Game Engine

In recent years, the computer gaming industry has become a large and important market and impressive amounts of money are spent on the development of new game engines. In contrast to their development costs, the price for the final product is very low compared to a professional 3D visualization/animation program. The idea to use this potential for other purposes than gaming seems obvious. This work gives a review on three Serious Gamingprojects, analyzes the encountered problems in a greater context and reflects the pros and cons of using game engines for scientific applications in general.

Prior research (Bates 2005, 2007, et al.) has indicated that the rhetorical construction of identity not only exists online, but also that the rhetorical identities have combined to form associations with other identities. Those associations and identities are what Burke would term a “ ...

The 'traditional' construction industry has constantly been challenged to improve its inherent problematic practices. Offsite production (OSP), under the umbrella of modern methods of construction (MMC), has been acknowledged as a means to help improve construction industry performance as well as meet new market demands through the provision of improved, adaptable, and sustainable buildings. However, the deployment of OSP systems, if not managed properly, may adversely affect the end result and be counterproductive. It is therefore imperative that the construction industry stakeholders learn and appreciate the specifics, merits, as well as the risks associated with OSP systems in order to achieve the desired outcomes and consequently improve industry performance.

074 0 -74 5 9 / 11/ $ 2 6 . 0 0 © 2 0 11 I E E E SOFTWARE REUSE and family-based production strategies, including software product lines (SPLs), 1 make software engineering more effective and productive. Such strategies let software designers and engineers analyze and implement systems collectively rather than separately, automating more of the software life cycle through reusable domain assets such as application blocks, frameworks, patterns, domainspecific languages (DSLs), generators, and tools.

One of the greatest challenges in the design of realistic Artificial Intelligence (AI) in computer games is agent movement. Pathfinding strategies are usually employed as the core of any AI movement system. This paper examines pathfinding algorithms used presently in games and details their shortcomings. These shortcomings are particularly apparent when pathfinding must be carried out in real-time in dynamic

The emerging cloud gaming service has been growing rapidly, but not yet able to reach mobile customers due to many limitations, such as bandwidth and latency. We introduce a 3D image warping assisted real-time video coding method that can potentially meet all the requirements of mobile cloud gaming. The proposed video encoder selects a set of key frames in the video sequence, uses the 3D image warping algorithm to interpolate other non-key frames, and encodes the key frames and the residues frames with an H. ...

Serious games represent the state-of-the-art in the convergence of electronic gaming technologies with instructional design principles and pedagogies. Despite the value of high-fidelity content in engaging learners and providing realistic training environments, building games which deliver high levels of visual and functional realism is a complex, time consuming and expensive process. Therefore, commercial game engines, which provide a development environment and resources to more rapidly create high-fidelity virtual worlds, are increasingly used for serious as well as for entertainment applications. Towards this intention, the authors propose a new framework for the selection of game engines for serious applications and sets out five elements for analysis of engines in order to create a benchmarking approach to the validation of game engine selection. Selection criteria for game engines and the choice of platform for Serious Games are substantially different from entertainment games, as Serious Games have very different objectives, emphases and technical requirements. In particular, the convergence of training simulators with serious games, made possible by increasing hardware rendering capacity is enabling the creation of high-fidelity serious games, which challenge existing instructional approaches. This paper overviews several game engines that are suitable for high-fidelity serious games, using the proposed framework.

We introduce a novel approach to the creation of Virtual Reality Art installations, which supports the design of alternative worlds, in which laws of Physics can be redefined to induce new user experiences. To implement this concept of "Alternative Reality", we have used Artificial Intelligence techniques to support the definition of the virtual environment behaviour, an approach inspired by Qualitative Reasoning systems. Besides the redefinition of physical laws, we have developed mechanisms for eliciting causal relations between events, as causality plays an important part in users' perception of virtual worlds. Our pilot installation is a CAVE TM -like system incorporating a state-of-theart computer game engine as visualisation software, which hasbeen ported to this immersive display. The event-based system underlying the game engine is used to bypass the native Physics engine and replace it with our Alternative Reality software. A first prototype has been fully implemented, the Alternative Reality modules totaling over 100,000 lines of C++ code. We present early results obtained with this approach, illustrated with examples taken from two artistic briefs, developed by digital artists associated to this research.

Abstract Nowadays, increasing number of game engines are being developed for mobile platforms. As game engines developed for mobile platforms are small scale compared to console and desktop alternatives, game engine development in mobile platforms uses basic software development methods. However, as mobile platforms enhance and development of more complex games become possible, basic development methods will not scale well for advanced game development requirements. This paper examines design of a mobile ...

In this paper we describe our research using a multi-user virtual environment, Quest Atlantis, to embed fourth grade students in an aquatic habitat simulation. Specifically targeted towards engaging students in a rich inquiry investigation, we layered a socio-scientific narrative and an interactive rule set into a multi-user virtual environment gaming engine to establish a virtual world through which students learned about science inquiry, water quality concepts, and the challenges in balancing scientific and socio-economic factors. Overall, students were clearly engaged, participated in rich scientific discourse, submitted quality work, and learned science content. Further, through participation in this narrative, students developed a rich perceptual, conceptual, and ethical understanding of science. This study suggests that multi-user virtual worlds can be effectively leveraged to support academic content learning.

W hat is it that all game engines and visual simulation tools have in common? A lot, as it turns out. In fact, game engines have so much in common that you have to wonder if they should actually be a commodity-and they should be. That advanced feature that makes one game engine different from all the rest is part of the reason why game engines and visual simulation tools cost so much. Furthermore, most game engines have a unique development pipeline associated with them. The way content is developed and integrated is specific to that engine, implying limited (if any) portability and reuse. This business model is perfectly appropriate for the entertainment industry where having the latest graphics features can make or break a title, but to the training community, the model simply does not work. We need to think differently.

Serious games are about to enter the medical sector to give people with behavioural or addictive disorders the ability to use them as part of health promotion and disease prevention. The PlayMancer framework will support physical rehabilitations and psycho-education programs thru a modular multiplayer networked 3D game based on the Universally Accessible Games (UA games) guidelines.

We introduce a novel approach to the creation of Virtual Reality Art installations, which supports the design of alternative worlds, in which laws of Physics can be redefined to induce new user experiences. To implement this concept of "Alternative Reality", we have used Artificial Intelligence techniques to support the definition of the virtual environment behaviour, an approach inspired by Qualitative Reasoning systems. Besides the redefinition of physical laws, we have developed mechanisms for eliciting causal relations between events, as causality plays an important part in users' perception of virtual worlds. Our pilot installation is a CAVE TM -like system incorporating a state-of-theart computer game engine as visualisation software, which hasbeen ported to this immersive display. The event-based system underlying the game engine is used to bypass the native Physics engine and replace it with our Alternative Reality software. A first prototype has been fully implemented, the Alternative Reality modules totaling over 100,000 lines of C++ code. We present early results obtained with this approach, illustrated with examples taken from two artistic briefs, developed by digital artists associated to this research.

Blender can be used as a 3D scene modeler, editor, animator, renderer and Game Engine. This paper describes how it can be linked to a 3D sound plat- form working within the CLAM framework, making special emphasis on a specic application: the re- cently launched Yo Frankie! open content game for the Blender Game Engine. The game was hacked to

Emergent game formats, such as machinima, that use game worlds as expressive 3D performance spaces have new expressive powers with an increase of the quality of their underlying graphic and animation systems. Nevertheless, they still lack intuitive control mechanisms. Set direction and acting are limited by tools that were designed to create and play video games rather than produce expressive performance pieces. These tools do a poor job of capturing the performative expression that characterizes more mature media such as film. Tangible interfaces can help open up the game systems for more intuitive character control needed for a greater level of expression in the digital real-time world.

The D.I.S.C.E.L. is largely explained by the technology watch carried out by two PhD students from the University of Paris VI in 2010; link: http://www.mlfcham.com/v1/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=331&Itemid=552

The attached study positions our project in relation to the various research carried out in particular in the United States. It shows its complementarity via the innovative concept SPDF (Standard Process Description Format) created by the author of this article.

This work reports results obtained with the use of a game engine as a tool to create and to navigate in virtual environments, to perform simulations and training of workers in risky areas, for safety purposes. The game engine used can be used for non-commercial and educational purposes, and its source code is available for users. Thus, the engine can be modified and adapted for the modeling and simulation of any environment, including the development of new functionalities. A case study is shown, which has the purpose of supporting dose assessment in nuclear plants, for optimization of operational routines in these areas. The implemented modifications are explained, and simulations' results are shown.

Courtroom environments, which have been one of the last bastions of the oral tradition, are slowly morphing into cinematic display environments [1]. The persuasive oral rhetoric of lawyers is increasingly being replaced by compelling visual media displays presenting a range of digital evidence in a convincing and credible manner [2,3].There are a number of fundamental implications inherent in the shift from oral to visual mediation and a number of facets of this modern evidence presentation technology need to be investigated and analysed. Recently, a number of courtrooms around the world have seen the presentation of forensic evidence within reconstructed virtual environments powered by real-time game engines.At first glance, these graphical reconstructions may be seen as potentially useful in many courtroom situations, and they are often treated like any other form of digital evidence regarding their admissibility [4]. However, perhaps this specific form of digital media warrants special care and attention due to its inherently persuasive nature, and the undue reliance that the viewer may place on the evidence presented through a visualisation medium [5,6].This paper describes a range of examples of where evidence has been presented in courtrooms using video games technology (particularly forensic animation and virtual crime scene reconstructions) (The author acted as an expert witness in all of the cases discussed, responsible for the preparation of the virtual reconstructions used as case studies in this paper. Most of the work was undertaken through the author’s own company in the UK, Aims Solutions Ltd., ). The paper then describes experiments undertaken to assess the impact of the technology on jurors and describes some of the issues raised by the results. The paper concludes with a discussion of the potential benefits and problems of implementing this technology in courtroom settings.

In this and the associated article 'BioBlender: A Software for Intuitive Representation of Surface Properties of Biomolecules', (Andrei et al) we present BioBlender as a complete instrument for the elaboration of motion (here) and the visualization (Andrei et al) of proteins and other macromolecules, using instruments of computer graphics. A vast number of protein (if not most) exert their function through some extent of motion. Despite recent advances in higly performant methods, it is very difficult to obtain direct information on conformational changes of molecules. However, several systems exist that can shed some light on the variability of conformations of a single peptide chain; among them, NMR methods provide collections of a number of static 'shots' of a moving protein. Starting from this data, and assuming that if a protein exists in more than 1 conformation it must be able to transit between the different states, we have elaborated a system that makes ample use of the computational power of 3D computer graphics technology. Considering information of all (heavy) atoms, we use animation and game engine of Blender to obtain transition states. The model we chose to elaborate our system is Calmodulin, a protein favorite among structural and dynamic studies due to its (relative) simplicity of structure and small dimension. Using Calmodulin we show a procedure that enables the building of a 'navigation map' of NMR models, that can help in the identification of movements. In the process, a number of intermediate conformations is generated, all of which respond to strict bio-physical and bio-chemical criteria. The BioBlender system is available for download from the website www.bioblender.net, together with examples, tutorial and other useful material.

Teaching fundamental programming to freshmen is a hard task to be performed, given the high level of abstraction and logical reasoning that are required for these students to develop in a very early stage of their course. This paper presents a discussion about this topic, along with a case study where computer games are meant to be developed by students in a first programming course, through the use of a game engine which allow students to develop fundamental programming skills without having to learn syntax and idiosyncrasies of any programming language.

In the context of urban redesign and public participation, this research project is investigating whether active exploration of a desktop virtual model of an urban environment leads to better understanding and perception than passive observation of a walkthrough of that same model. The results from the experimental study will potentially have implications for how architects and planners present their design ideas to clients and the public in the future. This paper also provides an overview of a methodology used to design, programme and enable a fully interactive virtual model of an existing built environment using the Unreal Runtime engine. The method emerged from a study of heritage values within the built environment, which included an assessment of the heritage values associated with the tradition of timber grass-roofed buildings and narrow passageways that make up the old town centre of Torshavn known as Tinganes.

Blender can be used as a 3D scene modeler, editor, animator, renderer and Game Engine. This paper describes how it can be linked to a 3D sound plat- form working within the CLAM framework, making special emphasis on a specic application: the re- cently launched Yo Frankie! open content game for the Blender Game Engine. The game was hacked to

Many games, in particular RTS games, are populated by synthetic humanoid actors that act as autonomous agents. The navigation of these agents is yet a challenge if the problem involves finding a precise route in a virtual world (path-planning), and moving realistically according to its own personality, intentions and mood (motion planning). In this paper we present several complementary approaches recently developed by our group to produce quality paths, and to guide and interact with the navigation of autonomous agents. Our approach is based on a BVP Path Planner that generates potential fields through a differential equation whose gradient descent represents navigation routes. Resulting paths can deal with moving obstacles, are smooth, and free from local minima. In order to evaluate the algorithms, we implemented our path planner in a RTS game engine.

Blender can be used as a 3D scene modeler, editor, animator, renderer and Game Engine. This paper describes how it can be linked to a 3D sound plat- form working within the CLAM framework, making special emphasis on a specic application: the re- cently launched Yo Frankie! open content game for the Blender Game Engine. The game was hacked to

This paper explores the synergies between geography, GIScience and serious gaming. From a skills-based rather than issues-based direction, the work highlights opportunities for using games engines for the development of fieldwork preparation tools. Our emphasis lies with exploring the contention that games can foster associative learning. Specifically, we evaluate the role that presence may play in realizing this goal.

On-the-job-training (OJT) is usually sought to facilitate 'experiential' learning, which is argued to be particularly effective in complex tasks, where a great deal of independence is granted to the task performer. However, OJT has been criticised for being expensive, limited, and sometimes devoid of the actual training context. In order to address the problems encountered with OJT, a virtual reality (VR) solution has been proposed to provide a risk-free environment for learning without the 'do-or-die' consequences often faced on real construction projects. The proffered solution provides a unique VR environment for practicing new working conditions associated with offsite production (OSP) practices. While the 'scenes' of the simulator take place on a construction site, the environment predominantly targets professionals, such as project managers, construction managers, architects, designers, suppliers and manufacturers, etc. The VR environment enables unforeseen problems often caused by professionals' decisions, faulty work, and health and safety issues to occur; and the implications of which can be evaluated in respect of time, cost and resources. The VR environment does not aim to resolve problems associated with OSP per se, rather aims to allow 'things to go wrong' and consequently allows users to 'experience' the resulting implications; and furthermore, to reflect on those implications as part of the learning process. This prototype was tested and validated with domain experts from industry, the research community, and academia.

Nothing replaces the importance of the sweat, blood and tears of a live simulated training experience in which all your senses (visual, audio, haptic, olfactory, gastronomy, etc.) play into a physical, mental and emotional life-and- death scenario in a fully three dimensional, real-time world. When Virtual Reality is provided as an alternative, it can pale in comparison, as it is

In this paper, we propose a documental approach to the development of graphical adventure videogames. This approach is oriented to the production and maintenance of adventure videogames using the game's storyboard as the key development element. The videogame storyboard is marked up with a suitable domain-specific descriptive markup language, from which the different art assets needed are referred, and then the final executable videogame itself is automatically produced by processing the marked storyboard with a suitable processor for such a language. This document-oriented approach opens new authoring possibilities in videogame development and allows a rational collaboration between the different communities that participate in the development process: game writers, artists and programmers. We have implemented the approach in the context of the <e-Game> project, by defining a suitable markup language for the storyboards (the <e-Game> language) and by building a suitable processor for this language (the <e-Game> engine).

This paper presents the results of an evaluation of a propagation model based on ray-tracing techniques using a game engine and Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) in outdoor scenarios, as a gap-filler for a Digital Video Broadcasting Handheld (DVB-H) service. This model involves complete identification of the parameters of wave propagation, multipath components between the transmitter and the receiver as attenuation, time delay of arrival (TDA), full polarimetric transmission matrix, direction of arrival DoA and the direction of departure DoD. In the paper, we present the results of the simulation and compare them with measurements, obtaining a satisfactory fit.

Today serious games, i.e. software applications developed with game technology and design principles for a primary purpose other than pure entertainment, include games used for educational, persuasive, pedagogical, political, or health and training purposes. This paper describes the work-in-progress development of an interactive 3D training application generated using components of the Unreal game engine that facilitate the learning of various fundamental coaching methods via the interactive completion of a variety of interrelated tasks. Apart from highlighting the contribution and innovation of this approach, a synopsis of the coach training content of the serious game and its purpose is also presented here, as well as an architecture overview of the implementation of the prototype application. Finally, future directions for the completion and evaluation of this serious game are also discussed.

Courtroom environments, which have been one of the last bastions of the oral tradition, are slowly morphing into cinematic display environments [1]. The persuasive oral rhetoric of lawyers is increasingly being replaced by compelling visual media displays presenting a range of digital evidence in a convincing and credible manner [2,3].There are a number of fundamental implications inherent in the shift

I n entertainment applications, artificial intelligence techniques have most often been used to implement embodied agents or to automatically generate artistic content. A more recent development concerns using AI to support the user experience through new AI-based interactivity techniques. This is especially of interest for the development of artistic installations based on interactive 3D worlds. 1-4 A major difficulty in developing such installations is to properly translate the artistic intention into actual elements of interactivity, which in turn determine the user experience.

The development of virtual reality (VR) art installations is faced with considerable difficulties, especially when one wishes to explore complex notions related to user interaction. We describe the development of a VR platform, which supports the development of such installations, from an art+science perspective. The system is based on a CAVE TMlike immersive display using a game engine to support visualisation and interaction, which has been adapted for stereoscopic visualisation and real-time tracking. In addition, some architectural elements of game engines, such as their reliance on event-based systems have been used to support the principled definition of alternative laws of Physics. We illustrate this research through the development of a fully implemented artistic brief that explores the notion of causality in a virtual environment. After describing the hardware architecture supporting immersive visualisation we show how causality can be redefined using artificial intelligence technologies inspired from action representation in planning and how this symbolic definition of behaviour can support new forms of user experience in VR. r

We have implemented a simulation of the cat visual system that is based on the research of neuroscientists ]. The purpose of our simulation is to illustrate four of the major differences between the cat and human visual systems, and to map those contrasts into a space that can be readily observed by humans. Three of the four effects are achieved using fragment shaders, and can be applied as post processes to a game engine or to a live video feed in real time, provided that enough information about the scene is available. We also developed Catalyst, an educational game that teaches the player about how their vision differs from that of a cat. The tasks included in Catalyst require the player to switch between the two visual systems, thus emphasizing the contrasts between them.

ABSTRACT In this paper we present a semester-long study on using smart phone devices in computer science engineering education. We developed Sortko, an Android smart phone application, which helps students in learning sorting algorithms, an important undergraduate computer science topic. The application consists of four main components - the module for interactive sorting, the scaffolding module, the motivational module and the graphical user interface module, each with a distinct role of helping students in learning sorting algorithms. Our research methodology included data collection in which we administered two surveys, collected exam and usage results. Analysis of the collected data shows our approach is an effective way of learning sorting algorithms.

Rapid advances in consumer electronics have led to the anomaly that consumer off the shelf (COTS) gaming hardware and software now provide better interactive graphics than military and other specialized systems costing orders of magnitude more. UTSAF is bridging software written to take advantage of the power of gaming systems by allowing them to participate in distributed simulations with military simulators such as OneSAF which use the DIS protocol. UTSAF parses DIS PDUs and uses the information gained to control entities within the Unreal game engine using the Game-Bots modification. This paper describes the advantages of game engine based simulation and the UTSAF bridging and control architecture. Our main contribution is to build a simulation bridge that enables affordable highquality 3-D viewers for military simulations.

Virtual reality (VR) technology opens a vast opportunity to be applied in the field of education. This paper is based on a research that has been carried out upon the problems faced by students and teachers in the conventional science education. The “Virtual Physics Lab ” and the “Virtual Chemistry Lab ” propose a new method of assisting present teaching aids. The cost, materials, energy, and time issues are among the elements taken into consideration in this research. Elementary research methodologies, gathering information, prototype design and development and testing, information analysis and documentaries are the steps engaged to accomplishing the main research objectives. A 3D Game Engine is used as the tool to develop the prototype system.

As procedural content becomes a more appealing option for game development, procedurally determined context is necessary to structure and make sense of this content. We find that a useful means to structure content in 3D games is the quest. The task of generating necessary context then becomes one of quest generation. This paper describes how we implemented a basic quest generator based on key and lock puzzles into a procedural game world. It uses notion of quest as spatial progression and discusses the design of the game world and how our quest generator connects to it. Its findings are twofold: on the technical level we managed to implement a highly flexible content and context generator into an existing game engine; one the content level we can trace signs for higher player interest in quest-enhanced procedural game worlds in comparison to unstructured spaces.

In this paper we present enJine, an open-source didactic game engine, its architecture and some results of applying it as a support tool for teaching Computer Graphics in a computer engineering course. The evolution of the engine's requisites and architecture is discussed, as well as the plans for future development of the software.

In this paper, we propose three different ways of using IMS Learning Design to support online adaptive learning modules that include educational videogames. The first approach relies on IMS LD to support adaptation procedures where the educational games are considered as Learning Objects. These games can be included instead of traditional content to adapt the learning experience to the preferences of the student. In the second approach, the game engine supports the entire adaptation cycle, simply using IMS LD as a delivery mechanism for the packages containing the games. The learner profile is used to adapt the game, and the activity within the game is used to adjust the profile. Finally, the third approach stands between the other two, using IMS LD to model the general adaptation guidelines and then refining the adaptation inside the games. We illustrate these approaches with the <e-Adventure> educational game engine, which includes the mechanisms required to support these adaptation cycles.

This paper presents a game-model of a gym training system, where the behavior of the system is specified using languages developed originally for reactive system design, which drive a game engine. The approach makes it possible to describe behaviors of different parts of the system using different reactive system design languages and tools. It thus provides a framework for integrating the model behavior to obtain an executable game-model of the entire system. Among the advantages of this approach is the ability to use existing analysis tools to understand the game behavior at design time and run time, the ability to easily modify the behavior, and the use of visual languages to allow various stakeholders to be involved in early stages of building the game. Finally, we suggest integrating future games and game design methods into the emerging field of biological modeling, to which reactive system design has recently been successfully applied.

This paper presents a game-model of a gym training system, where the behavior of the system is specified using languages developed originally for reactive system design, which drive a game engine. The approach makes it possible to describe behaviors of different parts of the system using different reactive system design languages and tools. It thus provides a framework for integrating the model behavior to obtain an executable game-model of the entire system. Among the advantages of this approach is the ability to use existing analysis tools to understand the game behavior at design time and run time, the ability to easily modify the behavior, and the use of visual languages to allow various stakeholders to be involved in early stages of building the game. Finally, we suggest integrating future games and game design methods into the emerging field of biological modeling, to which reactive system design has recently been successfully applied.