Program Design, Data, and Optimization

This unit integrates algorithms, data structures, design patterns, and practical development workflows to build efficient, maintainable game programs. Students apply object- and protocol-oriented approaches, create user interfaces, debug and profile code, and evaluate language and component choices for real-world game scenarios.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze and compare data structures and sorting algorithms (arrays, structures, heap sort, merge sort, quick sort) to select appropriate solutions for given game programming problems based on performance and memory constraints
• Apply object-oriented and protocol-oriented programming principles, design patterns, functions, scope rules, and third-party components to design and implement modular, reusable game components and user interfaces
• Demonstrate debugging, testing, and optimization techniques using debuggers, profilers, source control, and persistence methods (including basic database interactions) to locate and resolve runtime errors and performance bottlenecks
• Evaluate programming languages, data type conversions, Boolean and branching logic, and documentation/help artifacts to justify technology and interface choices for a game development project