Part 3: Game Development With Matlab - Basic Space Invaders
This course introduces students to game development through MATLAB. Over five lessons, students will build a simple 2D game, learning about coding, logic, and problem-solving in a fun and engaging way.
What's included
5 live meetings
5 in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. 1-2 throughout the classAssessment
1-2 throughout the classClass Experience
Beginner - Intermediate Level
What will be taught? In this course, students will learn the basics of game development using MATLAB by building a simple Space Invaders-style game. This course covers key programming concepts while making the learning process engaging and fun. What topics will I cover? Game Development Basics: Introduction to game development and the MATLAB environment. Player Controls: Coding player movement and basic controls. Enemy AI: Creating enemy characters and implementing movement patterns. Collision Detection: Detecting collisions between player and enemies. Game Logic and Final Touches: Implementing scoring, game-over conditions, and polishing the game. How is the class structured? The course is organized over five lessons, each focusing on a different aspect of game development: Lecture and Demonstration (15 minutes): Introduction to game development concepts and coding examples. Interactive Coding (15-20 minutes): Students will code along with me, building different parts of the game. Game Development (15-20 minutes): Students will apply the concepts learned to develop their version of the Space Invaders game. Q&A and Playtesting (5 minutes): Each class ends with a playtesting session where students test their games and discuss improvements. How will I teach? I will guide students through the process of building a simple game using MATLAB, with each lesson adding a new feature to their game. The course will be highly interactive, with students coding along and implementing game features in real-time. What's your teaching style? My teaching style is dynamic and practical, focusing on hands-on coding and immediate application of concepts. I aim to make learning engaging by turning coding exercises into a game development project that students can be proud of. How much will learners get to interact with me? Live Coding: Students will follow along with coding exercises and receive immediate feedback. Game Development: I will provide personalized guidance as students develop their games, helping them troubleshoot and refine their work. Playtesting and Feedback: Students will have opportunities to test their games, receive feedback, and iterate on their designs.
Learning Goals
Implement basic game features such as player controls, enemy AI, and collision detection to build a functional Space Invaders-style game in MATLAB.
Syllabus
5 Lessons
over 5 WeeksLesson 1:
Introduction to MATLAB Online
Students will get familiar with the MATLAB Online environment and learn the basics of the MATLAB programming language. This lesson covers how to navigate the MATLAB interface, basic commands, and how to create simple plots and graphics. The focus will be on setting up the workspace for game development and understanding how to use MATLAB’s functions for basic graphical operations. 60 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Building the Game Framework
In this lesson, students will start coding the basic framework for their Space Invaders-style game. They will learn to create a simple game window, draw the player’s spaceship, and implement basic player controls. Key concepts include using MATLAB’s plotting functions to represent game objects and handling user input for controlling the player’s movement. 60 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Implementing Enemy Behavior
Students will add enemy characters to their game and implement basic movement patterns. They will learn how to create and display enemies, program their movement across the screen, and handle interactions between enemies and the player. This lesson introduces concepts of object-oriented programming and game logic to control enemy behavior. 60 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Adding Game Logic
This lesson focuses on integrating essential game mechanics, such as collision detection and scoring. Students will code how the game detects when the player’s shots hit enemies, update the score, and manage game-over conditions. The goal is to implement basic game logic that makes the game interactive and engaging. 60 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Students will need to download the Octave (an open-source alternative to MATLAB) in order for them to be able access the lessons and practise the MATLAB coding that is done in each lesson. Please use the link below to download and install Octave free of charge.
https://octave.org/
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
https://octave.org/
Joined February, 2024
Teacher expertise and credentials
Non-US Teaching Certificate in Mathematics
Bachelor's Degree in Science from University of West Indies
Bachelor's degree in Physics
I completed a Master's degree in Physics and Engineering in Medicine which focused on the use of Matlab in engineering.Reviews
Live Group Course
$20
weekly1x per week, 5 weeks
60 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-16
4-10 learners per class
