Digital Dungeon Master

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Digital Dungeon Master

• Transition Phase Presentation

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Digital Dungeon Master
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Digital Dungeon Master
The Team
AIDAN MCQUAYProject Leader ALFRED
PENAFLORIDADBA GORDON MERKELLead Network
Technologist JESSICA VINCENTProgrammer NATHAN
PROKOPOWICHNetwork Technologist TIM HIEBERTLead
Programmer
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Digital Dungeon Master
What is Role-Playing?

• Communal story-telling
• Game Master acts as lead story-teller
• Directs flow of the narrative
• Takes on roles of people and characters outside
  of main party
• Makes decisions and interprets game rules GOD!
• Players act as principals in the story
• Take on personality of their character
• Tell the story as interpreted through their
  characters eyes
• Dice-based, pen-and-paper systems
• All information stored on paper character
  sheets, story outline, etc
• Rules are read and interpreted by the Game
  Master
• Dice of various sizes and number used to
  generate random numbers

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Digital Dungeon Master
What is Dungeons Dragons?

• Fantasy role-playing game
• Lord of the Rings style settings and stories
• Characters interact with other human and
  non-human entities
• Typical stories involve slaying of dragons and
  other monsters
• Magic prevalent over technology
• Castles and Dungeons are prominent venues for
  the stories
• Originally published in 1973 by TSR
• The ORIGINAL role-playing game
• Published under Open Gaming License by Wizards of
  the Coast D20 System
• Game Master referred to as Dungeon Master DM

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Digital Dungeon Master
What is the Digital Dungeon Master?

• Networked, digital representation of the pen and
  paper role-playing experience
• Provides an interface for common tasks
• Dice rolling
• Conversation public and private
• Tracking and maintenance of character statistics
• Information retrieval database lookups
• Game session storage and restoration
• Provides framework for the game regardless of
  location issues
• Story development and decision making still rests
  with DM
• Text based as opposed to oral
• Supplements as opposed to replaces traditional
  tools and techniques

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Digital Dungeon Master
Purpose

• Review transition phase
• Demonstration and overview of project website and
  repository
• Demonstration of download and install of RC1
• Review transition phase and related
  documentation, including user instruction and the
  problem reporting process
• Review of lessons learned

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Digital Dungeon Master
Objectives

• By the end of this presentation we hope that you
  will have a good understanding of
• Role-playing and DD in particular
• The purpose and features of the DDM
• The state of the project at the point of
  software release and available support

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Digital Dungeon Master
Topics
Topic 1 brokensource Project Website
Repository Aidan Topic 2 Installing the DDM
Aidan Topic 3 Implementation Strategy
Alfred Topic 4 Problem Report Process
Alfred Topic 5 HELP! User Manual HTML
Support Nathan Topic 6 User Training
Nathan Topic 7 Ongoing Support Jess Topic 8
Lessons Learned Tim
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Digital Dungeon Master
Topic 1 brokensource Project Website
Repository Jess
brokensource project repository and website
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Digital Dungeon Master
Topic 2 Installing the DDM Aidan
brokensource DDM Software Application
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Digital Dungeon Master
Topic 3 Implementation Strategy Alfred

• Very simple implementation due to small,
  self-contained nature of application
• Enumeration of database with real data
• Application made available for public download
  from website
• User documentation created and made available for
  download from website
• Problem reporting and support strategy established

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Digital Dungeon Master
Topic 4 Problem Report Process Alfred

• Documented on project website and in user
  documentation
• Email submission
• Form provided
• Name contact information email address and
  phone number
• Product Version
• Error message if any
• What was done prior to the error/bug occurring
• Description of the error/bug
• Resolution user would like to see
• Added to DDM bug-tracking forum for internal
  process management
• Application updated and tested
• Documentation and support materials updated
• Notice of update posted to project website and
  updates released to public

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Digital Dungeon Master
Topic 4 Problem Report Process - Webpage
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Digital Dungeon Master
Topic 4 Problem Report Process - Form
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Digital Dungeon Master
Topic 4 Problem Report Process - Bug Tracking
Forum
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Digital Dungeon Master
Topic 5 HELP! User Manual HTML Support
Nathan

• Installation Instructions included in DDM setup
• User Manual in MS Word format on CD
• Comprehensive HTML help in the application
• Application interface help
• Game rules

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Digital Dungeon Master
Topic 5 HELP! User Manual HTML Support

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Digital Dungeon Master
Topic 5 HELP! User Manual HTML Support
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Digital Dungeon Master
Topic 6 User Training Aidan

• Two day training period 12 Hours Total
• Initial portion covers conventional RPG play
  styles and character generation
• Following portions build on this foundation, but
  using DDM to implement
• Topics Covered
• Topic 1 - History of Dungeons and Dragons
• Topic 2 - Classic Style Game
• Topic 3 - Review (Comment and Questions)
• Topic 4 - The Digital Dungeon Master
• Topic 5 - New Style Game
• Topic 6 - Review (Comments and Questions)

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Digital Dungeon Master
Topic 7 Ongoing Support Jess

• Formal support period lasting 6 months Mar 1,
  2004 Aug 31, 2004
• Team hours allocated
• Problem reporting from users and stake-holders
  with acknowledgements
• Regular maintenance and updates to application
• Changes and updates to accompanying support
  documentation and website
• Informal support after 6 months Sept 1, 2004
• Team hours NOT allocated
• Problem reporting from users and stake-holders
  no acknowledgements
• Sporadic maintenance and updates to application
• No Changes or updates to accompanying support
  documentation and website
• Informal support is not guaranteed and will occur
  if and when time allows
• Support will be provided for the current release
  version only!

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Digital Dungeon Master
Topic 8 Lessons Learned Tim

• Coordination and Communication
• Many tasks occurring concurrently
• Important to keep lines of communication open
• Prevents duplication of effort
• Documentation
• Effective and thorough
• Prevents confusion and other problems
• Facilitates preparation of user support documents
• Time Management
• Prevents rushed and/or sloppy work
• Avoids delays due to slipped tasks impacting on
  dependents
• Expect to learn a lot more during the support
  period

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Digital Dungeon Master
In Closing

• We hope that we have a provide a thorough
  explanation of our project, including
• Role-playing and DD in particular
• The purpose and features of the DDM
• The state of the project at the point of
  software release and available support

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Digital Dungeon Master
Thank You.
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Digital Dungeon Master
the end.