Journal Wk10: Improv

I think Improvisational Theatre games could be considered as interactive and a very social game. Even though that there is no actual conversation or discussion being done, communication and interactivity is being shown through each players action and response while playing the game. I guess this game also somehow extend the creativity of the players and in this sense, self-expression aesthetic is distinguishable through the game.

1. Be fun to play with.
2. Serve the narrative.
3. Make your partner look good.

How do these principles extend to the design of other kinds of self-expression games?

These principles could be state as the foundation of this kind of game. They extend the design of other self-expression games by making the designers figure out how these principles should be implemented through the self-expression game they are creating. Either it is online or physical, the design of social interaction being formed in the game must go through these three principles.

Design Idea Wk10: Art game

My idea on the art game would be the “create path” game. It is a game which goal is to get a person from one position to another by drawing a certain path to take for that figure to follow and get into the destinate position. Its going to be either a single player game with certain challenges or obstacles that u have to prevent by drawing an object or altering the path, or a multi-player game where each players could obstruct each others path and try to be the first one who get into the goal. This is a strategy game in a sense but also make it a bit artistic in the other hand.

Journal Wk 9 — Interactive Fiction

It was kind of hard answering this question after playing the games. I would say the games would probably work and build up sense of curiosity to the players while playing it. Especially on facade, where it is really interesting to see the development of relationship between the couple as we, the player interact with them. I think the one thing that works out well with facade would be the varieties of words the program could comply with as other usual text type based game. And this is probably why the multiple endings are working well in this game, since we got so much option of what we are going to say and when we should say those words.

Design Idea Wk 9 — Fairytale

My game idea that refers to this topic would be about the wolf and three little pigs. It basically a tower defense game where we got 3 workers (pigs) to build towers that will prevent the pack of wolves to get themselves to the area where the pigs are. As usual tower defense game, we will be given certain time to built up tower before the wolves are summoned. We could still built up tower after they are being summoned, but there is a higher chance for one of the pigs to get killed when it is still building the tower. Money gained every time a wolf is killed, while the purpose of money in this game is to be able to built more tower or even buy equipment such as travel boots that allow the pigs to run faster, or even built faster.

Journal Wk8: Mafia

The mafia game played in class is a very social kind of game. The game is interesting because we need to use certain communication skills in order to survive the game (in any role assigned to us), such as ability to read other peoples gesture, arguing or even lying. It is pretty hard to transfer a game with such aesthetic into online game. The only thing that I could think of would be turning the game into a chat log game, while there would always be an admin that decide on who will take which role in the game by sending private message to both the mafias and officer. However it is less interesting because you could not see other people facial expressions. So an alternative for this would be to put out a number of avatars/ emoticons that determine how active or inactive you are in the chat log as it depends on how many messages you’ve typed into the board.

Design Idea Wk8: A social game

The “where to meet” jelly bean game was pretty interesting. My idea on creating a similar game to that would be a mob game. Imagine this in a form of a flash game, everyone using this application on facebook is a mob. For every 10 minutes or so, users could decide on which bank they are going to broke into. Say that there is 50 different banks and each of them has different difficulties/ securities to be broken into. While all people using this application would usually try to get a big group of people to rob the most expensive and secure bank, as more people means higher chances, but also less money as the money is being distributed to too many people. While trying to rob the cheap and less secure bank with smaller group of people might get you a better profit. In addition, money could be use to buy weapon or even anything else that boost up your chances to rob the bank, or even attack other mob to stole a small percentage of their money or possession.

Design Idea Wk 6: Hardware driven game

My game would be  about surgery simulation game. Sure we have that kind of game in nds…., but if this kind of hardware could be 100% functional, then a surgery game or any other game that allows us to notice the slightest movement on our hands and fingers would be considered the best game to be created for this hardware.

The setting of the game would be us as a main surgeon that travels within place to place. While in that journey, a storyline would have taken place where we have to save the patients using the tools and any necessary key item that we got through out the story. While as the story progress, the game become more difficult as there would be mods added such as time limit or even in terms of the patients’ organ sensitivity. If being composed well, this would make a very entertaining surgeon role playing game (RPG).

Reflection Wk 6: Player-centred design

The term player-centred design was quite a straightforward definition for me before reading the article. It is personally understood as a game that designed solely for players under certain group and interest. It was quoted by Ernest and Adams that:

A game’s primary function is to entertain the player, and it is the designer’s obligation to create a game that does so. Other motivations are secondary.

For me this is true in some sense, but it would be false to assume that the player is always right. I must say that I am more agree with Raph Koster point of view regarding this topic. Because putting a limit by only meeting with the player expectation and need would be putting game designer in a position where he/she work as the worker and players as the designer. Game designers should be allowed to express themselves through their game that hopefully will be accepted by the player. One main reason that players are mostly passive and could only notified and point out how a gameplay weaknesses by comparing it with other games that they have played before, while game designer in this aspect should be the creative thinker that would create something new to be judged by the player. A good example out of this would be DoTA maps (Warcraft 3), where the map designer decide to put every important bits from the original game and other maps to create this successful game that has given a new experience and alternative on how Warcraft could have been played.

Design Idea wk5: Mechanic driven

A boat shooting game. Basically a CS(Counter Strike)-like, one person point of view kind of game, but instead “on feet” we would actually be controlling a boat on a water arena. Game would be played using keyboards and mouse (just like CS). Controlling the boat would be made as realistic as possible that the boat could shift left and right or even drawn when players couldn’t balance the control of the boat.  Accelerating and dodging enemies attack would be possible to be done with good control and anticipation. Besides the movements, the fluid mechanic could also be seen on how players would use the different weapons given on the boat, as they react to the players ship angle, position, speed and even control on the weaponry  projectile power.

Design idea wk 4 – Games for Mum

I would say ‘cooking mama’ but its taken.

So probably a knitting game.

Its a game/ tutorial where mums will learn how to knit, make patterns or even to create something more. NDS probably is the best console for this. While successfully attempt to knit something in the game within certain time or grades, ‘money’ will be given. The money could be use to buy new equipments or even new challenges to knit something new. Even though the game seems monotonous, it will serve its purpose for mums to learn how to knit and to imply the technique in the real life.