Dr. Tim "Dr. T" Chamillard

Offered By

University of Colorado System

About this Course

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This course is the fourth course in the specialization about learning how to develop video games using the C# programming language and the Unity game engine on Windows or Mac. Why use C# and Unity instead of some other language and game engine? Well, C# is a really good language for learning how to program and then programming professionally. Also, the Unity game engine is very popular with indie game developers; Unity games were downloaded 16,000,000,000 times in 2016! Finally, C# is one of the programming languages you can use in the Unity environment.
This course assumes you have the prerequisite knowledge from the previous three courses in the specialization. You should make sure you have that knowledge, either by taking those previous courses or from personal experience, before tackling this course. The required prerequisite knowledge is listed in the "Who this class is for" section below. Throughout this course you'll build on your foundational C# and Unity knowledge by developing more robust games with better object-oriented designs using various data structures and design patterns.

Data structures and design patterns are both general programming and software architecture topics that span all software, not just games. Although we'll discuss these ideas in the game domain, they also apply if you're writing a web app in ASP.NET, building a tool using WinForms, or any other software you decide to build. 

Module 1: Explore a Dynamic Array data structure and learn the basics of algorithm analysis
Module 2: Learn about and use the common Linked List and Graph data structures
Module 3: Learn about and use several additional data structures: Stacks, Queues, and Trees
Module 4: Learn why design patterns are so useful and discover a number of design patterns useful in game development
Module 5: Complete final peer review

“Unity” is a trademark or registered trademark of Unity Technologies or its affiliates in the U.S. and elsewhere.

This course is an independent work and is not sponsored by, authorized by, or affiliated with Unity Technologies or its affiliates

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Flexible deadlines

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Intermediate Level

Approx. 22 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Vietnamese, Korean, German, Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.73/5 (17 Ratings)

Dr. Tim "Dr. T" Chamillard

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Intermediate Level

Approx. 22 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Vietnamese, Korean, German, Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish

Offered by

University of Colorado System

The University of Colorado is a recognized leader in higher education on the national and global stage. We collaborate to meet the diverse needs of our students and communities. We promote innovation, encourage discovery and support the extension of knowledge in ways unique to the state of Colorado and beyond.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week

Week 1

6 hours to complete

Dynamic Arrays and Algorithm Analysis

6 hours to complete

14 videos (Total 80 min), 12 readings, 1 quiz

14 videos

Course Introduction3m

Navigating a Coursera Course (optional)3m

Meet the Instructor (optional)10m

Lesson Introduction1m

Unordered ints7m

Ordered ints8m

Making it Generic5m

Implementing an Interface9m

Lesson Introduction30s

What is Algorithm Analysis?2m

Introduction to Big O4m

Big O Examples9m

Unordered Dynamic Array Analysis5m

Ordered Dynamic Array Analysis5m

12 readings

Setting Up Your Development Environment10m

Readings and Lecture Code10m

Exercise Code10m

Dr. T's Book10m

Dynamic Arrays10m

Exercise 1: Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For10m

Exercise 2: Using the Generic10m

Dynamic Arrays Lecture Code10m

Big O10m

Exercise 3 Trading Time for Space10m

Exercise 4: Wacky Again10m

Ted the RoboCollector Solution10m

Week

Week 2

5 hours to complete

Linked Lists and Graphs

5 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 61 min), 7 readings, 1 quiz

8 videos

Lesson Introduction1m

Linked List Implementation14m

Linked List Analysis4m

Lesson Introduction2m

Graph Implementation9m

Graph Analysis9m

Dictionaries6m

Searching a Graph12m

7 readings

Linked Lists10m

Exercise 5: Double the Links10m

Graphs10m

Exercise 6: Getting Some Direction10m

Exercise 7: What Does It Cost?10m

Graphs Lecture Code10m

Take the Short Way Home Solution10m

Week

Week 3

6 hours to complete

Stacks, Queues, and Trees

6 hours to complete

14 videos (Total 79 min), 9 readings, 1 quiz

14 videos

Lesson Introduction1m

Stack Implementation4m

Stack Analysis3m

Lesson Introduction2m

Queue Implementation3m

Queue Analysis3m

Lesson Introduction1m

Recursion6m

Recursive Binary Search6m

Tree Implementation11m

Tree Analysis7m

Tree Traversal9m

Minimax Search9m

Minimax Implementation9m

9 readings

Stacks10m

Exercise 8: Depth-First Search10m

Queues10m

Exercise 9: Breadth-First Search10m

Recursion10m

Trees10m

Exercise 10: Minimax Practice10m

Trees Lecture Code10m

Don't Take the Last Teddy Solution10m

Week

Week 4

4 hours to complete

Design Patterns

4 hours to complete

13 videos (Total 41 min), 3 readings, 1 quiz

13 videos

Lesson Introduction1m

Game Loop and Update Method2m

Component1m

Prototype1m

Singleton5m

Observer57s

Mediator3m

Object Pool14m

State3m

Strategy1m

Template Method2m

Finishing Up, Four Course Specialization48s

Finishing Up, Five Course Specialization47s

3 readings

Design Patterns Lecture Code10m

Oh, Shmup! Solution10m

Which Finishing Up Video Should I Watch?10m

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You'll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. You'll need to complete this step for each course in the Specialization, including the Capstone Project. Learn more.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Course?
This Course doesn't carry university credit, but some universities may choose to accept Course Certificates for credit. Check with your institution to learn more. Online Degrees and Mastertrack™ Certificates on Coursera provide the opportunity to earn university credit.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Data Structures and Design Patterns for Game Developers