Games Development 2 Review & Revision Strategy CO3301 End of Semester 1

Today’s Lecture 1.Exam Overview 2.Exam Structure 3.Module Overview –Entity IDs & communication, update & rendering –Resource Management –Data for Games / XML –Scripting for Games / Python –Tools for Games / C# –Concurrent Programming –Component-based Entities 4.Example Questions

Exam Overview Third year exams have a different focus than your second year exams: –2 nd year: Explain process X; Describe concept Y –3 rd year, some of the above –But also: Evaluate process X for use in situation Y; Compare techniques A & B Some marks for explaining module content But many more marks for being able to evaluate what you have learnt –Discussing topics rather than repeating them Applies to a greater or lesser extent to all exams

Exam Structure Structure of this module’s exam: –Answer three questions out of four –Covering semester 1 material –Two hour exam + 10 minutes reading time Many questions are focused on comparisons between techniques –E.g. Compare use of entity pointers with UIDs –Case studies often used as basis for discussion Use notes and experience from labs / assignments to provide an intelligent discussion Will be a similar exam at the end of semester 2 –On AI material

Topics: Entity IDs & Comms Need for and examples of entity identification Identification alternatives: –Entity pointers, named entities, entity UIDs –Usage of each of the above –Discussion of relative merits Implementing UIDs; Hash tables Enitity interaction alternatives: –Direct entity-entity class interaction Use of member functions –Messaging system; implementation issues –Pros and cons

Entity Update and Rendering Unique update function for each entity type –Contrast with single scene update function –Pros and cons Rendering functions, including pre- and post- rendering Comparison with Model / Mesh approach Presented turning & movement work in week 2 –Supports Gareth's material Method is examinable –With formulae

Resource Management Loading resources –At scene setup –Using setup script (c.f. XML) –Resources from templates –Streaming resources (large environments) Resource Manager –Dealing with shared resources / resource destruction Reference counting –Late loading of resources Resource IDs –Kinds of resource

Text-based Game Data / XML Hard-coded data –Examples –Limitations –Consider manual scene-setup & similar Rationale for using structured data language in games –Flexibility –Future-proofing Contrast between scripting and data languages XML as a game data language –Pros & cons, alternatives

Scripting for Games / Lua / Python Explanation of game scripting Rationale –Ease of use, iteration time, scripts as assets, flexibility Drawbacks –Performance –Clumsy interface code –Need for shared data between main code and script Consideration for use of scripting or not –Case studies Scripting languages Lua / Python –Key features –Simple programming

Component-based Entities Limitations of entity hierarchy / OO approach –Rigid hierarchy - inflexible –Tight coupling between parent & child etc. Component based alternative: –Components represent entity properties or abilities –Add / remove components dynamically –Entities become simple containers Pros & cons –Hierarchy much simplified –Great flexibility –Much more message passing –May be difficult to control precisely

Concurrent Programming Explanation of concurrent programming –Distinction from parallel programming Processes & Threads –Difference Data / Resource Coordination –Example problem situations –‘Race’ Conditions How to resolve Synchronisation techniques –Critical Sections, Mutexes, Semaphores –Timers, Events Deadlocks

Tools for Games Tools programming –Tool types and uses –Tool development Tool chains –Examples Increasing use of other high level languages (e.g. C#) –Rationale for use in games tools

Material not on Exam The mathematical detail of camera picking will not be examined –An overview of the process involved may be required though Extensible factories will not be examined The console development / middleware lecture will not be covered Both Lua and Python may be covered –Especially comparative questions –However, any short scripts you are required to write will be in Lua

Example Questions i) Evaluate three methods for entity identification ii) What are the advantages and disadvantages of component-based entities i) Discuss the rationale for scripting in a large-scale commercial game ii) Suggest a scenario when “.ini” files would be a justifiable alternative to XML files for text-based game data Further examples provided on past paper and worksheet