Motivating Engineering Mathematics Education with Game Analysis Metrics

In this paper, I develop a system for computational analysis of games that uses scoring functions to motivate engineering mathematics education.Although many modern videogames have abandoned points as an archaic form of representing victory (or defeat) conditions, scoring can help represent a game as a dynamic simulation.The paper derives a functional mathematical relationship between temporal game state and score, which provides a foundation for addressing computational issues of games.Scoring functions can provide analytical tools for game analysis by measuring continuous and discrete game state.These tools may assist with game design, analysis, and balancing.Linking game creation with computational analysis could provide an excellent context to integrate mathematics at early stages of education.Moreover, the addition of theory might attract more engineering educators to provide rigor to the emerging academic field of game design.The paper concludes with proposed research into classes of scoring functions.If certain genres of games and difficulty levels yield similar scoring functions, concepts of topology could further connect education of engineering mathematics theory with game design and analysis.