Dr. Brian Durney Computing and Networking Sciences at UVU C S

Why Game Programming?

It’s fun! (Most of the time) It’s also a whole lot of work: game design software design and implementation art, music, sound, writing testing

Nine Billion Dollars Computer games are a big industry. "More money is spent on games than on movies."...but...

Research Yes, real research: No, they’re not talking about chess. Human-level AI’s Killer Application: Interactive Computer Games John E. Laird and Michael van Lent University of Michigan

My favorite things: Graphics Programming Artificial Intelligence Network Programming Interesting Math Problems Game Design Writing and Art

What we will do this term: Graphics Game Design Game AI

Graphics

Unity unity3d.com

Why Unity? Cross-platform Windows and Mac OS X Easy to use (for a game engine) but powerful It’s free…or at least there is a free version Web browser plug-in

Assignment 1: Unity Box World Game User input Image texture 3D model Moving objects Collision detection Timer A way to win

Game Design

What makes a good game?

Game Review and Presentation Look at a commercial game in terms of the game design principles we discuss in class.

Interactive Fiction Text games Venerable ancestors of... Game balance, story line, nonlinear plots, characters, combat, etc. Story generation

Game AI

Write a program to control a bot. We will also look at this game in terms of graphics and game design.

UV Bots Server Display Client Bot Client Bot Client Bot Client

Programming Problem How can the server efficiently tell when one bot hits another?

Programming Problem How can the display keep the beam from going through obstacles?

3D Display using Unity

AIIDE Artificial Intelligence in Interactive Digital Entertainment

Story generator and director Automated dungeon master –Creates map –Creates plot/storyline –Runs adventure Easy, right?

Educational Games What makes a game fun? What makes a game educational?

THIS IS NOT A GAME AKA viral marketing? USC Film School: ansforming_usc_film_students_freshman_ year_into_an_addictive_game/ ansforming_usc_film_students_freshman_ year_into_an_addictive_game/ And even, sort of, the UVU library: Library Craft

Fast Foot Challenge And light bikes, and …

Quest-o-Matic Richard Bartle

CMSEC Simulators Human flight director Single ship Cocoa (Mac OS X)

iWorlds simulator project Multiple ships Cross-platform with HTTP communication –Clients can be written using JavaScript, Flex, Unity, Java, etc. –Web-based games are possible Educational games Disclosure: I own a piece (OK, a small (very small, really) of iWorlds. I think that programming the iWorlds simulator and games makes a great project, but there is no requirement to do so.

Unity 3D display

OMEGA Organization for Making and Exploring Game Applications Help build a computer game experience like no other: a game that puts you and your friends on a starship bridge with a 50-inch main view screen, 6 computer stations, and props, fighting an enemy crew that's just waiting to blow you away in real-time space combat.

OMEGA simulator project Optional AI flight director Real-time 3D graphics Online—MMO (or at least MO) RPG or RTS some day Working with iWorlds

Project I encourage groups of 2 to 3 students for the project. Specialize in graphics, game AI, game design. Complete –Not necessarily a complete game, but should be a complete game, tool, or library. Programming required –Not just a level design –I must be able to read your source code and play your game.