MDW

1
MDW

• Building the Magic internet game

2
MDW learning objectives

• In CSA client-server techniques were dealt with
  seperately.
• In MDW you will build a larger distributed
  application with these techniques.
• Discover and investigate limitations of remoting
• Assigments
• Build a distributed internet game with .NET
  remoting techniques.
• Investigate remoting communication performance

3
MDW set-up

• Distributed game is built in groups.
• Groups are formed based on CSA exam results.
• MDW is marked through assessment in week 7/8.
• Mark is group mark with individual exceptions
  were possible / needed.
• I will be using Visual Studio.NET2005

4
Marks (1/2)

• Mark is sufficient (6/7) when
• remoting functionality is stable
• and basic gameplay is possible (game started and
  credits earned)
• Performance analysis of remoting is completed
• Extra point per extra functionality (made by
  individual members!)
• Credits earning is more complex. Extra rules
  implemented, different scores can be made.
• Playerobjects) turn with direction of movement
  and have variable speed.
• Playingfield turned per player so that in every
  playerview the homebase is on the same position
  on screen.
• High-scores are kept in database and displayed on
  client through menu-choice.
• A extra uncontrolled game object moves around the
  playing filed to irritate players.
• Minus points can be given for incomplete
  functionality, unstable implementation or
  unreadable code, no exception handling, etc.

5
Marks 2/2

• Every individual group member will have to be
  able to explain all basic functionality, design
  and code in order to receive 6.
• Extra functionality is made by individual
  members. Extra credits are shared by all members
  that implemented extra functionality.Jan no
  extra functionality mark 6Piet extra funct.
  (High-score)Kees extra funct. (playing field
  turns)Piet Kees get a 6 1 1 8

6
Groups

• Groups have 2 4 members
• Progress is discussed weekly with teacher
• Groups were formed based on CSA exam results.
  Reason Group members are on the same
  programming-level.
• If CSA is not sufficient, MDW cannot be followed.
• If CSA is almost sufficient exceptions can be
  made, but then CSA resit must be passed to be
  able to pass MDW.

7
Not admitted (yet)

• Demonstration of remoting skills required
• ByoungJo Kim
• Budhrani,Hiren H.
• Huang,Ruoqiu R. (Hunter)
• Sassen,Marcel M.
• Asfour,Hareune H.

8
Weekly schedule

• 1 hour lecture per week examples, discussion,
  answers to questions (email questions before
  lecture by email)
• 2 hour guided practical
• 1 hour unguided practical
• Avg. extra 3-6 hours needed to complete
  functionality per week ? Install .NET2005 at home!

9
The magic game an example

• The magic game is a game where 2-4 players can
  collect the gadgets to score point in a certain
  amount of time. Each player has a color (shape).
  Each player has own base (P1, P2, P3, P4).
  Players can move in 4 directions. Players must be
  registered to play the game. A guest can log in
  (username password is guest) but can not
  create and play the game.
•  
• 5 gadgets are spawned randomly on the field.
  There are 5 types of gadgets.
• Scoring rules player gets 1 point for each
  gadget. Collecting a set of 5 gadgets of
  different type, the player doubles his points (10
  instead of 5). The player only scores when player
  brings a gadget to his/her base.
•  
• If a player hits an opponent or the wall having a
  gadget, that gadget will be dropped and
  re-spawned. There are always a total of 5 gadgets
  in play (include being hold by players). If a
  gadget is brought in a new one is spawned on the
  screen.
• On the screen, time counter and players score
  are showed.
• After the match, scores are saved to database and
  ranked. When logging in, the score list of the 10
  last games is shown.
•  
• A snake moves around the map to be obstacle to
  all players. If the snake hits the players with
  the gadgets, the gadgets were dropped and
  re-spawned. And those players were sent back to
  their bases.

10
Questions

• When and how is a game started? Who starts the
  game?
• There is a server system and several player
  client systems. On what machine is the Game
  object hosted?
• What information has to be stored in the
  database? What tables should be present?
• What remoting objects are needed and what
  remoting configuration can be used best?
  (Marshall By Ref/Value, Singleton / Single Call,
  Tcp/Http, SOAP/binary)

11
Questions

• What are the game rules?
• How can credits be gained/scored?
• How can credits be lost?
• How can a game be won / lost?
• What is the time-factor in the game?

12
Plan
13
Deliverables

• Week 1 - Team members - game design (answer
  all questions describe game functionality, UI,
  game rules).
• Every week
• New functionality (see next slide).
• Final
• Final report Design (description).
  Description of final result missing
  functionality, remaining bugs. Who did what
  (also extra functionality). Performance
  Analysis Explanation of remoting layer in
  application with relevant source code

14
Assignment week 1

• Form groups (2-4 memebers).
• Make design document with answers to all
  questions.
• Make UI design for game (client UI when playing)
• Create solution, projects and this weeks
  interfaces.
• Implement functionality- Register player-
  Login / Logout

15
Remoting Issues

• Remoting Issues will be dealt with during
  development of the internet game.
• Next week remoting config choices?Use
  Interfaces and configuration files?