Dissertation Updates

Hello once again!

During my hiatus from updating this blog, I've had time to consider my dissertation plans, and to come up with some ideas of how to improve it and make the most of this opportunity to learn C# (and prove that I'm learning it).


First thing, I'm going to be adding an additional rule to the mini-project cycle: While I intend to continue to use online tutorials to assist me in learning C#, I am now going to make my final product during each project a short game or prototype which uses the same mechanics or techniques in a different way than shown in the tutorial. This way, I won't simply be following a tutorial to the end piece and not demonstrating any learning or coding ability.

For example, if I use a tutorial to create a version of Pong, then I should use that to create a game which uses the bounce and movement mechanics to create a different game, perhaps something closer to Breakout.


Second, I have yet to formulate any kind of timeline for my dissertation; I was originally intending to structure my schedule for the next few months based on each tutorial as it came to my attention (e.g. two weeks for a Pong tutorial, three weeks for a basic FPS game tutorial, etc.), but I realised that I don't have any kind of point of reference for my ability to code in C#. Therefore, I'm going to spend the majority of next week (Monday 20th of October to Sunday 26th of October) using a basic tutorial to create a simple game in C#, to get an idea of what my standing abilities are and how quickly I can learn and create using the tools I have selected for my dissertation.

More details on this, such as the tutorial I will use, will follow this weekend in another blog post.


Finally, I am expected to perform some manner of academic reading to assist in planning my dissertation, but I have thus far had difficulty thinking of any kind of reading that would help in my case. I will continue to look into this, getting some help from my tutors, and will hopefully have a better idea of this next week.


That's about it for now, I think. More information will be coming along in the following days/weeks.


In the meantime, have yourselves a fine day, readers.