World of LPRO Campaign Setting
"Welcome, Adventurers! to the World of LPRO, a realm filled with exciting and challenging endeavours, quests and trials. Your skills in coding, programming and developing software will be put to the test, as you embark on a journey that will take you through bug-infested swamps of code, enchanted forests of unit tests and barren wastelands of undocumented classes and methods...

But linger no more, and let me introduce you to the realm of LPRO...


1. Player Character and Goal
You are an unexperienced adventurer, still clueless on the fine arts of Software Development. Your goal is to become as proficient as possible in these arts, as to be recognised as such, and attain the title of Developer.

1.1 Stats

To advance your character (that is, you), you have to become proficient in three topics: JAVA, UML and PROCESS.

JAVA - This stat describes your object-oriented programming skills, not only on the JAVA language, but overall.
UML - This stat describes your software modelling skills, not only using the Unified Modelling Language, but overall.
PROCESS - This stat describes your software development process skills, regarding projecting, planning, monitoring and overall product quality.
1.2 Advancing and XP Levels
You advance your character by acquiring eXperience Points (XP), mainly, by completing side-quests. To reach the level of Developer, you must score 3000 XPs. Not attaining the level of Developer means failure at LPRO (obtenção de frequência).

The following table shows the existing advancement levels.

Level   Rank    XP
0   Clueless    0
1   Novice  300
2   Beginner    900
3   Coder   1800
4   Programmer  2700
5   Developer   3000

1.3 Equipment
You are equipped with the following attire:
Armour (IDE ) : Eclipse (or you may choose Netbeans or IntelliJ).
Weapons (Languages ) : Object-orientation, JAVA, UML.
Backpack (VCS, Artefacts ): Git / GitLAB.
Journal (ALM ) : (GitLAB)


2. Plot
In order to succeed at LPRO, each adventurer will have to undergo a series of challenges: a main quest, side-quests and trials of passage.

2.1. Main Quest
Although the main quest (projeto) will be a theme of your choosing, it will have to abide to a list of objectives:

Must be developed in the JAVA language.
Must have a medium-complexity Graphical User Interface.
Must be unit testable.
Must have, at least one of the following requirements:
Have a client/server architecture, using tcp/ip (sockets) technology.
Be database-driven, using technologies such as JDBC, etc.
The main quest will be your main drive for adventuring, as you will do it with a party of adventurers. It will have a 80% weight on the final grade and a minimum mandatory grade of 8.

2.2. Side Quests
Side-quests (exercícios) are meant to develop, improve and enhance your stats. There are 15 side-quests in total (five per stat), with different (increasing) levels of difficulty and rewarding XP. The following table depicted how the side-quests are divided.



All side-quests up to level III are mandatory. The remaining are optional (bonus), although you will need to complete some of these to score the necessary 3000 XPs. Side-quests are done in packs of adventurers (pairs or triads).

Special rewards are unlocked if all five side-quests of a certain stat are completed or if side-quests follow the "Path of Enlightenment". Refer to the Rewards section for details.

2.3. Trials of Passage
Although most challenges are done with other fellow adventurers, you will need to prove yourself by taking two individual trials (mini-testes).

The first trial will consist of a 2-hour unit-test-driven Java challenge, in Eclipse/JUnit, where you will be asked to pass a set of unit tests, developing the necessary source code. You will be given access to the Java API Documentation.

The second trial will consist of an hour-long multiple-choice questionnaire (on Moodle) intended to ascertain your UML/Process skills. This trial is without consultation.

These trials will have an 20% (10%+10%) weight on the final grade, and a minimum mandatory grade of 8 (each).



3. Adventuring

Adventurers gather in parties, consisting of two packs (two pairs or a pair and a triad). A pair consists of two adventurers, while a triad consists of three adventurers. Parties and packs are assembled with adventurers belonging to the same guild (turma), unless they share the same encampment (aula laboratorial). Parties are engaged in the main quest, while packs engage in side-quests.

3.1 Encounters
You will wander the realm as you please, nevertheless, there are seasonal encounters you must address in order to progress.

3.1.1 Tavern

Every week, all adventures meet at the Tavern (aula teórica), for sharing of lore, tales and experiences; gather advice and knowledge as to more effectively address the quests at hand. This encounter is, typically, moderated by the Master Scholar (regente).

3.1.2. Encampments

Encampments (aulas laboratoriais ) take place once a week, at a designated time and place. Here the parties of adventures gather to address the main quest and side quests. The Encampment Foreman (docente das aulas laboratoriais) will uphold the order and healthy development of the encounter.

3.2 Non-Player Characters
You may interact with the Non-Player Characters (NPCs) described in this section.

3.2.1 Master Scholar

The Master Scholar is at your service to provide council and guidance on your endeavours at LPRO. He will be available to you, weekly, at the Tavern Encounters or you may reach him by casting the "email" spell (nuno.flores@fe.up.pt), as he will be difficult the find at his Tower (gabinete I134), if not by arranging a scheduled appointment.

3.2.2 Encampment Foreman

The Encampment Foreman will be present at the Encampments to provide close assistance to your progress and to help you overcome hurdles and obstacles you may find. They can also be reached using the "email" spell (rpinto@fe.up.pt or jpcreis@fe.up.pt), and are the adventurer's best choice to obtain a hasty and specific aid to any predicament he/she may encounter.



4. Rewards and Special Items
This section describes how to collect rewards and special items, that will contribute to your success and final grade.

4.1. Awarding XPs from Side-Quests.
Successfully completing a side-quest awards XPs. To collect your XPs, you must store the spoils and treasure (resolução) collected during your side-quest in your backpack. Afterwards, after a careful inspection of your loot, will the Encampment Foreman award you (or not) the XPs, if his appraisal deems you worthy. As side-quests are engaged by packs, all adventurers within the pack are awarded the same XPs.

4.2 Following the Side-Quests "Path of Enlightenment".
"The Gods favour those that boast compromise, hastiness and commitment, such is the path of enlightenment. They thus reward early achievement with generous gifts. Please the Gods and fortune shall be in your grasp..." (Gareth Khan, Cleric of the Order of the Feature).

If an adventurer reaches a certain rank or XP level before a specific deadline, he/she is gifted with an extra 25 XP.

4.3. Unlocking "Wands" (Special Item)
If an adventurer successfully completes all five side-quests regarding a specific stat, he/she is rewarded with a "wand". Wands are magical artefacts with specific effects when used. They can only be used once and are consumed on use. There will be specific moments when the Master Scholar will allow you to use the wands, by providing a casting opportunity.

4.3.1. "Wand of Higher Unit Testing" (WHUT).

EFFECT: One JUnit test automatically passes at the first trial of passage.

This wand is rewarded when all five "JAVA" stat side-quests are completed. It can be used at anytime, beyond the publication of the results of the first trial of passage.

4.3.2. "Wand of Exquisite Modelling" (WEM).

EFFECT: Nullifies the penalty effect of a wrong answer to a UML-type question at the second trial of passage.


This wand is rewarded when all five "UML" stat side-quests are completed. It can be used at anytime, beyond the publication of the results of the second trial of passage.

4.3.3. "Wand of Powerful Projecting" (WPP).
EFFECT: Nullifies the penalty effect of a wrong answer to a PROCESS-type question at the second trial of passage.



This wand is rewarded when all five "PROCESS" stat side-quests are completed. It can be used at anytime, beyond the publication of the results of the second trial of passage.

4.3.4. Combining Wands into Staffs.

You can combine wands into a staff, for a more powerful effect. Combining wands will consume them and will produce a new staff. Staffs have specific moments where they can be used. Refer to the staff table below for further details.


Staff   Wands   Effect
Staff of Unit Testing (SUT)
WHUT + ( WEM or WPP )   2 Unit tests automatically pass at first trial
Staff of Design & Plan (SDP)    WEM + WPP   1 wrong answer at second trial counts as correct
Staff of Divine Development (SDD)   WHUT + WEM + WPP    +1 to Main Quest Final Grade
5. Story and Timeline
As time progresses in our realm, events, milestones and other deeds are expected to be placed as depicted below.



Note: The deadline for the Path of Enlightenment bonuses is at the end of the week, that is: Friday, 23:59. This means that you should have already won the necessary experience by that time. It does not mean you can deliver all necessary side-quests by that time, and then wait for the Encampment Foreman to award you the XP. You should have already been awarded by the time of the deadline.


Annex A. "Lost in Translation..."
Adventurer: estudante.

Main Quest: projeto.

Side-Quest: exercício ou conjunto de exercícios.

Trial of Passage: mini-teste.

Master Scholar: regente/docente das teóricas (Nuno Flores).

Tavern: aula teórica.

Encampment: aula laboratorial.

Encampment Foreman: docente das aulas laboratoriais (Rui Pinto e João Reis).

Guild: Turma

Party: Equipa de projeto.

Pack: Grupo (Pair: grupo de 2 estudantes, Triad: grupo de 3 estudantes)