Teaching Software Engineering Through Game Design

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Teaching Software Engineering Through Game Design

• Kajal Claypool Mark Claypool
• UMass Lowell WPI

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Computer Games

• Games are popular
• Undergraduates familiar with games
• Games incorporate many aspects of CS
• Programming, HCI, AI, Algorithms, Networking,
  Software Engineering, Graphics
• Teaching Games in CS can improve
• Enrollment
• Retention
• Learning
• How to integrate Games into CS curriculum?

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Vertical and Horizontal Integration
AI for Games
HCI for Games
Game Centric Software Engineering II
Networking and Games
Game Graphics
4th year
Horizontal Integration
Game Centric Software Engineering
3rd year
2nd year
Game Programming II
Game Programming I
1st year
Vertical Integration
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Software Engineering Course Sequences

• Breadth
• Requirements Elicitation
• Requirements Analysis
• Design (System and Object)
• Implementation
• Testing and Maintenance

• Depth
• Object Design
• Architectural patterns
• Design patterns
• Implementation
• Testing

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Software Engineering at UMass Lowell

• Software Engineering satisfies Project Sequence
  requirement
• Course pair, typically same year
• Extensive programming
• Typically, same instructor
• Finding a good software engineering project for 2
  semesters is a challenge
• What is a good SE project?

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Software Engineering Projects

• Coding and managing large projects
• Knowledge and coding skills
• Algorithms, user interfaces, databases,
  networking
• Enable students to shift between levels
• Low-level tasks (algorithms, implementation)
• High level tasks (system and object design)
• Demonstrate
• Breadth of knowledge in many CS disciplines
• In-depth knowledge in SE principles and
  life-cycles
• Computer games fit the bill

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Game Centric Software Engineering

• Disciplined approach to implementing computer
  game, while emphasizing SE principles
• Set of modules
• Each represents SE concept
• Applied in context of engineering a game
• Corresponding game project

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Modules

• Development life-cycles
• Project and team management
• Requirement elicitation
• Game requirements and design
• Requirement analysis
• System design
• Object design
• Implementation
• Testing

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Requirement Elicitation

• In Software Engineering
• Formal process
• Includes techniques for documentation
• Results in specification of system that user
  understands
• In Game Design
• Informal process
• Includes meaningful play, storyboarding
  techniques
• Development of the Pitch document
• Emphasis on consolidation of both SE techniques
  to formalize game idea
• Final output game concept worksheet
• Used throughout course sequence

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Game Requirements and Design

• Key elements of game design
• Develop setting
• Storytelling and narrative
• Rich gameplay environment
• Balance in gameplay
• Design patterns for game genres
• Features and requirements typical for genre
• Final output development of prototype based on
  game idea

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Requirements Analysis

• Identification of objects (behavior,
  relationship, classification, organization)
• Beyond use-cases
• Accommodate dynamic nature of game
• Build in game state and game rules
• Game prototype used to steer analysis
• Informs analysis
• Final output game treatment document

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Lessons Learned

• Games need to be integrated into course material
  not just as projects
• Students are highly motivated by games
• Higher enrollments for SE classes
• Willingness to work above and beyond class
• Meetings after hours, extended project
  functionality
• Higher retention between course sequence
• Integration with other CS topics beneficial
• Ex HCI students made better game interfaces
• Good games may require broader curriculum
• Art, Critical Game Studies, Social Issues

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Future Work

• Rigorous evaluation
• Complete vertical and horizontal integration
• Use to increase enrollment of women in CS