Requirements

This section describes the elements that MUST be developed as part of this project. The designer MAY also choose to implement additional Java source files, programs, and/or shell scripts in support of the following items. This section only describes the general performance requirements for each element; for specific deliverable requirements, please refer to Section 6.

The Zurk suite consists of three logical parts:

World description language (WDL)

WORLDs for the Zurk engine are described in a special-purpose language that allows the designer to specify all locations and objects in the game environment, the states of various variables, the effects of actions, etc. The syntax and semantics of WDL 1.0 are sophisticated enough to support a wide range of game scenarios, including mazes, puzzle games, etc. To support input and output of WDL from/to GAME FILEs, the Zurk suite will include the ZurkParser parser that can scan in a GAME FILE containing a WORLD description.

User interface and user command language

The PLAYER interacts with the WORLD via a very simple command language typed in to a text console. Results of actions are printed to the PLAYER's screen.

Game engine

The game engine interprets commands typed in by the PLAYER and executes them in the WORLD described by the current GAME FILE. (More properly, it interprets the commands with respect to the internal data structures defined by the description in the GAME FILE.) The engine tracks GAME STATE such as the PLAYER's current location, the location of all OBJECTs, the settings of all VARIABLEs, etc. As the PLAYER takes ACTIONS, the engine updates the GAME STATE to reflect the results of those ACTIONs, as described by the WORLD.