Military training software development traditionally used slow-moving approaches such as the waterfall model, but in more modern times, rapid prototyping methodologies such as Agile have emerged as an effective way to achieve working solutions quickly. Military training and gaming are closely connected, and an additional form of rapid prototyping from the game development industry is being explored for military software development. “Game jam” events started in 2002, where game developers meet for a short, intense time frame – usually 48 hours - and make a game based on a theme. In November 2021, a game jam was presented by the Orlando game developer organization, Indienomicon, that focused specifically on prototyping military training solutions for cybersecurity, PTSD, and other challenges. This paper will explore the idea of using the game jam process for rapid prototyping of military training solutions to accelerate the initial concept and design phase.
A major benefit of a game jam is a tangible, playable product in a short amount of time. Within a matter of days, teams collaborate and focus on a specific need and produce a functional piece of software to be evaluated. If multiple teams are given the same challenge, they will produce different solutions, providing multiple perspectives/options for the customer. Additionally, game jams have shown to teach not just “hard” skills such as planning and debugging, but “soft” skills such as communication, teamwork, and respect. This paper will outline several game jam successes, where games were later developed into full-fledged commercial products. It will describe pros and cons and use cases where the game jam process will be valuable. Finally, it will explore the Agile methodology, how it relates or compares to game jams, and how game jams can be used in conjunction to accelerate change in the military training software development industry.
Keywords
AGILE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT,GAME TECHNOLOGY,JAMMING,PROTOTYPING,TRAINING
Additional Keywords