A short discussion of the current state of the game is also expected here
- Beta is a content complete version of the game that can be submitted for evaluation.
- Live is the launched game. In the report you can combine the description for the Beta and Live two milestones in a single chapter. We also expect an evaluation of the complete game project here. It is also possible to discuss metrics of interest for later evaluation of the launched game here.
You should submit using Wiseflow at the end of the course:
- Your report.
- The final source code (well commented)
- The binary of the game (with a description on how to install and play).
- A link to the published game.
The presentation/demo (oral exam)
The presentation/demo should give the audience enough information to be able to evaluate the game regarding the complexity of the development of it and its playability.
Grading
This main aim of the course is develop and launch the best game possible in the given time. The grade represents our overall impression of the game and the game development including the quality and complexity of the implementation. The game, report, and code will contribute 80% of the grade, and the final presentation/demo will contribute to 20% of the final grade.