GAME 100 EXPLORING GAME WORLDS – VIDEOGAME IN-CLASS APPRAISAL TEMPLATE
Student Name:
Nick Warwick
Today’s Date:
10/29/2010
Game Title Examined:
Tetris N-Blox
Year of Publication:
2009
Game Publisher:
Tetris Holding
Game Developer:
Paul Neave
Game Genre:
Puzzle
Type of game ‘world’ or environment:
Flat puzzle grid
Perspective taken by player in relation to main player controlled character:
Side view
Gameplay – what does the player have to do?
Rotate and arrange falling blocks to create horizontal lines, which then disappear to make more room.
Is the gameplay intuitive? (i.e. is it easy to understand what to do without instructions?) describe.
Extremely intuitive. The brain naturally wants to create order by filling the empty spaces.
Is the gameplay patterned (game does the same thing over & over) or is it random (happens differently every time?)
The gameplay is similar from game to game, but the pieces appear in a random order, so no two games are identical.
What does the type of graphic approach used as well as the audio tell you about the limits of the technology at the time the game was published?
The game uses basic structures, but the trademark "Tetris" music has been stripped, taking a major feature away from the original release.
Describe your views about the game from the point of view of
1. ease of play
Dynamic - the game startes out easy, appealing to the casual gamer, but increases in speed as more lines are created. It eventually reaches a pace impossible to match.
2. enjoyability
Premium - no other video game is as widely known, intuitive or easily accessible as Tetris. Its simplicity is the reason for its popularity.
3. level of engagement/immersion
Total - playing a game requires intense concentration, testing the limits of a person's focus and reaction time. There is no room for casual conversation or exploration as in other games.
Had you played this game prior to this time? If so, when?
Several times. I played almost daily from 1990 to 1998. I've played several versions of Tetris, but this was my first encounter with the "N-Blox" variant.
Describe other games it reminds you of. How does it do this?
Intelligence Qube -- moving blocks on a grid, increasing pace; Dr. Mario, Connnect Four -- falling objects that must be aligned; Solitaire, Go Fish -- creating stacks that are eventually swept away; Pentaminos -- basic shapes that must be fit together in a constricted space.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
King of Kong
1. Mitchell is unabashedly cocky and fond of self promotion, proclaiming himself the "Sauce King" of Florida for his successful line of homemade hot sauces. Next to his family, Mitchell considers his arcade scores his greatest achievements in life.
How typical are these types of values and attitudes among 'core' gamers and how important is it to understand these values if you are a game designer? What *are* these values, exactly?
Hyper-competitive, manipulative, self-aggrandizing and overconfident. These are all aspects of Billy Mitchell's character. He doesn't want to be good; he wants to be better than everybody else. His value of self is based on a sense of superiority he gets from holding a world record. He literally hides his competition in one scene to make more room to display his own product. His tactics are morally questionable, but he accomplishes his objective: success. Many core gamers have similar character traits, but they are not representative of core gamers as a whole.
To appeal to core gamers, a developer must create seemingly insurmountable challenges that a gamer can learn to "unlock." The classic arcade games were designed to make you lose, and only those most familiar with the patterns can learn to work around them. Every enemy has a vulnerability that the player can learn to exploit. However, the challenge increases with the speed of gameplay, and only the most adept gamers can keep pace with the action of the game.
2. Steve Wiebe has been laid off as a Boeing engineer, and now spends his time as a science teacher. His friends and his wife, Nicole, describe him as a tragic figure who always comes up short, despite being proficient at music, sports, art, and mathematics.
Is Weibe's 'tragic' aspect typical of core gaming 'types'?
What role does self esteem (high or low) play in the culture of hard core gaming and such subcultures as competitive vintage or 'classic' game playing? How would you best describe the relationship between low self-esteem and videogame mastery?
I believe Wiebe's "tragic" aspect is typical of core gamers, though he appears to have a more complete skill set than most. His athleticism is atypical of the set, but his attitude is very common. Wiebe doesn't play to prove he's better than everyone else. He has had a lot of near successes in his life, and plays for a sense of pride to know he's the best at SOMETHING. Core gamers devote a lot of time to learning the games they want to master.
3. Despite Wiebe's protests that his own first score was disqualified for being submitted via unsupervised videotape, Twin Galaxies accepts Mitchell's score over Wiebe's and proclaims that Mitchell is still the record holder.
How valid do you think videotaped gameplay should be in establishing videogame playing records?
If valid, why? If not valid, why not?
Video editing programs and technology have advanced to the point that a recording cannot be accepted as authentic. For instance, Mitchell's tape had several aberrations that went unquestioned because of his standing within the community, whereas Wiebe's tape was much clearer but came under heavy scrutiny by TG. A friend of mine holds an unofficial world record for a Nintendo Entertainment System game, but even we agreed that none of us present at the record breaking would have accepted a video he sent of the score being achieved.
4. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, wondering "Who would have guessed that a documentary about gamers obsessed with scoring a world record at Donkey Kong would not only be roaringly funny but serve as a metaphor for the decline of Western civilization?"
What do you think of the film?
Is it an accurate portrayal of what makes videogames so compelling for those who play them?
I believe it is a fitting analogy. Mitchell is compared to G.W. Bush by his colleague because of his attitude. He's incredibly cocky, but his allies back him up enough that he doesn't ever have to literally stand toe-to-toe with his opponents. He's able to continue talking himself up and conniving to stay on top.
As far as the movie being an accurate portrayal of what makes videogames compelling, yes and no. It covers a more old-school approach of completionism. Classic gamers have a slight propensity for "going OCD" with a game, seeing just how far they can push the limits of the game. Since technology of old had clear limits to its potential, it was always fun to reach a "kill screen" of sorts, which manifested differently for each game. Some machines would overload with sprites, some would just freeze up, but the achievement was that of Man over Machine. In effect, the victor broke his opponent and could wear his victory as a badge of pride, just as hunters would pride themselves on their kills. Reaching the DK kill screen is the only way the player gets to tell the machine, "Game Over."
As far as the movie being an accurate portrayal of what makes videogames compelling, yes and no. It covers a more old-school approach of completionism. Classic gamers have a slight propensity for "going OCD" with a game, seeing just how far they can push the limits of the game. Since technology of old had clear limits to its potential, it was always fun to reach a "kill screen" of sorts, which manifested differently for each game. Some machines would overload with sprites, some would just freeze up, but the achievement was that of Man over Machine. In effect, the victor broke his opponent and could wear his victory as a badge of pride, just as hunters would pride themselves on their kills. Reaching the DK kill screen is the only way the player gets to tell the machine, "Game Over."
5. On November 10, 1981, Walter Day opened an arcade in Ottumwa, Iowa called Twin Galaxies. Though it was a modest arcade of merely 22 arcade games, it soon became known as the International Scorekeeper for the burgeoning video game industry. Under Day's direction, Twin Galaxies set rules for gameplay on hundreds of games, while maintaining a records database of competitive high scores. Twin Galaxies is considered by gaming historians as being the first organizer of professional gaming, putting competitive electronic gaming on the world map.
How important do you think organizations like Twin Galaxies are in the vintage arcade gaming community?
Could such communities exist without such organizations?
What role does Twin Galaxies play ultimately, and why is this significant to the film and its story?
I have a rather harsh view toward Twin Galaxies, especially after watching this film. I was already suspicious of the internal politics of it, and now I would rather have nothing to do with it. My initial thought when I learned of it was literally, "Anybody can say they have the last word, but it doesn't mean they do." His determination of the official records and rules for games is as flimsy as his enforcement of it within the community, and he doesn't seem like the type of person with a will strong enough to resist manipulation.
6. The film depicts Wiebe's skill at Donkey Kong being linked to his ability to deeply understand the title's game mechanics, particularly the way that rhythm and timing work to ensure a successful outcome.
The film in one scene compared his love of drumming and his abilities at basketball as well as his musical talent as part and parcel of his gift at playing Donkey Kong.
How would you best describe this set of inter-related skills?
Watch a muted game demo repeat ad infinitum, and eventually you will create a soundtrack for it in your mind. The rhythm of movement is directly correlated to music. Keeping time and counting beats is crucial for learning the next step in a repeating pattern. If the fifth barrel falls straight down instead of rolling, a simple 4 count will cue it on the next downbeat. Basketball also plays a key role by teaching Weibe how to judge an object's movement based on its arc of flight. He was able to judge how far Mario could jump, or how each spring would react.
Have you experienced anything like this yourself when playing games? Have you been able to associate the skill of playing games with similar related skills and talents and how would you best describe the nature of this set of inter-relationships between skills/passions/abilities?
I've used rhythm countless times while playing games. Anything that requires pattern recognition gets its own song in my head while I'm playing. The brain wants to make connections, and for me those connections are most easily created through music. From visual to audio, I can synthesize the information being output in a way that's easier for me to understand and remember.
7. In the film, Wiebe, while playing the game says hello to Mitchell. Mitchell didn't respond. As he's walking away from Wiebe, Mitchell says, "There's certain people I don't want to spend too much time with." Mitchell offered no explanation for his behavior towards Wiebe but did later explain that at the time of filming, he had not played video games for "more than a year", and that the filmmakers had not given him enough advance warning to train for a public record-breaking attempt. Seth Gordon, the film's Director, in referring to Mitchell's character says that Mitchell "is a true puppet-master", "a master of information-control".
What do you think Gordon means by this? What role does such behavior play in general terms in videogame culture?
Mitchell is a dick. He's a selfish jerk who needs to put other people down and make excuses to feel better about himself. He acts like an adolescent, and so do many other people in the world. For whatever reasons, he isn't comfortable with who he is and has to act that way in order to compensate for it. I think that many people involved in videogame culture are looking to escape, and it manifests differently for everyone. However, his attitude isn't limited to the video game culture. In all parts of the world and from all walks of life, you're bound to run into a few Billy Mitchells.
8. What did you think of the film? Is it really only about the game "Donkey Kong" and those who seek to hold the highest score or is it really about something more?
The film is a great story. It involves betrayal, undermining, personal resolution to overcome past failures, manipulation of authority, competition, and many more human elements. It is well edited, and I felt it had a Classic feel to it. It could have just as easily been a Greek tragedy or Shakespearean play.
9. Have you ever played "Donkey Kong"? What was your memory of playing it? Where were you, when was it?
The last time I played Donkey Kong was a week ago today. There's an arcade machine with multiple games installed at Thieves (bar) on Guerrero at 16th St. I couldn't pass the first level. I remember being much better at it when I was six years old, which is extremely frustrating.Art game concept
1) Write a high concept statement: a few sentences that give a general flavor of the game. You can make references to other games, movies, book, or any other media if your game contains similar characters actions or ideas.
All the greatest paintings have disappeared. The player is chasing the art thief through rifts in space-time and collecting clues about the thief (a la Carmen Sandiego). When entering new eras, the world appears as a greyscale version in the style of the painting to be recovered (i.e. impressionist appearance while searching for Monet). The player must find a specific artist, motivate them to create the piece of art, discover and collect ingredients to make palette colors as was done in the appropriate time, and deliver them to the artist. When pigments are made, shades of the corresponding colors will appear in the world where they should (i.e. flowers will turn from grey to yellow when the player creates a yellow pigment). After the artist has been motivated and all the pigments have been created and delivered, clues given by NPCs will direct the player to the location of the next rift.
2) What is the player’s role? Is the player pretending to be someone or something, and if so what? Is there more than one? How does the player’s role help to define the gameplay?
The player starts as an art connoisseur working to verify the authenticity of new items at a famous museum. After the pieces disappear, the player will notice an apparition at the museum. Upon discovery of the apparition, a cutscene will initiate and draw the player into the next level. As the player nears completion of a level, the NPCs will start to mention strange happenings, cluing the player in to the location of the level-ending location (the "apparition").
3) Does the game have an avatar or other key character? Describe him/her/it
The avatar will be a human designed by the player. Gender and superficial attributes (hair color, attire, facial features, etc.) will be customizable, with a few generic templates available to choose and/or modify.
4) What is the nature of the gameplay, in general terms? What kinds of challenges will the player face? What kinds of actions will the player take to overcome them?
The player will have to investigate and interview people in their environment to learn about the painters of the era. The player will have to find and interview the artist, and motivate that artist to create the stolen painting. The player will have to learn about the methods of the respective time, where items for pigments come from and how to create/mix them. A player may have to build a kiln, easel, palette board or other tool used to make the art of the era the player is in.
5) What is the player’s interaction model? Omnipresent? Through an avatar? Something else? Some combination?
The player interacts through an avatar in story mode. Players in multiplayer modes may represented by paintbrush cursors for certain objectives. There will also be an inventory screen, much like the one used in Monkey Island games.
6) What is the game’s primary camera model? How will the player view the game’s world on the screen? Will there be more than one perspective?
The game will be viewed in third-person through a dynamic camera. The camera will follow the player during movement through levels, and swing to a side-view for interviews. When clues are found, it will zoom in on the clue and face the player as (s)he investigates the object. During confrontations with the thief, the camera will switch abruptly back and forth as the characters exchange dialogue, like in a movie.
7) Does the game fall into an existing genre? If so, which one?
The game is an edutainment adventure game with investigation/discovery elements ("Monkey Island", "Alone in the Dark", etc.)
8) Is the game competitive, cooperative, team-based or single player? If multiple players are allowed are they using the same machine with separate controls or different machines over a network?
The primary mode will be single-player story mode. Other modes may include multi-player mini games. Some concepts are a competitive pigment maker mode, where players have to use the tools of the game to create pigments and apply them on a canvas like a turn-based "color by numbers". Players will be encouraged to create their own pieces of art that could then be saved as an image file for printing or sharing online.
9) Why would anyone want to play this game? Who is the game’s target audience? What characteristics distinguish them from the mass of players in general?
The game will teach people about art history while adding the investigative element to make it fun. The settings will be unique and should draw the player in, coaxing them to continue playing by making the scenes more aesthetically pleasant as the player progresses.
10) What machine or machines is the game intended to run on? Can it make use of or will it require any particular hardware such as dance mats or a camera?
The game would be optimized for PC or high-end consoles with 3D modeling. A 2D flash mini-version could also be possible, and would incorporate some smaller portions of the game with shorter objectives.
11) What is the game’s setting? Where does it take place?
The game in differing times and places. It starts in modern times at a well-known museum. Some level ideas include 17th-century Italy, 19th-century France, prehistoric era and 1960's America.
12) Will the game be broken into levels? What might be the victory condition for a typical level?
The game will be in levels. When all the pigments are created and given to the artist, and the artist completes their famous
13) Does the game have a narrative or story as it goes along? Summarize the plot in a sentence or two.
All of the worlds most famous pieces of artwork have been stolen by a time-traveling art thief! It is your mission to follow the thief throughout history to return these pieces of art to their rightful place. Talk to people in various times and places to collect clues about the artwork, and save these valuable pieces of world history!
All the greatest paintings have disappeared. The player is chasing the art thief through rifts in space-time and collecting clues about the thief (a la Carmen Sandiego). When entering new eras, the world appears as a greyscale version in the style of the painting to be recovered (i.e. impressionist appearance while searching for Monet). The player must find a specific artist, motivate them to create the piece of art, discover and collect ingredients to make palette colors as was done in the appropriate time, and deliver them to the artist. When pigments are made, shades of the corresponding colors will appear in the world where they should (i.e. flowers will turn from grey to yellow when the player creates a yellow pigment). After the artist has been motivated and all the pigments have been created and delivered, clues given by NPCs will direct the player to the location of the next rift.
2) What is the player’s role? Is the player pretending to be someone or something, and if so what? Is there more than one? How does the player’s role help to define the gameplay?
The player starts as an art connoisseur working to verify the authenticity of new items at a famous museum. After the pieces disappear, the player will notice an apparition at the museum. Upon discovery of the apparition, a cutscene will initiate and draw the player into the next level. As the player nears completion of a level, the NPCs will start to mention strange happenings, cluing the player in to the location of the level-ending location (the "apparition").
3) Does the game have an avatar or other key character? Describe him/her/it
The avatar will be a human designed by the player. Gender and superficial attributes (hair color, attire, facial features, etc.) will be customizable, with a few generic templates available to choose and/or modify.
4) What is the nature of the gameplay, in general terms? What kinds of challenges will the player face? What kinds of actions will the player take to overcome them?
The player will have to investigate and interview people in their environment to learn about the painters of the era. The player will have to find and interview the artist, and motivate that artist to create the stolen painting. The player will have to learn about the methods of the respective time, where items for pigments come from and how to create/mix them. A player may have to build a kiln, easel, palette board or other tool used to make the art of the era the player is in.
5) What is the player’s interaction model? Omnipresent? Through an avatar? Something else? Some combination?
The player interacts through an avatar in story mode. Players in multiplayer modes may represented by paintbrush cursors for certain objectives. There will also be an inventory screen, much like the one used in Monkey Island games.
6) What is the game’s primary camera model? How will the player view the game’s world on the screen? Will there be more than one perspective?
The game will be viewed in third-person through a dynamic camera. The camera will follow the player during movement through levels, and swing to a side-view for interviews. When clues are found, it will zoom in on the clue and face the player as (s)he investigates the object. During confrontations with the thief, the camera will switch abruptly back and forth as the characters exchange dialogue, like in a movie.
7) Does the game fall into an existing genre? If so, which one?
The game is an edutainment adventure game with investigation/discovery elements ("Monkey Island", "Alone in the Dark", etc.)
8) Is the game competitive, cooperative, team-based or single player? If multiple players are allowed are they using the same machine with separate controls or different machines over a network?
The primary mode will be single-player story mode. Other modes may include multi-player mini games. Some concepts are a competitive pigment maker mode, where players have to use the tools of the game to create pigments and apply them on a canvas like a turn-based "color by numbers". Players will be encouraged to create their own pieces of art that could then be saved as an image file for printing or sharing online.
9) Why would anyone want to play this game? Who is the game’s target audience? What characteristics distinguish them from the mass of players in general?
The game will teach people about art history while adding the investigative element to make it fun. The settings will be unique and should draw the player in, coaxing them to continue playing by making the scenes more aesthetically pleasant as the player progresses.
10) What machine or machines is the game intended to run on? Can it make use of or will it require any particular hardware such as dance mats or a camera?
The game would be optimized for PC or high-end consoles with 3D modeling. A 2D flash mini-version could also be possible, and would incorporate some smaller portions of the game with shorter objectives.
11) What is the game’s setting? Where does it take place?
The game in differing times and places. It starts in modern times at a well-known museum. Some level ideas include 17th-century Italy, 19th-century France, prehistoric era and 1960's America.
12) Will the game be broken into levels? What might be the victory condition for a typical level?
The game will be in levels. When all the pigments are created and given to the artist, and the artist completes their famous
13) Does the game have a narrative or story as it goes along? Summarize the plot in a sentence or two.
All of the worlds most famous pieces of artwork have been stolen by a time-traveling art thief! It is your mission to follow the thief throughout history to return these pieces of art to their rightful place. Talk to people in various times and places to collect clues about the artwork, and save these valuable pieces of world history!
Star-Wars Game Builder
A) What options are available to you as a 'game designer'?
Level of difficulty, mood, pace of game, and end conditions
B) How are these options provided?
A list of pre-made options is presented at the time of level creation. A time limit can be set to create a sense of urgency. Enemies and power-ups can be added without perceivable limit to adjust the difficulty to the designer's preference. Settings can be chosen to create the mood of the level.
A list of pre-made options is presented at the time of level creation. A time limit can be set to create a sense of urgency. Enemies and power-ups can be added without perceivable limit to adjust the difficulty to the designer's preference. Settings can be chosen to create the mood of the level.
C) What types of elements are provided for you to use to 'build' the game?
Different objectives, characters, special powers, vehicles, enemies, obstacles, power-ups, terrain and settings.
Different objectives, characters, special powers, vehicles, enemies, obstacles, power-ups, terrain and settings.
D) What limits are set on the level of the game play able to be customized
The end condition must be chosen before beginning design. The size of the level is restricted, with few environments to choose from. Four main characters are available, and only one can be chosen by the designer. Each has its own special power, which must be taken into consideration when creating the level.
E) What does the process of using these game creators teach about the notion of the 'difficulty and achievement' balance? Explain using an example from your research.
What is easy for some may be impossible for others. Traditional gamers get their enjoyment out of overcoming the challenges presented by the game. The greater the challenge, the greater the enjoyment. Today's casual gamers enjoy the journey. The harder the challenge, the more it gets in the way of playing the game.
I thought I had created a well-made pyramid of challenges. The beginning of the stage was easy, and increased in difficulty as the player went along. However, power-ups were strategically placed for the player to pick up immediately before and after the most intense battles if the player had the patience to time their progress forward. The final stage of the level was incredibly difficult, but possible to complete. Upon switching with my neighbor, I was placed in a world of power-ups -- more than I could ever use -- with the objective clearly in sight. I felt as if I were playing a bonus level, but have now come to realize that the level I played was more of a chapter in a linear story than a mountain of challenges to be scaled.
What is easy for some may be impossible for others. Traditional gamers get their enjoyment out of overcoming the challenges presented by the game. The greater the challenge, the greater the enjoyment. Today's casual gamers enjoy the journey. The harder the challenge, the more it gets in the way of playing the game.
I thought I had created a well-made pyramid of challenges. The beginning of the stage was easy, and increased in difficulty as the player went along. However, power-ups were strategically placed for the player to pick up immediately before and after the most intense battles if the player had the patience to time their progress forward. The final stage of the level was incredibly difficult, but possible to complete. Upon switching with my neighbor, I was placed in a world of power-ups -- more than I could ever use -- with the objective clearly in sight. I felt as if I were playing a bonus level, but have now come to realize that the level I played was more of a chapter in a linear story than a mountain of challenges to be scaled.
******
When you are done, trade places with another student and have them answer the following questions.
1) Is the game level fun to play? (be honest!)
The game level is fun at first, but I lost interest after a few tries; the game level was too challenging.
2) If so, why? If not, why not?
The reason why I lose interest with every time I die is because my character is bombarded by so many enemies and I die often, and and navigation is difficult. My player got stuck trying to go through a little corridor and that is where I died the most.
3) What could be done to improve the level?
Since my character is on foot and I am battling machines, I suggest adding health orbs (incentives) so the player can progress to accomplish the level. The fact that power-ups and a vehicle are barely at my reach is a tease to the player and is a good incentive, but when will the player obtain these power-ups?
Friday, September 10, 2010
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