Of Stick Figures and Boxes OR Off the Shelf tools For Communicating your Game Design Montreal International Game Summit, 2006 James Everett

James Everett

Game Designer

Artificial Mind and Movement

Communication

Design = Programming = Art =

Designer’s Vision

Programmer’s Implementation Desired Game

Oh Joy! Oh Rapture!

Designer’s Vision Programmer’s Implementation Desired Game

Designer Programmer Desired Game

Not a Doctor

What is the Unified Modeling Language?

History of UML in 30 Seconds or Less

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OMG! (Object Modeling Group)

How does UML work?

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but not cleverComputers: fast,

if (Game) != then

PPPPPP Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance

Stand Jump Fall Stand Avatar waits in idle stand state -Player can jump from stand Jump Avatar jumps into the air -After completing Jump the avatar enters the fall state. Fall Avatar is airborne and cannot jump again -When the avatar reaches the ground return to stand UML Text

Player Avatar

Behavior Diagrams? Use Case DiagramState Machine DiagramActivity Diagram Use Case Actor Stand Jump Fall Punch Enemy Reduce Enemy HP Enemy Enters Hurt State

Use Case Diagrams Use Case Actor

Customer ATM Withdraw Deposit Balance Check Bank Database

Avatar GAME Movement Combat Health Enemy

ActorPlayer/avatarNPC/Enemy = and

Punch Avatar ACTOR GAME ASSOCIATION

Use Case Actor Use Case 1)Use Case specifications 2)Provide a detailed explanation of use cases 3)Through text

Use Cases are Player Centric

Punch Avatar Punch: 1) The avatar punches an enemy and causes damage. 2)... Kick: 1)... Shoot: 1)... Use Case: Combat Kick Shoot

1) The avatar punches an enemy and causes damage. What is an enemy? How can I tell if I hit the enemy? What if I don’t hit the enemy? How much damage do I cause?

1) The avatar punches an enemy and causes damage. Enemy = Actor Damage = State

Notes on Enemy Enemy is a non-player character Enemy will attack the player The Player must defeat the enemy The player defeats the enemy by reducing its hitpoints to 0 To reduce the enemy’s hitpoints the player must successfully attack the enemy

Player Combat State Machine Diagram (rev 0.01) Punch Idle [Player presses Punch] [Punch Complete]

Player Combat State Machine Diagram (rev 0.01) Punch Idle [Player presses Punch] [Punch Complete] State Transition Guard Condition

Punch Enemy Reduce Enemy HP Enemy Enters Hurt State Player Combat Activity Diagram (rev 0.01)

Punch Enemy Reduce Enemy HP Enemy Enters Hurt State Initial Node

Punch Enemy Reduce Enemy HP Enemy Enters Hurt State Initial Node Flow

Punch Enemy Reduce Enemy HP Enemy Enters Hurt State Initial Node Flow Activity

Punch Enemy Reduce Enemy HP Enemy Enters Hurt State Initial Node Flow Fork Activity

Punch Enemy Reduce Enemy HP Enemy Enters Hurt State Initial Node Flow Fork Activity Parallel Activities

Punch Enemy Reduce Enemy HP Enemy Enters Hurt State Initial Node Flow Fork Activity Join Parallel Activities

Punch Enemy Reduce Enemy HP Enemy Enters Hurt State Initial Node Flow Fork Activity Parallel Activities Join Activity final node Player Combat Activity Diagram (rev 0.01)

Punch Player Punch: 1) The player punches an enemy and causes damage. 2) Punching an enemy causes it to enter a Hurt state 3)... Kick: 1)... Shoot: 1)... Use Case: Combat Kick Shoot Hurt state

Punch Enemy Reduce Enemy HP Enemy Enters Hurt State Punch Idle [Player presses Punch] [Punch Complete] Punch Avatar Kick Shoot

Kim Possible: Player Combat Actions Use Case Diagram

Kim Possible Jump State Machine Diagram

Is Enemy HP 0? Punch Enemy Reduce Enemy HP Enemy Enters Hurt State No Kill Enemy Yes

More UML Notation Decision Note > Timer Exception Use Case Activity Generating Signal Receiving Signal

Where does it fit?

Concept

Designer Programmer Game

Designer Programmer WARNING

Use Case

All forms of documents must be maintained Impractical to create state machines and activity diagrams for everything WARNING

Don’t be afraid to throw it away WARNING

Complex AI may not play well with UML WARNING

Removes confusion! Clarifies Designs! Scrubs high level to low level!

Still not a Doctor

Resources Books –UML Demystified –Elements of UML 2.0 Style –UML Distilled Programs –StarUML (free, open source) –Visual Paradigm Watch out for ATM examples Contact: