Unit 22: Developing Computer Games
TASK 1
A lot of different types of games were made since the first game which was made in 1970. That first game was PONG. Almost for 50 years people were developing games to make it better and varied. Games have more than 50 genres and types.
Popular genres of games.
- Shooter (combat game) – Shooter is a type of game which test player’s reaction time and speed. Also, a player uses gun which make shooter being shooter. The most popular Action Games is Battlefield, Call of duty and CS:GO. This type of game is about concentrate on a environment around you and react on any changes as fast as possible.
- Stealth Shooter Game – It is a game where a player need to be hidden from NPCs. Stealth shooter means that the player need to be careful and quite to finish the game perfectly. Also react fast on unexpected actions.
- Action game – Action is a type of games which test player’s coordination. How good he can orintied in virtual world. The most technology and popular game of Action genre is Grand Theft Auto 5. It has big open world which contain many details and things to do. Action game pretty much similar to a shooter, but in action a gun is not a main point.
- Role Play – Role Play game is a type of game which is almost realistic as much as real live. You can create a person in the game to take responsibility of action which player will do. Long time ago the most popular RPG was WORL OF WARCRAFT. It is where players were creating characters and were interacting with others.
- Sport Games – Sport games is a simulators which can run any sport. Football, Basketball, Hockey, Tennis and there is more. The sports game made for someone who cannot or wants spend more time to play in the favorite sport game. Fifa is the most realistic simulator of football. Every single football fan knows about this game. You can play by your favorite team and improve it. To be coach of the team.
- Adventure – Adventure game is where player can interact with story and heroes in the game. The game can be made of puzzle which player needs to solve to go further. In adventure games it is all about mood and environment in the game. The game which took many hearts of players is THE WALKING DEAD.
- Fighting – Fighting game is also simulator but more specific one. Fighting game is where one or more player/s can fight against each other. This games made on reaction times and strategies of players. Each player can have unique way to play in it.
- Real Time Strategy – Strategy game is a game which based on player’s logic. The further you go in the game the harder levels becoming. Strategy games is about spending time and solving hindrances which game gives you. It is where player facing to problems and needs to solve it. Civilization when player makes own people and kingdom an then improving it by making it bigger, friendly or aggressive.
- Racing – Racing game is a game where player can interact with virtual model of car and even drive it. The player can play with others which will take reaction time and coordination to finish a race as fast as possible. Player should use his skills like logic to calculate a speed of a car and an angle of turn.
- Puzzle Game – Puzzle game interact with player to solve the tasks which game gives you. The game can interact with logic, pattern, sequence solving and world completion. The most popular and classic puzzle game is TETRIS.
- Simulators – Simulators game are made to make a game which very close to real-life. There is many type of simulators. For example, fighting, racing and life simulators. Simulators are made to train people in virtual world before they will study in real life. Simulators can be arcade and seriously.
- Platform Game – Platform games is where a player needs to use a press button to jump or to move. He needs to do it to avoid abstractions on his way. The most popular game for platform games if Mario where players can move right or left and jump.
- Educational games – a main point in education games is to teach people very helpful staff. Kids and teenagers spend their most of the time in computer and playing games. Developers can make games more educated which will help to kids and teenagers in future.
- Massively Multiplayer Online(MMO) – MMO games are made to let a large amount of people play together on a same server. Usually, MMO games are made in open world map and many thing to interact with.
Platforms
There is many platforms on which player can play on. The platforms can be similar and completely different. Let’s start from popular platforms to less popular. PC is the most popular platform and most of games are made for PC.
Then it goes PS4 and XBOX. These platforms use controllers to play games. It is comfortable for racing action game like GTA and other games. But different players prefer different methods to play games in.
Then it goes portable consoles like PS vita and Nintendo Switch. These platforms are made for taking them somewhere else. For example, for trip to go to different city or country, or just meet with friend outside. These consoles are less powerful than platforms which made for one place, like PC. However, easy to transport. 
Mobile phone is important part of our life in these days. However, phone can be used not only for calling and searching things in internet. A phone is a platform for games too. Thousands application are made to make user/player spend his/her time inside the phone’s screen. Some of people use these applications in trains and busses to make a trip faster. Nevertheless, there is gamers who prefer to play on phone. Popular game on phone was “POKEMON GO”.
Internet
Internet is a global system which connects users’ devices together. Internet uses few protocols (laws) to link devices worldwide. Thereby, people can chat with each other from opposite parts of Earth with no delay. Also, now people can share information with each other or find other people in communities with same interests.
Video
Video is sharing information with each other by recording, copying, broadcasting and display of moving visual media. Now, videos is something that many people spend their free time on. Some of them are watching news or movies and others are watching game plays of their favourite games or group of people who is doing something funny on their TWITCH/YOUTUBE channel.
Network Technologies
(Graphics, Al, Audio, Game Play, Scripting)
Graphics – is images or designs which can be represent on user’s screen to show him data or other information. It made to make it easier and faster for user to interact and understand information. Graphics is another important part of games. The better graphics in games is the more enjoyable user’s experience will. Graphics made in games to release pressure from user’s eyes (Not reading text on black background like first software systems for computers.).
Al – Artificial Intelligence is a intelligent which was made and programmed by human and putted in a device. The device can be phone, computer, TV and other types of devices. Most famous AI is Siri in Iphone and Alexa in amazon speaker. These Artificial Intelligence can interact with users which makes to find information and control a device easier because those AI doing everything for use.
Audio – Audio is producing sound which gives to users much more opportunities to interact with device. For example, many people are addicted to music, without audio it would be impossible to listen music on a device like a phone. Audio is another sensor which makes devices more productive.
Game Play – Game Play is a way which user interact with video game. Game play is a rule which game was based on. It allows to player play in different games with different ways. With Game Play a player can understand the rules, goals and how the game can be modify.
Scripting – Scripting is a computer language which developers use it for making games or actions which user can ask for. Scripting is an event which was written for specific action. For example, in games there are key buttons which causing specific action. If the user will turn left he will press “A” because developers wrote a script for this action.
HOW GAMES EFFECT ON KIDS’ PSYCHOLOGY.
The biggest part of auditory of games are kids. They are spending a lot of time to play games alone or with friends.Sometimes, parents are trying to decrease time spend for computer game. Kids don’t like it and they are getting aggressive which creates more reasons for parents to restrict use of the computer. Obviously, parents can’t understand that how they can sit all day and do “nothing”. This makes parents angry and gives bad experience with computers. They make their kids to go outside or to do other staff, anything, but leave a computer alone. There is a lot of situation when parents are facing very strong aggression from their kids. 
Some of the kids becoming violent because of aggression which used in games and real factors that someone is not allowing them to do something. There is many TV programs which show these kind of kids and trying to nurture them.
Kids start to play way too long in computer games. It is damaging to their education and social life. They don’t want to spend much time on homework or extra projects at school. They start to hang out less and less because they can speak and play in games at the same time. Also, they will not be ready for a real life. They aren’t ready to refuse playing and go to work to feed them self. Parents start to struggle with these kids that is why they are restricting their time in computer to not lose connection with real life. However, there is good points if players will not abuse gaming time. Some of the games are educational and other games can train their brain. These games can be strategy and educational when players are reading information about the game which is made on real history. Strategies are making players’ brain to think and work more. Some of the players can be prepared to a real life much more than normal people.
HOW GAMES EFFECT ON SOCIETY
There is many impacts of society. Computer games created in 90s and started they way to be something big.
Firstly, the games created for leisure to relax after job or spent some time with friend mostly. However, the games became bigger part of our lives than they were before. There is so many communities about computer games. Nevertheless, there is big tournaments with a huge money price at the end. The most easier example is “DOTA 2”. There is a lot of tournaments about this game. The most biggest tournament is “The International”. It started at 2011 and still going on. the first “The International” tournament’s prize was $1.6 million dollars. The last one’s prize was $20 millions dollars. This is record of all tournaments about the games. Many people practicing a lot to become a winner and celebrity in a game.
Secondly, some people playing in games because it is their job. For example Youtubers. They are making videos which call “Let’s plays” to earn money for living. The most popular let’s player is “Pewdiepie”. His youtube channel has more than 54 millions subscribers. On the second place is “HolaSoyGerman” with 31 millions subscribers. Pewdiepie has few millions views on each video. His salary in 2016 was about 15 millions dollars. Pewdiepie started his career in 29th April 2010. After two years he become the most popular YouTube and motivated other people to film their let’s plays. Only after few years after this people realist that they can earn by making this videos.
PEWDIPIE’S INTERVIEW – https://www.polygon.com/2017/10/16/16482348/pewdiepie-smosh-games-youtube
Nevertheless, there is another character who became famous not by Youtube. The character who calls “Notch” has created his own game which is “Minecraft”. Notch and few of his friends started to make the game from zero. The game is about editing, building and surviving in the world which made with squares. After few years, when the game become the game of the year the Notch had a good deal from the Microsoft. Microsoft made Notch be billionaire. Microsoft gave to Notch and his company 2.5 billions for a Minecarft. From that on, Notch doesn’t work anymore and enjoying a nice view from his villa in the Lost Angeles.
Notch’s interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8d0S9NssvM
The games have opened and changed many lives in this world. The most rich video game company is Rockstar (the company which dealing only with games). The company did many billions dollars by the most favourite game in the world “GTA V” which is “Grand Theft Auto 5”. The salary from these sailings was about 2 billions dollars.
Thirdly, some games like simulators created the way to teach army to do some things like tactics . For example pilots. First few years they practicing on simulators to learn how to fly. The most popular shooter which was created to teaching an army how to shoot. The game calls “Call of Duty”. First call of duty was released in 29th October 2003. The most popular part of this game is “Call of duty 4: modern warfare”. This part was released in 2007 and made a lot of fans but not many of them know that it was training simulator at the first stage. This shows that games simplified our lives. Now it is easy to teach new people to fly or something else.
TASK 2
Design (tools like storyboards, pseudo code, narratives, action lists,
graphical tools):
The game was made in Greenfoot. Greenfoot is a program which allows to a programmer write javascript codes and gives little help to a beginner.
The program allows to add or delete actors which can interact with user. Later i will show an example with my game.
Storyboards – this is the way as my game looks. As we can see there is three main actors on the screen. First two actors are paddles and the third actor is a ball. The white screen is what the user will see when I will do it in an application. Also we can see counters from computer side (Upper side) and player side (Downer side).
Pseudocode – Pseudocode is a line of a code for a programmer. The programmer who did the game could leave few comments for description of a code line which can help for another developer to understand what is it for and what does it do.
Those grey lines represent how does it work. The program will not read the code. However, programmers will. The pseudocode start from few inclined lines “///”.
Narrative – is a story about some parts of the game. It is not necessary to have it in a game as I did. Nevertheless, the games which were made since 2006 now have this feature which makes games more interesting.
Action lists – in this situation action lists are for making specific code for an user input. In my game to control the paddle user needs to use “A” to go left and “D” to go right. I wrote a code that if the user will press “A” the paddle will start to move left. The same as right but user needs to press “D”.
Graphical tools – as a graphical tool I used PAINT to draw the models of the paddles and ball. Graphical tools are where a developer can create his own model for each actor. Graphical tools are very important part of new games. Each game which was made by popular company as Rockstar Gta 5 needs to be better with each version.
The game’s purpose is to make the computer do not reverse ball back to you side. A player needs to do situation when the computer will not be able to hit the ball again. If someone will miss the ball the point will go to the opponent.
Modulary is when the developer organise and separating different parts of coding in different sections. The Greenfoot program can create as many actors as the user wants to. Which means the user can separate code for different parts of the game in different sections. As screenshot below shows I separate meny codes from each other to find it after easily or to not break a code by putting everything in a same place.
Systematic approach is a way of training and organizing own code to not make a mistake in future. Personally, I was rewriting my game’s code few times to organize it more with each time. Systematic approach is a training and making point for what the game should do.
Data Dictionary is what the code include and how they can share it with other actors. I involved many integers which can be shared between actors and contain maths inside it self. Integers is a equations made by developers. One integer name can contain a lot of information inside.
Integer’s name is worldWidth and it is equal to a specific world’s sizes.
Also these algorithms can be shared with other actors to use the code in different actors’ code.
“Public static int” means that this integer will be visible for all other actors in the game. Nevertheless, there is private and invisible integers.
This integer is private and made only for one actor. Other actors will not be able to see it.
Object oriented or procedural are the parts of the game which can be test and checked separately. For example, I have an actor which calls paddles. Inside the actor there is many codes which were made for Player’s and Computer’s paddles. Those two actors (player and computer) are connected to the actor paddles but they can be test separately in the game.
Develop:
Development facilities is a method to organize the game as much as possible. To not put all code in one place and then spend a lot of time to look for a specific code line. It is management which helps to a developer organize the game to save time later.
Editing techniques every developer has is own techniques he writes the code. Editing the code can improve and make the game more complex in which will be more interesting to play. Editing the code can help developer in future to simplify the code to read it easily for another developer or to save space.
Saving files saving files of the game can be a lot of helpful. Developers save few version of games to find a code which could be broken accidentally or to improve few equations in newest versions.
Building or compiling code is one world variables which contained equations or other code lines which need to be used in few places. To save the space and to not write the whole code again and again it can be called with one word.
Built-in help facilities is a message which the program can show to a developer if he did a mistake in his code. Usually, when it runs the program will show the line where the mistake is and underline it with red color. Greenfoot has the same help, when the developer will make a mistake a red square will be next to the code.
Suitable comments are code lines which are made for a developer. The program will not read it as a code and it won’t show any mistake. Every single program has it own code where the user can start write his comments.
Small unitary code blocks are places where the developer can write the code. These block will be hidden from users after the code will be finished. These block are different windows in operating system. The windows on the left shows one type of these blocks.
Invocation code is a code which shows where the code is located on the screen. The code will contain coordinates. It is easy for developer to understand where the model of an actor located. The screenshot below shows that the cScoreBoard is located at 200 Y coordinates and 200 X coordinates.
Consistent indentation is a way to build structure in your code. The conductance indentation is a tabs before the code line if it needs to be there. The simplest example of consistent indentation is in while loops when the code’s lines goes further from the edge of the screen. As we can see below with each if statement the coding starts further and further.
Descriptive identifiers is when the developer needs to give a name to each integer and variable. They must have name to use it later. Without the name the program will not find anything familiar to the sequences which were written there. It will cause errors.
Coding
Using good structure in a coding is very important part. If the coding will be organised it will be easier for developers to read it early and it will save time for them. This is why before coding developers draw diagrams and flowcharts.
To make the coding work the developer needs to use the syntax. Syntax is spelling and grammar in programming language. If people can find out some mistakes in spelling they might understand it. However, if even one letter is incorrect incorrect the program will give error.
Assigning values ia a way to make code lines shorter and more easier in use. The program languages have variables, integers and functions. It was made to use the same code in many other places by putting only one world.
Operators in computing represent maths equations with using X. X can be used in equations and formulas. It made to use different numbers and putting it in one line code. For example, a + b = c. When the user wrote the formula user can put other numbers like a = 45 and b = 50 and then print c.
Input/output statements is code lines which can interact with player. To make a game there must be inputs from user and outputs from the game side. As we can see below (first screen) I have if statement with input from user. It means if the user will press “A” key it will turn on specific sequence for this situation. Outputs is my scoreboard when the information is updating constantly.
Loops is a code which can repeats as much as user want’s. It can be infinity loop and while loop. Infinity loop is a code which will repeat the sequence which it contains as many time as the program can run it. (liminited code lines) Other loop can be repeated as many time while something is equal to specific number. For example, while 4 < 5 do a sequence of the code and inside the sequence might be code which will change 4 to something bigger and the loop stops.
Correct exit criteria is when a code has statement which will shut down the program. Usually, exit criteria in programs is Game Over text. It happens when the player dies inside the game. Many games needs this code to not make the game unstoppable. This criteria causes a code which will be responsible for shooting down the game.
Data representation:
Integers is a whole number which can be zero, positive or negative. Integers numbers need to do maths in coding. However, integers can’t have integers numbers. This integer below shows that the speed in my game is equal to 4. Later in the coding I can change the speed.
Booleans is a value of data which contain words like True or False, usually. It is an algebra in the coding to make some logistics codes. Developers are using booleans in loops to make it more understandable.
Characters in computing is any number, spacebar, letter or string. Characters in coding are counting how many letters, number and any other things did user put in his code. It the same as counting how many words user wrote in text document. However, in coding it counts every single symbol.
Strings need to be in the code to represent letters and words in a game. For example, dialogue between players or NPCs to show words and sentences.
Constants in coding means that the code will not be changed. For example, the most popular phrase in the coding is “Hello World”. The phrase was fixed in the code and there is no need to change the words.
Variables contain data inside itself and the value can be changed later in the code. Variables are used in coding to not write the same data or value many times. For example:
It is variable which will be changed later in the game. Sometimes, it contains only one symbol, sometimes, it contains lines of coding.
| Name | Strengths | Weaknesses | What should be added |
| Sonja | It is nice to see that computer is playing against you. | The ball’s physics is strange. | Game over screen |
| Konstantin | The score board is adding competitive to the game | The design of the game is weak | Different models and sound effects. |
Also, I added my game to the Greenfoot Website. If people will comment my game it will be there.
Task 3
Testing methods:
Black boxes in programming needs to check if the output is expected, that there is no extra moves without giving it a signal. Black boxes are using input to switch on an action which will handle it.
White boxes in programming need to learn the way how inputs are going through the program’s circuit. That the right output is handle the right input.
Testing at various stages this is when developers organize how they will test the game and what they do to find some bugs. Testing at stages means that the parts of the program will be check independently. How the each part is behaving without connection with other parts.
Test plans it is a document which is describing the testing scopes and activities. Test plan document needs to be there to not miss anything important in the game. To make sure that all parts of the game were tested.
Test cases are conditions under which a developer will test the game. This will show if the test is satisfies the requirements and if it works correctly.
Test logs is a document which contains information about the test result. This document will show if the game passed or failed the tests.
Test evidence is a signatures of developers who did the tests. Evidence of testing the game must be in document to make sure that there is nothing illegal going on.
Test report shows if the program had any bugs and how they were debugged. Also, in test report should say which part exactly was broken and what code was used to fix it. Test reports must be in document just in case if the same mistake will happen again.
Retests are need to make sure that the bug was eliminated. Also, retests need to be done because after few times of testing the game new bugs might be found out. Retest are very useful method to do while testing the program because it has more chance to fix the game as much as possible.
Testing Tools:
Program environment facilities uses IDE (integrated development environment) to provide the good environment and software system for computer developers to make programs waster and better quality.
Debug program code is when developer updating the broken code or the code which doesn’t work properly. He will update the code and make sure that the code will work the way as programmer wants it. It is eliminating any mistakes in the code. Also, IDE can check for any mistakes even when the programmer didn’t open the code application
Test program code it is where the programmer can write a code and check it straight away even not finishing the whole code. IT was made to test a code straight away from first its lines.
Specified game application it is an application which must be open by double click. The code is transfer into the application to hide the code to not the user find it. Specified game application runs the code on a background and shows only output.
Purpose of game is a little feedback about the game. What the game is about, what does it do and what the player needs to do to play the game. Purpose of the game is developer’s explanation about the game.
Operation of game it is what the user needs to use to play the game. It can be anything. Reaction time, motor skills, logic, strategy and there is more options. Different genres of games requires different skills from a player. Developer should tell what the game requires from the player.
FAQs is a website where the player can ask or tell about the game. The question and answers must be relative to the game. FAQs is a place where the people talk and sharing their own way to play the game.
Technical documentation:
Data Dictionary is a set of information which is describing the format, structure, contents of database and the relationships between different part of coding with each other.
Algorithm designs including control methods is the way of structuring the code. Which one should be first and which part of the code should be last. Control methods are controlling some action. It can be input from user which activating an action.
User interface method design is an interface through which the player can interact with the game. This is where the models and actors will be placed. User interface can help to developer, also, to interact with software or hardware interfaces.
Action charts, action tables, input-process- output tables, class and instance diagrams, data flow diagrams. Everything here is flow charts and diagrams which are made by developers before starting coding. They need to make a point clearly and to make developers think how they will do their idea. The code will be more organized and will have less bugs inside itself.
I am going to check and debug my game by pressing key buttons and see what will happen. If there is going to be any bug or error in a system I will debug it.
Testing the program:
| Key input | What it should do | What will happen | Is there any bug? (Y/N) |
| A | I wrote a code that if a user will press “A” the coordinate of a paddle needs to change in negative way. The coordinates in Greenfoot world starts from 0 and finishes at 500 by X way (Horizontally). When the key “A” is pressed down coordinates need to be taken away to make an illusion that the paddle will move left. | The paddle is moving left. However there is a bug that the paddle goes half way through the left edge of the screen. The code needs to be improved to debug this situation. | Y |
| D | The same code as with key “A” however to make an illusion that the paddle will go right the coordinates should be added to each other to increase X way to the maximum which is 500. | The paddle is moving right as it supposed to do. However it has the same issue as the left side of the screen. The paddle goes half way of the right edge of the screen. | Y |
| Computer movements (No need input) N/A | The computer should be able to be in position where the ball will be. I wrote the code for X line too. The middle of the computer’s paddle should be at the same X coordinate as the ball is. If the ball’s X line coordinate is bigger or smaller, the paddle must take away or add number to the coordinates to be in same X line position as the ball. | The computer’s paddle is moving with the same speed as the ball. However, it is impossible to win the computer. I changed the code and now when the ball is located closer to the player’s paddle than the computer’s paddle it slows down the computer’s paddle’s speed. It means computer becoming slower when the ball is on other part of the screen. | N |
| Ball movements | The ball is spawning at the middle of the screen by X coordinates and Y coordinates. The ball needs to take away Y coordinates to move towards the computer paddle and add to X coordinates to move towards the player’s paddle. To not let ball move only vertically because it will be boring the ball needs to move horizontally too. The ball’s X coordinates need to add numbers to move right and take away from X coordinates to move left. | Ball is moving towards the both paddles. To make the game more diverse I added the code which will randomly take numbers (0 or 1) to go left or right. It is unexpected move from the ball which will be more interesting for the players. | N |
| Score board | Each paddle has its own scoreboard on the side of the screen. The player’s score board is located at the bottom which shows how many times the computer’s paddle lost. The computer’s score board is located at the top and does the same as the bottom one. Shows how many time player’s paddle lost. | When the ball goes through the paddles’ Y coordinates the ball will appear on the middle of the screen and go in random direction. For example the computer’s paddle is located at 50 Y coordinate which means if the ball will be located less than 50 Y coordinates it passed the paddle. The player’s score board will increase by 1. The player’s paddle is located at 650 Y coordinates which means if the ball will be located more than 650 it will appear in the middle of the screen and computer’s score board will increase by 1. | N |
Debugging.
Debugging the problem with passing the edges of the screen by both paddles. The screenshot below shows how i solved the problem.
WoldWidth takes the size of the world’s Y line coordinates. (700)
WorldWidth2 is equal to zero because it takes away its own width.
spriteWidth2 is the half of the paddles’ width size. (for example 30)
The code says if the paddle’s center X coordinates is more than 675 (700 – 30/2) then the world will put the center of the paddles at 675. It means that the center of the paddles can’t go further than 675 which means that the right edge of the paddle will be at 700 (the edge of the right screen). Same solving problem with left side. The center of the paddles can’t go less than 15 X coordinate which means that the left edge of the paddles will be no further than 0 (the left edge of the screen).
User Documentation:
I saved mage game as a java file. This file the player can open with double click and only if he downloaded the java on his computer. This format Greenfoot offered. This is very comfortable because developers who uses Greenfoot doesn’t needs to search for a program which can import his code in different type of file. The way what Greenfoot representing is much faster. The icon of the file will look like this:
Before I created the game I created flow charts to understand how the game will work. The main point in my game is to make the paddle move when and where a player wants to and to be able to win the computer. The scoreboard to make the game more competitive and boundaries to lose or win a round.
Bibliography:
Websites:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/education/topics/zhy39j6
https://www.greenfoot.org/book/
Books:
BTEC Level 3 National IT Student Book 2
BTEC Level 3 National IT Student Book 1
Marek Julinski 