Final

Final Project Rubric

You will deliver a Final Vertical Slice & Showcase Presentation that represents the culmination of three years of learning. Working in teams, you will polish your Beta build into a professional, playable slice, create a full marketing package, and present your work at a public showcase.

This project connects directly to Year 3, Semester 2 units:

Unit 5 — Vertical Slice Build (Beta + Marketing)
Unit 6 — Final Vertical Slice & Showcase

Your final deliverables must reflect both technical execution and professional presentation.

This project is worth 30% of your semester grade. It requires consistent progress across the semester. Weekly work, milestones, and peer feedback all feed into the final showcase.

Steps to Completion

Step 1 — Final Build Polish

Fix bugs, optimize performance, and finalize lighting, UI, and mechanics.
Ensure the slice is stable, balanced, and playable from start to finish.

Step 2 — Playtesting & Feedback

Conduct external playtests with classmates or outside players.
Gather feedback, refine difficulty and pacing, and document changes.

Step 3 — Marketing Package

Finalize your game trailer (30–90 sec), cover art, and press kit.
The press kit should include: screenshots, description, team credits, and download links.

Step 4 — Showcase Presentation

Prepare and rehearse a professional pitch presentation.
This may be live or recorded but must clearly communicate your game, process, and team contributions.

Step 5 — Portfolio & Resume Finalization

Update your personal portfolio with:

Screenshots and trailer of the final slice
Reflection on your team role and contributions
Final resume formatted for creative industry opportunities

Step 6 — Public Showcase Delivery

Present your work to peers, faculty, and/or the community.
Submit all packaged files, marketing materials, and portfolio entries.

Deliverables

Packaged Final Vertical Slice Build — playable build + Unreal project folder
Marketing Package — trailer, cover art, press kit
Showcase Presentation — live or recorded pitch
Portfolio Update — final slice entry, reflection, trailer/screenshots
Resume Update — polished, professional resume

Timeline & Milestones

Milestone	Week	Deliverables
Polish & Debug Pass	Weeks 1–2	Final bug fixes, optimization
Playtesting & Refinement	Weeks 3–4	Feedback report, balance changes
Marketing Drafts	Week 5	Trailer rough cut, cover art sketch, press kit draft
Showcase Prep	Week 6	Rehearsed pitch + packaged build
Final Submission	End of Unit 6	Build, marketing, presentation, portfolio update

Learning Outcomes

By completing this project, you will:

Deliver a polished, playable vertical slice of a game
Apply feedback and iteration from external playtesting
Produce a professional marketing package
Present a game in a showcase format simulating industry pitch events
Finalize your portfolio and resume for career or college applications

Submission Format

Folder labeled: TeamName_FinalVerticalSlice.zip
Subfolders:
- 01_Project/ → Unreal project folder
- 02_Build/ → packaged playable build
- 03_Marketing/ → trailer, cover art, press kit PDF
- 04_Presentation/ → slides or recorded showcase pitch
- 05_Portfolio/ → portfolio screenshots, resume, reflection

Rubric (100 pts)

Criteria	Excellent	Adequate	Weak	Value
Final Build	Polished, stable, fully playable	Playable, some rough edges	Unstable or incomplete	25
Playtesting & Refinement	Comprehensive report, feedback applied	Basic testing, partial changes	Minimal/no testing	15
Marketing Package	Professional-quality trailer, cover, and press kit	All materials present but basic	Missing or unprofessional	20
Showcase Presentation	Confident, clear, professional pitch	Clear but basic or uneven	Weak, incomplete, or missing	20
Portfolio & Resume	Fully updated, professional-ready	Updated, some issues	Incomplete or missing	10
Professional Practices	Organized files, naming, credits, deadlines met	Some issues	Disorganized or late	10

Late work: −10% per week. Missing credits: −5 pts. Poor naming/organization: −2 pts.

Midterm