CS4099 Major Software Project 2006 – 2007 Tom Clark

The project "Gaming has blasted its way into the mainstream to become a multi-million dollar business, rivalling the film and record industries." - news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/ stm "Gaming has blasted its way into the mainstream to become a multi-million dollar business, rivalling the film and record industries." - news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/ stm Show how games design & implementation related to CS. Show how games design & implementation related to CS. Created example game Created example game Software Engineering eg. UML in design. Not wonderful. Software Engineering eg. UML in design. Not wonderful. Good for communication. Good for communication. Problems: sequences, “naturality”, size Problems: sequences, “naturality”, size

Constraints Time! Time!  Many CS related aspects omitted  Many CS related aspects omitted Networking: multiplayer, or even massively multiplayer etc Networking: multiplayer, or even massively multiplayer etc Graphics: pixel shaders, dynamic lighting etc. Graphics: pixel shaders, dynamic lighting etc. Some computational aspects: fluid dynamics, motion Some computational aspects: fluid dynamics, motion Testing: not multiplatform Testing: not multiplatform I have never actually written and programmed my own game before. I have never actually written and programmed my own game before. Challenging but enjoyable. Challenging but enjoyable. Using “Game Maker” by Mark Overmars & YoYo games Using “Game Maker” by Mark Overmars & YoYo games

Solving it Context Survey Context Survey Limited to small games. Limited to small games. Reviewed: Books, websites Reviewed: Books, websites Game Requirements + Concept Game Requirements + Concept Had to be feasible. Drop some to do others. Had to be feasible. Drop some to do others. Saving example. Saving example. Design + Risk Analysis + 2 types of testing Design + Risk Analysis + 2 types of testing Implemented by expanding prototype. Implemented by expanding prototype. Companies use but start over for final version. Companies use but start over for final version. Documents Documents User Manual User Manual Maintenance Document Maintenance Document

Context survey What I liked and didn't. What I liked and didn't. Limited to non-commercial. Limited to non-commercial. - Pyramid Panic by Mark Overmars

What is Hunger? Survival game. Survival game. Found to be relatively unused genre. Found to be relatively unused genre. Not Survival Horror. Not Survival Horror. Becoming popular? Becoming popular? STALKER STALKER Over 4 years in Over 4 years indevelopment

Key features Keep it simple / accessible! Keep it simple / accessible! Education of basic survival concepts. Education of basic survival concepts. Stat-management Stat-management Item-management Item-management Let player play how they want. Let player play how they want. Keep focus on goal but do not force play-style Keep focus on goal but do not force play-style Can kill, but why? Can kill, but why? Most importantly: FUN!!! Most importantly: FUN!!!

Design Screen layouts Screen layouts Saving and Loading system Saving and Loading system State-based AI State-based AI Level Design Level Design Graphics, Sound effects etc. Graphics, Sound effects etc.

PANIC! Potentially catastrophic problem. Potentially catastrophic problem. Version of Game Maker change. Version of Game Maker change. Would be OK but needed to register GM. Would be OK but needed to register GM. Unexpected. Unexpected. Happened around January. Happened around January. Would it be backwards compatible? Would it be delayed? Would it be backwards compatible? Would it be delayed?

Game Testing Small scale approx. to Beta testing. Small scale approx. to Beta testing. Questionnaires given, created by me. Questionnaires given, created by me. Q: Did you understand what shown on screen? Q: Did you understand what shown on screen? Feedback very helpful! Thanks. Feedback very helpful! Thanks. Mostly future improvements. Minimum Requirements. Mostly future improvements. Minimum Requirements. Not designed to replace software behaviour testing. Not designed to replace software behaviour testing.

Future Directions for Game Pop-up boxes for item names & effects. Pop-up boxes for item names & effects. Increasing length. Increasing length. Episodic-content (used but under debate) Episodic-content (used but under debate) Just more levels. I like shortness. Just more levels. I like shortness. Extending saving & loading system. Extending saving & loading system. Lots of possibilities. Lots of possibilities.

Questions