1. Game Genres: First Quick Look H. Muñoz-Avila Disclaimer: I use these notes as a guide rather than a comprehensive coverage of the topic. They are neither a substitute for attending the lectures nor for reading the assigned material

2. Most Popular Games Genres Adventure games:Adventure games –Solving puzzles –Storyline arc is very important –Finding clues E.g., through conversations with NPCs –Classic: The Longest Journey (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XrkGztFr-0)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XrkGztFr-0 Role Playing Games (RPG) –Player assumes fictional roles through Avatars – Avatar acquires skills by performing tasks/actions –Levels indicate the progress of the avatar Classic: Diablo 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl9C8RTu3Ochttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl9C8RTu3Oc

3. Most Popular Games Genres (II) Strategy games: –resource gathering, managing economy, technology research –Real-Time Strategy (RTS) Rapid decision making (classic: Command & Conquer)Command & Conquer –Turn-based Games (TBS) Take turns (classic: Civilization II) Sport Games –Simulation of actual sport games (classic: FIFA series)FIFA Games of chance –Outcome highly influenced by a stochastic environment First-person shooter –Controlling avatar in first-person camera view (classic: Duke Nukem)

4. Most Popular Games Genres (III) And many sub-genres –Combine and/or enhance main genres Massive Multiplayer Online RPG (MMORPG) –RPGs with multiple other players in pervasive worlds Stealth FPS –FPS emphasizing stealth over shooting RTS/RPG –Combine both aspects (Warcraft III) RTS/FPS –Combine both aspects (classic: Battlezone)Battlezone It is recommended for this course that you know at least one video game very well.

5. Programming Games Without Programming (sort of) H. Muñoz-Avila Jarret Raim Jonathan Martin

6. Thief 2: How to program NPC behavior? gameplay

7. Finite State Machines and Games State: an activity performed by an avatar Event: something that happens in the game world that makes the state change Patrol Enemy on sight Attack

8. Let us build an FSM for a Thief NPC States –Attack –Chase –Spawn –Wander Events –E: see an enemy –S: hear a sound –D: die Spawn Wander ~E D Attack ~E E E D ~S Chase E S S D

9. But it gets even easier (event- on-map) If player walks here then Spawn Mephisto Starting place of player Put 3 orcs here

10. Even at a Larger Scale If player cross here Then declare war

11. Ok Let Us Construct One Finite State Machine Lets program High Priestess Mar'li Step 1: list states and events Step 2: Construct the Finite State Machine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7DT0fMNu3k http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGWBIMIDWhQ

12. Homework (next class) Pick an existing game –Select one or more NPCs in the game –Create a Finite State Machine modeling the behavior of the NPCs List states (at least 5) List events (at least 5) Draw a Finite State Machine Pick and existing game (can be same as before) –Provide an example of an event-on-map

13. Computer Programs -Program: sequence of instructions that the computer can understand read(x) read(y) z x + y print(z) - For controlling an NPC, we can create an FSM and let someone else (or a program!) translate it into a computer- understandable instructions

14. Motivation: Scripting Programming Languages The Community Expansion Package is a game created by players, many non-programmers It is build using a software tool called Aurora which is included in the game Neverwinter Nights In fact using Aurora, gamers create thousands of their own games mods –Most variants of the original game –Others significant departures

15. Scripts - Script: specialized program that uses instructions that are based on game world patrol() if see-player then attack(monster) if hurt then heal A Finite State Machine

16. Two Engines Adventure Game Studio source:http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/ Introduction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ml_DR76Cl4http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ml_DR76Cl4 RPG Maker source: http://www.rpgmakerweb.com/http://www.rpgmakerweb.com/ Introduction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2Y_W7kD8LUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2Y_W7kD8LU

17. Many Engines Many games have facilities that allow you to create mods of the game Example: Aurora (Neverwinter Nigths) http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Toolset http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Toolset Ranges from total conversion to art mod

18. Aurora Neverwinter Toolset By: Nicholas Haines

22. Final Remarks Give some serious thought to doing the optional assignment of creating a game –Try one of the engines Last time some 80% of the class created one Its fun and Some 90% of them got exempt from the Final Exam The remaining 10% got extra credit