Using Game Development as Integral Part of Course

1
Using Game Development as Integral Part of Course

• Dr. Ernie Ferguson
• Northwest Missouri State University

2
Overview

• Trends in integration of Gaming and Computer
  Science
• Video Game major
• Concentration or minor
• Course(s) in Game Development
• Projects in regular CS courses
• Overview of Gaming in upper division/graduate
  course

3
Overview of Course With Game Development Projects

• Component-Based Software Engineering
• 25 Second-semester graduate students and 1
  undergraduate
• all but the undergraduate were foreign students
• Used C to develop components
• Emphasis on the architecture and reusable
  components

4
Four Programs Using Tic Tac Toe

• Decided on this game to simplify the logic
• Emphasis was on the architecture
• Interspersed with three other projects for
  variety
• 2-player on one computer
• Console GUI User Interfaces
• Added 1-player version
• Console GUI
• Built Web User Interface using ASP.Net and C
• Reused Logic Layer
• 1 player 2 player options
• Marshaling of objects for Client/Server
• 1 player and 2 player versions
• Current Assignment

5
Results

• Kept logic simple to focus on architecture and
  component interfaces
• Students readily understand specs
• Spent too much time on assembly interface design
• Next time would spend more time helping with
  logic layer design
• Consider addition of option -- computer versus
  computer

6
SIGCSE 2007-Papers

• Engagement via Games -- Session
• A Games First Approach to Introductory
  Programming
• A Multi-Expertise Application-Driven Class at
  Purdue
• Increasing Student Retention in Computer Science
  through Research Programs for Undergraduates
• Computer Games as a Motivation for Design
  Patterns
• Taking Students Out for a Ride Using a Board
  Game to Teach Graphic Theory

7
SIGCSE 2007-Posters

• Using Games While Keeping Traditional Outcomes in
  CS1-3
• Using Blender and the Blender Gamekit with Python
  in CS2

8
SIGCSE 2007-Birds of Feather

• Games across the Curriculum Can We Quantify
  Their Effectiveness

9
SIGCSE 2007-Workshops

• Programming with Greenfoot (Or Introducing Java
  Via Games and Simulations)

10
SIGCSE 2007-Vendor Sessions

• Gaming in CS by Microsoft
• XNA Game Development by Microsoft

11
Microsoft Academic Dayshttps//www.msadgd07.net/m
ain.aspx

• 2006, 2007, and planned for 2008
• Mix of video game developers and high education
  faculty
• Disney Caribbean cruise
• 2006 only invited papers
• 2007 mix of refereed papers and invited speakers
• Charles River Media published four best papers in
  Journal Of Game Development

12
Journal of Game Development http//www.jogd.com/

• Published quarterly
• All articles are peer-reviewed
• Hopefully will help build respect for gaming
  research
• Help make this an area of serious research

13
Questions related to integrated assignments

• Games are thought to increase motivation. Do
  they?
• Are we turning some students off by overuse of
  games?
• Can we assess the actual improvement in student
  learning because of game assignments?