Emília Pietriková is an associate professor in the Department of Computers and Informatics, Technical University of Košice (TUKE), Slovakia. She received her MSc and Ph.D. in Informatics from TUKE in 2010 and 2014, respectively. The subject of her research is source code analysis, programming techniques, computer game design and development, and quality of higher education.
Computer games and, of course, the development associated with them have been in the spotlight for many years; recently, also with technologies, such as virtual reality or extended reality. The main part of this chapter presents the classification of collaborative XR systems, the concept of the major application architectures and the consistency models of shared virtual game environments. The next subchapter briefly deals with the sharing of property ownership. The mentioned concepts and examples used in the chapter are implemented in many works and projects using a collaborative environment (also in gamified form) developed in the laboratory LIRKIS, the home laboratory of the authors. The knowledge presented in this chapter may provide tips and inspiration for some other game projects, and practical and useful notes on the advantages or disadvantages of some systems will be interesting and useful.
Part of the book: Computer Game Development
The following chapter presents an experience with academic education in computer games design and development based on game theory, emphasizing iterative development, rapid (paper) prototyping, and game testing. We demonstrate and comment on various educational activities focused on game testing, describing them in steps and including benefits and motivation. Iteration of card game rules, design of a board game, design of a computer game with a paper prototype, and testing of early-access games are supplemented with students’ practical outputs in both text and graphical form. The results include feedback in the testing forms: Focus Groups, Playtesting, Usability Testing, and Quality Assurance.
Part of the book: Game Theory
This chapter explores the essential role of game and graphics rendering engines in creating computer games and their applications in education. Starting with a brief discussion on the importance of visualization in game development, we analyze popular game engines, including CryEngine, Irrlicht, Unreal Engine, Unity, and Godot, and graphics rendering engines (cores), including OpenSceneGraph (OSG) and Object-Oriented Graphics Rendering Engine (OGRE). Each engine’s unique features and pedagogical potentials are discussed, with emphasis on Unity, Godot, and Unreal Engine’s interactive and step-by-step tutorials. This analysis reflects the adaptability of game engines to different teaching styles and provides insights into their effectiveness as tools for teaching game development and computer science. The chapter aims to highlight game engines’ role in game creation and education by exploring these topics.
Part of the book: Computer Science for Game Development and Game Development for Computer Science