View this PageEdit this PageAttachments to this PageHistory of this PageHomeRecent ChangesSearch the SwikiHelp Guide

CS/INTA 4803/8803 Modeling, Simulation and Military Gaming Simulator Development

Notices



Overview

This course focuses on the creation and application of computer simulations to model strategic international events concerning warfare. The course is intended to bring together computing and international affairs students with the objective of developing the ability to both create wargame simulations and use them to analyze strategic events. The course is project-based, requiring computing and international affairs students to work together in multidisciplinary teams to analyze specific questions utilizing computer-based modeling and simulation tools. The students will collaboratively define and evaluate specific question in international events, formulate hypothesis concerning the resolution of these questions, develop modeling and simulation software to aid in an analysis, and apply the tools to test hypotheses and formulate conclusions from this investigation.

Specific objectives of the course include (1) developing an operational wargame simulator and (2) apply it to analyze what-if scenarios concerning the opening phases of World War I. All students will be required to participate in both aspects, with students taking CS 4803/8803 having primary responsibility for the development of the simulator, and students taking INTA 4803/8803 having primary responsibility for scenario development, data collection and encoding, and experimentation.

The simulator will be based on the Schlieffen Plan board game, with refinements added as necessary to support expandability as well as the specific analyses to be conducted later on in the semester. A previously developed version of a Java-based simulation called Warsim is available for examination, however, the simulator developed this semester shall be developed independent of the Warsim simulator, though you are free to reuse any pieces of Warsim that you might find useful. The simulator that will be developed this semester will be based on Microsoft’s XNA game development environment, and all software will be developed using C#.

At the highest level, the simulator is composed of two major pieces: the simulation engine and the simulation models. The simulation engine is domain independent, and provides the basic constructs (e.g., simulation processes and simulation time advancement primitives) for developing simulations. All information specific to the application (wargame simulation) is included in the simulation model. Broadly speaking, the simulation model must include state variables that represent the state of the system being modeled (e.g., the location of individual combat units and their strength), and the behaviors that are modeled by the simulator (e.g., movement, fighting, attrition). The simulation model executes over the simulation engine, and is responsible for evolving the state of the system as simulation time advances forward.

Data corresponding to the actual events that took place in 1914 will have to be encoded into the simulator. For example, data concerning initial troop strengths and movements during the German attack is available, and encoded in the current, Warsim simulator.

We anticipate the simulation will be reused in subsequent versions of this course with new capabilities and types of models added later. For example, logistics models capturing the flow of supplies during the engagement may be added later. Thus it is imperative that the simulation be designed to emphasize simplicity and modularity for future expansion.

Deliverables

Deliverables

Background Reading, Maps, etc. (unfiltered information)

Descrete Event Simulation Readings
GermanOff1914.pdf
Maps
A narative (list of events that occured) from an execution of WarSim: WWINarative.doc

Historical Information (filtered information)

We need to preserve the information that we find for the future. We should also use good research techniques by documenting our sources of information. There is also no reason for two people to do the same research twice.

Unless otherwise specified, the information applies to the first six weeks of WWI.
Timeline
Command
Weapons Specifications
Armies Breakdown
Fortifications
Sources

WWI Simulator Development History

WarSim History

Groups

Group A
Group B

Milestones



Week Date Deliverable/Activity
4 1/29 Written proposal for simulator describing requirements, software architecture, project management plan, deliverables, test plan, etc.; An oral presentation in class is required to present the project proposal, in addition to the written document. INTA students will be responsible for understanding the Schlieffen Plan as it was written in 1905, its origins in Prussian military theory and practice, the changes that were made by Moltke (the Younger) before the outbreak of hostilities as well as during its execution by the field commanders. An annotated briefing on the Plan will be delivered in class as well as a group oral examination outside of class time.
7 2/19 Design review describing major software components, functionality, interfaces etc.; parts of the system (e.g., simulator engine) should be operational. The design review will be conducted in class. An oral presentation is required to present the proposed design.
11 3/12 Version 1 of software completed; in class demonstration
14 4/9 Initial documentation including user’s manual, software documents
16 4/23 Final report and documentation, in-class final presentation of project