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Page 1: Mobile Gaming and the Zune

Mobile Gaming and the Zune

William Birmingham

ASEE ConferenceJune, 2010

Louisville, KY

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ASEE 2009: SDR 2

Grove City College

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Key points

• Mobile gaming classes are popular and covers many CS areas– Math, physics– Software engineering, UI design– Networking

• Game classes are technically challenging• Zune is a great platform for mobile gaming• Software (Visual Studio and XNA) are free and well designed• Students enjoy using the platform

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Zune HW

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Mobile and Pervasive games

• Important and rapidly growing market• Traditionally owned by specialized hw devices– Sony PSP– Nintendo DS

• Increasingly driven by smartphone– iPhone and iPad– Android

• Becoming a general technology and game play driver for the industry as a whole– Support for (fix) console/mobile gaming coming soon (XNA)

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Gaming and CS education• Uses much of CS student’s education

– Math and physics– Software engineering/project management– Object-oriented design and advanced programming– Real-time programming– Data structures and algorithms– Graphics– UI design– Networking– Projects

• Game design– Building a great experience– Developing multimedia (audio and video assets)

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Gaming and CS education• Most programs based on Windows PC platforms or specialized

engines– Not useful for mobile gaming

• Special hardware (devkits) from Nintendo, Sony– Hard to get (must be licensed)– Expensive– Proprietary programming environments– NDA and other legal issues

• Other platforms, especially smartphones– Still relatively expensive– May have NDA and licensing requirements (e.g., Apple)– May require cellular data contracts

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Gaming curriculum• Games 1

– 2D Gaming (graphics, physics and AI)– Art and craft of creating compelling games– Students create “arcade-style” games– Microsoft XNA and PCs

• Games 2– 3D gaming (graphics, physics)– Camera– Significantly more mathematically complex– AI learning– Students use Agile methods to create sophisticated games– Microsoft XNA and PCs

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Gaming curriculum• Games 3

– Console– Multiplayer

• Multiple cameras• Synchronization issues

– Networked– Game design methods significantly different– Advanced use of multimedia

• FFT data for game play• Using “album art” to populate game

• XNA, Zunes, Xbox 360– Professional devkits available for students who want to use them

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Networking• Significant element of Games 3, particularly for mobile games• XNA provides a gaming abstraction for the network

– Players– Network object– Latency and throughput are controllable

• Explore latency and packet loss issues– “teleporting” vs interpolation

• Game issues– How do you start?– How do you end?– Mechanics of mobile games, screen size and using device on the run

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ABET course outcomes(c) An ability to design, implement, and evaluate a computer-based system, process, component, or program to meet desired need

Students will write specifications for the games they create, with emphasis on good game play and a sophisticated gaming experience. Students will develop games—including code, artwork, sound effects, and music—to realize the specifications.

(i) An ability to use current techniques, skills and tools necessary for computing practice

Students will develop the software for their games for the Microsoft Zune and the Microsoft Xbox 360 using Microsoft XNA 3.1. The Zune games will be implemented in c#. To run their games, students will use the Zune and the Xbox 360 as attached, development hardware. In other words, games will not run on Windows machines, and thus must be loaded and debugged on different hardware. These techniques are common for embedded computer applications, mobile device applications, etc.In addition, students will read papers from the games literature to find the latest techniques and best practices.

(j) An ability to apply mathematical foundations, algorithmic principles, and computer science theory in the modeling and design of computer-based systems in a way that demonstrates comprehension of the tradeoffs involved in design choices

This class will use a significant amount of mathematics and sophisticated algorithms for implementing console games. Physics, collision detection, and AI algorithms, particularly for console applications, rely on good implementations that balance memory usage and speed. Since memory is limited on consoles, and there is little memory management support, memory/speed tradeoffs are important.In addition, students will study the tradeoffs in memory, processing power, and assets storage on different console device, the Zune and Xbox 360. While maintaining a similar programming model, these devices have vastly different performance that directly affects the games that can be run on these devices.

(k) An ability to apply design and development principles in the construction of software systems of varying complexity

Students will need to develop a variety of games, from relatively simple ones for homework assignments, to complex ones for projects. Applying principles of object-oriented design, as well as other techniques, will be important to complete the projects.

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Evaluation

• Used Zune for two classes over two year• Approximately 20 students total• CS Students reported:– Skeptical at first due to form factor (screen and input

devices)– Most end up liking the device– Some do not like it (too limited)– Good experience in networking (but there’re some

problems)– Produced excellent games in about four weeks

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Evaluation

• Zune HD should help with most problems– Increased screen size– Better input modes (especially in a touch-based

world)– Networking seems more reliable

• Students continue to use the device after class– Campus tour– Games

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Curriculum Issues: Support materials• Hardware

– Zune HD• Touch and accelerometer

– Zune 4G, 8G, 16G, 30G, 120 G• Three buttons and an analog “joystick”

• Software– Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 or 2010– Microsoft XNA– Microsoft Creators Club Website

• Starter kits and tutorials• Message board

– Image and audio creation and editing software• Syllabus and course materials available

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Summary• Zune is a capable device for game development

– We’re moving to Zune HD this year• The Zune ecosystem is excellent

– Support for education is excellent– Even supports professional (indie) development– “App” store for game

• Requires minimal investment• Fun and popular

• Willing to share all class materials (syllabuses, projects, homework, exams,…)

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Acknowledgements

• Supported in part by the Grove City College Swezey Fund

• Portions of the work reported here were contributed by Justin Kabonick and Adam Kaufman (GCC CS ‘10)

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