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IBM Senior IT Architect Veronika Megler recaps the entire game infrastructure design process, delivering a table that lets you find the key design concepts discussed in this five-part article series.
| Stage/Step | Functions/Concepts | Patterns discussed | Article | | Understand how the online game industry works | History, profit margins shape the way things are done | NONE | 1 | | Description of the function of a game infrastructure provider | What providers do | NONE | 1 | | Introduction to using business patterns for development | General description of patterns | ALL | 1 | | Introduction to 8 steps in determining how to choose a pattern | Outline of how to choose the right pattern | ALL | 1 | | Step 1: Developing a high-level business description | Develope a checklist of elements you need | NONE | 1 | | Step 2: Developing an overview of a solution | Use the Step 1 checklist to develop specific courses of action | NONE | 1 | | Diagramming an overview solution | Combine the individual courses of action into a whole | NONE | 1 | | Step 3: Identifying business patterns | General business | Self-Service, User-to-Business, Collaboration, User-to-User, Extended Enterprise, Business-to-Business | 1 | | Step 4: Identifying integration patterns | General integration | Access Integration | 1 | | Step 5: Identifying composite patterns | General composite | Electronic Commerce, Portal, Account Access, Information Aggregation, User-to-Data, Application Integration, Self-Service, Access Integration, Collaboration, Extended Enterprise, web-up, enterprise-out, Runtime | 1 | | Step 6: Identifying application patterns | General application | Portal, single sign-on, Pervasive device access, Directly integrated single channel, Store and Retrieve, Directed Collaboration, Population Crawl and Discovery, Runtime, Self-Service, Extended Enterprise, Electronic Commerce | 1 | | Focus on the game itself | General game concerns | NONE | 2 | | Determine the shape of the game | Game design | Self-Service, Stand-Alone Single Channel, User-to-Business | 2 | | Scale of the game | Access availability | Stand-Alone Single Channel, Non-Functional Requirements, Basic Runtime | 2 | | Steps 7 and 8: Integrating Runtime patterns into a solution | Integrate patterns into a whole | Runtime | 2 | | First recap of project | ALL so far | NONE | 2 | | Determining which components to build, buy, or borrow | Registration and login, database server, directory and security services, collaboration, Web server redirector, content management, application server, commerce application, billing, subscription | Multiple | 2 | | Matching functions to products | Registration and login, database server, directory and security services, collaboration, Web server redirector, content management, application server, commerce application, billing, subscription | Multiple | 2 | | Evolve game-playing scenario | In-game commerce, out-of-game commerce, access from devices other than PCs | Multiple | 3 | | Consider commerce graphics and outsourcing issues | Graphics technology, outsourcing | NONE | 3 | | Creating a barter/exchange system | Scrip, barter system, exchange system, valuing online items, security, integration, game database, currency translation, gamer directory, outsourcing, real-world products, Web services, in-game transaction, out-of-game transaction | NONE | 3 | | Game consoles, cell phones, hybrids | Device connectivity, notification, synchronization, device management | Pervasive Device Access, application, Runtime, Pervasive device services, Self-Service, Web Server Redirector | 3 | | Mobile game devices | Limited display, limited bandwidth, limited network response time, specific programming languages, specific development environments, specific protocols, browsers | Multiple | 3 | | Game consoles | Xbox, Game Cube, Playstation, sockets-based communication, commerce, customer service, business integration for games, multiple game versions that use the same back-end connectivity and infrastructure, voice, messaging, transcoding | Multiple | 3 | | Community requirements | FAQs, interviews, tutorial, streaming video/audio, searchable database, notification, downloads, automated installation, user interactions, user self regulation, purpose-built content, personalization, presence, matchmaking, data statistics, data analysis, content aggregation, chat, text-to-speech, language/character translation, calendaring, | Multiple | 4 | | Game/environment upgrades | Upgrade, downloads, installation, content management, gamer directory, gamer profile database, recognition of game versions, notification, synchronization, bandwidth, caching, service provider outsourcing, version control, problem management, customer service, managed provisioning system, in-environment content management, in-game content management, commerce system, chat, e-mail, presence, portal, collaboration | Multiple | 4 | | Customer service | Customer service, automation, account management, subscription, accounting, billing, e-mail, chat, telephone, operations cost analysis, voice | Self-Service, Runtime, others | 4 |
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