This paper articulates some of the challenges for computer game development courses at university level. A typical course development of this type is described. The need to include creative methods alongside more formal software development methodologies as core elements of computer game education is proposed and placed within the context of an industry specific framework. The evolutionary nature of the computer game industry requires that computer game development programmes at university should be equally evolutionary and adaptable to change

Doughty, Mark

English

University of Lincoln Institutional Repository

COMPUTER GAME DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION AT UNIVERSITYMark DoughtyUniversity of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, UKmdoughty@lincoln.ac.ukKEYWORDSGames computing, software developmentABSTRACTThis  paper articulates some of the challengesfor  computer  game  development  courses  atuniversity level. A typical course developmentof this type is described. The need to includecreative  methods  alongside  more  formalsoftware  development  methodologies  as  coreelements  of  computer  game  education  isproposed and placed within the context of anindustry specific framework. The evolutionarynature of the computer game industry requiresthat computer game development programmesat  university  should  be  equally  evolutionaryand adaptable to change. INTRODUCTIONThe  computer  games  industry  has  risen  inglobal prominence and size during the last tenyears  (DFC  Intelligence,  2004;  SSC  2002).The  contemporary  appeal  of  interactiveentertainment  software  has  resulted  incomputer  games  being  played  by  a  muchbroader cross-section of society. This apparent‘legitimization’  of  gaming  as  an  acceptedleisure  pastime  has  also  resulted  in  thesoftware  development  education  sectorresponding.  A  wide  variety  of  gamesdevelopment  related  degree awards  haveemerged into the university sector since 1997.Current  UCAS  (Universities  and  CollegesAdmissions  service)  statistics  list  25universities  or  institutes  offering  59  degreeprogrammes (UCAS, 2004). The academic andskill  focus  of  these  awards  varies  with  eachinstitution. Programmes range from being artsand design based, to being purely focused oncomputer  game  programming  and  softwaredevelopment.CREATIVITY  AND  SOFTWAREENGINEERING  IN  THE  GAMEDEVELOPMENT INDUSTRYThese  two  seemingly  opposing  concepts  areboth essential components for the success of acomputer  game product.  Creative design  andinnovation  are  requirements  for  compellinggameplay  and  longevity  of  game  products.Yet,  while  these  are  critical  to  a  gamessuccess,  if  the  development  process  is  overbudget or deadlines are missed, the benefits ofsuccessful  design  are  lost.  Rucker  proposestwo  criteria  for  a  successful  game:  is  itbeautiful?  and does it  make money? (Rucker,2003).  These  criteria  sum  up  the  competingneeds  for  computer  game  software;  gamesneed  to  be  compelling  and  offer  a  fun  andentertaining experience, and they need to alsobe a success in the business sense. Educating  potential  game  developers  toembrace  and  recognize  both  of  thesecompeting  criteria  requires  a  curriculumbalanced  with  creative  opportunity  andsoftware  engineering  methodology.  Whileconventional  thought may see these conceptsas  being  difficult  to  coexist  within  acurriculum,  it  is  proposed  that  not  only  canthey  coexist  within  a  games  computingcurriculum,  but  that  they  are  both  necessarycomponents. The  curriculum  developed  by  many  of  theinstitutions listed in the UCAS statistics givestudents exposure and opportunity to developskills in all main areas of game development.Students are encouraged to develop their owncreativity  and essential  computing  skills,  andto  recognize  that  software  engineeringmethods are as important as creative design inthe success of a computer game product. CASE  STUDY:  A  TYPICAL  COURSEDEVELOPMENTDuring  the  mid  nineties,  the  Faculty  ofApplied Computing Sciences at the Universityof  Lincoln  looked to  consolidate  its  existingportfolio  of  computing  degrees  and  also  toexpand  into  new  and  emerging  computingdisciplines  such  as  computer  gamedevelopment,  system  security  and  mediatechnologies.  These  developments  weredesigned to bring the computing curriculum upto date,  and  also  to  respond to  the changingdemands  of  the  undergraduate  market.  Thefirst  award,  BSc(Hons)  Computing  (Games,Simulation  & Virtual  Reality),  was  validatedfor  delivery  in  1997.  Refinements  andrefocusing  of  this  undergraduate  programmeinto BSc(Hons) Games Computing occurred in2001.The motivations for the development of gamescomputing curricula at undergraduate level arenumerous.  The  leisure  software  sector  hasexperienced rapid growth, both globally and inthe  UK.  Games  software  represents  themajority  of  this  market  (SSC,  2002).  Thedemand  for  undergraduate  computingprogrammes in this field has increased in linewith  this  increase  in  popularity  of  computergames  as  a  leisure  pastime.  In  developing  aprogramme of study which addresses industryand  student demand,  a  number  of  challengesneed  to  be  addressed.  The  challenges  ofacceptance  of  what  is  often  seen  as  a  'non-academic'  or  'rigor-less'  subject  are  faced  atboth public and university management level.Students,  and increasingly their parents,  needto  see  that  the  course  will  deliver  value  formoney  and  value  in  the  job  market,  whileuniversity  management  need  to  ensure  thatstandards  and  benchmarks  are  reached  toensure an effective educational experience forthe student, as well as maintaining universityquality  responsibilities  (THES,  2003).  Thegames computing programme at Lincoln offersthe  basis  for  a  career  as  a  computingprofessional.  It  has  undergone  rigorousvalidation and approval to ensure that it meetsthe  standards  set  by  the  Higher  EducationFunding Council for England (HEFCE).Another  critical  challenge  is  the  effectiveintegration  of  creativity  and  free-formdevelopment, considered by many to be at theheart  of  innovative  computer  gamedevelopment,  with  the  structured  and  moreformal  nature  of  software  engineeringprinciples and practice. The  computer  games  industry  thrives  oncreativity  and  innovation.  New  ideas,groundbreaking  gameplay  and  interactionmechanisms  drive  the  popularity  –  andultimately sales  - of computer game units. Theresponsibility  of  university  games computingcurricula  is  to encourage student activity andachievement in creation and innovation, whileensuring  that  more  structured  and  formalsoftware engineering principles are upheld asrequisites for efficient and economic softwaredevelopment.The  rationale  behind  the  development  andoperation of the BSc(Hons) Games Computingaward is to produce graduates with critical andintellectual  abilities  within  the  gamescomputing  field,  along  with  domain  specificskills  and  experiences such  as  creative gamedesign  and  game  software  development.  Inorder to satisfy the demands of this rationale,the programme seeks to achieve a number ofbroad goals (University of Lincoln, 2001):• To  provide  students  with  aneducation  and  learningexperience  that  will  equip  themto  operate  on  graduation  asautonomous  computingprofessionals;• To  develop  professional  andtransferable skills in a wide rangeof  methods,  techniques  andpractices appropriate for the taskdomain  of  a  professionalcomputer game developer; and• To develop a rich and up-to-dateset  of  practices  and  techniqueswhich  students  can  deploy  instate-of-the-art  computer  gamesoftware design and developmentcontexts.Curriculum  design  within  the  Faculty  ofApplied  Computing  Sciences  follows  a'thematic'  approach  (Reeve,  2003).  Anundergraduate  award  is  defined  by  acombination  of  two  'subject  themes'  and  asingle  skills  theme.  A  'subject  theme'  isprogramme of study that addresses a particularcognate area or field of interest. (see Figure 1).Subject ofComputingSubject ofInformaticsSubject of MediaTechnology Computing theme Games Computingtheme SoftwareDevelopment theme  Internet Systemstheme  Informatics theme  Applied Informaticstheme  Media Technologytheme  Digital Media theme Figure  1:  Curriculum  themes  within  theFaculty  of  Applied  Computing  Sciences,University of Lincoln.The  BSc(Hons)  Games  Computingundergraduate award is comprised of the twothemes  of  Games  Computing  and  SoftwareDevelopment. This combination is one, whichreflects  the  recommendations  of  theInternational  Game  Developers  Association(IGDA)  for  game  related  educationalprogrammes.  The  IGDA  CurriculumFramework (IGDA, 2003) acts as a guidelinefor  university  awards  in  the  computer  gamedevelopment area. It describes the knowledgeareas and practical skills required to make andstudy games in a flexible format, which allowsit  to  be  adapted  by  individual  institutions.Some  issues  faced  when  developing  aprogramme of study within this framework areexplored in the next section.The  recruitment  history  for  the  BSc(Hons)Games Computing at Lincoln shows a steadydevelopment  and strengthening of the studentbase during  the last  six  years of  recruitment.This steady rise in recruitment figures could beseen  as  a  consequence  of  the  contemporarypopularity of computer gaming, and reflects anincreasing interest by potential undergraduatesin  the  games  computing  field.  It  has  alsoprovided  positive  feedback  to  the  staffevolving the degree.THE  CHALLENGES  OF  MAPPINGPROVISION  TO  INDUSTRIALREQUIREMENTSOne of  the  aims  of  a  provider  of  universityundergraduate awards in any field, is to deliverrelevant  programmes  of  study  which  areresponsive and  reflective of  the needs  of  theindustries  into  which  the graduates  progress.The games computing industry is no differentin this respect. It does, however, pose its ownunique  challenges  to  the  developers  anddeliverers  of  undergraduate  awards  in  thisarea. Among  the  defining  characteristics  of  acomputer game product is the recognition thatit  is  a  synergistic  combination  of  creativedesign  effort  and  software  developmentprocesses. This characteristic is reflected in thedefinition of the IGDA Curriculum Framework‘core topics’ (see Figure 2).  Practitioners andacademics have defined these topic areas as alist of general areas relevant to the constructionof  a  game-related  curriculum.  Asacknowledged in the Framework document, nosingle curriculum can apply to all institutionsdelivering  courses  in  this  field;  rather,  eachinstitution  will  interpret  and  apply  its  ownresources  to  their  course  development  withinthe guidance of the Framework. Critical game studiesGames and societyGame designGame programmingVisual designAudio designInteractive storytellingGame productionBusiness of gamingFigure 2: IGDA Curriculum Framework coretopicsThe  faculty  or  department  that  develops  anundergraduate  programme  in  this  field  willnaturally utilize the talent and expertise, whichare  contained  within  its  academic  body.Faculties of art and design, for example, mayinterpret  and  implement  an  undergraduategames development programme in a differentway to  more technology-oriented faculties  ofcomputing or computer science.   The application of a guiding framework to anundergraduate  degree  programme  can  beenabling in  that  it  can provide an amount oflegitimacy and focus to the content. It can givestudents clear and transparent direction to theirstudies  and  their  approaches  to  potentialemployers upon graduation. When developingor  revising  a  programme  of  study,  multipleframeworks may be referred to in the process.Guidelines  such  as  the  accreditationframework  of  the  British  Computer  Society(BCS, 2004) can be equally applied to gamesdevelopment  related  programmes,  and  canindeed be complementary to an industry sectorspecific  set  of  guidelines,  such  as  the IGDACurriculum  Framework.  Recent  workcommissioned  by  the  Entertainment  andLeisure  Software  Publishers  Association(Steele  et  al,  2004)  seeks  to  further  thedevelopment of  curriculum guidelines  and tointroduce  the  possibility  of  industry  ledaccreditation for programmes of study.Inspection  of  the  IGDA  CurriculumFrameworks core topics reveals that not onlyare  the  creative  and  aesthetic  topic  areas  ofcomputer game development ideally addressedby a programme of  study,  but  that  the moredisciplined and structured elements of softwaredevelopment  and  software  engineeringprinciples  should  also  be  considered.  It  isevident  from  the  IGDA  CurriculumFramework  that  the  games  industry  requireseffective software engineering principles to bea core skill of any games related graduate. Theuse  of  software  engineering  processes  in  thegame  development  cycle  often  ensures  thatgames  developers  are  able  to  learn  frommistakes  in  previous  developments  (Rollingsand Morris, 2000). Rollings and Morris go onto  offer  a  detailed  argument  and  case  studymaterial to support this statement. The  evolution  of  Games  Computingprogramme  at  Lincoln  has  been  one  thatreflects  this  need  for  software  engineeringpractice. With these factors in mind curriculumdevelopment  is  ongoing,  and  seeking  toidentify  and  apply  effective  pedagogicprinciples  that  incorporate  creative  practicealong  with  traditional  software  engineeringprinciples.  This has led to new developmentsin interdisciplinary research by staff  from theFaculty  of  Applied  Computing  Sciences  andthe School of Architecture at the University ofLincoln (O'Coill and Doughty, 2004; Rank etal.,  2004).  This  research  is  continuing  toexplore and take advantage of the applicationof  computer  game  technologies  toparticipatory  design  within  community basedarchitecture projects.CONCLUSION The  key  requisite  of  any  university  basedcomputer  game  development  programme  isthat it  has  relevance and responsiveness.  Thegame industry has evolved rapidly during thelast twelve years, and as a result demands forgraduates with specialist knowledge and skillsin the games computing field has raised. Thedevelopment  of  university-based  coursesdelivered by computing, media and technologybased faculties has taken place in line with thisindustry expansion. Rather than relying purelyon  graduates  from generic  disciplines  of,  forexample,  computer  science,  physics  andmathematics, the industry can now select fromspecialist  graduates  from  games  relatedprogrammes.One key aspect  of  the games industry  whichneeds to  be  reflected  in  the university  basededucational programmes is the combination ofcreative and innovative thinking along with theapplication of structured software developmentpractices. This aspect is one, which is reflectedby  the  IGDA  Curriculum  Frameworkguidelines,  and  one  that  is  central  to  thedevelopment  of  the  computer  gamesprogramme at the University of Lincoln. REFERENCESBritish Computer Society, 2004 Guidelines onCourse  Accreditation  and  Exemptionhttp://www.bcs.org/BCS/Products/HEAccreditation/courseguidelines.htmDFC  Intelligence.  2004.  The  Business  ofComputer  and  Video  Games  2004.www.dfcint.comSteele,  B.,  Parry,  P.,  Marshall,  I.,  “ProposedAccreditation  Scheme for  University  CoursesDelivering  Learning  for  the  EntertainmentSoftware  Industry”  ELSPA  Working  Paper,version 1, Feb, 2004.Spectrum  Strategy  Consultants.  2002.  FromExuberant  Youth  to  Sustainable  Maturity:Competitive  Analysis  of  the  UK  GamesSoftware  Sector  Department  for  Trade  andIndustry.IGDA  Education  Committee.  2003.  IGDACurriculum Framework: The Studies of Gamesand  Game  Development,  v2.3beta.www.igda.org/academiaO'Coill,  C.,  Doughty,  M.  2004.  “ComputerGame Technology as a Tool for ParticipatoryDesign”.  In  Proceedings  of  eCAADe,September 15 – 18, Copenhagen, 2004.Rank, S., O’Coill, C., Boldyreff, C., Doughty,M. 2004. “Software, Architecture and Partici-patory Design.”  In  Proceedings of  SIGSOFT2004/FSE-12  Workshop  on  InterdisicplinarySoftware Engineering Research (WISER2004),November 5, 2004. 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Computer game development education at university

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Computer game development education at university

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