Semester 2 Week 4 - Reading 4

Week 4 Reading 4

This will be very disappointing in terms of progress made...
Due a lot of confusion, fatigue and lack of clarity to the readings, little progress has been made in these few weeks. But thanks to Sam and his email containing a simplified explanation of the readings which really clears things up.

Under the criteria of this weeks readings, I did what I could with the information I currently have:

1. Regardless of aesthetic choice of realism or stylized, immersion is rather important whichever the case. One of a game's most important aspect is how immersive the world is and the art style can help the player sink deep into the world of the game. Realism give the world a down-to-earth, familiar feel while stylized, cartoonish art style creates the world in a different and abstract manner.

2. Fidelity with Realism: Like what I said in the post last week, the realistic look needs to be believable but not 'creepy' in order to make the world 'feel like home'. Same goes with stylized art style, if the art style is too abstract and feels like a drug-trip, unless that's the aesthetic choice you went for and designed around, it can turn off players as easy as the depth of the uncanny valley. Failing in both can make the world look messy and without pulling punches, repulsive. The game's world must be appealing as so to interest the player than to disgust them to prevent them from playing.



In order to approach the writing I need to structure the flow of the writing in some way. I currently have an approach I want to take:


First start with answering the research question of what the purpose of the world is in a video game: What draws in a player to the world of the game?

Story/lore, environment, characters, interactions and aesthetics, etc.

Next it's the aesthetic choice of a game with the main two being:
Realism vs Stylized (Realism vs Animation sounds weird.)

One leaning towards high definition graphics and real-looking models and world design.

The other leaning towards exaggeration, vibrant colours, stylized assets and characters, etc. which some may call cartoonish to some degree.

Both of these styles will be compared, their differences, feel and their purpose in the game they were used in.

This should be relatively how the paper will be structured. Obviously it will be subject to change but it's better than last week.
I still have some things that are still slightly muddled, but I have went through similar things before and I know what to do.

(Many thanks to Sam who wrote that life-saving email that made everyone's life a little easier.)


Zhen Li

Semester 2 Week 2 - Reading 2

Reading 2 - Reflective component 

(I dunno what to name this blog...)

This booklet thing is DEFINITELY quite overwhelming. The amount of research required and sources that needs to be sited, the amount of work that goes into using the Matrix...

Not going to lie, the matrix thing is rather confusing to use, or it's just me and my bad English...

However, I have a clear idea as to how I'm going to approach my chosen topics. That's a plus.

First, the purpose of a game world:

Game worlds are there to fully immerse you into its culture, mechanics, lore, people, and... well, the world itself. There wasn't any actual articles or research notes on game world on their own. However, since worldbuilding itself is not just a term applicable to games, I can look up how worldbuilding is done on other mediums; novels, movies, etc. This may or may not make my life easier but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Second, Realism VS Animation:

I know it's referring to the aesthetic choice of which the game world is presented; whether to depict it with realistic or cartoonish rendering and how it can affect the look of the game world. I have basic knowledge when it comes to this thing so I have a clear picture as to how this topic can be researched. Does the stylistic choice of the game affect how we experience world of the game? Does it immerse us into the world or not? These questions are also applicable to drawing and animation since the approach to the topic is similar in those regards.

Words: Too long
English requirement: ERROR

The sources are coming in nicely, even though they're all articles and blogs...

I am really slow and confused when it comes to the matrix and the whole ORGANISING part but I can handle it.

Zhen Li.

Week 10 - Game Stories - Narrative

Game Stories - Narrative

Narrative is often neglected in games that seemingly need a story to drive the player forward. There are reasons that games like these fail worse than games that might not even have a story at all.

Narrative creates the world of which the games will take place in and within this world, we see characters grow, worlds change, and story take stage. Without narrative, there's nothing that can drive the player to play, the world to change, etc.

The Hero's Journey by Joseph Campbell is an example of a common narrative tool present in our world due to how applicable it is. The classic of a hero being called to action to a journey to defeat a great evil is almost omnipresent in media today. Of course there are variations of this classic motif but it serves as a great tool of which people can compare their own stories to as a means of reference.

The hero and villain are just characters in a story. Their impact to the world of the story and to its people are all means of enhancing the world their in, so to draw the players in and immerse them in the game's world.

As listed in the article, heroes have the essential good traits while the villains are their complete opposite. The villain will serve as the driving force behind the hero's motivation to fulfill his destiny. This story structure is so easily understood and offers a lot of leeway for the story-writers to put in their own unique input.

For an example of the Hero's Journey applied implemented very well in the story, check out these episodes by Extra Credits on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWKKRbw-e4U - Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVqT8s7bOTQ - Part 2

This game literally has the word 'Journey' as the title.
It also follows the Hero's Journey formula pretty well
while implementing their own take to its formula.

Narrative isn't just dialogue or something trivial to the game's progression. It is an essential tool to create a cohesive and rich world of which the player can play in and experience. Without story, games will be just a shell with a few interactive buttons to play with.

Here's an example of an story that is told by merely the context of the game and the player's assumptions of which both creates a natural narrative in their minds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQJA5YjvHDU - 

Narrative Mechanics - How Missile Command Tells a Story - Extra Credits

Week 9 - Reading and Writing

Week 9 - Reading and Writing

On average, the reading and writing fr this week isn't entirely bad. There are times when certain readings seems repetitive or as if we have already read them before. Besides those points, the reading are very constructive in how they gave us information and insights into how a game work and why they work.

My favourite reading so far is the one on Week 5, regarding game development. It was simple video about the three components of a game: Mechanic, Dynamic and Aesthetics and what roles they play in a video game's design.

Mechanics are the rules and constraints in which the game operates.

Dynamics are the flow of play within the game, mainly based on the player's inputs.

Aesthetics are the elements of the game which gives the player an unique experience, ranging from landscape, design, music, etc.

All of these play an essential role in creating an interesting and enjoyable game.

The video also talks about the Eight Kinds of "Fun" which outline what kind of fun people seek in a video game. This show what kind of preferences people have in choosing a game. From these preferences, we can see what are people looking for in a game that intrigues them and entices them to play it. For Example, a competitive game like DOTA 2 will entice players who seek mastery and also the feel of winning.

To be honest, the reading only helped during the early research and development stage of the game, where the understanding of what makes a game tick really helps solidify the foundation for the game. However, afterwards, due to increasingly demanding deadlines and upcoming projects, going back over the reading is nearly impossible when doing the project straight away is always faster and more efficient time-wise.

The biggest accomplishment done in this class is definitely getting Unity and the first models working. It was less of a hurdle but more like a wall to get the models working properly. The weird bugs and code warning that frequently pop up later on really damages the progress of making the prototype. 

Unity is a great tool but not a consistent one. If there were less versions of Unity and instead implemented an update system where the most recent version is always available, people who have to constantly switch between version or find themselves limited due to the versions they're currently using can feel a bit at ease.

This was the intended HUD for the game I'm making.

The picture above is my favorite from the past weeks. This vaguely displays what the game will look like. It's a little window to see what the future can hold for the game in development which I think is rather nice.

In conclusion, it's best that reading should be kept minimal but very concise so we may have more free-time to work on Unity itself. By the end, the amount of time available for Unity can open up people's schedule during the week and make things less pressuring from a day-to-day basis.

That's all for today.

Have a nice day!

Game Decisions

Game Decisions

Ok. Hear me out. 
I can't find the article that Shaun wants us to read on Daniel Cook's blog. So I looked around and read the one I find interesting and digestible. "Cosy Games" is the name of the blog and I think it's worth looking into because it goes into what about the game makes people feel cosy.

In this blog, Dan Cook talks about how feeling cosy in the game you're gaming can make you more productive and engaged in the game.

A well-designed game environment can help fulfill certain needs besides our basic ones.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs as it relates to coziness
as shown in Daniel Cook's blog.

A cosy game setting can help us:
1. See game as a form of safe practice.
2. See games as a means to satisfying unmet needs.
3. Help players practice fulfilling higher order of needs.

These games provide space for the player's emotional, social and psychological maintenance and growth which can really break the monotony of everyday life.


There are thing of which can negate cosiness simply because they exist in the game. Such as:
Extrinsic reward.
Danger, threat and fear.
Distractions.
Responsibility (that are unnecessary).
Intense stimuli (eg. sudden loud noises.)

Dan also mentions why cosy game design should be implemented: to replace the old, narrow motivational models that itself was an experimental one which needed more change.
The new motivational model (shown below) went to describe that players often have broader and more diverse sets of behaviours and motivations of which proper cozy designs can satisfy them.

The things about the game that interests and motivates the players to play.

He then went to talk about how it can shape the game's community, their behaviours. With Realm of the Mad God and Alphabear as examples. One being aggressive easily irritated MMO players brought about by the game's great risks and crushing losses. The other being a more relaxed and casual environment where players are more polite and easy to chat with.

There also various aspects of cosy design which plays an important role when creating a cosy game:
Cosy Aesthethics. Visuals. Audio. Locations. Items. Mechanics. Narratives and Characters etc. all go hand in hand when creating a game with cosiness in mind.

There so much in this article to read and comprehend that it's probably best if you read it for yourself:
http://www.lostgarden.com/
You might find some interesting or inspiring ideas for your own projects.

Anyways, thank you for reading.
Have a nice day!

Games GDD

Week 6 Reading - Games GDD

Design Considerations

From what I have read in the readings, I see the important role that game design can play in the player experience of a game.

'Components' - Presentation

The components of a board game is the like the equivalent of a video game's presentation. User interface, information, layout, etc. are there to help convey the messages and information to the player so they can use those info to respond or react to the current game state.

These 'components' needs to be clear, distinguishable and not confusing in order to fulfill their role in any game.

Themes

I can't say much for game boxes or cards because I don't play those games much. However, I can say something about the themes of the game working with the rules instead of against them.

This is very much like the theme of a game dictating the mechanics of a game. For example, in a fantasy game magic plays a central role in its theme and so its healing mechanics is simple and straight forward: Cast Heal II to heal 20 HP.  However in a more realistic survival game, healing is more complicated: Bleeding requires bandages to heal and poison requires antidotes to cure. Both of which requires to be crafted or scavenged in the game world.

This can immerse the player just enough because it plays to their expectations of what the game is and what they expect to experience through the use of themes as a guide.

'Rules'

Rules are important in any game because they set a limit to what can be and can't be done within the game. Rules should be clear and concise as to avoid confusion to the players. Vague rules are particularly dangerous because players are imaginative. They can come up with thing that can completely disregard the rules and there's nothing you can do to stop them.

It's best if you set the rules to be very clear and see players either break the rules in creative ways or play around them in really imaginative methods. This shows that the game has some dynamics in which the players are investing time into to explore what they can and can't accomplish.

I know this blog isn't too related to the reading but I intended to apply these subjects to video games, wherever relevant. This way we can link certain aspects of these tabletop games to video games in order to understand these rules a bit better.

I hope you enjoyed my late night rambling.

Have a nice day.

Games MDA

Games Mechanics Dynamics and Aesthetics

Mechanics, Dynamics and Aesthetics are what makes up the entirety of a game.

Mechanics serves are the gears and bolts of the game. They have a defined role in setting up the premise of the game, giving players the idea of how the game works and how their actions work and affect the game.

Dynamics comes from the things that happen during gameplay when the mechanics are set in motion. The strategies players use, what actions they choose to take in certain scenarios, etc. How players interact with one another under certain events and circumstances.

Aesthetics is what makes the game stand out among its own genres with similar or identical designs. Visual elements, responsiveness, narrative, etc. This affects the player experience of the game, whether if the play is fun, difficult, boring or interesting.


I had very little idea of how to actually define fun in games. I had the idea that the game create different stimulus for different people depending on what they love. Eg. If you are stimulated by Role-Paying Games but aren't stimulated by First-Person Shooters, You won't find FPS games fun as much as you do with RPG. It's a simple way of understanding.
From the readings, it's nice that the " Eight Kinds of 'Fun' " points out in a simple manner what people look for in a game and what people find fun.

Do you recall the game 'Dark Souls' and its famously known difficulty? Surely a game that's difficult is not fun right? It's like saying you have a hard job but doesn't earn any income with it. This is simply not the case. The MDA of 'Dark Souls' is reinforced in its difficulty. The game's MDA all compliment its bleak, distraught, fantasy world and people really enjoyed it.
Here's a video by Extra Credits talking about difficult games and how they can be fun:
Link.

I have a personal ideal that I stand by. Unlike most product models, where people ask for something, the designer researches a product  and delivers them accordingly. 
Games are different. The designers have to come up with an idea for a game, design it well in their vision, and deliver it to the public while people play it. They will either universally agree that it's good or bad, some split between the two opinions. 

This is how when game companies make sequels they either make a masterpieces or flunks completely. Their quality in design either just replicates what they did before with little to no originality of any scale. The Mechanics, Dynamics and Aesthetics of these games either never changed or changed in the wrong direction to the point where the game fails to deliver the feeling that they once had delivered. These game are then no longer "fun".
One of the worst examples of games which went down this path is Fallout 76 and it's various shenanigans: Here's a video by the Internet Historian on the subject.


A game with a solid Mechanic will function like a knife through butter: It's satisfying to play because it works and it works well.
A game with interesting Dynamics will make player feel like they're figuring things out and using that knowledge to play better or differently.
A game with wonderful Aesthetics will be stuck in your head long after play by striking an incredible impression on you.

Despite Blizzard's controversies over the few days, I can not deny the fact that some of their games are just very good and worth talking about. One awesome example is Starcraft 2, a great sequel to the previous one. This game has a solid Real-Time Strategy mechanic that has improved on the past. The dynamics will show itself as you become more an more familiar and proficient withe game. The sci-fi aesthetic of the game is almost grandeur because of the detail they put into the games's design, artwork, lore and backgrounds. 

The Starcraft 2 Field Manual showing you some detailed and informative images along with interesting background info. It's a really fun and amusing read because you can see the details and thought that was put into the game. Check it out here: Link.

Page 11 of the Starcraft 2 Field Manual.
There so many pages with this level attention and care.
What's not to love about this?

I hope you enjoyed my nonsensical rambling at 1:46 AM in the morning.
Hope you liked my blog.
Have a nice day.

Game Elements

Game Elements

Games are very fun to play. Everyone knows that. However, often the case of 'why' it's fun to play varies from person to person. Often times we just talk about what the game offers, its mechanics, the thing you can do, etc. and the discussion often just ends there.

Preferences of games will differ from each individual but the principle of what makes the game doesn't. It all depends on the creative input of the creator and the work they put in.

There was a certain element not mentioned clearly in both the reading or the articles, which is Game Mechanic.

The game mechanic is the basic rules and procedures of how the game will be played and how the game will respond to the player's actions. Essentially, game mechanics are simply 'gimmicks' of which the game itself is based around.

'Undertale' is a RPG game that claimed itself 'the friendly RPG where NOBODY has to DIE' It has an unique mechanic in the game of which you are fully capable of completing the game without killing a single enemy. This is a polar opposite approach to your standard RPG formula.

Its gimmick is that the game itself plays around the mechanics of a normal RPG and tells a compelling narrative with it. Battles, EXP, dialogue, endings all change depending on how many enemies you kill which meant that every single action you take is very consequential. 

"If I started spending money on old branches and used bandages, I'd be out of business in a jiffy!"
The response of a shopkeeper when you want to sell something to her.
Clever.

Game mechanics can ground a game with its theme and core gameplay. It can shape a game to something unique among the same genre and make them stand out.

If you want games with some unique mechanics, here are some games below:

1. Patapon series on the PSP: 
You command tiny black-eyeball people with a sequence of drumbeats to command them. Quite addicting.
Check out its trailer on the PS4: link.

2. Any Mystery Dungeon games: 
Mystery dungeon games were famous for its procedural generating random dungeons of which you can explore. I would recommend Etrian Odyssey Dungeon for starters. It's an RPG with the mystery dungeon mechanic on the 3DS. Simple but solid game mechanic.
Here's the trailer: link;

3. Factorio:
You are trapped on a planet and needs to use the resources around you to build a rocket to escape. How do you do it? By building entire factories and logistical systems to manufacture the parts you need to build that rocket. A solid management, building and survival game for those who like intricate factory lines and production cycles.
Want to see how hectic it can be? Here:link.

3.5 Satisfactory:
It's very similar to Factorio, except things are more sci-fi and in awesome 3D graphic. This game is still in its early stages but boy would I be wrong if it doesn't look and feel good.
For good vibes, double link: link 1, link 2,

Besides game mechanics, I think that everything else the article has included in alright. How many players can be playing in a session? The goal of a game and how to achieve them? What you can get in terms of resources, weapon and gears? What are the limitations of the game and how do you address them?

These are all important elements in a game that must be implemented to make a game feel complete.

I hope you enjoy my random rambling in this blog.

What else do you think is crucial in a game? You can tell me in the comments if you want.

Thank for reading my blog.

Have a nice day.