Friday, September 30, 2011
Empire Magazine - top 50 videogame characters
Useful overview by Empire Magazine (British film buff magazine) of 'top 50 videogame characters'
Hero Machine exercise
Today's workshop
part 1:
Go to:
Hero Machine - make your own hero
In class exercise number 1 - create three different kinds of hero for an imaginary videogame - e.g. RPG, MMORPG, FPS, etc. Consider scale, gender, body type for each of the three and try to vary them as much as possible.
As you build your three characters with hero builder, clearly identify and document those functional and cosmetic attributes of the avatar that the player may modify. In the case of the functional attributes, indicate how they affect the gameplay.
As you build your three games characters with hero builder, clearly identify and document those functional and cosmetic attributes of the avatar that the player may modify. In the case of the functional attributes, indicate how they affect the gameplay.
Post the pictures to your blog with a brief written description of each character and those attributes the player can modify. Explain very clearly how these modifications assist in the gameplay.
Part 2
Think of an idea for a game that permits the player to construct something you
have not seen in commercial games (no cities, buildings, or vehicles). Assume that
you will constrain the player’s abilities via an economy but allow him to earn new
tools and features for his construction over time. Design a set of elementary parts
from which the item may be constructed, and specify a price for each part. Include
a number of upgrades—more expensive parts that replace cheaper versions. Write a short blog entry explaining the domain in which the player will be creating, and supply your list of parts, giving them in the order in which the player will earn the ability to buy them (cheapest to most expensive). Also indicate in a general way how the player can use the item s/he constructs to earn money.
The scope of the exercise - limit yourself to the iPhone/iPad online 'app store' type casual game for this job.
Go to the apple store for ideas.
part 1:
Go to:
Hero Machine - make your own hero
In class exercise number 1 - create three different kinds of hero for an imaginary videogame - e.g. RPG, MMORPG, FPS, etc. Consider scale, gender, body type for each of the three and try to vary them as much as possible.
As you build your three characters with hero builder, clearly identify and document those functional and cosmetic attributes of the avatar that the player may modify. In the case of the functional attributes, indicate how they affect the gameplay.
As you build your three games characters with hero builder, clearly identify and document those functional and cosmetic attributes of the avatar that the player may modify. In the case of the functional attributes, indicate how they affect the gameplay.
Post the pictures to your blog with a brief written description of each character and those attributes the player can modify. Explain very clearly how these modifications assist in the gameplay.
Part 2
Think of an idea for a game that permits the player to construct something you
have not seen in commercial games (no cities, buildings, or vehicles). Assume that
you will constrain the player’s abilities via an economy but allow him to earn new
tools and features for his construction over time. Design a set of elementary parts
from which the item may be constructed, and specify a price for each part. Include
a number of upgrades—more expensive parts that replace cheaper versions. Write a short blog entry explaining the domain in which the player will be creating, and supply your list of parts, giving them in the order in which the player will earn the ability to buy them (cheapest to most expensive). Also indicate in a general way how the player can use the item s/he constructs to earn money.
The scope of the exercise - limit yourself to the iPhone/iPad online 'app store' type casual game for this job.
Go to the apple store for ideas.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Add your team name, member names, project name and presentation date to this online form
Class,
I have made an online spreadsheet for everyone to add their team name to along with the members names in each team, and the name and type of game design or game prototype they will be working on.
Please fill it out by 1:15 today - 9/23/11
Thanks
David Cox
I have made an online spreadsheet for everyone to add their team name to along with the members names in each team, and the name and type of game design or game prototype they will be working on.
Please fill it out by 1:15 today - 9/23/11
Thanks
David Cox
Us versus It Iterative Game Tuning Exercise - do this ONLY if you have completed your group powerpoint presentation for item 2 assignment
This board game designing activity is one of a number of workshops undertaken at the games developers conference to help build the craft of gameplay and game design.
This link has all the components you need to build the game - the pieces and board need to be transferred to cardboard (i.e. printed then glued, or printed on sticker paper then stuck onto card), but I will bring prepared items to class mounted on cardboard (thanks to our printing department!)
This will be an in-class activity for the Feb 11th 2011 Class.
DC
Customizability Links
Database of Online Customizable Products
http://www.milkorsugar.com/
Open Directory listing of Avatars
http://www.dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/Chat/Virtual_Places/Avatars_and_Gestures/
http://www.milkorsugar.com/
Open Directory listing of Avatars
http://www.dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/Chat/Virtual_Places/Avatars_and_Gestures/
Friday, September 16, 2011
Make a powerpoint to promote your own main game design idea
Using the skills developed last week, make a new powerpoint that explains clearly the type of game you will develop in your main assignment (item 2):
Answer the same questions as addressed last week, and answer each one in turn in your powerpoint:
Notice - this is a team project, so form a team and work together to build the presentation.
This time, make the graphics yourself, or adapt existing images off the internet in some way using photoshop (alter the images to make them more your own)
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
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?
3) Does the game have an avatar or other key character? Describe him/her/it
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 oercome them?
5) What is the player’s interaction model? Omnipresent? Through an avatar? Something else? Some combination?
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?
7) Does the game fall into an existing genre? If so, which one?
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?
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?
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?
11) What is the game’s setting? Where does it take place?
12) Will the game be broken into levels? What might be the victory condition for a typical level?
13) Does the game have a narrative or story as it goes along? Summarize the plot in a sentence or two.
Upload the powerpoint to google documents, then 'share' this link - post the link to a) your own individual class blog, as well as to the area set aside for it on the class in insight area.
Answer the same questions as addressed last week, and answer each one in turn in your powerpoint:
Notice - this is a team project, so form a team and work together to build the presentation.
This time, make the graphics yourself, or adapt existing images off the internet in some way using photoshop (alter the images to make them more your own)
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
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?
3) Does the game have an avatar or other key character? Describe him/her/it
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 oercome them?
5) What is the player’s interaction model? Omnipresent? Through an avatar? Something else? Some combination?
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?
7) Does the game fall into an existing genre? If so, which one?
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?
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?
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?
11) What is the game’s setting? Where does it take place?
12) Will the game be broken into levels? What might be the victory condition for a typical level?
13) Does the game have a narrative or story as it goes along? Summarize the plot in a sentence or two.
Upload the powerpoint to google documents, then 'share' this link - post the link to a) your own individual class blog, as well as to the area set aside for it on the class in insight area.
Google Sketchup "Game World" Exercise
Use google Sketchup to create a 3D game world setting.
Please Note - Sketchup is already installed on the room 474 Macintoshes - it can be found in the Applications folder:
Using Sketchup - create:
Either an interior - e.g. a room, or inside space - domestic, industrial, commercial
(e.g. a house, a shop, a factory, a theme park, a mall etc)
Or an exterior - e.g. a street corner, a small airport, a section of a town or village,
Include:
1) Buildings
2) Vehicles
3) Characters (people, animals)
4) Urban details - e.g. roads/traffic details
Keep the dimensions of the setting simple - e.g. a collection of buildings
Use the large archive of online 3D objects to create a scene suitable for one of the following:
a) 3D Shooter Game
b) Top-down role-playing game
c) 2D Game - e.g. platform game
A tutorial on using sketchup can be viewed here :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsfH_cyXa1o
Please Note - Sketchup is already installed on the room 474 Macintoshes - it can be found in the Applications folder:
Using Sketchup - create:
Either an interior - e.g. a room, or inside space - domestic, industrial, commercial
(e.g. a house, a shop, a factory, a theme park, a mall etc)
Or an exterior - e.g. a street corner, a small airport, a section of a town or village,
Include:
1) Buildings
2) Vehicles
3) Characters (people, animals)
4) Urban details - e.g. roads/traffic details
Keep the dimensions of the setting simple - e.g. a collection of buildings
Use the large archive of online 3D objects to create a scene suitable for one of the following:
a) 3D Shooter Game
b) Top-down role-playing game
c) 2D Game - e.g. platform game
A tutorial on using sketchup can be viewed here :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsfH_cyXa1o
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