CREATING INTERNET BASED GAMES USING PERL AND JAVASCRIPT Developments in Business Simulation & Experiential Learning, Volume 26, 1999 CREATING INTERNET-BASED GAMES USING PERL AND JAVASCRIPT Sharma Pillutla, Towson University ABSTRACT Business Simulation Gaming has been around for quite a few years. The pedagogical and more recently, the assessment value of gaming has been recognized and accepted in many circles. Over the years, as technology has improved, simulation exercises have become more sophisticated and user-friendly. With the advent of the Internet an added dimension of convenience is now available. Using the World Wide Web is a natural extension of making simulation games more powerful and the access more convenient. This paper delineates one such attempt at making the entire game available on the web. We describe the various components of the game and describe how the programming language Perl and JavaScript can provide the functionality for making the game available on the Internet. INTRODUCTION Over the last few decades Simulation gaming has become more powerful and more integrated with the curriculum. With the advent of more powerful computers and new user interfaces, simulation games have also kept pace by becoming more sophisticated and more convenient to use. The World Wide Web (WWW) debuted in 1993 and usage of the Internet has exploded ever since. Web-enhanced courses have become the norm in academia. Web-based courses now form the backbone of Distance Learning programs. This paper looks at one such attempt to deliver simulation gaming over the Web. The advantages of delivering games over the web are an extremely user-friendly interface and minimal access limitations. Any one with an ISP can now access the game twenty-four hours a day. We discuss the adapting of a simulation game used as a pedagogical tool in the introductory operations management class to the web. INTERACTIVE PROCESSING In order to have interactive processing, one needs, in addition to a regular HTML web page some back end program which can take user input and process it. This kind of back end programming is done through the Common Gateway Interface (CGI). The Common Gateway Interface (CGI) is a standard for interfacing external applications with information servers, such as HTTP or Web servers [1]. A plain HTML document that the Web server retrieves is staticA CGI program, on the other hand, is executed in real- time, so that it can output dynamic information. Security concerns need to be addressed before running CGI programs. CGI programs can be written in almost any language such as Pen, JavaScript, Java C, C++ etc. In this project we have used Perl and JavaScript. Perl is a scripting language optimized for scanning arbitrary text files, extracting information from those text files, and printing reports based on that information [3]. JavaScript can be thought of as an extension to HTML, which allows authors to incorporate some interactive functionality in their web pages [4]. GAME COMPONENTS There are two components of the game that have been implemented using Pen and JavaScript - the student interaction system and the game administration system for the instructor. Student interaction Interface Using this interface the student submits decisions, views the archive of past decisions, views any input errors that they made, browse various outputs such as the income statements, balance sheets and other 301 Developments in Business Simulation & Experiential Learning, Volume 26, 1999 information. Implementation is done is Perl and JavaScript. Above is the main page of the student interface. The basic options are entering decisions for the current quarter, viewing past decisions, input error sheets and outputs or browsing the manual Issues that pertain to entering decisions include authentication of the student’s password and other identification information, confirmation of the submission of the decision. All of these are done in Perl. Minimal error checking is done during data entry (numeric Vs text input) by using JavaScript. The instructor can run the game after the deadline for turning in decisions is past. The program has safeguards to ensure that the student doesn’t turn in a decision alter the deadline, i.e., after the instructor runs the game for a particular quarter. Students can view all of their past decisions which would help them in determining the future decisions. Here again, it is necessary to authenticate the user by means of a password. Any violation of game rules in the decisions made is considered an input error and an error sheet generated. Password authentication is done for this link also. Students can view their company’s performance by viewing their income statements, balance sheets and evaluation of their performance. There is no password authentication for this link. All the instructions for playing the game are provided in the form of an online manual. It is possible for the students to browse the online manual for the game or even print it out if they wish to peruse it at their leisure. Game Administration by the Instructor Major portions of the implementation for this section are done in Perl. However, the core program, which performs the computations needed to generate the outputs, is done in Fortran. Below is the main page for administration of the game. Since only the instructor should have access to this page. The entire directory is password protected. The .htaccess password protection method is used in this instance. Once the instructor enters the correct password, she is allowed to use any of the links in the game administration page. The Create Class List links allow the instructor to set up the game. It sets up appropriate directories, generates passwords for students and allows the instructor to enter student names and company assignments. During the course of the game any modifications such as adding students, deleting students and modifying information such as name, password etc. can be done using the Modify Class List link. The instructor can also view the list at any time. The View Class List link has an option of either displaying or hiding the passwords so that it does not appear on the screen to inadvertently prevent the passwords from being revealed to an onlooker. The Print Labels link allows the instructor to print out the student names, company assignment and password which will be distributed to each student at the outset of the gaming exercise. A variety of options are present in we game such as allowing overtime, or allowing short term investments etc. The Change Options link allows the instructor to modify any or all of the options so that the game would henceforth be run with those new options. The Create Class List link creates a file with the default options for each new class. The Run Game link is self-explanatory. The next two links - Missed Decisions and View Error Sheet - are primarily for tracking the student involvement in the game. The Missed Decisions link allows the instructor to see whether a student has been turning in the decisions by the announced deadline or whether they have not turned in their decisions. The View Error Sheet allows the instructor to view any input errors that the student may have made while yields insight into how well a particular student has understood the basic parameters of the game. This indicates the difference between a student submitting decisions as opposed to a student who is “plugging in numbers”. CONCLUSION It is seen that implementing a simulation game on the web has its advantages. Some of the major aspects pertaining to conducting a simulation gaming exercise have been implemented through the web. Issues such as student authentication, instructor access to the administration, performance logging of missed decisions are all features that stand out in this implementation. Obviously, further enhancements can definitely be made. Running the game Running the game automatically for an industry after all competitor decisions have been obtained is one enhancement. Thus the web offers a new technological medium to offer games that are independent of place and time. References provided on request 302 Table of Contents Volume 26, 1999 ABSEL's Historical Research Interests Back From the Future: An ABSEL Merlin Exercise for the Year 2005 The Contributions of ABSEL During the 1980's ABSEL's Contributions to Experiential Exercises in the 90's ABSEL's Contributions to Experiential learning/Experiential Exercises: The Decade of the 1970's Business Simulations - Algorithms and Model Enhancements: A 25 year Review A Study of the ETS General Field Test as an AACSB Assessment Tool and the Impact of Experiential Exercises and Simulation on Learning A Framework for Assessing the Competencies Reflected in Simulation Performance Developing A Learning Culture: Assessing Changes in Student Performance and Perception Financial Simulation Using Distributed Computing Technology Analyzing Managers' Judgements and Decisions with an Educational Business Simulation Understanding Your Business through Home-Made Simulator Development An Examination of a Reanalysis of the Impact of a Market Leader on Simulation Competitors' Strategies Applying Shocks to TE Simulations: A Demonstration Increasing Efficiency of Management Skill Assessment A Testbank for Measuring Total Enterprise Simulation Learning Developing Leadership Skills - Video Live! LEADSIMM: Collaborative Leadership Development for the Knowledge Society A Team Approach to Producing Multi-Media Laptop and Video Formatted Presentation Tinkertoys Revisited: Exploring Trust Based Relationships Overall Dominance in Total Enterprise Simulation Performance Success or Bankruptcy: The Relationship between Personal and Goal Orientation and Simulation Performance Assessing the Effects of Feedback: Muti-method and Muti-directions in Multi-pedagogical Courses The Missing Ingredients in Experiential Learning Purpose and Learning Benefits of Business Simulations: A Design and Development Perspective Building Capabilities for Change through Laboratory Simulations Modeling Innovation as a Process of Design in Educational Business Simulation The Need to Measurer variance in Experiential Learning and a New Statistic to do so Assessing Effectiveness of an Experiential Oriented Course Over Time Developing Participant Satisfaction Models of Experiential Exercises in Business Education Perceptions of Learning in TE Simulations Students' View on the Use of Business Gaming in Hong Kong Management Gaming's Lost Opportunity: Meditations about the Russian Experience and Prospects for the Future Unanticipated Enhancements in the Business Strategy and Policy Game when Running in Windows 95 Using a Business Game to Demonstrate Broad Business Concepts A New Model for Business Courses (Getting the Student Connected) Seeing the Forest and the Trees: Integrating Knowledge Using Large Scale Simulations in Capstone Business Strategy Classes Is It Here To Stay? A Roundtable Discussion of the Inter-Group Interaction Interactive Tools Used in Applying Financial Concepts Strengthening Essential Skills through a Finance Exercise: Calculation of Beta A Model of Currency Exchange Rates Understanding Currency Exchange Rates: A three-part Exercise Student Experiences in the World Intercollegiate Business Game Competition Student Experiences in the International-Collegiate Business Policy Game Competition Using Boards of Directors in Simulation Environments: Comments From Board Members Sharing Best Practices: Teaching Smarter, Not Harder Star Power: A Simulation for Understanding Power and Empowerment The Marketing Game: A Marketing Principles Simulation Alexander Islands: GSSM Tiny Business Simulator on the WWW Putting Strategy into Strategic Business Games Industry Analysis, Porter's Five Forces Model and Strategic Group Maps in the Business Strategy Game Simulation The Use of Concept Mapping to Improve Student Performance and Understanding of Strategic Management Concepts: A Comparison of Techniques Transformational thinking in the Organizational Behavior Course: The Use of Metaphor as an Assessment Tool Creation of a Virtual Learning Community for the Global Virtual Enterprise Project Inter Institutional use of Educational Resources: Joint Use of Management Simulation Games Business Insights: Theory and Practice with the Aid of a Business Simulation Progress: An Experiential Exercise in Development Marketing The ABC's of teaching the Theory of Constraints to Undergraduate Business Students Demonstrating Principles of Organizational Purchasing Behavior through an Experiential Exercise The Virtual Manager: A Different Simulation for Managing Complexity When the Rules are changing and Chaos Breeds Innovation: Recapturing the Value of Constructive Thinking and Play in Simulation Training The Pitfalls, and Potential, of Actual Events as Problem Drivers Using Business Games to teach Environmental Awareness and Green Management: The International Experience with the ENSIM Game A Review of my ABSEL-Related Work Simulation of Government: A Workshop Using GEO Creating Internet-Based Games Using Perl and JavaScript Who's on First? Exploring the Concepts of Problem-Based Learning, Experiential Learning, and Lifelong Learning Students Learn Customer Service and Selling while Conducting Research So You Want to Run an NFL Football Team–An Honors Interdisciplinary Project Supervised Internship: The Employer's Perspective Using Computer Assisted Simulation to Teach International Business Strategy: A Case of the Multinational Management Game (MMG) Multi-Cultural Experiential Learning: A Computer Simulation in China An Appreciative Stance on Diversity as We Move into the 21st Century: A Timeline Exercise to Identify Key Experiences in Good Work Relationships between Black and White Peers A Day in the Life of an Interactive, Real Time, and Internet Delivered Course: A Demonstration Comparing Internet Search Engines: An Experiential Learning Exercise Total Enterprise Simulations and the Internet: Assessing Student Perceptions and Preferences Teaching Accounting Information Systems in a Practicum Format Providing Experiential Learning in Accounting through a Field Study Payroll Project A Spreadsheet Based Business Simulation Game Computer-Behavioral Simulations Training for Project Managers Simulation Scenarios - Rationale and Illustration