Learning Programming with an RTS-Based Serious Game

Abstract

This paper presents a prototype of a Serious Game that aims to entice gamers to learn computer programming by using a multiplayer real time strategy game (RTS). In this type of game, a player gives orders to his/her units to carry out operations (i.e. moving, building, and so forth). Typically, these instructions are given by clicking on a map with the mouse. The goal of this project is to encourage players to give these orders through programming. This game is intended for computer science students in higher education and can be used across both university and professional curricula. The programming languages used are C or C++.

Measuring Cognitive Load Using In-Game Metrics of a Serious Simulation Game

“…This idle phase lasts until the first emergency personnel are ready to take up a new task (beginning of the burst phase of the new action block). This theoretical approach can be applied to a range of different learning scenarios that can be found in (game-based) simulations where tasks have to be prioritized and teams/resources to be managed, e.g., utilizing elements of (real-time) strategy games for training managerial skills (Simons et al, 2020), computer programming (Muratet et al, 2009), or mathematics problem solving (Hernández-Sabaté et al, 2016). Initial TADD.…”

Playable Serious Games for Studying and Programming Computational Stem and Informatics Applications of Distributed and Parallel Computer Architectures

“…Nevertheless, there is abundant extant research in using playable games in teaching and learning computer programming and other computer science topics (Hainey, 2009;Kiili, 2005;Moser, 1997;Overmars, 2004;Phelps, Egert, & Bayliss, 2009;Shabalina, Vorobkalov, Kataev, & Tarasenko, 2008;Slator, Hill, & Del Val, 2004;Sung, 2009;Valentine, 2005;Wang & Hu, 2011;Wang & Wu, 2011;Wolz, Barnes, Parberry, & Wick, 2006). According to the prevalent computer architecture technology, this necessarily meant game-themed, game-based, or game-driven programming of uniprocessor machines, using conventional high level languages (Al-Bow, Austin, Edgington, Fajardo, Fishburn, Lara, et al, 2009;Barnes, Powell, Chaffin, & Lipford, 2008;Bayliss, 2007Bayliss, , 2009Chaffin, 2009;Claypool & Claypool, 2005;Cliburn, 2012;Coelho, Kato, Xavier, & Goncalves, 2011;Depradine, 2011;Gestwicki & Sun, 2008;Haden, 2006;Kazimoglu, Kiernan, Bacon, & MacKinnon, 2011;Leutenegger & Edgington, 2007;Muratet, Torquet, & Jessel, 2008, 2009aMuratet, Torquet, Jessel, & Viallet, 2009b). Examples of such work include teaching and learning to program high level: a) imperative or procedural languages (C, Pascal, Basic); b) object-oriented languages (C++, C#, Java) (Chen & Cheng, 2007;Overmars, 2005;Yan, 2009); c) scripting languages (Python) (Wang, 2009); d) applicative, declarative, functional, and function-style languages; e) domain specific languages (MatLab, Mathematica) …”

Towards a Serious Game to Help Students LearnComputer Programming

“…The integration of the player's code in the engine must be interactive (without stopping the game) in order to maintain the progress and coherence of the game. In some previous works [27] we used an implementation based on a dynamic library. Use of dynamic libraries turned out to be inadaptable to interpreted languages.…”