- Roller Coaster Tycoon
- Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Mass Effect Trilogy
- Army of 2
- Crackdown
- Command and Conquer
- Warhammer 40,000
- Wizard 101
- Jet Pack Joyride
- Assassins Creed
- Too Human
- Film Replica Games
- Sniper 2
- Tomb Raider
- Far Cry 3
Sunday, 30 March 2014
Games that inspire me!
Blog Task: compile a short bibliography
My bibliography
- Website
Ancient.eu.com.
- Website
Bbc.co.uk.
BBC - Primary History - World History - Royal Game of Ur
- Website
Britishmuseum.org.
British Museum - The Royal Game of Ur
- Website
Learn.ucs.ac.uk.
- Website
Learn.ucs.ac.uk.
- Website
Learn.ucs.ac.uk.
- Website
Learn.ucs.ac.uk.
- Website
Learn.ucs.ac.uk.
- Website
Learn.ucs.ac.uk.
- Website
Mastersgames.com.
The Rules of The Royal Game of Ur
- Website
Wikipedia.
Man, Play and Games
Blog Task: Games Britannia “Joystick Generation”
In episode 3 of 3, of Game Britannia by the BBC was all about computer games and how they interact with the society. How society influences the games and how games influence the society.
An example of this in the 60s, 70s and 80s when there was a lot of violence on the streets there was also a lot of violence in video games with a lot killing.
In the episode, they said that people play games differently than they would in real life and it can really bring out the true personality in a person. For example, Grand Theft Auto. People like myself would not go round in real life and steal cars, shoot people and beat people up just for the hell of it. It is games like this give people an escape from real life and all the troubles and worries that come with it. It gives the player an immerse experience to relax and relive any stress that they might have.
However, as said before, games also influences society. Therefore, I feel that games like these would also encourage people to do crimes that are implemented in these games. Even though this is only the minority.
An example of this in the 60s, 70s and 80s when there was a lot of violence on the streets there was also a lot of violence in video games with a lot killing.
In the episode, they said that people play games differently than they would in real life and it can really bring out the true personality in a person. For example, Grand Theft Auto. People like myself would not go round in real life and steal cars, shoot people and beat people up just for the hell of it. It is games like this give people an escape from real life and all the troubles and worries that come with it. It gives the player an immerse experience to relax and relive any stress that they might have.
However, as said before, games also influences society. Therefore, I feel that games like these would also encourage people to do crimes that are implemented in these games. Even though this is only the minority.
Blog Task: pictures from your BM trip and EuroGamer
Unfortunately, I could not afford to go on the British Museum trip. As I had no money at this point. I really wanted to. However, I will try to go on this trip next week.
I went on the Euro Gamer trip 2013 which was brilliant. I managed to play on the new consoles.I have always been a faithful Xbox 360 fan but I really hated the Xbox One. I didn't like the controller. Plus, I didn't feel the aesthetics of the games were as good as the PS4. The PS4 controller felt very similar to the Xbox 360 with the PS4 special feature, like the position of the analogue sticks, the extra button and the touch pad. I didn't really get a chance to use the touch pad but I can see it's potential. This also gave me some good ideas for new mechanics that could use the PS4 touch pad.
I also tested some new release games that they were beta testing at this convention. One game that sticks in my mind was Assassins Creed: Black Flag. Overall, this is a brilliant game with some great new features from its pre-decedents. However, I found a huge bug in the game. I obviously told the developers that were there and they have now fixed this problem as the the game is now released on the market. The bug was to do with aerial assassinations. When an AI was running underneath the player from side to side I would try to aerial assassinate. The player's character would jump off the building or ledge and stop in mid-air and then travel sideways before descending down onto the AI for the assassination.
If I get the chance I will definitely go on this trip again next year.
I went on the Euro Gamer trip 2013 which was brilliant. I managed to play on the new consoles.I have always been a faithful Xbox 360 fan but I really hated the Xbox One. I didn't like the controller. Plus, I didn't feel the aesthetics of the games were as good as the PS4. The PS4 controller felt very similar to the Xbox 360 with the PS4 special feature, like the position of the analogue sticks, the extra button and the touch pad. I didn't really get a chance to use the touch pad but I can see it's potential. This also gave me some good ideas for new mechanics that could use the PS4 touch pad.
I also tested some new release games that they were beta testing at this convention. One game that sticks in my mind was Assassins Creed: Black Flag. Overall, this is a brilliant game with some great new features from its pre-decedents. However, I found a huge bug in the game. I obviously told the developers that were there and they have now fixed this problem as the the game is now released on the market. The bug was to do with aerial assassinations. When an AI was running underneath the player from side to side I would try to aerial assassinate. The player's character would jump off the building or ledge and stop in mid-air and then travel sideways before descending down onto the AI for the assassination.
If I get the chance I will definitely go on this trip again next year.
Blog Task: Games Britannia “Monopolies & Mergers”
The 2 or 3 Game Britannia by the BBC was all about modern board games and how they have changed since the ancient board games that were covered in the first episode. One thing I found really interesting was how Monopoly was used in World War 2 to hold secrets and maps. The main and most important information I learnt by watching this episode has changed my approached when designing games now.
This information is:
The most popular game include luck and skill in the same game.
References
This information is:
The most popular game include luck and skill in the same game.
References
Learn.ucs.ac.uk.
Learn.ucs.ac.uk.
Blog Tasks: Royal Game of UR
The Royal Game of UR was the game that I used to iterate for my iteration assignment.
Rules
Quotes
This is the Royal Game of Ur, a board game made between 2600 and 2400 BC.
In the 1920s, the British archaeologist Leonard Woolley was digging into the ruins of a long-buried royal city, and among many amazing treasures, he found several games. This is one of them.
bbc.co.uk
References
Rules
R.C. Bell
RC Bell used his path stated above and dice throws, which give a different flavor of game entirely, were as follows:
- 0 - move 4 and have another throw.
- 1 - move 0 and the turn finishes.
- 2 - move 1 and have another throw
- 3 - move 5 and have another throw
- 5. Each player places an agreed amount into a pool.
- 6. A piece can only be entered onto the board by a throw of 5 and moves as indicated above for further throws.
- 7. If a counter lands on a rosette, that player must pay an agreed fine into the pool.
- 8. If a counter lands on an opposing counter, the latter piece is captured and sent off the board from where it can only return to the board by the throw of a five in the usual way.
- 9. An exact throw is needed to bear a piece off the board
- 10. Only one counter is allowed on a square at any one time.
- 11. The first player to bear all pieces off the board wins the pool.
Quotes
This is the Royal Game of Ur, a board game made between 2600 and 2400 BC.
In the 1920s, the British archaeologist Leonard Woolley was digging into the ruins of a long-buried royal city, and among many amazing treasures, he found several games. This is one of them.
bbc.co.uk
References
Ancient.eu.com.
Bbc.co.uk.
BBC - Primary History - World History - Royal Game of Ur
Britishmuseum.org.
British Museum - The Royal Game of Ur
Mastersgames.com.
The Rules of The Royal Game of Ur
- Ancient board games in perspective; papers from the 1990 British Museum colloquium with additional contributions.Published by British Museum Press (2007)Shelved at 794ISBN 9780714111537NoteCitation Finkel, I.L. (2007) Ancient board games in perspective; papers from the 1990 British Museum colloquium with additional contributions. London: British Museum Press.
Blog Task: Games Britannia “Dicing with Destiny”
In this lecture we watched 1 of 3 episodes of Games Britannia. The episode was all about ancient board games, which we ended up doing an assignment on iterating one of these game to improve it or make it different. I learnt many new games that are out there, which make me spark new ideas anyway. I find when I see games or play new ones I use the mechanics from one and see how I could implement them with others from other games. I used this same approach when I completed my iterating assignment. I used some mechanics from the "Royal Game of UR" and added others from other games; plus some of my own ideas I came up with.
I found that a lot of the ancient board games focused on divinity or fortune telling. This could be for many different faiths or to giving advise to noble on what they should do if they have big decisions to make like going to war.
I have also done this for a board game that I have been working on for the year with Greg Rutter. We have kind of merged two games, one is a computer game and one is a board game and made it into a huge board game. We have merged Warhammer 40,000 and Command and Conquer. This has taken us so long because we have added each asset then play-tested it. We then had to keep tweaking and play testing until each asset was balanced before adding anything new. The game is virtual completed which we will present at the game festival at the end of the year.
References
I found that a lot of the ancient board games focused on divinity or fortune telling. This could be for many different faiths or to giving advise to noble on what they should do if they have big decisions to make like going to war.
I have also done this for a board game that I have been working on for the year with Greg Rutter. We have kind of merged two games, one is a computer game and one is a board game and made it into a huge board game. We have merged Warhammer 40,000 and Command and Conquer. This has taken us so long because we have added each asset then play-tested it. We then had to keep tweaking and play testing until each asset was balanced before adding anything new. The game is virtual completed which we will present at the game festival at the end of the year.
References
Learn.ucs.ac.uk.
Learn.ucs.ac.uk.
Blog Task 2
Roger Callois was a French Sociologist. He studied games and play in society and found some interesting results.
Roger concluded that there are six characteristics of play:
Roger concluded that there are six characteristics of play:
- It is free.
- Its not obligatory.
- It is separate from mundane life.
- It is uncertain.
- Results can not be pre-determined.
- Players use their initiative.
Roger concluded that there are four forms of play:
- Agon, or competition, eg Chess.
- Alea, or chance, eg slot machines.
- Mimicry, or mimesis, or role playing eg Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Ilinx (Greek for "Whirlpool"), or virtigo, eg riding a roller coaster.
Some of the most popular game, which I learnt from watching "Game Britannia", combine a variety of these. The most popular combine agon and alea. Where a game includes luck and strategy like poker or war hammer 40,000.
References
Learn.ucs.ac.uk.
- Website
Learn.ucs.ac.uk.
Wikipedia.
Man, Play and Games
Blog tasks
The Blog Tasks
These blogs will be of the blog tasks that have been set for the assignment. It will include feedback on the readings and the individual lectures each week. I will also be blogging some reading note that I make from the readings. In general, there has been a lot I have learnt from these lectures. Despite doing another game design course before this university course. There has been a lot of new information I have gained and the rest have re-enforced the knowledge I have already learnt. I have liked the variety of learning styles that we used in the course with the trips and the balance with practical and theory learning.
These blogs will be of the blog tasks that have been set for the assignment. It will include feedback on the readings and the individual lectures each week. I will also be blogging some reading note that I make from the readings. In general, there has been a lot I have learnt from these lectures. Despite doing another game design course before this university course. There has been a lot of new information I have gained and the rest have re-enforced the knowledge I have already learnt. I have liked the variety of learning styles that we used in the course with the trips and the balance with practical and theory learning.
Sunday, 2 March 2014
Group game year 1.2
This group game we are making a cartoon comical fighting game. I am at the lead artist on this project and so far it is has been my job to great the characters. I also have to create the sprite sheets for the animations. I will probably end up being the lead audio technician too.
In this project i am working with Daniel Sparrow the group manager. And Sam Davis.
In this project i am working with Daniel Sparrow the group manager. And Sam Davis.
Saturday, 1 March 2014
Board game
I am creating a board game with Greg Rutter. It is a war game like warhammer 40000 and command and conquer. We started this board game in September but it was put to one side because of our coursework. We now have a slot Fridays to design it. We are currently at MVP stage and there is a lot we want to add to the game but we are adding one thing at a time so we can balance the game. We plan to get the game ready by the end of the year ready for the games festival.
Saturday, 15 February 2014
Life at university
I am attending University Campus Suffolk doing BA Hons Computer Games Design. I am in my first year and currently planning to do level design for my dissertation in my 3rd year.
Critical game studies
I found in Eddies lecture the "games Britannia" documentaries extremely useful. They showed us the history of games, what makes games great and theories on how games effect society and visa versa.
Friday, 14 February 2014
Design document
For this document i will be doing it on my redesigned version of "The royal game of UR". I have already designed the board game and play tested it with fellow game developers countless times, tweaking it where necessary.
I have given it a more modern theme and set it in space. I have changed the rosette squares into the nine planets of our solar system. Therefore, it will teach the player the order of the planets too. There are several aspects i have kept the same, like have five pieces. Rosette squares you cant be taken by your opponents. Plus, the planets are four spaces apart.
I have given it a more modern theme and set it in space. I have changed the rosette squares into the nine planets of our solar system. Therefore, it will teach the player the order of the planets too. There are several aspects i have kept the same, like have five pieces. Rosette squares you cant be taken by your opponents. Plus, the planets are four spaces apart.
Poster design
For my poster design i will redo what i have done as i didn't put enough iterations in. I will now be creating a poster on my current group game, which is a fighting game. I have currently started coming up with a concept design for one of the characters as i am one of the main artist in the group. Once the main character is finalised i will use a variety of grids to come up with various designs for the layout of the poster. After choosing the best ones i will then make several more similar one to polish the poster up.
Solo game
For my solo game with Chris i am creating a tower defence game. The theme i have have chosen is cute war. The point of the game is to stop all the enemies, that are travelling along a set path. To achieve this the player must by different types of towers and upgrade them. The towers will attack the enemies. The way i have made this fit the theme is my enemies are going to be little kittens and the harder enemies will be cats.
I will give the game a comedy factor as killing kittens can displease certain audiences. The camera angle for the game will be a top-down view as i am working in adobe CS6 flash professional.
Currently, i have designed several maps to choose from but i will make one to begin with and get the game polished, before starting new maps.
My next plan of acting is to create the MVP so i have the basic game working. Then i will start on the art and animations for the towers and enemies. My aim is to get the MVP done in 2 weeks time.
I will give the game a comedy factor as killing kittens can displease certain audiences. The camera angle for the game will be a top-down view as i am working in adobe CS6 flash professional.
Currently, i have designed several maps to choose from but i will make one to begin with and get the game polished, before starting new maps.
My next plan of acting is to create the MVP so i have the basic game working. Then i will start on the art and animations for the towers and enemies. My aim is to get the MVP done in 2 weeks time.
Group project
Did several concept pictures for our fighting game today after lectures. I started with very basic cartoon characters, then did some more complicated anime characters.
I am currently waiting on my group to decide what kind of art style we plan to go with. My personal preference would be somewhere between the two. This is because cartoons are easier to animate using sprite sheet but want the details of the anime. Plus, i have only recently started drawing anime and I'm not confident the quality would be consistent.
I am currently waiting on my group to decide what kind of art style we plan to go with. My personal preference would be somewhere between the two. This is because cartoons are easier to animate using sprite sheet but want the details of the anime. Plus, i have only recently started drawing anime and I'm not confident the quality would be consistent.
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