As hand in is tomorrow i thought it would be a good idea to reflect back on my work and discuss what i thought went well and areas if i had more time or for BA8 i would improve.
Firstly i noticed that my self given time table from the learning agreement wasn't stuck to as i jumped from area to area when studying and i wasn't able to keep up with posting on my blog every week. Although i was able to keep up with my work i would have been better if i was able to keep with my timetable and this will a nessary task to do during BA8.
Im very pleased with my final game document and design, i feel like i know what my character looks like and a over all style i can develop, i did want to do more designs for enemies and plants than i did but i was able to show i need. For BA i will carry on with the designs and produce more final designs.
My research could of been more in deep given more time. Other research areas i would of liked to have looked at is the making of iOS games on software, i was able to collaborate my design with another student to help create a prototype but i would like to of put in time to learn about GameSalad myself as well as other softwares like Unity. I feel that in BA this will be a area of study to improve myself as a games designer.
Sunday, 27 November 2011
Monday, 21 November 2011
Presentation
In preparation for an up coming presentation we have been asked to create a draft presentation to get reviewed in BA7. I have started this process after i was able to design the assets for John. I started by designing a simple background for the presentation out of some of the game assets. This was to make my presentation more visually pleasing and to help the theme of the presentation. Screenshot:
I have started by desiging a simple layout first to know what i will write for each slide of the presentation.
Slide 1
Clouds design introducing my name and game name concept e.g nimbo.
Slide 2
I will show a brief introduction into wanting to be a games designer and what i have done to forfill that with designing ‘Nimbo’. e.g talk about how and why i want to become games designing and because of these i have designed a full game looking at how it include lots of different mechanics and how i have looked at selling the game.
Slide 3 Development
Beginning of the design from doodles and mechanics to then extending that by looking at mechanics and other games available on the games market. Show some games i have looked at and my beginning doodles that give sense of what the game is i’m trying to make.
Slide 4
Designed the mechanics of the game e.g parallax scrolling and enemies attacking plants.
Slide 5
Designed the character. How i designed nimbo and why he looks like he does.
Slide 6
Demostrated how the game would work throughout screen shots of mechanics
Slide 7
Extended research into profiting e.g mechanics. looking at how researched into freemium games and micro-transactions. Also the use of the merchandise.
Slide 8
Thank you and questions.
I have started by desiging a simple layout first to know what i will write for each slide of the presentation.
Slide 1
Clouds design introducing my name and game name concept e.g nimbo.
Slide 2
I will show a brief introduction into wanting to be a games designer and what i have done to forfill that with designing ‘Nimbo’. e.g talk about how and why i want to become games designing and because of these i have designed a full game looking at how it include lots of different mechanics and how i have looked at selling the game.
Slide 3 Development
Beginning of the design from doodles and mechanics to then extending that by looking at mechanics and other games available on the games market. Show some games i have looked at and my beginning doodles that give sense of what the game is i’m trying to make.
Slide 4
Designed the mechanics of the game e.g parallax scrolling and enemies attacking plants.
Slide 5
Designed the character. How i designed nimbo and why he looks like he does.
Slide 6
Demostrated how the game would work throughout screen shots of mechanics
Slide 7
Extended research into profiting e.g mechanics. looking at how researched into freemium games and micro-transactions. Also the use of the merchandise.
Slide 8
Thank you and questions.
Designing Assets
I spend today handing in my Draft Research report and our teams archant game design sell sheets. Once i handed in the docuements i spent my time working with john wheeler to prepare assets for the prototype he is creating, during this time i explaned the basic workings on the prototype so far and directed me in what i needed to make to be imported into Game Salad over the prototype. With most of the assets already made it was a matter of resizing to fit a iphone screensize, creating hitboxs for assets and designing buttons for actions. With these assets John as agreed to place them into the game prototype ready for the end of BA7 so that he has used and practised with assets and i have a strong visual prototype.
Saturday, 19 November 2011
Levels
In games there is usually a menu that allows the player to choose what level they are going to play, this then allow players to choose the level they want to play, usually they still have to go through the process of unlocking the levels.
A simple system is; play level 1 and the completion is rewarded with level 2. this carries on so on until the end of the game, but the player has the chance to repeat the previous level by going back on the menu and selecting it. A lot of games break down the total amount of levels into sections or chapters. Games that involve lots of different levels specially in the puzzle category have lots of different levels and usually are broken down in to either level difficulty or chapters in which then players can choose were they want to begin.
Angry Birds use an interesting Chapter method with each new chapter being harder but also having a change of environment and assets. Screen shot:
A simple system is; play level 1 and the completion is rewarded with level 2. this carries on so on until the end of the game, but the player has the chance to repeat the previous level by going back on the menu and selecting it. A lot of games break down the total amount of levels into sections or chapters. Games that involve lots of different levels specially in the puzzle category have lots of different levels and usually are broken down in to either level difficulty or chapters in which then players can choose were they want to begin.
Angry Birds use an interesting Chapter method with each new chapter being harder but also having a change of environment and assets. Screen shot:
Friday, 18 November 2011
Parallax Scrolling Example.
To help show how my game would use the method of parallax scrolling has a form of movement i have created a short 10 second animation that shows the layers moving at different speeds that will create the appearence of movement.I used the software Affect effects to made the video. I also helps to give a perpective of how my game looks as a motion game as i have only done created screen shot images.
Thursday, 17 November 2011
Archant Project
Today me, Ryan pentney and Cian Mcnabola spend the day working in a group preparing a couple of different sell sheets for the Archent project, due to the fact we have many ideas that all relate to the project we want to enter as many as we can to get a better chance at getting through into the top 10. We worked together to ensure that we had the right ideas and to explore what each other had come up with. I today was able to produce two sell sheets ready for entering into the Archent that will be checked by the rest of the group like wise with there sell sheets. We have worked well today discussing advertising, how to promote the game and why people would like them which as led us to create some great simple ideas.
We decided to come up with a team name as we thought it might be approprate to have a logo or some sort of way to define use againt other teams and groups of people, also to make it feel like we are more in a company situation.
The chosen team name is 'Box of squids' as we felt we have gone for a fun and cute an different name. I designed a simple logo that we could attach to our game sell sheets to show which ones are our designs.
We decided to come up with a team name as we thought it might be approprate to have a logo or some sort of way to define use againt other teams and groups of people, also to make it feel like we are more in a company situation.
The chosen team name is 'Box of squids' as we felt we have gone for a fun and cute an different name. I designed a simple logo that we could attach to our game sell sheets to show which ones are our designs.
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Gun Bros
Gun Bros is a poplar top down shooter that is currently available for free on the App store. It was released in 2010 as a game to bring hardcore gamers at the age of 9 + on the app-store together in a multiplayer shooter. In December 2010 it has been reported that 2.8 million but currently it has been announced on Pr Newswire that over 6.8 million have been downloaded with 5.5 million being from iOS devices. As a Freemium game Gun Bros has different in game ways of purchasing content, the main method is purchasing 'Warbucks' a type of in game credit. Orginally 'Warbucks' could only be bought using real life money but currently it can be earnt in the game but the idea is that if you pay u can unlock items that might take you weeks or months to unlock.
In game there are various weapons that can be bought either by coins which are the basic in game currency that are collected throughout playing the game as a standard or by 'Warbucks' usually the 'Warbucks' items are better than the once that can be bought with normal currency as the players haven't had to spend money to get the item, e.g. its more beneficial to spend money. Other items work in a similar priceable with armour and power-ups are also available to buy in game.
I have been playing and looking at all the items on the game using my Ipod touch. The game play is relatively simple and its mostly about playing to collect credit to then purchase items to upgrade yourself. This then pushes the want for weapons that are the best to save on time playing as it soon gets repetitive as the gameplay doesn't change. The better the extras the faster you earn credit and the faster you get the next items.
Here are some screenshots of the items:
This image shows different power ups that can be purchased in game.
This shows Armour that can be bought in the game, on screen is currently showing different types of helmets can be bought.
This image shows weapons that can be bought in the game, this is also interesting because currently there on sale to get more players to buy the virtual images. This isn't the only reason why they are interesting because this screen next screen shot will explain why.
'The kraken' is the last weapon on the list and it is also the most expensive costing 3499 Warbucks. Converted into real money the virtual gun would cost £308 or $500. This is crazy due to the fact you could by a new games console with this or a new ipod or iphone for that much money but in this game its the cost of one small piece of virtual data.
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/gun-bros/id393404730?mt=8
http://www.glu.com/category/category/gun-bros
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/appsblog/2011/aug/04/gun-bros-final-fantasy-tacticshttp://toucharcade.com/2011/08/03/glu-adds-500-unlockable-gun-to-gun-bros/ http://blog.flurry.com/bid/67748/Consumers-Spend-Average-of-14-per-Transaction-in-iOS-and-Android-Freemium-Gameshttp://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/glu-announces-continued-strong-downloads-of-gun-bros-and-deer-hunter-challenge-at-gdc-2011-117303428.html
In game there are various weapons that can be bought either by coins which are the basic in game currency that are collected throughout playing the game as a standard or by 'Warbucks' usually the 'Warbucks' items are better than the once that can be bought with normal currency as the players haven't had to spend money to get the item, e.g. its more beneficial to spend money. Other items work in a similar priceable with armour and power-ups are also available to buy in game.
I have been playing and looking at all the items on the game using my Ipod touch. The game play is relatively simple and its mostly about playing to collect credit to then purchase items to upgrade yourself. This then pushes the want for weapons that are the best to save on time playing as it soon gets repetitive as the gameplay doesn't change. The better the extras the faster you earn credit and the faster you get the next items.
Here are some screenshots of the items:
This image shows different power ups that can be purchased in game.
This shows Armour that can be bought in the game, on screen is currently showing different types of helmets can be bought.
This image shows weapons that can be bought in the game, this is also interesting because currently there on sale to get more players to buy the virtual images. This isn't the only reason why they are interesting because this screen next screen shot will explain why.
'The kraken' is the last weapon on the list and it is also the most expensive costing 3499 Warbucks. Converted into real money the virtual gun would cost £308 or $500. This is crazy due to the fact you could by a new games console with this or a new ipod or iphone for that much money but in this game its the cost of one small piece of virtual data.
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/gun-bros/id393404730?mt=8
http://www.glu.com/category/category/gun-bros
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/appsblog/2011/aug/04/gun-bros-final-fantasy-tacticshttp://toucharcade.com/2011/08/03/glu-adds-500-unlockable-gun-to-gun-bros/ http://blog.flurry.com/bid/67748/Consumers-Spend-Average-of-14-per-Transaction-in-iOS-and-Android-Freemium-Gameshttp://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/glu-announces-continued-strong-downloads-of-gun-bros-and-deer-hunter-challenge-at-gdc-2011-117303428.html
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Teaching Prospective Students
Today i took part again in helping to teach students from sixth forms and colleges in the local area learn about games art and design. Today we had a higher attendance with 13 students and it was a successful day with groups of 2 and 3 designing board games that use new methods of traveling. I also did a presentation to help show the students what i have done over the 2 years so they could see what students do and understand what they might do if joining the course.
Monday, 14 November 2011
Oblivion
On oblivion there is an infamous DLC that enabled players to purchase armor for there horse in game but that ment they had to purchase the DLC first for a price of 200 microsoft points or $2.50. For most deadicated fans this is nothing to help increase the gaming experience but it caused alot of stir as most didnt see the point of having it after they had bought the DLC. The horse overall diffent have much of a change other than the apparence and that the armour increased its health.
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/04/03/download-oblivions-horse-armor-for-a-price/
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Horse_Armor_Pack
http://www.gamesradar.com/oblivions-horse-armour-dlc-is-still-selling-bethesda-calls-it-inexplicable-we-call-it-basic-human-degradation/
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/04/03/download-oblivions-horse-armor-for-a-price/
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Horse_Armor_Pack
http://www.gamesradar.com/oblivions-horse-armour-dlc-is-still-selling-bethesda-calls-it-inexplicable-we-call-it-basic-human-degradation/
Sunday, 13 November 2011
Saturday, 12 November 2011
Prototype
Thanks to our group sessions i was able to collaborate with john wheeler to benefit both of us in BA7 as John wanted designs to build in gamesalad i offered that he could use my concept to learn how to make games in the software, in return i would be able to make assets for the game concept and receive a copy of the prototype. Today i was able to catch up with john in which he has given me the first game prototype witch he has made, at the moment he has used blocks to symbolise aspects of the game.
What he has made is two buttons that tell the 'cloud' or 'Nimbo' to move left or right, as well as a button to create a water droplet.
Example:
By clicking the water button the cloud will spawn a water droplet in which if it were to hit the plant the plant would grow. currently the plant doesn't grow but that will soon be added. By clicking the cloud it creates the cloud to make a lightning strike which falls from the cloud and will kill an enemy. Also John has added Randomly spawning enemies that will vary in time for when they spawn, they appear from the side on the screen and when they touch the plant it will destroy it.
Example:
I have created a video in that you can see the first prototype work as a game.
What he has made is two buttons that tell the 'cloud' or 'Nimbo' to move left or right, as well as a button to create a water droplet.
Example:
By clicking the water button the cloud will spawn a water droplet in which if it were to hit the plant the plant would grow. currently the plant doesn't grow but that will soon be added. By clicking the cloud it creates the cloud to make a lightning strike which falls from the cloud and will kill an enemy. Also John has added Randomly spawning enemies that will vary in time for when they spawn, they appear from the side on the screen and when they touch the plant it will destroy it.
Example:
I have created a video in that you can see the first prototype work as a game.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Archent Project
On monday we received a project from a company called Archent. This company is one of the UKs largest regional newspaper and magazine publishers that specialise in multimedia. They have given the games art and design course as a whole a project to design a game concept that would be made by Archent to help increase younger viewers to their websites and or to potentially profit from. We have been asked to design a sell sheet for the 21st of November that shows our game concept and the top 10 designs would be developed further.
This is a chance for a student to make a game that might get developed and potentially released which would be a great item to have on a CV for a potential Game Designer, this is why i am focused on entering the project. Today we had a lecture from Archent that informed us students of more information that would be nessary to keep in mind when designing the game concept.
Issues and key points mentioned were:
- attracting a younger audience
-loyalty aspects with regular players and existing cusomters.
-Commercial Elements
-Local audience (Norfolk)
-Transactions
- Potential for Web and Mobile Game
I have taken the project as develop a game for a large younger audience that will both create profit and gain a returning audience base. This would then suit the needs of reaching out to people but keeping them interesting in Archent's products. Also then Commercial elements and transactions could then be build into the concept.
I have talked to members of my year group and as we are allowed to enter our own ideas and as a group i have joined 2 other students that wish to also enter. This would help in the concept of collaborations and potentially with more minds on the project develop a better idea. As a team we also have chosen to do individual concepts to help our chances of one of us getting into the top 10.
We have had one group talk about what we could do as a game concept for the project which lead to use working out what could be done and what cant be done. There were some aspects raised in the lecture about what can't be done like adult content and politics related games.
I currently also have my own concept idea that i will be slowly working on during my BA7 project. I will not go into to much detail of the concept as not to distract my self from my degree. However i will include all work i do for the project into BA7 as it is a good opportunity to learn from this experience.
This is a chance for a student to make a game that might get developed and potentially released which would be a great item to have on a CV for a potential Game Designer, this is why i am focused on entering the project. Today we had a lecture from Archent that informed us students of more information that would be nessary to keep in mind when designing the game concept.
Issues and key points mentioned were:
- attracting a younger audience
-loyalty aspects with regular players and existing cusomters.
-Commercial Elements
-Local audience (Norfolk)
-Transactions
- Potential for Web and Mobile Game
I have taken the project as develop a game for a large younger audience that will both create profit and gain a returning audience base. This would then suit the needs of reaching out to people but keeping them interesting in Archent's products. Also then Commercial elements and transactions could then be build into the concept.
I have talked to members of my year group and as we are allowed to enter our own ideas and as a group i have joined 2 other students that wish to also enter. This would help in the concept of collaborations and potentially with more minds on the project develop a better idea. As a team we also have chosen to do individual concepts to help our chances of one of us getting into the top 10.
We have had one group talk about what we could do as a game concept for the project which lead to use working out what could be done and what cant be done. There were some aspects raised in the lecture about what can't be done like adult content and politics related games.
I currently also have my own concept idea that i will be slowly working on during my BA7 project. I will not go into to much detail of the concept as not to distract my self from my degree. However i will include all work i do for the project into BA7 as it is a good opportunity to learn from this experience.
Sunday, 6 November 2011
Feedback and Communication
Being in the games industry means that i will be working closely with others to create a game meaning i'm going to need good communication skills and be able to show my concepts clearly. Me and a group of students have been regually meeting up to talk about what we are doing in our project and trying to build a better understanding of communication. As we all are working on individual projects we are kept to ourselves and our projects are being driven by what we think is easy and best. By communicating with each other we are trying to see how everyone else is understanding our work and how we could improve and how lay out the concepts.
Images of a group discussion:
I find the group talks help because many times have i talked about my concept and others have struggled to understand a element of the concept. This means if i were to take it to a company i may be turned down due to a lack of understanding. It also helps to dump all the information in my head that builds for the concept so that i can note down what to do.
Also during one of these group talks john wheeler expressed how he needed concepts to build prototypes for on Game Salad to help his project as it is aiming to improve and show his learning on the software. I asked if he would like to try and make a simple prototype of my concept to help me improve on how to communicate my concept to programmers from a artistic and concept view and how he could improve on his programming and design elements. We are collaborating with each other to improve our understandings on the games industry while both still working on our own individual projects.
Images of a group discussion:
I find the group talks help because many times have i talked about my concept and others have struggled to understand a element of the concept. This means if i were to take it to a company i may be turned down due to a lack of understanding. It also helps to dump all the information in my head that builds for the concept so that i can note down what to do.
Also during one of these group talks john wheeler expressed how he needed concepts to build prototypes for on Game Salad to help his project as it is aiming to improve and show his learning on the software. I asked if he would like to try and make a simple prototype of my concept to help me improve on how to communicate my concept to programmers from a artistic and concept view and how he could improve on his programming and design elements. We are collaborating with each other to improve our understandings on the games industry while both still working on our own individual projects.
Saturday, 5 November 2011
Angry Birds
Angry birds has been recently titled the fastest selling game in the world with over 500 million copy's sold across multiple platforms. Starting on the IPhone in 2009 it has changed the way many game companies look at designing games for mobiles and smaller platforms and also the way this small games could potentially be marketed. With 500 million copy's sold on different platforms they have also sold toys, key chains, downloadable extras and used angry birds to advertise a film.
http://techleash.com/2011/11/angry-birds-reaches-500-million-downloads-the-fastest-selling-game-in-history/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/113996-Angry-Birds-Downloaded-Half-a-Billion-Times
Although most will say my iphone game will be as good as Angry Birds its pretty much impossible but to look up to is it is a good idea as they have created a simple game that everyone loves. Looking at the design will allow me and others to see how a game doesn't need to overly complex to be able to sell and even out sell AAA titles for the Xbox 360 and Playstation.
What i like about the game is its charm as its a violence based game but there characters are so simple and cute but yet are being used as a destructive force. I found an online interview on Origins of Angry Birds that discusses how the game came around because of one screen shot of an unhappy bird. A simple but yet loveable character laid the fountain down for a massively successful game and this is an element that i would like to get across in my game concept.
http://transmythology.com/2011/01/17/angry-birds-casual-gaming-to-transmedia-franchise/http://www.pcworld.com/article/206831/the_origins_of_angry_birds.html
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118023224
http://techleash.com/2011/11/angry-birds-reaches-500-million-downloads-the-fastest-selling-game-in-history/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/113996-Angry-Birds-Downloaded-Half-a-Billion-Times
Although most will say my iphone game will be as good as Angry Birds its pretty much impossible but to look up to is it is a good idea as they have created a simple game that everyone loves. Looking at the design will allow me and others to see how a game doesn't need to overly complex to be able to sell and even out sell AAA titles for the Xbox 360 and Playstation.
What i like about the game is its charm as its a violence based game but there characters are so simple and cute but yet are being used as a destructive force. I found an online interview on Origins of Angry Birds that discusses how the game came around because of one screen shot of an unhappy bird. A simple but yet loveable character laid the fountain down for a massively successful game and this is an element that i would like to get across in my game concept.
http://transmythology.com/2011/01/17/angry-birds-casual-gaming-to-transmedia-franchise/http://www.pcworld.com/article/206831/the_origins_of_angry_birds.html
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118023224
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Freemium Games
The term ‘Freemium’ is a business model that offers goods for free but has premium content that can be bought. This premium content varies depending on what the ‘Freemium’ good’s is and the business strategy. Freemium Games are similar to Free-to-play games but offer more when money is pend on the game.
Freemium is a popular business method for digital goods as programs such as Skype allow people to download the software and talk for free across computers but you pay for computer to phone calls. The popular website Deviantart ( Online forum to post art) uses a Freemium method as you can join for free allowing you to post art and see others but if you purchase the ‘Premium Membership’ you can get access to extra settings and content.
Good Examples include the popular ‘Freemium’ Rune Scape (2001), the game is known for being a subscription based game but the game is free allowing players to play under restrictions. Premium content can be purchased to enhance the game play creating a game that is both available to players that what a simple experience without the cost and those who want to play a continuous game with full dedication.
Freemium games can also be related to Game Demos and trials. These are usually small sections of games made free and downloadable to get people to download the game to play and hopefully get hooked so that the will want to buy the game. In this scenario the Premium content is the full game. Its a marketing method that allows games to draw in a mass audience of all ranges to hopefully get a bunch that would buy the premium content rather than hoping that the advertisements for your game has worked effectively and people are willing to pay for the game.
Thanks to the boom in Micro-Transactions, Freemium games have dominated the games market as all platforms have ways of selling premium content. Micro-transactions have allowed for more variations of premium content of individual items that players can buy. This has increased the amount of games using Freemium business methods.
‘Freemium games on iOS and Android continue to dominate the app economy, now accounting for over 65% of all revenue generated among the Top 100 grossing apps in the App Store alone.’ - Jeferson Valadares.
Freemium games have a made a hugh impact of different areas of the gaming industry as they were the reason why Social games took off as people could play with each other for free and with such a large audience playing for free there will be people who want more and are willing to pay.
Freemium Games info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemium
http://www.avc.com/a_vc/2006/03/my_favorite_bus.html#c15324948
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuneScape
www.Deviantart.com
http://blog.flurry.com/bid/71993/Mobile-Freemium-Games-Gen-Y-Plays-but-Gen-X-Pays
http://www.slidetoplay.com/story/the-ten-best-freemium-iphone-and-ipad-games
http://freemium-games.com/
Freemium is a popular business method for digital goods as programs such as Skype allow people to download the software and talk for free across computers but you pay for computer to phone calls. The popular website Deviantart ( Online forum to post art) uses a Freemium method as you can join for free allowing you to post art and see others but if you purchase the ‘Premium Membership’ you can get access to extra settings and content.
Good Examples include the popular ‘Freemium’ Rune Scape (2001), the game is known for being a subscription based game but the game is free allowing players to play under restrictions. Premium content can be purchased to enhance the game play creating a game that is both available to players that what a simple experience without the cost and those who want to play a continuous game with full dedication.
Freemium games can also be related to Game Demos and trials. These are usually small sections of games made free and downloadable to get people to download the game to play and hopefully get hooked so that the will want to buy the game. In this scenario the Premium content is the full game. Its a marketing method that allows games to draw in a mass audience of all ranges to hopefully get a bunch that would buy the premium content rather than hoping that the advertisements for your game has worked effectively and people are willing to pay for the game.
Thanks to the boom in Micro-Transactions, Freemium games have dominated the games market as all platforms have ways of selling premium content. Micro-transactions have allowed for more variations of premium content of individual items that players can buy. This has increased the amount of games using Freemium business methods.
‘Freemium games on iOS and Android continue to dominate the app economy, now accounting for over 65% of all revenue generated among the Top 100 grossing apps in the App Store alone.’ - Jeferson Valadares.
Freemium games have a made a hugh impact of different areas of the gaming industry as they were the reason why Social games took off as people could play with each other for free and with such a large audience playing for free there will be people who want more and are willing to pay.
Freemium Games info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemium
http://www.avc.com/a_vc/2006/03/my_favorite_bus.html#c15324948
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuneScape
www.Deviantart.com
http://blog.flurry.com/bid/71993/Mobile-Freemium-Games-Gen-Y-Plays-but-Gen-X-Pays
http://www.slidetoplay.com/story/the-ten-best-freemium-iphone-and-ipad-games
http://freemium-games.com/
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
Micro-transactions Digra
I have found an intestine article on the website Digra that explores Mirco-transactions in the Korean games market. The title is focusing on the use of payment models in korean games which includes the use of in-game item purchases.
http://www.digra.org/dl/db/07312.20080.pdf
http://www.digra.org/dl/db/07312.20080.pdf
Sunday, 30 October 2011
Micro-Transactions
I read a article that looks at the questions micro-transactions create like are they creating greedy companies? Is micro-transaction content items that have been held back from the game? and should companies care for the small minority of complaints of micro-transactions when millions still buy them? The article although doesn't pull out any strong evidenced based research it does point out a couple of different areas that effect micro-transactions relating to my research report. There was a interesting point about how EA is seen as a 'greedy' company as they sell content through the use of micro-transactions which can be earnt in the game anyways. To sum this up they are selling you content you already own. This does sound greedy but there are many factors that apply to there side as there are people who don't play enough to get the items they want.
Web link: http://blogcritics.org/gaming/article/microtransactions-in-games/
I watched this video on youtube during my research and thought that its worth mentioning as Guild Wars 2 used micro-transactions rather than using a pay-to-play fee. Games such as world of warcraft use the pay-to-play monthly business model to earn profits but this is directly want Guild Wars doesn't want as they feel that the game itself should have everything in it to begin with. You shouldn't have to pay again for items that should of been in the game. It also talks about how they have created micro-transactions that don't effect the gameplay as again they don't want to people to pay again for something they should get in the game from the start which would hopefully please the audience and keep them playing. It hints at micro-transactions work well creating profit when its only adding personality rather than in game enhancements. The micro-transactions could then be almost a gift in return as they are only buying because they are happy they are not playing to keep up with the game.
Interview originally from g4tv.com with colin johanson.
Video link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xoKixTkm1I
Another video i viewed was an old episode of the Extra Credits series. Extra Credits is a online based video series that look at teaching and reviewing games as art, game structures and the games industry. Created by Daniel Floyd and written by James Portnow, the show has a large gaming audience and has worked well with the independent games industry. I viewed their episode about 'Micro-transactions'. They discussed everything from how it has been used in the industry and how it should be used to achieve a greater effect. The main focus of this episode was teaching what micro-transactions are in games from the first recognised micro-transaction in the games industry and how do you make good use of micro-transactions in games. they mention about Elderscrolls Oblivion , were you could buy a different coat for your horse, although this didn't effect the game, thousands still bought it. Which lead to many companies taking on the concept. They talk about the effect on the industry how they see it as they mention about how its aiming at the consumers that want to spend little money to the ones willing to spend a lot meaning they are getting the most out of there audience. I found one part of the video very rememberable at that was 'People are Content' in player based games. This means that without people you have no content and that means companys need to remember that when it comes down to micro-transactions.
Video Link: http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/microtransactions
Other Websites of interest:
http://profy.com/2008/01/22/micro-transactions-as-a-business-model/ : EA’s website pogo and other game profit statistics using micro transactions.
http://digitalbrandmarketing.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/success-stories-for-the-micro-transaction-business-model/ has great info on zyanga
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4207/what_gamers_think_about_.php : histroy: what do people think of micro transactions.
http://www.industrygamers.com/news/ea-ceo-consoles-now-only-40-of-games-industry/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micropayment
Web link: http://blogcritics.org/gaming/article/microtransactions-in-games/
I watched this video on youtube during my research and thought that its worth mentioning as Guild Wars 2 used micro-transactions rather than using a pay-to-play fee. Games such as world of warcraft use the pay-to-play monthly business model to earn profits but this is directly want Guild Wars doesn't want as they feel that the game itself should have everything in it to begin with. You shouldn't have to pay again for items that should of been in the game. It also talks about how they have created micro-transactions that don't effect the gameplay as again they don't want to people to pay again for something they should get in the game from the start which would hopefully please the audience and keep them playing. It hints at micro-transactions work well creating profit when its only adding personality rather than in game enhancements. The micro-transactions could then be almost a gift in return as they are only buying because they are happy they are not playing to keep up with the game.
Interview originally from g4tv.com with colin johanson.
Video link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xoKixTkm1I
Another video i viewed was an old episode of the Extra Credits series. Extra Credits is a online based video series that look at teaching and reviewing games as art, game structures and the games industry. Created by Daniel Floyd and written by James Portnow, the show has a large gaming audience and has worked well with the independent games industry. I viewed their episode about 'Micro-transactions'. They discussed everything from how it has been used in the industry and how it should be used to achieve a greater effect. The main focus of this episode was teaching what micro-transactions are in games from the first recognised micro-transaction in the games industry and how do you make good use of micro-transactions in games. they mention about Elderscrolls Oblivion , were you could buy a different coat for your horse, although this didn't effect the game, thousands still bought it. Which lead to many companies taking on the concept. They talk about the effect on the industry how they see it as they mention about how its aiming at the consumers that want to spend little money to the ones willing to spend a lot meaning they are getting the most out of there audience. I found one part of the video very rememberable at that was 'People are Content' in player based games. This means that without people you have no content and that means companys need to remember that when it comes down to micro-transactions.
Video Link: http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/microtransactions
Other Websites of interest:
http://profy.com/2008/01/22/micro-transactions-as-a-business-model/ : EA’s website pogo and other game profit statistics using micro transactions.
http://digitalbrandmarketing.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/success-stories-for-the-micro-transaction-business-model/ has great info on zyanga
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4207/what_gamers_think_about_.php : histroy: what do people think of micro transactions.
http://www.industrygamers.com/news/ea-ceo-consoles-now-only-40-of-games-industry/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micropayment
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Cloud Research
Clouds are created from water droplets and are a mass of liquid hovering in our atmoshere. Although most people already have a good understanding on how clouds work and look like its easy to just you play as a cloud, and people will know what you mean and can guess roughly want it is about. I feel that’s it is important for me understand more about how clouds work and how they affect weather and studying the different types of clouds to help improve my game.
As my game is based around the concept of a cloud saving plants by raining on them and using different weather to protect against enemies that might harm the plant. Learning about different weather created by clouds will help me know what i could use for potential 'attacking/defensive' moves and interactions. It will also keep the concept realistic rather than creating ability’s and moves when there are many different ways clouds affect the weather.
Nephology is the study of clouds in science which is a form of meteorology, people are keep to learn about how various amounts of clouds are formed and they effect they have on weather. There are three forms of clouds were established by Luke Howard. He categorized the forms and appearance. The system was adopted until 1929 by the international Meteorological Commission.
Stratiform: Continuous sheets of layed clouds
Cirriform: Detached and Wispy clouds
Cumuliform: mainly detached and rolled, heaped or rippled.
These were later then put into two classes based on hight of the clouds
Cirrocumulus and Cirrostratus. Clouds that were always at the higher level were giving then name cirrus. Nimbus the most popular known cloud name was given to clouds that created the most amount of rain. Nimbus was then later changed to Nimbostratus to label 'Rain clouds'
‘Nimbo’ is the Latin world for 'Nimbus' Nimbostratus clouds are generally grey and are a formless layer of cloud that spread over large areas. The bottoms of Nimbostratus clouds are usually dark at the base of the cloud due to the rain allowing less light though. Nimbostratus clouds are known to be in the middle section layer of clouds and usually are around 6,500ft in the atmosphere.
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Atmosphere/images/nimbostratus3_small.jpg
Different Clouds creating weather:
An artical called 'How do clouds affect earth’s climate?' talks of how on sunny days lower level clouds block light which in a small way helps lower the temperature in a similar way you could feel a small change of temperature when stepping in shade.
The article also talks about how high clouds in the atmosphere keep in heat from escaping thus keeping the earth warmer than it should be. These effects change the temperature on a small scale but over the world changes the temperature overall on the world. Relating this to pollution the problem is that clouds are collecting thick amounts of Carbon Dioxide which are thinking the clouds. With high clouds thinking it’s increasing the amount of heat being let out of the planet. This could be used in my game as an ability to control temperature.
Obvious weather created by clouds is rain and hail from large amounts of water-vapor that gets deposited and other weather less related to clouds. With a large mix of hot and cold air tornados are created and clouds form in and around the moving pressure, Tornados are seen as clouds as the pressure forces water vapour down. Again tornados could be used as an attacking or defending method in my concept as they already are known for their power of effecting the landscape.
Thunderstorms and Lightning as well are caused by positive and negative charges from rising water droplets and falling ice crystals. As they clash they create Grauple and ice crystals with the ice crystals then carrying and depositing a positive charge it creates a large need for negative charge, with falling positive charge and rising negative charge the combination creates lighting.
Cloud seeding was something new i have learnt as experiments to change the amount of rain in the clouds, planes carried chemicals such as Silver Iodide and Dry Ice to help the process of the cloud, the idea is to make the chemicals absorb the water vapour to become heavy and fall as water droplets. This would allow areas will low rainfall to use the small clouds that pass by to create rain.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimbostratus
http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/wxfacts/Nimbostratus.htm
http://news.discovery.com/earth/clouds-climate.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_seeding
As my game is based around the concept of a cloud saving plants by raining on them and using different weather to protect against enemies that might harm the plant. Learning about different weather created by clouds will help me know what i could use for potential 'attacking/defensive' moves and interactions. It will also keep the concept realistic rather than creating ability’s and moves when there are many different ways clouds affect the weather.
Nephology is the study of clouds in science which is a form of meteorology, people are keep to learn about how various amounts of clouds are formed and they effect they have on weather. There are three forms of clouds were established by Luke Howard. He categorized the forms and appearance. The system was adopted until 1929 by the international Meteorological Commission.
Stratiform: Continuous sheets of layed clouds
Cirriform: Detached and Wispy clouds
Cumuliform: mainly detached and rolled, heaped or rippled.
These were later then put into two classes based on hight of the clouds
Cirrocumulus and Cirrostratus. Clouds that were always at the higher level were giving then name cirrus. Nimbus the most popular known cloud name was given to clouds that created the most amount of rain. Nimbus was then later changed to Nimbostratus to label 'Rain clouds'
‘Nimbo’ is the Latin world for 'Nimbus' Nimbostratus clouds are generally grey and are a formless layer of cloud that spread over large areas. The bottoms of Nimbostratus clouds are usually dark at the base of the cloud due to the rain allowing less light though. Nimbostratus clouds are known to be in the middle section layer of clouds and usually are around 6,500ft in the atmosphere.
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Atmosphere/images/nimbostratus3_small.jpg
Different Clouds creating weather:
An artical called 'How do clouds affect earth’s climate?' talks of how on sunny days lower level clouds block light which in a small way helps lower the temperature in a similar way you could feel a small change of temperature when stepping in shade.
The article also talks about how high clouds in the atmosphere keep in heat from escaping thus keeping the earth warmer than it should be. These effects change the temperature on a small scale but over the world changes the temperature overall on the world. Relating this to pollution the problem is that clouds are collecting thick amounts of Carbon Dioxide which are thinking the clouds. With high clouds thinking it’s increasing the amount of heat being let out of the planet. This could be used in my game as an ability to control temperature.
Obvious weather created by clouds is rain and hail from large amounts of water-vapor that gets deposited and other weather less related to clouds. With a large mix of hot and cold air tornados are created and clouds form in and around the moving pressure, Tornados are seen as clouds as the pressure forces water vapour down. Again tornados could be used as an attacking or defending method in my concept as they already are known for their power of effecting the landscape.
Thunderstorms and Lightning as well are caused by positive and negative charges from rising water droplets and falling ice crystals. As they clash they create Grauple and ice crystals with the ice crystals then carrying and depositing a positive charge it creates a large need for negative charge, with falling positive charge and rising negative charge the combination creates lighting.
Cloud seeding was something new i have learnt as experiments to change the amount of rain in the clouds, planes carried chemicals such as Silver Iodide and Dry Ice to help the process of the cloud, the idea is to make the chemicals absorb the water vapour to become heavy and fall as water droplets. This would allow areas will low rainfall to use the small clouds that pass by to create rain.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimbostratus
http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/wxfacts/Nimbostratus.htm
http://news.discovery.com/earth/clouds-climate.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_seeding
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Coloration and micro-transactions
I have done some basic research and looking into forms and the base around micro-transactions and i had always thought i could and would include them into my game concept as a way of profiting. There are many different ways of using micro-transactions to profit. It could by by selling items, extra levels or in game abilities or even all them, but you have to remember your audience when creating a payment scheme in your game.
I wasn't sure how i could implement buying items in my game concept because i didn't want to overally effect game play, so to begin with i thought that character customisations might be the way forward because as i am aiming at a young audience as i could create simple overlaying assets that they could buy to make the game more personal to them without effecting gameplay.
During my research on clouds i saw a area on Coloration, this is how clouds form colours and what we see of them. Coloration is when light is reflected from the cloud and depending on how think and dense the cloud is the different colour emerges, its also the colour of the visible spectrum that gets through is seen.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3230/2464998493_5d8ffdf20e.jpg
When i first read about this i thought i could implement colours to tell character emotion and different types of attacks for the game character. I then began to think that people have favourite colours and they can be strongly attached to a colour. This lead of to the idea that you could buy character colours for the game. This means that the asset bought is small but also the cost of the time would be really small, i could then also implement character assets such as bats and clothing and also give them the colour option as it relates to clouds.
I wasn't sure how i could implement buying items in my game concept because i didn't want to overally effect game play, so to begin with i thought that character customisations might be the way forward because as i am aiming at a young audience as i could create simple overlaying assets that they could buy to make the game more personal to them without effecting gameplay.
During my research on clouds i saw a area on Coloration, this is how clouds form colours and what we see of them. Coloration is when light is reflected from the cloud and depending on how think and dense the cloud is the different colour emerges, its also the colour of the visible spectrum that gets through is seen.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3230/2464998493_5d8ffdf20e.jpgWhen i first read about this i thought i could implement colours to tell character emotion and different types of attacks for the game character. I then began to think that people have favourite colours and they can be strongly attached to a colour. This lead of to the idea that you could buy character colours for the game. This means that the asset bought is small but also the cost of the time would be really small, i could then also implement character assets such as bats and clothing and also give them the colour option as it relates to clouds.
Teaching Games Art and Design
Today i helped along side another student and Course Leader in teaching A-Level students what its like to study games. Each student signed up for a taster session in what university game art and design. I had to create a presentation to show what my i have done and how i have studied over the last 2 years at the university. I tried to create a power point that expressed what i did before and how i felt, i also included my early work showing my progression of skills on the course. I also included finished work and what i am currently designing for my final project.
The class was to help the students undertake similar work as what we would do on the course. Their task was to create a game design concept for a racing game. They were giving a set of tasks like to brainstorm ideas, drawing out early ideas and explaining reasons for choices. A large element of their task was to create a another way to play a board prototype without having to use dice.
They were able to complete the task well individually, each creating there own playable game prototype with assets and another way of moving without using a dice.
The class was to help the students undertake similar work as what we would do on the course. Their task was to create a game design concept for a racing game. They were giving a set of tasks like to brainstorm ideas, drawing out early ideas and explaining reasons for choices. A large element of their task was to create a another way to play a board prototype without having to use dice.
They were able to complete the task well individually, each creating there own playable game prototype with assets and another way of moving without using a dice.
Designing My Game Levels
After looking briefly into Parallax Scrolling mechanics i noticed how by producing a series of of eviroment layers would be more benifital for my work than painting single pieces. I knew that i needed a simple and cartoonly style to fit with my character concepts so i looked at how other games have implemented parallax scrolling and there art style to get ideas of how i could.
Super Mario:
http://sorgatronmedia.com/chachisays/files/2011/07/smb3-2.jpg
Angry Birds:
http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2010/09/30/Angry_Birds_update.jpg
Bunny Shooter:
These 3 images i found were the most simple and interesting designs in style and looks, from a players point of view the images how nice styled enivrioments showing both the foreground and simple background creating a 2.5D appearance but as a designers view i can see how they have used different layers to create the effect with a bottom layer/first laying being the floor and base of the environment e.g bunny shooter has grass and mud as its floor layer.
Behind the first layer is the environmental features, in Mario its characteristic hills and mounds, this brings location into the scene with people knowing were abbots they might be with whats in the background. Any over layers behind this is just to help show distance.
I did some simple designs to use as potential environment layers i started by designing some mud bases fore the foreground as my plants would need to grow from the ground the mud designs are shown here:
Super Mario:
http://sorgatronmedia.com/chachisays/files/2011/07/smb3-2.jpg
Angry Birds:
http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2010/09/30/Angry_Birds_update.jpg
Bunny Shooter:
These 3 images i found were the most simple and interesting designs in style and looks, from a players point of view the images how nice styled enivrioments showing both the foreground and simple background creating a 2.5D appearance but as a designers view i can see how they have used different layers to create the effect with a bottom layer/first laying being the floor and base of the environment e.g bunny shooter has grass and mud as its floor layer.
Behind the first layer is the environmental features, in Mario its characteristic hills and mounds, this brings location into the scene with people knowing were abbots they might be with whats in the background. Any over layers behind this is just to help show distance.
I did some simple designs to use as potential environment layers i started by designing some mud bases fore the foreground as my plants would need to grow from the ground the mud designs are shown here:
Sunday, 23 October 2011
Character Design
Today i designed a brief series of characters today using photoshop, i have taken in mind the design of the same trying to make it both simple, cartoon like and bold. To help with the design i looked at some imagery from the web to see how others have designed clouds and other aspects i like that might include.
I firstly looked at cartoon clouds on the web, i already had a pre-visualized idea of what the character might look like shown here:
Using this i then narrowed my search to similar designs in which i found a couple of images that i thought were interesting. These are the images:
http://www.drawingcoach.com/image-files/cartoon_clouds_1.gif
http://www.drawingstep.com/image-files/white-cartoon-cloud.gif
These twp images are thecartoony version of clouds that are simple but yet something that i need to be similar designing to to create my cloud character. While looking at clouds i remembered about the 'Flying Nimbus' in the popular series Dragonball z. This was a animated character of a cloud that would fly characters from location to location but had a slight personality but had no face or features. The cloud was able to move and fly to depict its emotion and was fairly popular on screen during its short time in the series.
Image:
I also spent some time looking at real clouds dispite knowing i wanting a cartoon style, i though if i were to look at real clouds there might be a shape or something i might like about an image or two. here are a couple of images i looked at while designing my character:
http://jameswagner.com/mt_archives/clouds_and_bird.jpg
http://www.carlwozniak.com/clouds/Graphics/New%20Pix/clouds13.jpg
Using these images as reference it helped influence a couple of ideas of characters, this lead to a few designs that i thought might be right for the part of the game. The designs i made:
I firstly looked at cartoon clouds on the web, i already had a pre-visualized idea of what the character might look like shown here:
Using this i then narrowed my search to similar designs in which i found a couple of images that i thought were interesting. These are the images:
http://www.drawingcoach.com/image-files/cartoon_clouds_1.gif
http://www.drawingstep.com/image-files/white-cartoon-cloud.gifThese twp images are thecartoony version of clouds that are simple but yet something that i need to be similar designing to to create my cloud character. While looking at clouds i remembered about the 'Flying Nimbus' in the popular series Dragonball z. This was a animated character of a cloud that would fly characters from location to location but had a slight personality but had no face or features. The cloud was able to move and fly to depict its emotion and was fairly popular on screen during its short time in the series.
Image:
I also spent some time looking at real clouds dispite knowing i wanting a cartoon style, i though if i were to look at real clouds there might be a shape or something i might like about an image or two. here are a couple of images i looked at while designing my character:
http://jameswagner.com/mt_archives/clouds_and_bird.jpg
http://www.carlwozniak.com/clouds/Graphics/New%20Pix/clouds13.jpg
Using these images as reference it helped influence a couple of ideas of characters, this lead to a few designs that i thought might be right for the part of the game. The designs i made:
Friday, 21 October 2011
Game idea concepts
This is a list of early game concepts that i have thought about designing over the course of BA7 and BA8:
Concept (50 Words Max): A game that allows you to play as a cloud and collect points by raining and saving plants. It would involve tactics against multiple enemies. Puzzles could be implemented to help gain more items or abilities. Possible teaching use for the game.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): A massive drought across the UK has left the country worrying about its plants. One small cloud is the only one in the sky. In a search for more clouds he accidentally rains on a small girls flower pot and saves her flower. In return the girl becomes his friend and tells the cloud about the drought and how he can save all the plants and everyone. He takes on the job to save the UK with her teaching him along the way.
Genre:
Platform: IPod, IPad, Mobiles, PC
Focus: Trying make a simple and fun game for kids that could help them learn about science of the weather. I want the game to be easy to pick up and play anywhere and be happy and enjoyable.
USP: Enjoyable Teaching Game
Good Points: Easy to pick up and play. Fun. Jolly and anyone can play.
Bad Points: Might not last long. Only to teaching weather science. May lose audience by adding teaching methods.
________________________________________________________________________________
Concept (50 Words Max): Sci Fi Survival In which you are pushed to your limits with jumpy scenes and scary moments. Third or first person survival were you have to escape a strange compound but all is not what it seems as you find others and see weird events.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): You play as a guy/girl who wakes up in a strange room after witnessing a strange crash of the side of a busy road. With missing memories you have to work your way out but not all is as it seems as walls move, Strange noises, Shadows appear regally and you have no idea how to get out. During the escape you can spark memories that were blank. But your not alone, others are there each missing their memory and sum so mentally torn they risk hurting you and any chance of escaping.
After a crash of a large truck into a ditch many people left there cars to help the driver but what they found were tubes carrying aliens. not only that but the driver was an alien in a human skin suit. After taking you to a secret location and locking the viewers away to be skinned some humans escape there rooms and explore the building only to be hunted down again by the aliens before they can find out the truth or get it out to the world.
Genre: Survival, Sci fi, Horror, Mystery, Point and Click, Escape room game.
Platform: Xbox + 3D, PS3, PSP, Wii, WiiU, PC
Focus: Making a game that is scary but a fun challenge to play
USP: Bringing Escape room games to new consoles with a strong narrative and realistic approach.
Good Points: Breaking the mold of sci fi games and challenging personal mentally rather then through the use of skill.
Bad Points: Similar games include: Alan wake, Alone in the Dark, Condemned and Saw.
________________________________________________________________________
Concept (50 Words Max): A arcade game that explores teamwork and defense. A third person shooter in which you play as teenagers fighting off alien mutants using water guns and home made tools.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): Humans discover life in space but when they bring it to earth it escapes and turns one town into a dead zone with all those who get infected turn into alien mutants. a bunch of street kids try to defend there homes when they come across a promising weapon. Water. Now they have the means to fight off the enemy but can they save the day.
Genre: Comic, Sci fi, horror, arcade game.
Platform: Xbox Live Arcade Game, PSN, 3DS, Wii, Wii U
Focus: Creating a fun and creative multiplayer game for kids
USP: Unique story and gameplay.
Good Points: New ideas and game objects. New story, not a big game. Multiply characters and ways to play. Large mixed maps with attack and defense.
Bad Points: Might get repetitive. Cuts out large older audience.
________________________________________________________________________________
Concept (50 Words Max): A multi-world game that follows a player as he lives his perfect life until he winds up in the devious life of parallel universe jumping. After finding yourself in a new universe the only way out is joining the chase.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): you play as steven dawn, a family man, a hard worker, a lawsuit giver. After spending lots of time tracking down people and delivering bad news he goes home to a loving wife and kids. Things take a turn when he finds himself in crash with men traveling from demetion to demention stealing and collecting goods to sell back in there own universe.
After being in a crash you rush to help a guy stuck in a car only to find he pulls out a small pad that rips you out of your dimension and into another. in the chaos he manages to get away but were the hell are you. is this real? are you dead?
A flash appears behind you and you see a woman holding the remands of the same pad. she is heavily injured and dieing. She explains that your only way home is in his hands. She hands you a device that will help catch him but can you?
Genre: shooter, adventure, mystery
Platform: xbox, ps3
Focus: enviroment, story
USP: mutliply unqie areas.
Good Points: lots to do and lots of new things to use
Bad Points: lots to do, confusing
________________________________________________________________________________
Concept (50 Words Max): You choose to be either a good or bad vampire and this decides the worlds fate. GTA style free roaming but with strong narrative elements and choice making campaign options. Creating a nitty critty vampire world with monster vampires and a realistic world.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): You play as either a man or woman that was bitten by a vampire while traveling late on a subway. As you awake in the hospital you notice your different and at night suffer and terrifying change into a vampire beast. You remember waking up in the front of a podium in which you are knighted by the vampire priest as a ‘strong will’, one born from surviving a full bite. These means a vampire would of tried to suck the life and blood out of the person until death.
10 years later, becoming normal was hard and your past now has alot of blood split. But now a choice has to come as the vampire world starts to crumble with ‘Vampire Hunters’ attacking more and an increase of licans. will you be good and help stop the rise of the vampires and build peace with the licans or butcher anything that opposes the vampire kingdom.
Genre: Horror, third person, mystery. shooter.
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Focus: Good and evil player choices, Strong narrative.
USP: In game change from human to vampire at night.
Good Points:
Bad Points:
________________________________________________________________________
Concept (50 Words Max): play as a robot that has to fight other toys to collect parts to build a car/boat to escape. play through levels in the home, garage and garden.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): a small toy robot was told he would be binned soon. you play as a robot that wants to find his way home, the toy store. Help him fight and collect pieces to build him a escape vehicle.
Genre: Comedy, adventure.
Platform: IPad,Iphone, mobile.
Focus: Interaction.
USP: fun and easy.
Good Points: pick up and play.
Bad Points: simple, mainly for young players.
________________________________________________________________________________
Concept (50 Words Max): A RPG racing game that is based around dragon riding, training and breeding. The game revoles around hunting and racing dragons. RPG elements allow a player to roam and explore and hunt.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): As a child you watched your father be the sidekick to a famous dragon racer, during these times dragon racing was new and up and coming as riders were rare. Dragons were also unpredictable, deadly and hard to capture. As the sport took over the world so did gambling, cheating and mobs. Early riders found it hard to compete as younger riders bred the best dragons. As you became a dragon trainer your father lost his job and ended up oweing money to mobs. As your father goes missing his debt becomes yours and you have to pay back the debt and find your father.
Genre: RPG, Fanasty.
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3,PC,Wii,Wii U
Focus: Creating a real mix of game play and person preference to play.
USP: Dragon Riding and customizing AI components.
Good Points: New concept, and allows people to play how they want. mixes different game play.
Bad Points: lots of different parts to the game may be confusing and troublesome.
________________________________________________________________________________
Concept (50 Words Max: You play as a robotic diving sub that looks for treasure undersea, unabled humans cant travel that far down so its your job to survive the deep dark depths of the sea. collect, explore and discover.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): As Gold and other presous metals are extremely vauable humans built smart small subs to travel deeper than thought possible in the ocean. Smart and alone you have to do there bidding and find there metals, discover new fish and creatures and survive the dark bottom. The more you do the more love and respect u are giving with more upgrades, better equipment.
Genre: Third Person, First person, adventure, mystery, puzzle.
Platform: xbox arcade, playstation network, PC, Steam, IPad.
Focus: creating a new exciting visual experience.
USP: Not many underwater games. exploration and learning.
Good Points:
Bad Points:
________________________________________________________________________
Concept (50 Words Max): A first or third person shooter that is based in world that is terrified of a disease that seriously hurt humanity. As some are amune they created save citys blocking out the illness, the less unfortunate suffer in a world were drugs keep you alive. There are those who carry the illness and wear it with pride. As they painfully live they choose to fight against those who will not help them.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): The earth suddenly came under the attack of a new disease that quickly spread over the world slowly and painfully killing millions. Some were not effected and soon came together to protect themselves as some could also live with disease as carriers. Those who stayed ill and didn't die carry the illness on them for all time and will infect anyone they touch even the immune. This created segregation with 3 types of people living in a torn world of disease and hatred. Those who lived re-build there cities from the outside world. Some who didn't get ill but were capable of contracting created drugs and masks to they could live. The drugs were expensive and didn't stop the illness just blocked them from invading the system for a limited amount of time. They live outside cities covered away trying there hardest to live. The infected live in the wastelands of what was old cities and towns. These people live to get back at the ones who will kill them on sight. This is only the start with gang wars and corruption and unexplained events trigger you the player to start exploring why.
Genre: Action, adventure, shooter, mild horror.
Platform: Xbox 360, PC, Playstation,
Focus: Creating a game will make the players think of choices and safety.
USP: Story and survival gameplay.
Concept (50 Words Max): A game that allows you to play as a cloud and collect points by raining and saving plants. It would involve tactics against multiple enemies. Puzzles could be implemented to help gain more items or abilities. Possible teaching use for the game.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): A massive drought across the UK has left the country worrying about its plants. One small cloud is the only one in the sky. In a search for more clouds he accidentally rains on a small girls flower pot and saves her flower. In return the girl becomes his friend and tells the cloud about the drought and how he can save all the plants and everyone. He takes on the job to save the UK with her teaching him along the way.
Genre:
Platform: IPod, IPad, Mobiles, PC
Focus: Trying make a simple and fun game for kids that could help them learn about science of the weather. I want the game to be easy to pick up and play anywhere and be happy and enjoyable.
USP: Enjoyable Teaching Game
Good Points: Easy to pick up and play. Fun. Jolly and anyone can play.
Bad Points: Might not last long. Only to teaching weather science. May lose audience by adding teaching methods.
________________________________________________________________________________
Concept (50 Words Max): Sci Fi Survival In which you are pushed to your limits with jumpy scenes and scary moments. Third or first person survival were you have to escape a strange compound but all is not what it seems as you find others and see weird events.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): You play as a guy/girl who wakes up in a strange room after witnessing a strange crash of the side of a busy road. With missing memories you have to work your way out but not all is as it seems as walls move, Strange noises, Shadows appear regally and you have no idea how to get out. During the escape you can spark memories that were blank. But your not alone, others are there each missing their memory and sum so mentally torn they risk hurting you and any chance of escaping.
After a crash of a large truck into a ditch many people left there cars to help the driver but what they found were tubes carrying aliens. not only that but the driver was an alien in a human skin suit. After taking you to a secret location and locking the viewers away to be skinned some humans escape there rooms and explore the building only to be hunted down again by the aliens before they can find out the truth or get it out to the world.
Genre: Survival, Sci fi, Horror, Mystery, Point and Click, Escape room game.
Platform: Xbox + 3D, PS3, PSP, Wii, WiiU, PC
Focus: Making a game that is scary but a fun challenge to play
USP: Bringing Escape room games to new consoles with a strong narrative and realistic approach.
Good Points: Breaking the mold of sci fi games and challenging personal mentally rather then through the use of skill.
Bad Points: Similar games include: Alan wake, Alone in the Dark, Condemned and Saw.
________________________________________________________________________
Concept (50 Words Max): A arcade game that explores teamwork and defense. A third person shooter in which you play as teenagers fighting off alien mutants using water guns and home made tools.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): Humans discover life in space but when they bring it to earth it escapes and turns one town into a dead zone with all those who get infected turn into alien mutants. a bunch of street kids try to defend there homes when they come across a promising weapon. Water. Now they have the means to fight off the enemy but can they save the day.
Genre: Comic, Sci fi, horror, arcade game.
Platform: Xbox Live Arcade Game, PSN, 3DS, Wii, Wii U
Focus: Creating a fun and creative multiplayer game for kids
USP: Unique story and gameplay.
Good Points: New ideas and game objects. New story, not a big game. Multiply characters and ways to play. Large mixed maps with attack and defense.
Bad Points: Might get repetitive. Cuts out large older audience.
________________________________________________________________________________
Concept (50 Words Max): A multi-world game that follows a player as he lives his perfect life until he winds up in the devious life of parallel universe jumping. After finding yourself in a new universe the only way out is joining the chase.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): you play as steven dawn, a family man, a hard worker, a lawsuit giver. After spending lots of time tracking down people and delivering bad news he goes home to a loving wife and kids. Things take a turn when he finds himself in crash with men traveling from demetion to demention stealing and collecting goods to sell back in there own universe.
After being in a crash you rush to help a guy stuck in a car only to find he pulls out a small pad that rips you out of your dimension and into another. in the chaos he manages to get away but were the hell are you. is this real? are you dead?
A flash appears behind you and you see a woman holding the remands of the same pad. she is heavily injured and dieing. She explains that your only way home is in his hands. She hands you a device that will help catch him but can you?
Genre: shooter, adventure, mystery
Platform: xbox, ps3
Focus: enviroment, story
USP: mutliply unqie areas.
Good Points: lots to do and lots of new things to use
Bad Points: lots to do, confusing
________________________________________________________________________________
Concept (50 Words Max): You choose to be either a good or bad vampire and this decides the worlds fate. GTA style free roaming but with strong narrative elements and choice making campaign options. Creating a nitty critty vampire world with monster vampires and a realistic world.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): You play as either a man or woman that was bitten by a vampire while traveling late on a subway. As you awake in the hospital you notice your different and at night suffer and terrifying change into a vampire beast. You remember waking up in the front of a podium in which you are knighted by the vampire priest as a ‘strong will’, one born from surviving a full bite. These means a vampire would of tried to suck the life and blood out of the person until death.
10 years later, becoming normal was hard and your past now has alot of blood split. But now a choice has to come as the vampire world starts to crumble with ‘Vampire Hunters’ attacking more and an increase of licans. will you be good and help stop the rise of the vampires and build peace with the licans or butcher anything that opposes the vampire kingdom.
Genre: Horror, third person, mystery. shooter.
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Focus: Good and evil player choices, Strong narrative.
USP: In game change from human to vampire at night.
Good Points:
Bad Points:
________________________________________________________________________
Concept (50 Words Max): play as a robot that has to fight other toys to collect parts to build a car/boat to escape. play through levels in the home, garage and garden.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): a small toy robot was told he would be binned soon. you play as a robot that wants to find his way home, the toy store. Help him fight and collect pieces to build him a escape vehicle.
Genre: Comedy, adventure.
Platform: IPad,Iphone, mobile.
Focus: Interaction.
USP: fun and easy.
Good Points: pick up and play.
Bad Points: simple, mainly for young players.
________________________________________________________________________________
Concept (50 Words Max): A RPG racing game that is based around dragon riding, training and breeding. The game revoles around hunting and racing dragons. RPG elements allow a player to roam and explore and hunt.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): As a child you watched your father be the sidekick to a famous dragon racer, during these times dragon racing was new and up and coming as riders were rare. Dragons were also unpredictable, deadly and hard to capture. As the sport took over the world so did gambling, cheating and mobs. Early riders found it hard to compete as younger riders bred the best dragons. As you became a dragon trainer your father lost his job and ended up oweing money to mobs. As your father goes missing his debt becomes yours and you have to pay back the debt and find your father.
Genre: RPG, Fanasty.
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3,PC,Wii,Wii U
Focus: Creating a real mix of game play and person preference to play.
USP: Dragon Riding and customizing AI components.
Good Points: New concept, and allows people to play how they want. mixes different game play.
Bad Points: lots of different parts to the game may be confusing and troublesome.
________________________________________________________________________________
Concept (50 Words Max: You play as a robotic diving sub that looks for treasure undersea, unabled humans cant travel that far down so its your job to survive the deep dark depths of the sea. collect, explore and discover.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): As Gold and other presous metals are extremely vauable humans built smart small subs to travel deeper than thought possible in the ocean. Smart and alone you have to do there bidding and find there metals, discover new fish and creatures and survive the dark bottom. The more you do the more love and respect u are giving with more upgrades, better equipment.
Genre: Third Person, First person, adventure, mystery, puzzle.
Platform: xbox arcade, playstation network, PC, Steam, IPad.
Focus: creating a new exciting visual experience.
USP: Not many underwater games. exploration and learning.
Good Points:
Bad Points:
________________________________________________________________________
Concept (50 Words Max): A first or third person shooter that is based in world that is terrified of a disease that seriously hurt humanity. As some are amune they created save citys blocking out the illness, the less unfortunate suffer in a world were drugs keep you alive. There are those who carry the illness and wear it with pride. As they painfully live they choose to fight against those who will not help them.
Story/Narrative (250 Words Max): The earth suddenly came under the attack of a new disease that quickly spread over the world slowly and painfully killing millions. Some were not effected and soon came together to protect themselves as some could also live with disease as carriers. Those who stayed ill and didn't die carry the illness on them for all time and will infect anyone they touch even the immune. This created segregation with 3 types of people living in a torn world of disease and hatred. Those who lived re-build there cities from the outside world. Some who didn't get ill but were capable of contracting created drugs and masks to they could live. The drugs were expensive and didn't stop the illness just blocked them from invading the system for a limited amount of time. They live outside cities covered away trying there hardest to live. The infected live in the wastelands of what was old cities and towns. These people live to get back at the ones who will kill them on sight. This is only the start with gang wars and corruption and unexplained events trigger you the player to start exploring why.
Genre: Action, adventure, shooter, mild horror.
Platform: Xbox 360, PC, Playstation,
Focus: Creating a game will make the players think of choices and safety.
USP: Story and survival gameplay.
Thursday, 20 October 2011
Parallax Scrolling
Parallax Scrolling is a digital method of creating 2.5D graphics. The method is most popular in video games and one of the first uses appeared in 1982 in the arcade game Moon Patrol. The game was of a small moon buggy that traveled the surface, parallax scrolling takes place as the background lays move slower than the foreground creating the feeling that what is at the front is moving a large distance and that the background layers are further away than what they are. What you can see in Moon Patrol is the Buggy moving over fast bottom layer of floor. The next layer starts as mountains that move slower than the foreground. Behind that is then a layer of mountains that move even slower, the last layer is the still background image that usually is the sky but for the game is black to represent space.
Video Link to Moon Patrol Game play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBOKWCpwGfM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallax_scrolling
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Side-scrolling_video_game
Video Link to Moon Patrol Game play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBOKWCpwGfM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallax_scrolling
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Side-scrolling_video_game
BA7
BA7 is the first project of BA Games Art and Design, the goal of this year is to prepare myself ready into going into the world of the games industry or creating a good profile to get into higher education. This year i have chosen to work on my own game design focusing on building a good foundation so that i could potentially become a Game Designer in the future.
Starting BA7 we have prepared a learning agreement to tell the university our plan for the year and to give ourselves our own goals and projects. The idea is to be able to set our own goals and tasks to understand project management and time keeping as this is a important part of the games industry. We have had to make clear choices and explain reasons for choosing what we are personally going to do.
This is my Learning Agreement Draft that defines what i will be aiming to do for BA7 and BA8:
Proposal: What do you intend to do?
I intend to improve on myself as a gameʼs designer and learn what I need to know ready for to go into the Games Industry. This yearʼs project will be split into two game design documents for a potential 2.5D video game preferably for the Apple App Store. My Research Report will be looking at how the industry has changed using Micro Transactions as a means of generating profit.
My strength lies in fundamental design work and looking at how concepts can convey the game mechanics and visual identity of the game. I will be looking at my work with a critical eye and ensuring that my game concept will go through many stages clearing the concept of unnecessary ideas and refining the idea into a fully designed game. I want to become a Games Designer in the games industry, this means I will need to be able to produce strong game documents and evidenced concepts, research and play tests.
While researching I will be keeping a research blog which will be updated on a weekly bases. It will contain all relevant research and materials I have found as well as reflecting on project. My research report title is ʻHow have ʻʼMicro-Transactionsʼ changed the nature of gamesʼ profit and income, with specific reference to Facebook games?ʼ. As a extended essay, the research report will focus on how game companies have taken on board micro-transactions in many different ways to help improve on the amount of money they earn per game. My information will come from a mix of primary, secondary and tertiary research, I will be using the library as a main source of research as well as internet resources. Jesse Schell is a starting point for my research, as he has talked at the 2010 D.I.C.E summit about how social games use micro-transactions to earn money rather than pricing the game.
My focus is on the full design of the game, creating a solid game document that shows the process of the game and the game theory. I will be putting a lot of work into the design and feel of the game, looking the art design and drawn concepts. Software like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator will be my main equipment to design 2D designs.
Other games like Angry Birds, Plants Vs Zombies and Cloud all relate to what i want to create and achieve, looking at each game and researching what made them successful and how different mechanics made there game would be useful to see how i could implement highly successful theories into my on concept.
Assessment Work:
The game concept is called ʻNimboʼ a small 2.5d side scroller game. The game is based around weather and creating a nature friendly game that is both amusing and fun to play for a young audience ( 6 years +). The concept is how a playable cloud ʻNimboʼ could save plants using different weather from ʻenemiesʼ to earn its right to be a fully grown cloud.
The first GDD will focus on the research and base concept for the design. It will follow my creative thought process as a game designer. The process may go through many levels like choosing my concept, building the initial idea and focused research around the concept. I will be starting from my early concept ideas and why I thought it was the most promising concept leading on to my first design of the game. This will be looking at todayʼs game market and game cultures to make sure Iʼm adhering to todayʼs emerging practises and showing knowledge of the industry. (L01)
My first research report draft will be consisting of mostly research and research methods, showing clear goals and analysis of information. The aim is to create a clear layout structure of information I have gathered and displaying it in a written format. The area of study is Micro Transactions and how they changed the games industry. (L02)
This first design will look at story concepts and how different stories will affect the outcome of the game, playerʼs connection and audience type. I will be looking at the narrative based theories and other games have used these to create stories. This will help me to choose what will be the best story concept and influence how my story will turn out. (L03)
Based around the concept and audience I will look at possible platforms for my game and what would be the best choice. Platform will be mostly looking around interactive methods, profit and reaching an audience. These are choices that need informed judgements as they can effect the whole outcome of the game from gameplay and interaction to character design and programming.(L05)
I will be designing my initial character and designing simple designs for other areas of the game like assets and enemies to allow a picture of what the game might look like. I will be approaching this by designing 2D concept art. The art will show my current visual ideas of what the game should look like. Development of these characters is important but will be fully analysed and considered during BA8 for the final designs.(L06)
Minimum expected outcomes for BA7:
- A full first draft game concept
- Strong research into Audiences and Platforms
- Minimum 1000 word draft Research Report.
- Research Blog
Following on later during the year I will create my 2nd GDD that will fully flesh out my game concept from the first GDD. The process will be following on what I learnt from the first research GDD. With a strong research GDD base i will be able to create the designs for the game, focusing on game play and mechanics.
Artistic style will have to be determined; this will then effect my designs for characters, levels, and enemies. Each will go under analysis making sure that every design fits the game design, art style and feel of the game as well as how necessary the components and could it be improved or modified to be more efficient. (L07)
Game testing and researching game mechanics will be a crucial element of my BA8 project. Exploring different game mechanics and how they work whilst applying them will be what creates my gameplay, while documenting outcomes and creative choices relating the gameplay and results to the current games market. This will also mean looking at creating gameplay and mechanics for different types of platforms for my game concept, hopefully refining down key elements that can be put across without fundamentally changing the game. (L09)
I will be creating menu designs and flow charts as well as researching Micro Transactions and how i could implement small payments for extra in game items or points. Using the body of research for my research document will help me understand how i could use Micro- transactions to help create more profit if the game was to be made.
An animation of the game rules and how it plays will be a finalised realisation of my work as a whole. Using an animation as well as written game rules would help outsiders such as other members of a game company understand how it will work and what they need to do to make the game and visual images can be easier to learn as it breaks the language barrier. It will bring together all aspects of the game together into one. (L11)
My research report title is ʻHow have ʻʼMicro-Transactionsʼ changed the nature of gamesʼ profit and income, with specific reference to Facebook games?ʼ Micro-transactions have changed how companyʼs sell and produce theyʼre games to earn profit. Today social games are all the range but they all rely on players paying for small in game items or virtual money. With this mechanic there was a boom in the amount of companies creating small based Free-to-play games. There is a large argument over how this has effected the games industry for good and bad and I want to see how this has effected how games companies have used micro-transactions to potentially create profit. (L08)
My blog will show a large amount of research from multiple areas. It will hold everything I have learnt and researched over the allowed time period and communicate my creative thoughts and ideas. The blog will also be a good way of keeping in check to time allowance to areas of design and research. (L10) (L12)
Minimum expected outcomes for BA8:
- A finished fully realised game design
- Storyboarded narrative
- Menu and Navigation designs
- A short animation showing the game rules.
- Strong research blog
- 5000 Extended Essay on ʻHow have ʻʼMicro-Transactionsʼ changed the nature of gamesʼ profit and income, with specific reference to Facebook games?ʼ
- Website
- Show Reel
Resource requirements: Tutorials in Photoshop and Illustrator would help in with improving
my design work. Access to an IPad and a IPhone would be useful for primary research.
Starting BA7 we have prepared a learning agreement to tell the university our plan for the year and to give ourselves our own goals and projects. The idea is to be able to set our own goals and tasks to understand project management and time keeping as this is a important part of the games industry. We have had to make clear choices and explain reasons for choosing what we are personally going to do.
This is my Learning Agreement Draft that defines what i will be aiming to do for BA7 and BA8:
Proposal: What do you intend to do?
I intend to improve on myself as a gameʼs designer and learn what I need to know ready for to go into the Games Industry. This yearʼs project will be split into two game design documents for a potential 2.5D video game preferably for the Apple App Store. My Research Report will be looking at how the industry has changed using Micro Transactions as a means of generating profit.
My strength lies in fundamental design work and looking at how concepts can convey the game mechanics and visual identity of the game. I will be looking at my work with a critical eye and ensuring that my game concept will go through many stages clearing the concept of unnecessary ideas and refining the idea into a fully designed game. I want to become a Games Designer in the games industry, this means I will need to be able to produce strong game documents and evidenced concepts, research and play tests.
While researching I will be keeping a research blog which will be updated on a weekly bases. It will contain all relevant research and materials I have found as well as reflecting on project. My research report title is ʻHow have ʻʼMicro-Transactionsʼ changed the nature of gamesʼ profit and income, with specific reference to Facebook games?ʼ. As a extended essay, the research report will focus on how game companies have taken on board micro-transactions in many different ways to help improve on the amount of money they earn per game. My information will come from a mix of primary, secondary and tertiary research, I will be using the library as a main source of research as well as internet resources. Jesse Schell is a starting point for my research, as he has talked at the 2010 D.I.C.E summit about how social games use micro-transactions to earn money rather than pricing the game.
My focus is on the full design of the game, creating a solid game document that shows the process of the game and the game theory. I will be putting a lot of work into the design and feel of the game, looking the art design and drawn concepts. Software like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator will be my main equipment to design 2D designs.
Other games like Angry Birds, Plants Vs Zombies and Cloud all relate to what i want to create and achieve, looking at each game and researching what made them successful and how different mechanics made there game would be useful to see how i could implement highly successful theories into my on concept.
Assessment Work:
The game concept is called ʻNimboʼ a small 2.5d side scroller game. The game is based around weather and creating a nature friendly game that is both amusing and fun to play for a young audience ( 6 years +). The concept is how a playable cloud ʻNimboʼ could save plants using different weather from ʻenemiesʼ to earn its right to be a fully grown cloud.
The first GDD will focus on the research and base concept for the design. It will follow my creative thought process as a game designer. The process may go through many levels like choosing my concept, building the initial idea and focused research around the concept. I will be starting from my early concept ideas and why I thought it was the most promising concept leading on to my first design of the game. This will be looking at todayʼs game market and game cultures to make sure Iʼm adhering to todayʼs emerging practises and showing knowledge of the industry. (L01)
My first research report draft will be consisting of mostly research and research methods, showing clear goals and analysis of information. The aim is to create a clear layout structure of information I have gathered and displaying it in a written format. The area of study is Micro Transactions and how they changed the games industry. (L02)
This first design will look at story concepts and how different stories will affect the outcome of the game, playerʼs connection and audience type. I will be looking at the narrative based theories and other games have used these to create stories. This will help me to choose what will be the best story concept and influence how my story will turn out. (L03)
Based around the concept and audience I will look at possible platforms for my game and what would be the best choice. Platform will be mostly looking around interactive methods, profit and reaching an audience. These are choices that need informed judgements as they can effect the whole outcome of the game from gameplay and interaction to character design and programming.(L05)
I will be designing my initial character and designing simple designs for other areas of the game like assets and enemies to allow a picture of what the game might look like. I will be approaching this by designing 2D concept art. The art will show my current visual ideas of what the game should look like. Development of these characters is important but will be fully analysed and considered during BA8 for the final designs.(L06)
Minimum expected outcomes for BA7:
- A full first draft game concept
- Strong research into Audiences and Platforms
- Minimum 1000 word draft Research Report.
- Research Blog
Following on later during the year I will create my 2nd GDD that will fully flesh out my game concept from the first GDD. The process will be following on what I learnt from the first research GDD. With a strong research GDD base i will be able to create the designs for the game, focusing on game play and mechanics.
Artistic style will have to be determined; this will then effect my designs for characters, levels, and enemies. Each will go under analysis making sure that every design fits the game design, art style and feel of the game as well as how necessary the components and could it be improved or modified to be more efficient. (L07)
Game testing and researching game mechanics will be a crucial element of my BA8 project. Exploring different game mechanics and how they work whilst applying them will be what creates my gameplay, while documenting outcomes and creative choices relating the gameplay and results to the current games market. This will also mean looking at creating gameplay and mechanics for different types of platforms for my game concept, hopefully refining down key elements that can be put across without fundamentally changing the game. (L09)
I will be creating menu designs and flow charts as well as researching Micro Transactions and how i could implement small payments for extra in game items or points. Using the body of research for my research document will help me understand how i could use Micro- transactions to help create more profit if the game was to be made.
An animation of the game rules and how it plays will be a finalised realisation of my work as a whole. Using an animation as well as written game rules would help outsiders such as other members of a game company understand how it will work and what they need to do to make the game and visual images can be easier to learn as it breaks the language barrier. It will bring together all aspects of the game together into one. (L11)
My research report title is ʻHow have ʻʼMicro-Transactionsʼ changed the nature of gamesʼ profit and income, with specific reference to Facebook games?ʼ Micro-transactions have changed how companyʼs sell and produce theyʼre games to earn profit. Today social games are all the range but they all rely on players paying for small in game items or virtual money. With this mechanic there was a boom in the amount of companies creating small based Free-to-play games. There is a large argument over how this has effected the games industry for good and bad and I want to see how this has effected how games companies have used micro-transactions to potentially create profit. (L08)
My blog will show a large amount of research from multiple areas. It will hold everything I have learnt and researched over the allowed time period and communicate my creative thoughts and ideas. The blog will also be a good way of keeping in check to time allowance to areas of design and research. (L10) (L12)
Minimum expected outcomes for BA8:
- A finished fully realised game design
- Storyboarded narrative
- Menu and Navigation designs
- A short animation showing the game rules.
- Strong research blog
- 5000 Extended Essay on ʻHow have ʻʼMicro-Transactionsʼ changed the nature of gamesʼ profit and income, with specific reference to Facebook games?ʼ
- Website
- Show Reel
Resource requirements: Tutorials in Photoshop and Illustrator would help in with improving
my design work. Access to an IPad and a IPhone would be useful for primary research.
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