In the field of game programming, what are some interesting topics?

Question

Brief (unnecessary) background: I am in a graduate school focused on game development, and we have been given an assignment to work on throughout the next term (I have until the end of summer term). We get to choose the topic we would like to focus on and I figured the SO community would know some interesting topics.

Interesting could mean...

• Involves non-trivial solutions to common problems
• Area with lots of different solutions for the same/similar problems
• Area in which new solutions are still being developed or discovered recently
• Anything that someone might specialize in
• Anything you personally think is interesting

This is something that could go on a resume, so take into account...

• Subjects that will interest an interviewer
• Subjects that hiring companies wish entry-level programmers knew, but typically don't know
• Subjects that tend to be weak points of programmers, or of typical college CS curriculum
• Subjects that aren't saturated with other experts on the same subject

Here's some examples (provided by my professor) of possible ideas:

• a survey on pathfinding algorithms
• Compare the issues of deterministic vs asynchronous networking
• Graphics programming (broad; some subset of that)
• Interface programming
• Physics programming
• Customizable player models
• Game server backends
• Traffic/Flocking/Crowd AI
• Memory Management
• Multithreading

But what else beyond these?

Answer 1

The SO community probably does know some interesting topics ... but if you're in grad school focusing on game development, I suspect you know more, and at least know better what would interest you.

How hard do you want to go -- most not-completely-solved problems in computer science are of interest to games. For instance, natural language processing -- making NPCs listen and understand more realistically.

Answer 2

Perhaps Artificial Intelligence (AI) -- creating an AI than can learn, adapt and change to its environment like a real human would.

Answer 3

I found 3d graphics the most interesting and it is an area that is always being worked on. Infact it is one of the only areas of development where all the effort is put into making the computer's life easier rather than the programmer's. Look at the complexity of things as simple as drawing a line, because a multiplication (y = mx + c) is slow on a pc processor there are very complex line drawing algorithms which are more efficient on a pc (but not too a human).

I am not sure how complex you want to go into the math of it, but 3d graphics has a number of really interesting sub sections. The varying approaches to shadowing for example, and when is it appropriate to use which. Removal of polygons and simplification of the model without loss of detail is another. If you want something very current what about a comparison of techniques new to direct x 11. There are many books and sites outlining 3d graphics, get a broad overview then pick a subsection that interests you.

Modelling has a number of interesting sections as well: water, hair, cloth, object interaction etc.

Another interesting topic is networking and management of bad / differing connections, lag management, player dropping etc.

If you do not want to go into heavy math and coding there are also a number of interesting topics such as player management for online servers (how do you keep people happy and having fun), anti cheat policies and detection, interface and level design theory etc A hot topic with the wii, ps eye and natal is actual interaction with the system and what the future could be.

Or you could look at rarely used technology that may have a gaming application, I looked at the rapid generation of digital voices used in text to speech systems, theres great possibility for these in the future but very little research done compared to other gaming sections.

Answer 4

Here's an important problem: How does a game developer regression-test an immersive 3D game?

My wife is developing a 3D adventure, and I've seen her play the same scenes up to 100 times, making sure that updates do not introduce bugs. She doesn't seem to mind, but it drives me crazy :-) There must be important opportunities there.