Lectures

Click on a lecture to see the recommended reading for that day. In addition, you can download the slides and any demo code. We do not record lectures in this course. You are expected to attend in order to learn the material.

18. Pathfinding

We start our sequence of AI lectures talking about pathfinding. This is the process of using AI algorithms to move your game characters about the terrain.    Details ›

March 13, 2026 slides no demos

17. box2d

Box2d is the primary physics engine for 2d games (even though this is the result of a historical accident). In this lecture we discuss its features and show how to use it effectively.    Details ›

March 11, 2026 slides demos

16. Game Physics

Game physics can get really complex, so fortunately we have physics engines to help us with all the hard parts. But before we learn how to use a physics engine, we first need to understand the big picture.    Details ›

March 9, 2026 slides no demos

15. Memory Management

Even though you are working in Java, you must pay attention to memory usage in your games. Indeed, as we show in this lecture, memory usage is even more critical when working in Java.    Details ›

March 6, 2026 slides demos

14. Geometry and Texture

In the last of the three graphics lectures, we go a little lower level and talk about graphics primitives. We talk about shape and geometry, and how to use images to do more than just display a sprite on the screen.    Details ›

March 2, 2026 slides demos