Game Optimization and Steam Publishing for Swarmlake

Information

• Publication Type: Bachelor Thesis
• Workgroup(s)/Project(s):
  • Rendering and Modeling
• Date: October 2018
• Date (Start): 12. April 2017
• Date (End): 29. October 2018
• Matrikelnummer: 1054878
• First Supervisor: Michael Wimmer
• Keywords: computer games

Abstract

Video games are complex pieces of software which require a certain amount of prototyping and iteration to create the intended experience. They are also real-time applications and need to be performant to run at the desired speed. Most software architecture is about creating more flexible code and therefore making fewer assumptions which allow for faster prototyping and iteration time. However, optimizing is all about making assumptions and knowing limitations to be able to improve efficiency. Since optimal optimization is usually more natural to guarantee after making a well-designed game than vice versa, keeping the code flexible until the end is a valid compromise. Knowing game optimization patterns beforehand can be useful to make sure only the least amount of code needs to be rewritten at the end of a game’s development cycle. Successfully selling a product such as a video game also requires marketing and distribution. One of the most influential platform to distribute computer games on PC is Steam. Knowing more about the target platform a game releases on can make it more likely to make the optimal decisions in that process.

Additional Files and Images

Weblinks

• Game on Steam

BibTeX

@bachelorsthesis{GRIESHOFER-2018-GOS,
  title =      "Game Optimization and Steam Publishing for Swarmlake",
  author =     "Dominique Grieshofer",
  year =       "2018",
  abstract =   "Video games are complex pieces of software which require a
               certain amount of prototyping and iteration to create the
               intended experience. They are also real-time applications
               and need to be performant to run at the desired speed. Most
               software architecture is about creating more flexible code
               and therefore making fewer assumptions which allow for
               faster prototyping and iteration time. However, optimizing
               is all about making assumptions and knowing limitations to
               be able to improve efficiency. Since optimal optimization is
               usually more natural to guarantee after making a
               well-designed game than vice versa, keeping the code
               flexible until the end is a valid compromise. Knowing game
               optimization patterns beforehand can be useful to make sure
               only the least amount of code needs to be rewritten at the
               end of a game’s development cycle. Successfully selling a
               product such as a video game also requires marketing and
               distribution. One of the most influential platform to
               distribute computer games on PC is Steam. Knowing more about
               the target platform a game releases on can make it more
               likely to make the optimal decisions in that process.",
  month =      oct,
  address =    "Favoritenstrasse 9-11/E193-02, A-1040 Vienna, Austria",
  school =     "Institute of Computer Graphics and Algorithms, Vienna
               University of Technology ",
  keywords =   "computer games",
  URL =        "https://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/research/publications/2018/GRIESHOFER-2018-GOS/",
}