On Friday the 17th of October we had a lecture in which we looked at iterating games that already existed in order to try and introduce a new unique aspect of it and find out whether that would improve it or make it worse... or in some cases, make it a different game altogether.
The game we were looking at was Battleships, which is one of the most popular board games out there, and has been long standing as a good game. However, as i played it I didn't like the down times of the game, where no player hits any thing several turns, so in order to try and combat that I decided that I would iterating it to make more shots get fire out and make it harder to hide your ships and it brings games to close quicker, so my idea was that every time one of your ships has been sunk you are able to fire off three retaliation shots, i found that this gave a good amount of shot back in order to try and catch you up if you're behind or extend you lead if you are winning, I found that it did have a few flaws such as it didn't really come into play for someone who had hidden their ships well and was more of a handy cap for them, but that is really the way i wanted it to work, because if someone got a lead and then started getting extra shots the person behind would stand no chance winning. I did find however that if you knew the size of the ship you were hitting you could avoid destroying it to stop the other player getting his extra shots, then mop up the ships in five rounds at the end of the game and that way the extra shots don't give the losing player an advantage until it may be too late.
Monday 20 October 2014
Saturday 18 October 2014
The Classification of Games
During a lecture we had on Thursday we learnt about the different types of classification within games... so by that I am referring to paidia and ludus. Paidia being used to describe games which are effectively just played for the pure enjoyment of playing them, they are typically easy and include many sandbox games. Ludus on the other hand is used to describe games that are very rules based and players are driven to follow the rules down a set path, these games have a clear goal or end, usually ending in the player 'winning'
An example of a paidia game would be something like sim city where there are no set rules and a player can take there city down any path they would like. Don't get me wrong there are elements of ludus in sim city such as when you have a large city it becomes really hard to keep them happy and generate the amount of power they need to survive, which can be restricting, but other than that it is a sandbox paidia game.
An example of a Ludus game would be a game like the last of us.. in my opinion anyway, because this game although it gave the illusion of freedom and allowed you to explore the map a little bit, at the end of the day there was only, say two, things that you could find in one section of the map and then you have to follow the set story mission if you want to explore anymore. This game did a good job of disguising the fact that it was a set linear game through items you could find in the map, but at the end of the day, there is only one path, and only one outcome.
There are many game which have included all aspects of the game classification, and these games tend to be the games that are played more. Ludus games with a set path usually have very little replay value because the story doesn't differ and you cant get a different result by playing it again. Paidia games have a lot more replay value as they are open world games, and you can play it more than once and get a different result, but many times these games lack something to drive you play again, as you have freedom but you don't feel attachment to character or places like you do in a story driven game. This is why I feel like this is the best option for games, making it cater to both ludus and paidia games means that the player has the ability to have characters and a story to get attached to, but also the freedom people want from games.
An example of this would be a World of Warcraft, this game has many different stories you can dive into and you still have the freedom to fly around and do whatever you want in whatever order you would like. This is a big reason why the game is so popular, because this game came about when no one else had a game like it, and that's why it reached the popularity it did and why in many ways it will never be beaten, because any game that is similar that may one day beat it, would only be called, the World of Warcraft Killer... the game would always have that looming over their head.
An example of a paidia game would be something like sim city where there are no set rules and a player can take there city down any path they would like. Don't get me wrong there are elements of ludus in sim city such as when you have a large city it becomes really hard to keep them happy and generate the amount of power they need to survive, which can be restricting, but other than that it is a sandbox paidia game.
An example of a Ludus game would be a game like the last of us.. in my opinion anyway, because this game although it gave the illusion of freedom and allowed you to explore the map a little bit, at the end of the day there was only, say two, things that you could find in one section of the map and then you have to follow the set story mission if you want to explore anymore. This game did a good job of disguising the fact that it was a set linear game through items you could find in the map, but at the end of the day, there is only one path, and only one outcome.
There are many game which have included all aspects of the game classification, and these games tend to be the games that are played more. Ludus games with a set path usually have very little replay value because the story doesn't differ and you cant get a different result by playing it again. Paidia games have a lot more replay value as they are open world games, and you can play it more than once and get a different result, but many times these games lack something to drive you play again, as you have freedom but you don't feel attachment to character or places like you do in a story driven game. This is why I feel like this is the best option for games, making it cater to both ludus and paidia games means that the player has the ability to have characters and a story to get attached to, but also the freedom people want from games.
An example of this would be a World of Warcraft, this game has many different stories you can dive into and you still have the freedom to fly around and do whatever you want in whatever order you would like. This is a big reason why the game is so popular, because this game came about when no one else had a game like it, and that's why it reached the popularity it did and why in many ways it will never be beaten, because any game that is similar that may one day beat it, would only be called, the World of Warcraft Killer... the game would always have that looming over their head.
How to write a Bibliography
Just over a week ago we had a lecture in which we learnt how to write a bibliography, so here are the toy examples of a reference I mopped up using books we got from the UCS libary.
Entry to a book
Journal entry
Entry to a book
- Sloan, D, (2011) Playing to Wiin, Singapore, John Wiley ans sons.
Contribution to a book
- Hitchcock, A. (1963) "Alfred Hitchcock's The birds, a comparison", in Whalen, Z and Taylor, L, N. (eds) Playing the past, History and nostalgia in video games. Nashville, Vanderbilt University Press.
- Roensch, G. 2006, "The Game's the Thing: Working at Electronic Arts", Intercom, vol. 53, Issue. 9, pp. 44.
Thursday 2 October 2014
Introduction Questionnaire
This is my type up for the interview task...
What is the title of the last fiction book you either read or are reading now?
Books were something I always had a hard time getting into, I didn't find them anywhere near as enjoyable as many other people, that said I have enjoyed some fictional books outside of the compulsory books we had to read during school, the most recent of which was the Jack Reacher series, written by Lee Child, it had a really good balance of action and gripping story to keep me interested longer than one chapter.
What is the title of the last non-fictional book you either read or are reading now?
This could come across as me just trying to say something about the course just to get extra credit or something, but I am currently in the process of reading The Art of Game Design, by Jesse Schell, this was on the reading list for the course when I first enrolled and picked my self up a copy to read while I was on the beaches of America during my holiday in the summer.
What is the last live performance you attended?
I have never really been someone who enjoys anything live performances, just out or personal preference really, that being said there has been a few live performances I have been too, the most recent of which would be a theater performance at the New Wolsey Theater with my family. However don't ask me what went to see, it apparently didn't make a lasting impression on me.
What is the title of the last film you saw at the cinema, if not the cinema then on DVD?
I used to be really big on going to the cinema and enjoying movie with friends and family, but the cost increase has deterred me more and more each day to the point where I just watch movies at home with friends more than going to the cinema, leave more money to be spent on the snacks and drinks. I believe the last film I saw at the cinema was transformers age of extinction, which was for my little brothers birthday earlier this year.
How often do you read the newspaper?
Well, this can be easily answered with the word, never. Newspapers were never something that I really looked at and thought I would read it, maybe that comes in later life when i'm older and worry a bit more about what is in the news outside of just the morning news when i'm running out the door to go out.
How many hours a week do you spend playing computer games?
Until recently when it started to die down quite a lot it was an embarrassing about of time, during the holidays of school I would spend almost ever waking hour when I wasn't being asked to do something playing some sort of game, this has been something that has died down as I get older, the want to play games has started to transition into making the games and wanting to know whats going on behind the game
How many hours a week do you spend playing non-computer games?
This is not a type of game genre that I would measure in a weekly scale, I think a yearly scale wouldn't even weigh up to a weekly scale for computer games. That being said non-computer games are something I enjoy and always enjoy the classic family monopoly at Christmas.
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