“A game _is_ an OS, why we use C++”
Wednesday, March 05, 2014 – 5:00pm
DBH 6011, Building 314
http://today.uci.edu/pdf/UCI_
No cost to attend – Open to the public
Seating is on a first-come, first –served
Abstract: Large-scale online computer games, whether as massively multiplayer online games, or single player/small group games embedded in global social media platforms, are complex software systems. The continuing development and ongoing sustaining evolution of such games and their run-time environments is a substantial challenge in software engineering. Different software architectures, architectural styles, data repositories, and middleware libraries/components are must be designed, integrated, deployed, and upgraded in the field through carefully crafted processes. Such processes must often be repeatable, yet readily tailored to different game platforms, marketing campaigns, expansion packs, or play experiences. Critical technical choices also center on which software technologies to utilize along the way, and which gaming platforms to support, as well as how such choices simplify or complicate ongoing game development. This Panel will engage in discussion and debate over the kinds of challenges, choices, and consequences that arise in the production of large-scale computer game systems and play experiences.
About the Panelists:
Ben Deane has been in the games industry for 19 years. On his first project he was given the task of writing the network game; he’s been a network game programmer ever since.
Tim Ford has worked as a gameplay, animation and AI engineer for over a decade. Before joining Blizzard in 2009, he’s worked at Treyarch and Electronic Arts Los Angeles.
Paul Foster is a 20+ year veteran of the game industry and has worked on both hardware and software platforms. Before coming to Blizzard he ran a mobile game company he founded in 2002.
Cristina Lopes is a Professor of Informatics in the School of Information and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. Her research focuses on software engineering for large-scale data and systems. Early in her career, she was a founding member of the team at Xerox PARC that developed Aspect-Oriented Programming. Along with her research program, she is a prolific software developer. Her open source contributions include being one of the core developers of OpenSimulator, a virtual world server. She is also a founder of Encitra, a company specializing in online virtual reality for early-stage sustainable urban redevelopment projects.
Walt Scacchi is Research Director at the IVECG, he has been involved in large-scale software engineering since 1981 and computer game R&D since 2000, and most recently produced the development of a free, online music game learning environment for the San Francisco Symphony.