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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
Why I Hate DirectX
10.You can’t uninstall it.
9. Version changes led to crashes and character mutations.
10.There aren’t any really good books for the current version.
7. It’s from Microsoft.
6. No more DirectDraw.
Why I Hate DirectX
5. Exporting/loading 3D models is a pain. (conv3DS.exe is junk.)
4. Good luck using the documentation (information overload, gaping holes, it moves…)
3. It’s a major pain to debug.
2. It’s not portable.
1. Complicated is too kind a word.
Indirect DirectX
Rather than using Direct X directly, we will use a game engine.
• Portability
• Can program at a higher level
Game Engine Review and Demonstration
• Choose a game engine.
• Write a review.
• Write a demo program.
• Present your review and demo in class.
• The assignment web page has a list of game engines.
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
Write a program to control a bot.
We will also look at this game in terms of graphics and game design.
http://universe.tc.uvu.edu/uvbots/index.html
UV Bots
Server DisplayClient
BotClient
BotClient
BotClient
http://universe.tc.uvu.edu/uvbots/index.html
Story generator and director
• Automated dungeon master– Creates map– Creates plot/storyline– Runs adventure
Easy, right?
Universe
• Long-term game development project• Wide range of clients• Wide range of players• “Serious games”• “Not-so-serious games”• Recruiting• Research: game design and game AI• Independent study, senior project
possibilities
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.
Project Ideas
• UV Bots– map editor– 3D display, Flash/Flex display, ...– game design and mechanics
• Universe– spaceship combat– trade and exploration– mini games
Project Ideas
• Converters for 3D model formats– Export .x from Blender for Irrlicht– Import/Export .ms3d in Blender
• Story generator and director– Use AI planner to generate and analyze plots– Choose manageable subproblem and
implement for NWN, UT, Half-life, text game, ...