Proceedings of the 2007 Science of Design Symposium

Abstract:
In this paper, we explain the background, research methods, and results of our research relating software design and game design. Specifically, we are investigating the correlation between software design patterns and game design in the context of experimental courses on computer game design and programming. Students are enthusiastic about studying computer games and game programming, and with this strong motivation, they are willing to invest significant time and energy to create high quality software. In our previous experiments, we have confirmed that students can advance their software engineering skills through the correct application of software design patterns. We have also discovered that, as students develop better software architectures, the game designs improve concurrently. Our current research involves the quantitative correlation of these factors. We have defined a set of goals for good software design skills that our students must meet by the end of the experimental courses, and we have developed assessment strategies for measuring the acquisition of these skills. Moreover, we are in the process of developing assessment techniques for game design, and we will observe and measure our students' design skills in terms of both game and software design. We expect to identify the key issues that lead to producing a good game design through software design patterns, and these may well serve as part of the foundation for the science of design.