Final Project
Due: Varies.
Team Size: 1
Language: Varies
For your final project, you will choose a game we have not studied in class (too heavily), study the game, and present to the class on your findings. When you choose your game, be sure to email me so that I can clear your choice. If you are having trouble choosing your game, I suggest looking in the back of the book for options, looking at games in this list and checking out the cool things this guy has come up with. If you need additional guidance, please come talk to me!
Once you choose your game and play around with it a bit, you should then choose one interesting thing about the game to study and report on. Your interesting thing could include one of the following:
- An interesting proof about the game you read about.
- An interesting property about some aspect of the game you proved yourself.
- A playable, graphical version of the game you programmed.
- A good AI for the game you programmed.
- Something else worthy of your valuable time (check with me, please!)
Your project will be graded on two parts: a written report and a presentation. Your written report should explain some basic facts about the game (who invented it and when, etc) what you discovered about the game in your research and what you did specifically, and cite all the relevant resources. Your presentation should be a 20-30 minute talk about your game. It should include:
- A description of the rules of the game.
- Historical stats: who, when, etc.
- Other basic stats of the game you found.
- A game: us versus you! (You do not have to win to pass.)
- Explain your interesting thing!
I expect you to use the computer to perform your talk. It might be that you will use other visual aids as well to play the game (white board, physical game pieces) which is completely fine. I highly recommend practicing your talk before presenting it (not with me). I also recommend making use of our Oral Communications Center to help you prepare. Anything you discover will be added to this table!
You must have your game chosen by November 2! This deadline accounts for 10 percent of your project grade! Note: you must have your choice approved by me by this deadline. If you send me an email on the deadline and I don't approve of the game, you have missed the deadline! The best plan is to consult with me way ahead of time to pick a game.
To be very specific, I am planning to use this rubrik to grade your presentations. I highly recommend practicing your talk with other students!
So far, the following games have been chosen:
| Austin Bragg | Go |
| Rob Conley | Palisade |
| Patrick Copeland | Colonnade |
| Molly Dannaher | Flume |
| Thomas DeBell | Voronoi Game |
| Michael Doerschuk | Jostle |
| Deanna Fink | Reversi |
| Alex Griffith | Hex |
| Andy Heinlein | Mad Rooks |
| Will Herrmann | Clobbineering |
| Ernie Heyder | Snort |
| Jimmy Neyhouse | Cephalopod |
| Bryce Reall | Wythoff's Game |
Extra Credit:
You can earn extra credit on this assignment by writing up a summary of your work for me to use as a post on my blog. Doing this will earn you a maximum of 20 points towards your score on this project. To cash in on this, you will need to send me a first draft of your "guest post", then respond back and forth with me via email until you have an acceptable final version that I can post. I must receive and approve of this final working version by the time I leave the office on Friday, December 10. If you are looking to go this route, I highly recommend turning in your first draft by Friday, December 3. You can send your draft(s) by either emailing me a .html file, or just manipulating the body of an email.
Your post must contain the following:
- Two or three images you create (more are better).
- A description of the rules of the game.
- Links to other sites that deal with the game (if any exist).
- All points from the talk (who invented it, other history, etc).
In general, more is better. Feel free to check out my blog and read some posts that start with: "Game Description:" to get a feel for what I'm looking for. Hopefully you'll write a better post than the junk I put up there!
Please ask me if you have any questions about any of this!