Friday, September 25, 2009
Highly Recommended Book
This book "Fundamentals of Game Design" (2nd Edition) by Ernest Adams is HIGHLY recommended for all Games 100 students.
In-Class Exercise 1
Using the chessboard and the types of pieces and moves available in chess, devise a cooperative game of some kind for two people, in which they must work together to achieve a victory condition (You do not need to use the starting conditions of chess, nor all the pieces). Document the rules and the victory condition.
In Class Exercise 2
Create a competitive game for two players and a ball that does not involve throwing it or kicking it. Prove that it is a game by showing how it contains all the essential elements.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Gamasutra - Girls 'n' Games event
Look at this link for the 'Girls and Games' event:
"Whether in different countries or different stages of life, females are undoubtedly drawn to gameplay. Women can step into development and create games for new generations, but diversity is essential as well. By relating to both men and women, researchers and developers can analyze cross-gender play, which is invaluable to the growth of games, as concluded by the wide range of panelists at the Girls ‘n' Games conference."
"Whether in different countries or different stages of life, females are undoubtedly drawn to gameplay. Women can step into development and create games for new generations, but diversity is essential as well. By relating to both men and women, researchers and developers can analyze cross-gender play, which is invaluable to the growth of games, as concluded by the wide range of panelists at the Girls ‘n' Games conference."
Women and Games Culture Presentation
This site has a presentation by Aleks Krototski on Women and Games Culture.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
I have no words I must design - .pdf document on game design
This recently updated .pdf article was published in 1994 in Interactive Fantasy #2, a British roleplaying journal.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Please email me with your 1500 word game proposal by Monday 21st September
Game 100 students
Please email me with your (either group or individual) game proposal documents (1500 words) to this address:
dcoxexploringgameworlds@gmail.com
by 5pm Monday 21st September 2009.
Thanks
David Cox
Please email me with your (either group or individual) game proposal documents (1500 words) to this address:
dcoxexploringgameworlds@gmail.com
by 5pm Monday 21st September 2009.
Thanks
David Cox
play pinball online
In-class exercise - 45 minutes.
Play at least three of the following online java pinball games and report your favorite to class afterwards.
http://internetgames.about.com/od/webgames/tp/freepinball.htm
http://www.thepinballzone.net/game.php?id=online_pinball
http://www.guzer.com/games/pepsi_pinball.php
Answer these questions:
1) What is "good gameplay" when it comes to pinball game design?
2) How do pinball playfield designers create exciting experiences?
Play at least three of the following online java pinball games and report your favorite to class afterwards.
http://internetgames.about.com/od/webgames/tp/freepinball.htm
http://www.thepinballzone.net/game.php?id=online_pinball
http://www.guzer.com/games/pepsi_pinball.php
Answer these questions:
1) What is "good gameplay" when it comes to pinball game design?
2) How do pinball playfield designers create exciting experiences?
Today's Class
Lab Session
WRITTEN GAME DESIGNS PROPOSALS DUE TODAY!! - 1500 word or 2 page document describing original game idea which is also to be presented in-class using powerpoint or similar presentation. If you have not yet presented - let me know when you would like to present your proposal this week or next week.
Games show and tell
Students bring in examples of video-games from elsewhere, either in the form of
examples from home, or via downloaded demonstration games from the internet and discuss them in terms of genre, target market, type of hardware used, various cultural and economic assumptions implied by the title etc.
TODAY - ROB - 15 minutes
MILESTONE: Video-game design proposal & sales document main idea due today
PRESENTATIONS of GAME DESIGN
"Team Nicholson" - Phil, Blake, Rebop, 30 minutes presentation
"Team KRP" - NIkolai, Gerald, Efram - 30 minutes presentation
WRITTEN GAME DESIGNS PROPOSALS DUE TODAY!! - 1500 word or 2 page document describing original game idea which is also to be presented in-class using powerpoint or similar presentation. If you have not yet presented - let me know when you would like to present your proposal this week or next week.
Games show and tell
Students bring in examples of video-games from elsewhere, either in the form of
examples from home, or via downloaded demonstration games from the internet and discuss them in terms of genre, target market, type of hardware used, various cultural and economic assumptions implied by the title etc.
TODAY - ROB - 15 minutes
MILESTONE: Video-game design proposal & sales document main idea due today
PRESENTATIONS of GAME DESIGN
"Team Nicholson" - Phil, Blake, Rebop, 30 minutes presentation
"Team KRP" - NIkolai, Gerald, Efram - 30 minutes presentation
Friday, September 11, 2009
Game Plan elements
Class, while preparing your game plan presentations (this is the either individual or group-based in-class presentation of your game design or game prototype idea), be sure to list the following:
GAME PLAN
Game Title
Introduction
(two paragraphs)
Genre
Target Audience
Characters
Story
Video and Audio Highlights
Competitive Game Analysis (i.e. what other games it is similar to, different from etc)
System Requirements
Minimum System Requirements:
Console or PC Operating System –
Processor –Ram –
Video –
Hard Drive –
Display –
Recommended System Requirements:
Console or PC Operating System –
Processor –Ram –
Video –
Hard Drive –
Display –
GAME PLAN
Game Title
Introduction
(two paragraphs)
Genre
Target Audience
Characters
Story
Video and Audio Highlights
Competitive Game Analysis (i.e. what other games it is similar to, different from etc)
System Requirements
Minimum System Requirements:
Console or PC Operating System –
Processor –Ram –
Video –
Hard Drive –
Display –
Recommended System Requirements:
Console or PC Operating System –
Processor –Ram –
Video –
Hard Drive –
Display –
"Tilt: The Battle to Save Pinball"
We will be watching this movie in its entirety next week (September 18th). Clips from the film will be shown today as part of the arcades lecture.
Wiki - Timeline of Arcade Game History
Very useful timeline resource for media archeology and media history
1980s arcade games
Here is a link to a Java-based "Play 1980s Games" site online.
In-class exercise:
Please play four of these games and answer the questionnaire (the one handed out as a paper document - 3 per student)
Friday, September 4, 2009
Cartoon Network Game Creator Exercise
Answer the following questions on a separate text file:
A) What options are available to you as a 'game designer'?
B) How are these options provided?
C) What types of elements are provided for you to use to 'build' the game?
D) What limits are set on the level of the game play able to be customized
E) What does the process of using these game creators teach about the notion of the 'difficulty and achievement' balance? Explain using an example from your research.
When you are done, trade places with another student and have them answer the following questions.
1) Is the game level fun to play? (be honest!)
2) If so, why? If not, why not?
3) What could be done to improve the level?
Email the answers to the above three questions to the student who created the game.
A) What options are available to you as a 'game designer'?
B) How are these options provided?
C) What types of elements are provided for you to use to 'build' the game?
D) What limits are set on the level of the game play able to be customized
E) What does the process of using these game creators teach about the notion of the 'difficulty and achievement' balance? Explain using an example from your research.
When you are done, trade places with another student and have them answer the following questions.
1) Is the game level fun to play? (be honest!)
2) If so, why? If not, why not?
3) What could be done to improve the level?
Email the answers to the above three questions to the student who created the game.
Cartoon Network Game Creator Exercise
Answer the following questions on a separate text file:
A) What options are available to you as a 'game designer'?
B) How are these options provided?
C) What types of elements are provided for you to use to 'build' the game?
D) What limits are set on the level of the game play able to be customized
E) What does the process of using these game creators teach about the notion of the 'difficulty and achievement' balance? Explain using an example from your research.
When you are done, trade places with another student and have them answer the following questions.
1) Is the game level fun to play? (be honest!)
2) If so, why? If not, why not?
3) What could be done to improve the level?
Email the answers to the above three questions to the student who created the game.
A) What options are available to you as a 'game designer'?
B) How are these options provided?
C) What types of elements are provided for you to use to 'build' the game?
D) What limits are set on the level of the game play able to be customized
E) What does the process of using these game creators teach about the notion of the 'difficulty and achievement' balance? Explain using an example from your research.
When you are done, trade places with another student and have them answer the following questions.
1) Is the game level fun to play? (be honest!)
2) If so, why? If not, why not?
3) What could be done to improve the level?
Email the answers to the above three questions to the student who created the game.
Gmail Tasks
Students,
Please today if you have not already done so - set up the following:
1) A Gmail Account - go to http://www.gmail.com to start an account. You will need an existing email account to use to verify your password etc.
2) Using your gmail account, try the following services that come with it -
a) google docs - make a text doc and save it, make a simple presentation doc and save it.
b) start a google site - you can make as many of these as you like, but start by making one based on this class e.g. "My Exploring Game Worlds" site. Add some graphics (you can link to those which already exist on the web by adding the URL for the image) and try adding a link to a youtube clip, preferable games-related.
c) start a blog at http://www.blogger.com - give a name like "your_name_exploring_game_worlds". This blog will be your weekly repository of notes, comments, links, and any other material you generate for the course for you as an individual. When you work with others, you can collaborate with them on google docs, google sites, and even blogs.
Please today if you have not already done so - set up the following:
1) A Gmail Account - go to http://www.gmail.com to start an account. You will need an existing email account to use to verify your password etc.
2) Using your gmail account, try the following services that come with it -
a) google docs - make a text doc and save it, make a simple presentation doc and save it.
b) start a google site - you can make as many of these as you like, but start by making one based on this class e.g. "My Exploring Game Worlds" site. Add some graphics (you can link to those which already exist on the web by adding the URL for the image) and try adding a link to a youtube clip, preferable games-related.
c) start a blog at http://www.blogger.com - give a name like "your_name_exploring_game_worlds". This blog will be your weekly repository of notes, comments, links, and any other material you generate for the course for you as an individual. When you work with others, you can collaborate with them on google docs, google sites, and even blogs.
Cartoon Network Game Creators
Go to the cartoon network game site and choose the following 'game creator' games - e.g. 'Batman' game creator and the 'Alien Force' game creator (you need to scroll through the menu of 'all games' to find these.
Answer the following questions on a separate text file:
A) What options are available to you as a 'game designer'?
B) How are these options provided?
C) What types of elements are provided for you to use to 'build' the game?
D) What limits are set on the level of the game play able to be customized
E) What does the process of using these game creators teach about the notion of the 'difficulty and achievement' balance? Explain using an example from your research.
When you are done, trade places with another student and have them answer the following questions.
1) Is the game level fun to play? (be honest!)
2) If so, why? If not, why not?
3) What could be done to improve the level?
Email the answers to the above three questions to the student who created the game.
Answer the following questions on a separate text file:
A) What options are available to you as a 'game designer'?
B) How are these options provided?
C) What types of elements are provided for you to use to 'build' the game?
D) What limits are set on the level of the game play able to be customized
E) What does the process of using these game creators teach about the notion of the 'difficulty and achievement' balance? Explain using an example from your research.
When you are done, trade places with another student and have them answer the following questions.
1) Is the game level fun to play? (be honest!)
2) If so, why? If not, why not?
3) What could be done to improve the level?
Email the answers to the above three questions to the student who created the game.
"Us versus It" board game kit
This board game designing activity is one of a number of workshops undertaken at the games developers conference to help build the craft of gameplay and game design.
This link has all the components you need to build the game - the pieces and board need to be transferred to cardboard (i.e. printed then glued, or printed on sticker paper then stuck onto card).
This will be an in-class activity during September for Game 100
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