Formal Details Regarding Reports, Assignments and Code

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Formal Details Regarding Reports, Assignments and
Code

• Staffan Björk

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Overview of the Lecture

• Course updates
• Foci within the course
• Requirements
• General
• On game
• On process
• On graded activities
• Checklists for requirements will be put on the
  course homepage

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Course Updates

• Presentation of design for external parts
• Tuesday 13th February 10.00-12.00 (or
  13.15-15.00)
• CHARM-dagen
• Location ES52 (preliminary)
• Lectures exercises will be placed on the course
  webpage on Thursday

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Foci within the Course
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What We Look For

• Not amount of hours quality of work
• Not length of pages depth of ideas
• Not ability to follow rules - ability to argue
  for the ones you choose
• Not a good game a good method to design games
• Not visual aesthetics gameplay
• Not apparently happy project group groups aware
  of group dynamics

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Requirements, Requirements, Requirements
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Meta Requirements

• What applied to one group does not have to apply
  to another group
• What is unclear can become clear by asking
  supervisors this is why there is supervision
• Different supervisors can say different things
  check with all and notify when we are/appear
  inconsistent

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General Requirements
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Requirements for Reported Stuff

• Send by email to Staffan
• Subject for email
• Spelprojekt grupp x - ämne
• Deadlines are midnight
• Assignments handed in late are treated as usual
• Depends on the reason
• In all cases should be notified in advance

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Time

• Half-time studies one semester
• Equals 10 credits full-time
• 10 37,5? 375 hours
• Where you put work is your responsibility
• But must meet our requirements

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Requirements on the Games
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Requirements on Game Concept

• For first presentation
• Identified core gameplay
• Describe overall planned game experience
• Identified competitors
• Identified audience
• For final design document
• Identified core gameplay
• Updated list of competitors
• Planned narrative experience
• Planned game skill development
• Planned replayability
• Planned community support

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Requirements on Game Implementation

• Should be a technical challenge
• Stable
• Show intended game play
• Show two different levels or positions in
  gameplay
• One should be finished and fine-tuned state of
  the art
• One can be tutorial but this is not necessary
• Should include intros to a sufficient level
• Emotional
• Narrative
• Include start menus
• Include option menus

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Requirements on Code

• Software Architecture
• develop models of the engine
• design for more
• Code
• Use a CVS or similar structure for storing the
  code
• Split files in to proper modules, interface,
  implementation parts, etc.
• Use proper and explaining variable and method
  names
• shows well planned design
• Document the code
• Use a tool Doxygen, Javadoc, etc.

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Requirements on Code, cont.

• Misc. codeish
• script the build process
• anyone can do it
• details and special cases will not be missed if
  in a hurry
• Use configuration files for easy setup of options
  (or quick testing of balancing parameters)
• Suggestions for debugging
• Use a debugger
• Use log files to see where things went wrong
• Use replays to follow step by step

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Requirement on the Process
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Requirements Groups

• 5-6 per group
• Free to form your own groups
• Assign responsibilities
• Project leader
• main contact point
• Lead Gameplay Designer
• Lead Programmer
• Lead Tester
• Lead Tool Developer
• Lead Thematic Designer
• Documentation Misc.

• Additional roles
• Lead Information
• Lead Graphics Programmer
• Lead Network Programmer
• Server Administrator
• SVN Administrator
• Lead Artwork Designer
• Lead Graphics Artist
• Lead Audio Programmer
• Lead Audio Developer
• Lead Physics
• Lead AI
• Lead Script

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Requirements on Design Process

• State objectives before beginning to work
• Keep continuous documentation
• Supervisors can ask for it
• With some advance
• Should not be an extra burden
• Iterative process
• At least one implementation in a media different
  from the final
• Pen and paper, flash, mod, enactment, etc.
• At least 3 play testing sessions
• 1 can be in the different media above
• Should test both usability and playability
• Easy since there are two mandatory dates set for
  testing

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Requirements on Design Process, cont.

• Base design and implementation choices on
  motivations besides your personal opinions
• Play testing
• Documented practice - references
• For example scientific articles or from gamasutra
• Technical limitations and requirements
• Economical data
• Not that it was not fun

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Requirements on Graded Activities
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Requirements - Pitch 20070201 20070213

• Mention what distinguishes your idea
• One-liner
• Unique selling point
• Compare with and differentiate from existing
  games
• Concentrate on core gameplay
• The main activity done when playing
• Time limited presentation
• 10 minute presentation
• 5 minute for questions
• Next group start preparing during questions
• Everyone should not talk
• Think about presentation technique
• Images, music, multimedia

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Requirements on Initial Design Document 20070220

• Be structured so it contains same information as
  in example templates
• Describe initial game concept
• Describe planned technological platform and
  requirements
• Sketches, storyboards, or borrowed art to
  describe settings and gameplay non-verbally
• Describe back story
• Game Design Patterns
• Use them as references

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Requirements on Updated Design Document 20070315

• Use same structure as initial design document
• Describe revised game concept
• Describe structural components of the game
• Describe planned technological platform and
  requirements
• Present planned system architecture
• Include models of game engine
• Game Design Patterns
• Use them as references
• Should be significantly longer than initial
  design document
• Should include low fidelity prototype description
  as appendix

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Requirements on Final Design Document 20070531

• Use same structure as initial design document
• Describe final game concept
• Describe all components of the game
• Describe technological platform and requirements
• Give overview of system architecture
• Include screenshots
• Include models of game engine
• Game Design Patterns
• Use them as references
• Length depends on game but probably at least 30
  pages

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Requirements on Project Report 20070531

• Describe initial design goal
• Describe group
• Pre-knowledge
• Assignment of work and responsibilities
• Work plan
• Methods
• Timeline
• Length excluding appendix at least 25 pages

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Requirements on Project Report, cont.

• Description of work
• Research
• Design
• Testing and Evaluation
• Implementation
• Diary and work logs can be included as appendix
• Describe developed tools

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Requirements on Project Report, cont.

• Describe differences between plan and actual work
• Describe future work and self-assessment
• The result not the focus the method
• Describe changes with motivations
• For example by versions for each section or
  several version of the design document
• Appendix
• Initial design document
• Intermediate design document
• Final design document
• Game engine infrastructure
• Code (can be in external file)

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Requirements on Personal Essay 20070531

• Describe your role in the project
• Describe specific interests in the project
• Describe group dynamics
• Describe own contribution
• Describe satisfying results
• Describe less satisfying results
• Describe knowledge gained
• Length should be between 8-12 pages

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The End!Come and report your groups!