Software engineering - how to get going?

Hey, I''m Dutch too!

Don''t have anything to tell you but, check my game out =)
http://www.gamedev.net/community/gds/projects/default.asp?projectID=815

.lick

Your list seems to be a little bloated, but I don''t know your
team size and schedule.

Just some thoughts:

Usually the technical design document already covers
- technical requirements
- functionl specification (beware of the scope here! The level
of detail should not be too high)
- technical specification
- system component specification and design (more or less a
refinement to technical requirements)
- implementation details (if not already covered by source
code documentation)

I would not suggest the use of detailed class diagrams as
class layout and details will change often during the
implementation phase. A solid JavaDoc/Doxygen-style source
code documentation will generate a more up-to-date document,
which even includes class and collboration diagrams (at least
if you use Doxygen and Dot).

Personally I use UML for high-level design and system description
only. The source documentation will generate much more detailed
information on the implementation while UML is more or less
"the big picture" part if you''re not using a complex round-trip
engeneering tool like Rational Rose.

Starting with the game design along with the manual seems to be
a good idea, too as the technical requirements can be derived
from a detailed design document quickly. This would be called a
top-down approach I guess.

Use cases are IMO rather trivial for such a simple game. I would
not try to model them in UML and rather refer to the manual and
the game-flow described in the design document. Creating UML use
cases appears redundat work to me.

There are also different approaches for the test cases, such as
low level component and integration testing first and game-play
testing later.

Good luck with your project,
Pat

Practical UML

Deliverables are specific items to the project, not general ideas. Example deliverables for your project are: drawing the board; dropping a piece into the board; sending & receiving piece placement over a network; AI making placement choices; AI making optimal moves; AI taking counter-AI measures.

Use-cases are starting a new game, creating/joining a network game, dropping a piece, and maybe undoing a move and asking the AI for suggestions.

Thanks people