Project 3: Bibliography

Below are a list of references I used in order to assist me with my assignment:

Link below is the website of Syd Mead

http://www.conceptart.org/Picture below of ‘Image FX’ magazines with I used for references

Link below is the website concept art.org where I read different forums and discussions to obtain information as some of the artists seemed quite knowledgeable
http://sydmead.com/v/11/

Project 2: Questionnaire

After having browsed though the 'App Store' for sometime now, I believe that it is clear that alot of the games are directed at the male target audience. This suprised me as I thought there would be alot more female games as in my opinion males prefer to play on console games. I believe that in order for a game app to be popular and successful, it has to be directed at both males and females. This is partly why I believe games such as 'Angry birds' was so successful. I also believe females would prefer to play arcade type games that are quick and easy to play. As females like carrying around with them portable accessories for example in their handbags, hand held devices are ideal as they can be played anywhere, anytime at their own convenience. (They are cute, small and compact).

I think that this is a great opportunity to aim a game that is unisex. To establish whether my own opinions are true I have decided to conduct a questionnaire to obtain feedback from twenty males and twenty females in order to make this a fair test. I am then going to collate my findings into a tally table.

Below is a sample of the questionnaire I have asked my participants to fill out

Project 2: Game app research

We have been given an assignment to design a game/interactive app for an Apple IOS platform, which needs to be unique and original. I do not own an Ipod, Ipad or Iphone and I dont really know much about app's so the first thing I did was go straight to the appstore to begin my research. Whilst browsing on the 'App Store'  I started to realise how big this industry is. There are so many different varieties of 'Apps' which can be purchased at the click of a button and they are so easily accessible.

I extremely like the idea of a racing game, as they seem to be very popular on the app store and they are the type of game you can pick up and play; something you would play when you're bored on a lunchbreak at work for example as these types of games and fun and enjoyable to play at your convenience.

All pictures have been downloaded from http://itunes.apple.com/us/genre/ios-games-racing/id7013?mt=8


I have been doing research and i'm finding it hard to find a racing game that is different and original from the standard format of the typical racing game. I've got this idea of a strategy/racing game where you interact with the characters and tracks. I'm going to stay away from the standard format of racing games where you only control one character with a camera view from the back. I like the way games like 'Micro Machines' and 'Micro Maniacs' play, and the camera angles they use. Therefore I will be researching these at a later date.



                                             Way to many karting games

MicroKart     

SpongeBob Kart

       Shrek Kart™ FREE

                                                       Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D

I assume that all of these games are probably well made but they stick to the same format. The player is controlling one racer and you are either steering the character by touching either side of the screen, and/or tilting the ipad for example. This does not only apply to karting games. I would say that at least eighty percent of the racing games in the 'App Store' are in this kind of format.

Driver™





I loved the old 'Driver' games on the 'Playstation' and this looks like a really good updated version for the IOS. By the looks of it 'Driver' still uses the same format as most of the driving games. 'Driver' has working traffic lights, wandering pedestrians, moving traffic and vigilant cops on patrol.

Unreal Trial Free

Monster Racer Lite

Both of these ganes use simple controls, where you can touch either side of the screen, and/or tilt to steer the vehicles. Alot of apps use these kind of techniques and game mechanics so I'm going to try and stay away from them, but I still want to keep my game controls simple like these game examples.

Project 1: The board

Below are some photographs of the backing of the board I have made. It's not finished yet as I still need to put the actual board art and contents on it. I did take these pictures about two weeks ago but forgot to put these on my blog. I have made the backing of the board using materials such as cardboard, and black duck tape to make the board more sturdier, and the black tape gives it a shiny finish (appearance).

Below is a photograph of all the eight scenery squares which have been joined together. These squares ar going to be placed on the backing boards. As you can see in the picture, I have drawn on top of my art the pathway (direction) in which the players will be playing on. I cannot do anymore work on this until my colleagues present me with their pictures they've created for the board. Once I have received these I can stick it altogether, laminate it and then present it in a final photograph on my blog.

Contextual Studies (I have no words I must design) Ten points

After having looked through the document titled 'I have no words I must design' by Greg Costikyan, I have chosen ten points I find interesting and relate to myself.


Point one


Greg Costikyan stated 'We want games to challenge us. We want to work at them. They aren’t any fun if they’re too simple, too easy, if we zip through them and get to the end screen without being challenged. We don’t feel any sense of accomplishment, of mastery, of victory, if it comes too easily.'

I agree with his opinion one hundred percent as I always try and buy games that I think will challenge me one way or another. On the other hand I know people who buy games to increase their achievement score on xbox live fully knowing those achievements are easy to get, and they are not challenging games. If I didn't want a challenge I would just go out and purchase a game to watch. But on the other hand some films story plots are difficult to comprehend which means they are a challenge to keep up with. You could also say this about computer game story plots. In other words it's really in the eyes of the beholder on what a challenge is to them.  


Point two

Greg Costikyan stated 'Good visuals provide one form of sensory pleasure; we like pretty games.'

I believe this is true as in order to enhance someone's game play, players need to feel lost in the game. Good visuals draw you into the a gameplay world where you are become so consumed that you tend to withdraw from the real world. I know a good game when I see one. This is determined by how effective the visuals are. They have to convey a clear message, tell a story and allow the player to understand what the game is talking about. Visuals need to convey a great impact. In order to create this they need to look, believeable, very eye catching and appealing in order to capture the player's attention so they won't lose interest.

Point three

Greg Costikyan stated 'Puzzles are static; they present the “player” with a logic structure to be solved with the assistance of clues.'

I have played alot of puzzle games in my spare time and yes, alot of them give you subtle hinds on how to complete the puzzle/challenge that is set in front of you. For example, 'Limbo' is a great puzzle game that hints about clues in a subtle way. There is a part in the game where a giant spider tries to kill the player whilst you're trying to work out how to get past the spider occasionally taunting him to attack you. He eventually knocks a bear trap down from a tree which you hear in the background drop to the ground. You then use this to get past the creature.

Point four

Greg Costikyan stated 'Almost every game has some degree of puzzle-solving; even a pure military strategy game requires players to, e.g., solve the puzzle of making an optimum attack at this point with these units. In fact, if a game involves any kind of decision making, or trade-offs between different kinds of resources, people will treat these as “puzzle elements,” trying to devise optimal solutions. Even in deathmatch play of a first-person shooter, players will seek to use cover and terrain for advantage – ‘solving the puzzle’ posed by the current positions of opponents and the nature of the surrounding environment, if you will. You can’t extract puzzle from game entirely.'

I also agree that all games have some degree of puzzle solving. I play alot of first person shooters. When I play with other team members we always come up with good strategies (action plans) in order to defeat players and claim victory. For example, we like to flank and sneak around the opposition when they least expect it. It really winds me up when people say games like 'Call Of Duty' use no strategy in them and all you do is run around shooting people. If that was the case me and my fellow team mates are wasting our time. My team play alot of objective based games in 'Call Of Duty' and strategy/problem solving is key to winning. It's not all about skill. for example, one team member would carry a stinger just in case an enemy helicopter appeared. 

Point five

Greg Costikyan stated 'Competition is one way of make a game a struggle. In a two-player, head-to-head game, your opponent is the opposition, your struggle against him; the game is direct competition. And this is a first-rate way of making the game a struggle. Nothing is as sneaky and as hard to overcome as a determined human opponent. Chess is such a strong game precisely because every move and every thought is dictated by the need to anticipate and deal with the moves and thoughts of the opponent; there is no struggle other than competition in Chess, but this is quite sufficient to make for a compelling game.'

I extremely enjoy playing competitive games. They are really appealing and exciting to play as they can become in tense at times as you really want to win. There is nothing better than collapsing a building on top of a squad of mates (your opponents) and then planting a bomb to claim victory ('Battlefield). I find single player campaigns can get very tedious and boring at times as it can get predictable, but when you play multiplayer the opponents are humans. Humans always react and play differently to one another. Some have greater strengths than others so they can use these to their advantage to achieve goals. All players have their own capabilities. There is one main downside to playing competitive play. With most games they are extremely addictive and when things aren't going your way you can become really aggressive and agitated, but this does make you more dtermined to succeed.

Point six

Greg Costikyan stated 'Roleplaying games don’t need direct player opposition; they have plenty of other obstacles for players to struggle with. Gaining power or achieving your other objectives is always a struggle. If it isn’t, the gamemaster isn’t doing his job – since he has so much control over events in the game, he ought to be ensuring that it is a struggle, that his players are enjoying the game.'

I love playing role playing games, especially 'Fallout 3' and 'Oblivion.' I believe they make a great job in keeping you engaged with the objectives. They use great dialogue in them and also the environments are immense. I think that if you added direct player opposition it would ruin these type of games because there is nothing worse than them being on a quest, getting right to the end just about to obtain the treasure all of a sudden to be stabbed in the back by a human controlled character and ruin the game for you.

Point seven

Greg Costikyan stated 'Suppose we have a thing that’s interactive. At some point, you are faced with a choice: You may choose to do A, or to do B. The state of the thing will change depending on your decision. But what makes A better than B? Or is B better than A at some times but not at others? What factors go into the decision? What resources are to be managed? What’s the eventual goal?'

I enjoy playing 'Mass Effect 1 and 2.' These games force you to make decisions which will affect the outcome of the game. Your decision making will be affected by the type of weaponry you have at that point in time or the type of characters you have in your squad. What I am trying to say is you are making that decision based on what you've got to work with at that present point in time. You might start the game again and make completely different decisions as you are playing the game in a completely different way, using different perks, characters or weapons.

Point eight

Greg Costikyan stated 'This may ring a bell in the back of some readers’ heads; isn’t “interactive” a term that refers to computer media? And aren’t many games non-digital? Is Monopoly (Charles Darrow) interactive? Of course it is. You choose whether or not to buy a property you land on; the game state changes in response to your decision. The outcome of the game will differ depending on your decision. The game interacts with the players (and the players with each other), changing state as they play. Monopoly is interactive at its core. That’s true of every game. If it isn’t interactive, it’s a puzzle, not a game.'

I believe that all games are interactive, digital and non-digital. With digital games you interact with the controller, television and the character you are playing. With non-digital games you interact with the game board, counter pieces, dices and other players. As I still play 'Monopoly' occasionally with my family and friends I believe what Greg Costikyan states is correct.

Point nine

Greg Costikyan stated 'The Bloodforge hammer exists solely as an 3D model rendered on the screen as you play EverQuest, and as a set of numerical and logical values used in processing by EverQuest’s game servers. It has no concrete, real-world expression, and no value in any context other than the game of EverQuest. That’s not quite true; I could go to eBay, and auction off the Bloodforge hammer, if I wished, and earn tangible money for it.'

This is a very good point. I've came across people who sell their game accounts for tangible money. In the real world their game accounts aren't really anything but in the game their account could have a really strong character whom they have built up for months. The same for games like 'Call Of Duty.' People sell their accounts because of their prestigue badge. I wouldn't personally sell objects from a game or my account as I have worked really hard and have spent time achieving objectives that mean something to me.   

Point ten

Greg Costikyan stated 'In a boardgame, the structure is mostly contained in the literal rules, although aspects may be contained in the topology of the board, information printed on pieces or cards or other components, etc. The structure is therefore directly perceivable by the player, although understanding it requires effort on his part – he or she must learn and master the rules. Electronic games work differently; much of their structure is invisible to the user. It’s contained in compiled software code. In a boardgame, players are responsible for operating the game as well as playing it, if you will; when a calculation must be made or an algorithm applied, they must do so, referring to the rules if necessary. In an electronic game, the “rules” are incorporated in the software; a player gains understanding of them through experience, by playing the game, and may well remain in ignorance of their specifi c details, instead gaining a “gut,” intuitive understanding of their operation.'

I paint warhammer 40,000 figures in my spare time but I have never really played the game. I have attempted to play it on several occasions but have failed miserably. I think this is the reason why I get on with computer games alot more than warhammer 40,000. Warhammer 40,000, the table top game, involves you learning alot of rules then setting up the game piece by piece, then moving all the characters individually, but I can play 'Warhammer 40,000 Dawn Of War' without any problems. Although 'Dawn Of Wat' is still a complicated game to master you do not have to move pieces time and time again which slows down gameplay. They are automatically moving to where you want them to at a click of the mouse.

Sorry if any of this sounds wrong but I kind of lost patience when it did not save properly, crashed and I lost 80% of the work so had to redo this again losing two hours of my life. Sorry again!   
 

Contextual Studies

First simple computer game I played and why I liked it so much

The first console I owned was the 'Sega Mega Drive' bought for me by my parents. This is a pretty hard subject to think about as I have played and loved so many simple platformers and can't really remember which one I played first. So I will pick one of my first favourite games I played and couldn't stop playing with my brother and mum. The game is called 'Gunstar Heroes' which is so easy to pick up and start playing. The story is about two twins who are fighting Colonel Red and his Empire army in order to stop them from destroying their home planet.

'Gunstar Heroes' was and still is a very addictive game to play even though you have to start the game at the beginning everytime you start playing it as save points were not created back then. Two player was especially fun as you teamed up, practically shooting everything that moved on the screen fighting your way through the amazing but sometimes weird levels. The game always seemed to change everytime you started it again, except from the over the top boss fights where sometimes seem imposible to beat or end, but at the same time very enjoyable to play. I would recommend 'Gunstar Heroes' to anybody as it is a very fun and quick game to learn.    

Above is a digital photo taken by myself of 'Gunstar Heroes' Sega Mega Drive game

Contextual Studies

Do I agree with Caillois' ideas about waste?

I strongly disagree with Roger Callois' ideas about play. Callois states 'Play is an occasion of pure waste: waste of time, energy, ingenuity, skill, and often of money…'  but I believe that playing games can improve your life skills. For example , as I am dyslexic and find it hard to read and write I feel that my reading has improved just by me playing and engaging in games. Also games can be a great way to socialise with others and make new friends. Games also help strengthen your reflexes and eye co-ordination.

Roger Callois states  it's a 'waste of time, energy' but I believe that when a player accomplishes something within a game this helps boost their confidence in the real world. Also many games have competitive sides to them which creates healthy competition. He also states that 'a characteristic of play creates no wealth or goods' but you can win money and goods through gambling in casinos on games such as roulette and card games.