Goals
The goals that arise within the game are the tasks given to the player in which they must complete, in order to advance into the next stages of the game. Goals are constantly introduced within the game in order to keep the player focused and enable to enhance the gaming experience, thus keeping the player interested in the game. Short term goals may vary; e.g. killing an enemy (Call of Duty), collecting coins (Sonic), scoring goals (FIFA) or completing a lap in a racing game (Gran Tourismo).
Saturday, 25 July 2015
Sunday, 12 July 2015
Game World
Game World
A game world is an artificial universe which the game is set and built within. This game world can be completely fictional or can be based on a real time and place. For example, a game like Destiny is created on a fictional world where there are guardians protecting Earth from external attacks from other planets, whereas a game like Assassins Creed: Unity is set within the 1800s during the French Revolution. Moreover, all games will bet set in different worlds and they will not coincide. It is relatively crucial for game designers to get the game world set accurately, due to the the fact that a game world virtually determines the potential of the game. To entice a player into playing their game, designers must be able to design the game world so it is appeals to the player throughout the game. The game world includes terrain, architecture and objects. Additionally, the game worlds have improved significantly over time. It is clear two see from the two images below of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City(2002) and Grand Theft Auto: 5(2014) that there is a significant difference is graphics. For example, characters within the more recent games look more realistic and the terrain looks more detailed.
A game world is an artificial universe which the game is set and built within. This game world can be completely fictional or can be based on a real time and place. For example, a game like Destiny is created on a fictional world where there are guardians protecting Earth from external attacks from other planets, whereas a game like Assassins Creed: Unity is set within the 1800s during the French Revolution. Moreover, all games will bet set in different worlds and they will not coincide. It is relatively crucial for game designers to get the game world set accurately, due to the the fact that a game world virtually determines the potential of the game. To entice a player into playing their game, designers must be able to design the game world so it is appeals to the player throughout the game. The game world includes terrain, architecture and objects. Additionally, the game worlds have improved significantly over time. It is clear two see from the two images below of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City(2002) and Grand Theft Auto: 5(2014) that there is a significant difference is graphics. For example, characters within the more recent games look more realistic and the terrain looks more detailed.
Saturday, 11 July 2015
Interaction models
The interaction model is basically the functions of input required by the player while reacting to what's happening in the game, the analysis of those responses by the computer, and the nature of the action by the computer. When designing a game it is important to consider how he player will be controlled and represented within the game itself. There are two different ways to make the player interact with the game world. One is Avatar interaction model and the other is omnipresence interaction model.
Avatar Interaction Model
Avatar interaction model is when the player of the character is represented by an avatar that is presented within the game world. Moreover, the avatar interaction model is used when the player is represented on the screen by a main character and the focus of the game is based on how this main character is controlled by the player. With this, the player can control that specific avatar as they like. An example of a game which uses this specific type of interaction model is Assassins Creed or Uncharted. This is because these type of games only allow the player to control one specific character rather than controlling many characters at once.
Omnipresence Interaction Model
Omnipresence interaction model is used when the player is able to control more than one character (an army of characters) within the game world. It is also use to make direct changes within the game world. A few example which use this type of interaction model would be Sims, Clash of Clans and Boom Beach. Generally people will like this type because it allows them to be creative when 'designing' the game world. Furthermore, they would like to have the ability to control several characters.
Avatar Interaction Model
Avatar interaction model is when the player of the character is represented by an avatar that is presented within the game world. Moreover, the avatar interaction model is used when the player is represented on the screen by a main character and the focus of the game is based on how this main character is controlled by the player. With this, the player can control that specific avatar as they like. An example of a game which uses this specific type of interaction model is Assassins Creed or Uncharted. This is because these type of games only allow the player to control one specific character rather than controlling many characters at once.
Omnipresence Interaction Model
Omnipresence interaction model is used when the player is able to control more than one character (an army of characters) within the game world. It is also use to make direct changes within the game world. A few example which use this type of interaction model would be Sims, Clash of Clans and Boom Beach. Generally people will like this type because it allows them to be creative when 'designing' the game world. Furthermore, they would like to have the ability to control several characters.
Wednesday, 8 July 2015
Game settings
Game Settings
Within every game there are settings which can be adjusted which allow the game to become unique and specific to each player. There are different characteristic setting within a game; these are physical, temporal, environmental, emotional, and ethical settings.
Physical Setting
Physical settings in a video game is the current story mode and position you are in the game. For example, if you were to play a horror game such as Outlast, the physical setting would be dark and scary; this encourages the player to become more immersed in the game. Moreover, the physical setting an adventure game would be bright and colourful scenes. In order to attract gamers and allow them to engage more with the game, game designers will use an appropriate setting for the game so that it matches the genre of the game.
Temporal Setting
Temporal settings is the time in which the game is set. This is a very important aspect to a game and must be considered in order for the game to be set in the correct time period. An example of a game which uses temporal settings is Assassins Creed. This game effectively uses temporal settings to portray that it is set up in the 1800s by showing the old designs of buildings and what transportation people used to use, such as horses and carriages. Another example is Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. This game conveys a futuristic battlefield through the introduction of advanced equipment such as invisibility cloaks and jet-packs.
Environmental Setting
Environmental settings are the settings in the game which affects the weather conditions. An example of an effective use of environmental settings is in horror games. Horror games constantly use a dark, rainy and stormy scene in order to make the player become frightened. However, an adventure game for example will show bright and sunny scenes. Moreover, there are games which can even allow you to alter the weather conditions. For example, FIFA gives you the ability to change the weather to whatever the player prefers. The conditions in a game can determine the outcome of certain things, for example in FIFA, if the weather is rainy then the ball becomes more slippery in comparison to dry weather conditions.
Emotional Setting
Emotional settings are used in video games in order for the player to see what the main character is feeling as they progress through the game. It is relatively important for game designers to allow there to be an emotional bond between the player and the main character, this is because as the bond becomes stronger between the two, this encourages the player to keep on progressing through the game. For example, in The Last of Us video game, the connection between Joel and Ellie makes the player feel sorry for them as they only have each other to survive.
Ethical Setting
Ethical settings are important in video games as it encourages people to do things within the game. For example, in Assassins Creed, you are motivated use your character's parkour abilities to climb large buildings in order to get to your destination much faster. Moreover, the game must be designed to ethically match the age rating of the game. For example, if the game is rated 7+, there cannot be any extreme violence, swearing or sexual content. The dangers of not making the game suitable for the selected audience is that young kids may become influenced from such a young age towards violence.
Within every game there are settings which can be adjusted which allow the game to become unique and specific to each player. There are different characteristic setting within a game; these are physical, temporal, environmental, emotional, and ethical settings.
Physical Setting
Physical settings in a video game is the current story mode and position you are in the game. For example, if you were to play a horror game such as Outlast, the physical setting would be dark and scary; this encourages the player to become more immersed in the game. Moreover, the physical setting an adventure game would be bright and colourful scenes. In order to attract gamers and allow them to engage more with the game, game designers will use an appropriate setting for the game so that it matches the genre of the game.
(Game play of Outlast)
Temporal Setting
Temporal settings is the time in which the game is set. This is a very important aspect to a game and must be considered in order for the game to be set in the correct time period. An example of a game which uses temporal settings is Assassins Creed. This game effectively uses temporal settings to portray that it is set up in the 1800s by showing the old designs of buildings and what transportation people used to use, such as horses and carriages. Another example is Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. This game conveys a futuristic battlefield through the introduction of advanced equipment such as invisibility cloaks and jet-packs.
(Assassins Creed: Brotherhood)
Environmental Setting
Environmental settings are the settings in the game which affects the weather conditions. An example of an effective use of environmental settings is in horror games. Horror games constantly use a dark, rainy and stormy scene in order to make the player become frightened. However, an adventure game for example will show bright and sunny scenes. Moreover, there are games which can even allow you to alter the weather conditions. For example, FIFA gives you the ability to change the weather to whatever the player prefers. The conditions in a game can determine the outcome of certain things, for example in FIFA, if the weather is rainy then the ball becomes more slippery in comparison to dry weather conditions.
(FIFA game play in Snow)
Emotional Setting
Emotional settings are used in video games in order for the player to see what the main character is feeling as they progress through the game. It is relatively important for game designers to allow there to be an emotional bond between the player and the main character, this is because as the bond becomes stronger between the two, this encourages the player to keep on progressing through the game. For example, in The Last of Us video game, the connection between Joel and Ellie makes the player feel sorry for them as they only have each other to survive.
Ethical Setting
Ethical settings are important in video games as it encourages people to do things within the game. For example, in Assassins Creed, you are motivated use your character's parkour abilities to climb large buildings in order to get to your destination much faster. Moreover, the game must be designed to ethically match the age rating of the game. For example, if the game is rated 7+, there cannot be any extreme violence, swearing or sexual content. The dangers of not making the game suitable for the selected audience is that young kids may become influenced from such a young age towards violence.
feedback interface
Feedback interface is the information provided by the game which allows the player to see how they are doing throughout the game. There are two main types of feedback interface. One of which is simple interface; this is the scores displayed onto the screen, such as health, time remaining, points won etc. The other type of interface (advanced interface) is more complex. This type can display radars onto the screen to show where your character is and where team mates and enemies are placed around the map/game world. Feedback interface is used on every video game. However, advanced interface is mostly used on complex video games such as FIFA, GTA 5, or Call of Duty.
It is clear to see in the image above of FIFA 15 game play the different areas where feedback interface and advanced interface is used. For example, the simple interface is displayed on the top right hand corner, where the scores of the game is provided and how long is left for the game to end. Furthermore, the advanced interface is displayed on the bottom half of the screen. this consists of the fitness bars on each player on how much stamina a player has left to the game radar which provides information to where each player's current position is on the pitch.
Every game will use feedback interference as it will provide the player with information on how much they've completed or what left is needed in order to successfully complete a mission or objective. For example, on FIFA, the feedback interface that is provided is the scoreboard and the time which shows you who is winning and how much time is left for the game. This is effective as it allows the players to decide on what they need to do in order to win the game; this could be the way they change their formation or who they may want to bring on to secure a victory. The advanced interface used on FIFA is the game radar and the stamina bar. The radar is useful as it helps the player roughly understand where each player is on the pitch, this means that if the player is not on screen, you can judge as where they are on the pitch. The stamina bar is also useful as it highklights which players are tired and in need of a substitution.
(screenshot of FIFA 15 game play)
Every game will use feedback interference as it will provide the player with information on how much they've completed or what left is needed in order to successfully complete a mission or objective. For example, on FIFA, the feedback interface that is provided is the scoreboard and the time which shows you who is winning and how much time is left for the game. This is effective as it allows the players to decide on what they need to do in order to win the game; this could be the way they change their formation or who they may want to bring on to secure a victory. The advanced interface used on FIFA is the game radar and the stamina bar. The radar is useful as it helps the player roughly understand where each player is on the pitch, this means that if the player is not on screen, you can judge as where they are on the pitch. The stamina bar is also useful as it highklights which players are tired and in need of a substitution.
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