Module Descriptors
MULTIPLAYER GAMES PROGRAMMING
GDEV50037
Key Facts
Digital, Technology, Innovation and Business
Level 5
20 credits
Contact
Leader: Davin Ward
Email: Davin.Ward@staffs.ac.uk
Hours of Study
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: 48
Independent Study Hours: 152
Total Learning Hours: 200
Pattern of Delivery
- Occurrence A, Stoke Campus, UG Semester 1 to UG Semester 2
- Occurrence B, Stoke Campus, UG Semester 1
Sites
- Stoke Campus
Assessment
- LITERATURE REVIEW - 1800 WORDS weighted at 30%
- MULTIPLAYER GAME FRAMEWORK weighted at 70%
Module Details
MODULE LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Appraise the technologies and techniques used in network programming.
2. Research networking and concurrency techniques used in multiplayer games development.
3. Develop a multithreaded codebase that is able to handle race conditions.
4. Design multiplayer game systems that are synchronised across multiple clients.
2. Research networking and concurrency techniques used in multiplayer games development.
3. Develop a multithreaded codebase that is able to handle race conditions.
4. Design multiplayer game systems that are synchronised across multiple clients.
MODULE ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT DETAILS
Assessment Component 1 – (Learning Outcome 1)
Literature weighted at 30% and consisting of:
- 1800-word literature review focussed on the different networking and concurrency techniques used when creating a network library and a multiplayer game.
Assessment Component 2 – (Learning Outcomes 2, 3 and 4)
Multiplayer Game weighted at 70% and consisting of:
- A multiplayer game and networking library that utilises socket programming and concurrency techniques to handle multiple players over a client/server network architecture.
Literature weighted at 30% and consisting of:
- 1800-word literature review focussed on the different networking and concurrency techniques used when creating a network library and a multiplayer game.
Assessment Component 2 – (Learning Outcomes 2, 3 and 4)
Multiplayer Game weighted at 70% and consisting of:
- A multiplayer game and networking library that utilises socket programming and concurrency techniques to handle multiple players over a client/server network architecture.
MODULE INDICATIVE CONTENT
This module will cover the following topics:
- Concurrency
- Networking architecture
- Optimisation
- OSI and TCP/IP
- Prediction algorithms
- Security
- Serialisation
- Socket programming
- Transport protocols
- Concurrency
- Networking architecture
- Optimisation
- OSI and TCP/IP
- Prediction algorithms
- Security
- Serialisation
- Socket programming
- Transport protocols
WEB DESCRIPTOR
Networking and multiplayer elements are used in most games to connect players together and to allow them to interact and engage within a game world. In this module you will learn how to create a networking library that is able to send complex information over a network, design a multithreaded codebase that is able to run multiple strands of code concurrently and design and develop a multiplayer game.
MODULE LEARNING STRATEGIES
2x 1-hour lectures per week presenting key topics and concepts
2x 2-hour practical tutorial sessions per week, providing assistance and guided learning
2x 2-hour practical tutorial sessions per week, providing assistance and guided learning
MODULE TEXTS
- Glazer, J. and Madhav, S. (2016) Multiplayer game programming : architecting networked games. Boston: Addison-Wesley. ISBN: 978-0134034300
- Engelbrecht, D. (2022) Building multiplayer games in unity : using mirror networking. Place of publication not identified: Apress. ISBN: 978-1484274736
- Engelbrecht, D. (2022) Building multiplayer games in unity : using mirror networking. Place of publication not identified: Apress. ISBN: 978-1484274736
MODULE RESOURCES
- Appropriate IDE (Visual Studio, Rider, etc)
- Windows PC
- Office 365
- Version Control (GitHub, Plastic SCM or equivalent)
- Digital Academy Forum
- Digital Academy Upload
- Windows PC
- Office 365
- Version Control (GitHub, Plastic SCM or equivalent)
- Digital Academy Forum
- Digital Academy Upload