Suggested Research Report Topics
1. The history and evolution of computer game genres.
2. Similarities and differences between the computer game industry and the
motion picture industry.
3. Comprehensive study of total effort expended creating a single modern
3D game—includes estimates of effort expended creating all of the tools, utilities, and
host software (ie. Compilers, Editors, Operating System) used by the game development team.
4. Shader Technology. How it works, why it's good, what the future holds.
5. Optimizing Scene Graphs. How to get more bang for your rendering buck.
6. High-bandwidth, low-latency networking schemes for real-time applications.
7. Demographics of computer game players and developers.
8. Security vs. Performance: Effective Anti-Cheat measures in Online Games.
9. Study of Online Game World Player Cultures.
10. Comparison of popular MMORPG populations and game play styles.
11. Artificial Intelligence Techniques suitable for use in computer games.
12. Game Realism: What factors have greatest immersive effect (graphics, input devices,
audio, artwork, etc).
13. Mathematical models for vehicle simulations.
14. Establishing mood through sound effects and music.
15. Establishing game "story" using pacing, challenges, and dramatic tension.
16. Social interaction and multi-player games: inside the game; outside the game.
17. The Walter Mitty Factor in computer games.
18. Anonymity and Online Personas: Healthy Escapism or Harmful Posturing?
19. Online game economies.
20. Using Game Engines for industrial, military, and academic applications.
21. Modeling weather and other environmental factors in games: emulation or simulation?
22. Real-time photo-realism in computer games. I want my Holodeck, and I want it now!
23. The future of Independent Game Development. The future of computer games, or a
flash-in-the-pan?
24. Elective topic (prior to working on a topic of your own, you must give the
instructor your title, a brief description and a sample of the references
you will be using. this must be acknowledged by instructor before starting.)