DECO2800 is the second of three core studio courses that formed part of my IT degree. Like DECO1800, this course combines students from various majors, IT-related degrees (e.g. software engineering and computer science) to work together iteratively on a single project throughout the semester. This course aimed to introduce us to the more industry-standard software design methodologies including Agile development, SCRUM teams and sprints as well as building our technical skills in Java and software design.

Runtime is a 2D side-scrolling platform-runner. You play as a computer virus who is solely focused on infecting every computer you come across. However, many obstacles stand in your way, including puzzles, debuffs and the relentless antivirus that is always on your tail. For this project, the entire studio class (approximately 25) were split into 5 teams, with 4 sprints in the semester. Each sprint, teams would work on a different aspect of the game, which required us to work both within our teams and wider class to create a cohesive idea to turn into an actual product. More information about the overall project can be found on the studio’s GitHub page.

For this course, I was really able to hone in my skills as a graphic and UX designer, leveraging my knowledge to contribute to both the graphical assets of the game, the level design and other visual elements including the animation of the powerups in the game. This course allowed me to build upon my existing skills with Adobe Creative Cloud (specifically Illustrator, After Effects and Media Encoder) as well as new skills specifically in game design and Java programming.