Game Design- My Game

My Game controls for my Pachinko game were:

• Release ball- LMB (Left mouse button)
• Left- D
• Right -A

My game objective is to make it fun but challenging to play, the levels will become gradually more difficult as you play.

Core Principles:

Game Play

• Goals, Challenges & rewards: these are tasks given within the game design to enhance the player’s experience. This links to my game because as you progress through the levels you will gain new skills, weapons and sometimes new allies.
• Difficulty & balance: game balance is key so the game isn’t too easy or difficult. My game has balance, this is when you start the game is easy and then it will gradually become more and more difficult as you progress.
• Feedback: is given to the player based on their performance or input – this can be both visual or audio to further immerse a player. This will link to my game as it will show you your progress and rewards after each level you play.

Visual Style

• Game World: it’s architecture & objects, explaining the visual appeal, how the player interacts with these and how they may be enticing You will be able to interact with some parts of the ground, objects that will help you on the quests.
• NPC’s(Non-Playable Characters) & Characters: the relatability to the player and how they portray emotion to engage the player. There  will be extra characters that will help you progress towards the next level.
• Feedback interface: with what information the player is given during the game in the terms of prompts and HUD(heads up display). The HUD will show your health,skills and will have a prompt to you inventory.

 

My Pachinko Game:

My 2-D game (not finished):

 

Hero’s Journey

• Ordinary World– This is where the Hero’s exists before his present story begins, oblivious of the adventures to come. It’s his safe place. His everyday life where we learn crucial details about our Hero, his true nature, capabilities and outlook on life. This anchors the Hero as a human, just like you and me, and makes it easier for us to identify with him and hence later, empathize with his plight.

  

  Marlin is excited about new home, and is waiting for new eggs to hatch.

• Call to adventure – The Hero’s adventure begins when he receives a call to action, such as a direct threat to his safety, his family, his way of life or to the peace of the community in which he lives. It may not be as dramatic as a gunshot, but simply a phone call or conversation but whatever the call is, and however it manifests itself, it ultimately disrupts the comfort of the Hero’s Ordinary World and presents a challenge or quest that must be undertaken.

  

  Problem: Nemo is out in the open ocean and is caught by the men in the boat Challenge:\ Marlin has to rescue him.

• Refusal – Although the Hero may be eager to accept the quest, at this stage he will have fears that need overcoming. Second thoughts or even deep personal doubts as to whether or not he is up to the challenge. When this happens, the Hero will refuse the call and as a result may suffer somehow. The problem he faces may seem to much to handle and the comfort of home far more attractive than the perilous road ahead. This would also be our own response and once again helps us bond further with the reluctant Hero.

  

  Marlin is afraid to go after Nemo because his is afraid of the open sea.

• Meeting with the Mentor – At this crucial turning point where the Hero desperately needs guidance he meets a mentor figure who gives him something he needs. He could be given an object of great importance, insight into the dilemma he faces, wise advice, practical training or even self-confidence. Whatever the mentor provides the Hero with it serves to dispel his doubts and fears and give him the strength and courage to begin his quest.

  

  The mentor is Dory who plays the part of a good sidekick, using her humor to overcome her weakness as a forgetful character. Through Dory, Marlin will learn how to not be afraid and to learn to let go and let Nemo take some risk. He must learn to believe in his son Nemo.

• Crossing the threshold – The Hero is now ready to act upon his call to adventure and truly begin his quest, whether it be physical, spiritual or emotional. He may go willingly or he may be pushed, but either way he finally crosses the threshold between the world he is familiar with and that which he is not. It may be leaving home for the first time in his life or just doing something he has always been scared to do. However the threshold presents itself, this action signifies the Hero’s commitment to his journey an whatever it may have in store for him.

  

  Marlin leaves his comfortable safe zone and swims after Nemo. He continues to follow the boat, even in the wide open ocean.

• Tests, Allies, Enemies –Now finally out of his comfort zone the Hero is confronted with an ever more difficult series of challenges that test him in a variety of ways. Obstacles are thrown across his path; whether they be physical hurdles or people bent on thwarting his progress, the Hero must overcome each challenge he is presented with on the journey towards his ultimate goal. The Hero needs to find out who can be trusted and who can’t. He may earn allies and meet enemies who will, each in their own way, help prepare him for the greater ordeals yet to come. This is the stage where his skills and/or powers are tested and every obstacle that he faces helps us gain a deeper insight into his character and ultimately identify with him even more.

  

  The Whale- The test: Nemo has to let go and trust. The lesson learned in the Whale is the lesson 
  Marlin needs to apply to Nemo. “Let him go”.

• Approach to the inmost cave – The inmost cave may represent many things in the Hero’s story such as an actual location in which lies a terrible danger or an inner conflict which up until now the Hero has not had to face. As the Hero approaches the cave he must make final preparations before taking that final leap into the great unknown. At the threshold to the inmost cave the Hero may once again face some of the doubts and fears that first surfaced upon his call to adventure. He may need some time to reflect upon his journey and the treacherous road ahead in order to find the courage to continue. This brief respite helps the audience understand the magnitude of the ordeal that awaits the Hero and escalates the tension in anticipation of his ultimate test.

  

  Marlin believes Nemo is dead. He tells Dory goodbye and swims away. – But, Dory rekindles Marlin’s hope when she finds Nemo.
  – Nemo Also has a set back. Does not get out of the fish tank and has to reorganize.

• Ordeal – The Supreme Ordeal may be a dangerous physical test or a deep inner crisis that the Hero must face in order to survive or for the world in which the Hero lives to continue to exist. Whether it be facing his greatest fear or most deadly foe, the Hero must draw upon all of his skills and his experiences gathered upon the path to the inmost cave in order to overcome his most difficulty challenge. Only through some form of “death” can the Hero be reborn, experiencing a metaphorical resurrection that somehow grants him greater power or insight necessary in order to fulfill his destiny or reach his journey’s end. This is the high-point of the Hero’s story and where everything he holds dear is put on the line. If he fails, he will either die or life as he knows it will never be the same again.

  

  Marlin returns to save Dory form the jellies.

  

  The jellyfish stings Marlin and almost dies, 
  but he survives and recovers and gets help from 
  Crush to make it through the currents.
   He experiences a rebirth to continue his journey. 
  Marlin also is able to witness how crush is able to let his son go 
  and take risk when the boy turtles get knocked out of the Current

• Reward (Seizing the sword) – After defeating the enemy, surviving death and finally overcoming his greatest personal challenge, the Hero is ultimately transformed into a new state, emerging from battle as a stronger person and often with a prize. The Reward may come in many forms: an object of great importance or power, a secret, greater knowledge or insight, or even reconciliation with a loved one or ally. Whatever the treasure, which may well facilitate his return to the Ordinary World, the Hero must quickly put celebrations aside and prepare for the last leg of his journey.

  

  Nemo gets out of the tank and his free in the ocean.

  

  Nemo. Both Dory and Marlin think he is dead, but Nemo survives death 
  (from the hands of Darla) Dory helps him find his dad, 
  who returns when he hears Nemo’s cry. Marlin and Nemo are united.
• The Road Back – This stage in the Hero’s journey represents a reverse echo of the Call to Adventure in which the Hero had to cross the first threshold. Now he must return home with his reward but this time the anticipation of danger is replaced with that of acclaim and perhaps vindication, absolution or even exoneration. But the Hero’s journey is not yet over and he may still need one last push back into the Ordinary World. The moment before the Hero finally commits to the last stage of his journey may be a moment in which he must choose between his own personal objective and that of a Higher Cause.

  

  Marlins is put to the test to see if he has learned his lesson. Dory is caught in a net and Nemo wants to save her, but Marlin is reluctant to let Nemo go.
   He final realized that he must let Nemo grow up and take some risk. 
  He must also have confidence in Nemo that he can save Dory. 
  Nemo draws from his lessons in the tank and uses an idea that 
  Gil used to break away from the net.

• Resurrection – This is the climax in which the Hero must have his final and most dangerous encounter with death. The final battle also represents something far greater than the Hero’s own existence with its outcome having far-reaching consequences to his Ordinary World and the lives of those he left behind. If he fails, others will suffer and this not only places more weight upon his shoulders but in a movie, grips the audience so that they too feel part of the conflict and share the Hero’s hopes, fears and trepidation. Ultimately the Hero will succeed, destroy his enemy and emerge from battle cleansed and reborn.

  

  Marlin must now apply everything he has learned when he thinks that Nemo is dead. Marlin realizes his mistake. 
  He apologizes to Nemo for not believe in him. 
  Marlin learns to let go and believe that all will work out in the end.

• Return with Elixir – This is the final stage of the Hero’s journey in which he returns home to his Ordinary World a changed man. He will have grown as a person, learned many things, faced many terrible dangers and even death but now looks forward to the start of a new life. His return may bring fresh hope to those he left behind, a direct solution to their problems or perhaps a new perspective for everyone to consider. The final reward that he obtains may be literal or metaphoric. It could be a cause for celebration, self-realization or an end to strife, but whatever it is it represents three things: change, success and proof of his journey. The return home also signals the need for resolution for the story’s other key players. The Hero’s doubters will be ostracized, his enemies punished and his allies rewarded. Ultimately the Hero will return to where he started but things will clearly never be the same again.

  

  Marlin brings Nemo back to the ordinary world and applies the lessons he has learned. He allows Nemo to go to school without fear, which allows him to live a happier life. 
  The lesson learned is that the challenges of life can be applied to everyday living in the ordinary world.

   

  These can be found in most game that people play, if the game has a story these stages will be in them. Even if it is a small game , they will have some of these stages in them.

  Examples:

• The Call to Adventure – The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess- This introduces link to an entirely new world, thus calling him to an adventure.
•  Refusal of the Call – Assassin’s Creed II-  Ezio Auditore may be quickly and willing heeded the call to assassin adventure after his father and brothers were executed, but his descendent Desmond Miles was a bit more hesitant to face the Templar threat. 
• Supernatural Aid – Metal Gear Solid- Otacon’s role is a supernatural aid that is more clearly represented by the information he gave the sneaking snake through the codec.
• The Crossing of the First Threshold – Fallout- Exiting Vault 101, the bastion of safety and ordinary life for the player character, is done with a flash of blinding sunlight and a physical transition into to a wide, open and unknown world.
• The Belly of the Whale – Kingdom Hearts- Sora, who attempted to defeat the threshold that was the Heartless boss Darkside, was genuinely swallowed up by the darkness.
• The Road of Trials – Luigi’s Mansion – At the outset of Luigi’s Mansion, the titular plumber hero is as green as his hat. While Luigi ma have ended up conquering the spirits of the mansion, he never really did it with all that much confidence or grace.
• The Meeting with the Goddess – Gone Home – Samantha Greenblair- sister of the the main player- has a friendly relationship with Lonnie DeSoto that reached a romantic head when the two shared a kiss together, marking the hero’s meeting with the goddess.
• Woman as the Temptress – The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – In Oblivion, it takes the form of the addictive drug, Skooma. While it may seem like fun to do virtual drugs, it quickly becomes clear there are negative side effects to attempting to escape virtual responsibility.
•  Atonement with the Father – BioShock – Through Ryan’s actions , Jack was taken from Rapture and proceeded to live out a life in the normal world.
• Apotheosis – Demon’s Souls – The game pretty much with the player character dying and entering the otherworldly Nexus. The player character somewhat transcended traditional flesh-and-bone, and his/her body gave way to something new.
• The Ultimate Boon – Donkey Kong Country- The Ultimate boon is the object of every hero’s quest. For Donkey Kony, though it;s just a whole bunch of bananas.
• Refusal of the Return – Red Dead Redemption – For Jack, that labor was the work that went into killing his father’s killers. He refused to cross a threshold into a world without pain and anger, which ended up prolonging the quest that was fueled by those feelings.

Critique

What do you like about the game?

I think the best aspect of my game is the storyline in makes you sympathize with the main character, become immersed in the story and have a great adventure.

Gaynor Dobson’s Opinion-she think that the storyline is very good.

What is the unique selling point for this game?

I think that the unique selling point is that the characters and story is well developed and represented throughout the game.

Gaynor Dobson’s Opinion-  She think that the characters are the unique selling point for this game.

How would you develop this idea further?

I would develop this idea by add more artefacts( sprits and other), various different style of enemies to enhance the game more.

Gaynor Dobson’s Opinion- She think that I could show how much it will cost the make the game and produce it.

What were the 3 stand out features of this game?

The 3 stand out thing of the game was: This history, The style and the plot of the game.

Gaynor Dobson’s Opinion-  She thinks that the  stand out things were: the characters, the art style and the storyline.

Do you feel this game pitch was realistic ?Why?

I think that the game is realistic as I have use common controls and mechanics to make this game.

Gaynor Dobson’s Opinion- She think that the  game is realistic as I have used common controls.

Final thoughts/feedback:

I think that I could add more style of enemies into the game , this will create a more vast game style for the player.

Gaynor Dobson’s Opinion- she think that I could make the game more detailed to add the understanding of the player.

 

Concept on play

What does the term “play” means?

To Engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.

“Unstructured Play”

Unstructured Play is a category of play(as opposed to a type) in which children engage in open-minded play that has no specific objectives/rules.

“Game Play”

• Goal, Challenges & Rewards– These are tasks within the game designed to enhance the player’s experience.

• Difficulty & Balance– Game balance is key so the game isn’t too easy or difficult.

• Feedback is given to the player based on their performance or input – this can be both visual or audio to further immerse a player. This will help the player to improve their experience and effort on a game.

• Game World –  It’s architecture & objects, explaining the visual appeal, how the player interacts with these and how they may be enticing. This will make the player become more invested in the game if it has good graphics.

• NPC’s (Non-Playable Characters) &Characters –  Their reliability to the player & how they portray emotion to engage the player. This is good for an open world/story game that need more characters to complete the story.

• Feedback Interface –  What information the player is given during the game in terms of prompts & HUD (Heads up display).  This is good for a competitive game as they will need a leader board- this would include your score, name and sometimes your time.

The difference between Unstructured Play & Game Play

Game play has a set of specific rules. Most game fall under this category , they are : board game, card games and classic outdoor games like , red-light-green-light and tag.

Putting puzzles together is structured(game) play, so is following directions to build thing. Organised sports are- such as; soccer, hockey, tennis etc, are all examples of Structured (game)play.

Unstructured play is open ended with unlimited possibilities. Playing with blocks is unstructured play. So is colouring, drawing or painting on blank paper. Deciding how to play with a toy airplane or doll is unstructured play. Inventing games to play is unstructured activity. So is running around the playground or park. Generally speaking, when your child is engaging in unstructured play, they are  in the process of establishing their own objectives.

 

Example 1 – Build a campsite Unstructured

Example 2 – Musical Games structured

Example 3- Follow the leader  Structure

People may play games because they would like to have a challenge, or play for fun or just to work on their teamwork skills. People will play games on a computer, console  or just play on their phones. I play game because I would like to have fun, I also like to have a challenge when playing game, I also like to work on my team working skills.

Different Example of play rules in different games.

Skill, strategy, and chance – A game’s tools and rules will result in its requiring skill, strategy, luck, or a combination thereof, and are classified accordingly.  Many card and board games combine all three; most trick-taking games involve mental skill, strategy, and an element of chance, as do many strategic board games such as Risk, Settlers of Catan, and Carcassonne.

Single-player games – Most games require multiple players. However, single-player games are unique in respect to the type of challenges a player faces. A one-player game is a battle solely against an element of the environment (an artificial opponent), against one’s own skills, against time, or against chance. 

Multiplayer games – A multiplayer game is a game of several players, who may be independent opponents or teams. Games with many independent players are difficult to analyze formally using game theory as the players may form and switch coalitions.

 

 

2-d Game Progress

Today I have added a collector to my game. this will appear when the player collect the coins in order.

I have also started to build my level, added the PlayerController Script into my assets so that when i have finished building my level i can add it to the player sprite.

I still need to create my background and add in my Character/player.

Creating Tutorial Level

Today I have used http://www.draw.io to create tutorial level for my game.

This is just a basic version. This is also the layout of the game.

Pachinko Game Progress

Today I have made sure that I have all the C# scripts that are needed in my game. I have also added another level (Level 3 – Pachinko 2) to my game.

I have made is so when the ball hits the pegs, the pegs will disappear. I think this adds more Juice to my game, it also help you progress to the next level.

I could add more juice, such as; Screen Shake when the ball hits the goal, and particles for the pegs disappear, I could make this so that they explode on impact. This is my 3rd level in Pachinko.

 

 

Examples of Juice in 3 Different Games

CupHead 

I have Found various different types of juice in this game, here are a few of the :

•  Sligth Screen Shake- In the Devil boss fight, when hands cometogether and clap screen shakes. It also happens when you take a hit. It happens when a new stage of the boss will apears warning you. this is to make the player loss concentration during the level and making them die and restarting th elevel.
• Collison- when the shot hit something it will shatter/break of into pieces. It will also happen when objects have hit with the shot comming from the character. this is to help the character as the piece are destoryed, however it is also to move the pieces to a differentplace in the level.
• Game Pause- The game will freeze for a split second when you have achieved a knockout oin the boss. This is possible make it sure that the boss hands over the contract,loading the game or just giving you time to recover.

 

Super Meat Boy

I have Found various different types of juice in this game, here are a few of the :

• Sligth Screen Shake- when you collide with the wall/blocks with screen has a slight bounceback/shake motion. When the bossses walk it move the screen a bit. It sometime happens in the cutscenes aswell. This is to make your attacks to more powerful, the object to move to different place and to make the level hard whil trying to jump and having the screen moving at the same time.
• Fade out- the gameplay will fade out wto white when the level is completed. This is possible makeing it easier to load the next level, it could also be to att to the suspence of the next level and/or victory.
• Shatters- Someblock will shatter to advance in the game. This happens in cutscenes with expolisions. This is to make sure that you know what is happening and what way to go.

 

Battle Chef Brigade

I have Found various different types of juice in this game, here are a few of the :

• Screenshake- When Killing ememies, this is to make the strengh of your attack seem more powerful than the oppoinents,
• Motion Blur – When running blurs leg abit to make you seem faster when you are not.
• objects trail- White Trail follows sword slashes. This makes it seem like it is adding more damage but it is not.

 

 

 

Adding Juice to my Pachinko Game

Today i have added a bit of juice into my game.

The one i have added in so far is a Pop-In animation- this make the stuff on the stage/board pop in when the game starts.

This is a GIF (real time) of the stuff popping in when the game starts.

I did have a bit of trouble when i started but i figured it out with time.

 

Game Juice

On the game Juicy Breakout* that I played. I improved the game by adding more feel/juice. The effects that I added were: a ball trail that follows behind the ball when moving, block jelly that make the block/game bend like jelly; this looks amazing with the screen shake effect that I have added in, I have also given my paddle a face-the eyes will follow the ball and the mouth will appear every time the ball hit something. There are also particle effect added to the paddle and the blocks when the ball hits.

 

I think that these will benefit my pachinko game great as it will make the game less bland and boring. This will help add more juice in my game. I also feel like it will make the game more enjoyable toward people playing it.

The way this will be illustrated into my pachinko game is that I will make the screen shake as it make a collision with another piece, I will make the border become like jelly as the ball hit it, I will also make the pegs/colliders explode when hit with some particle effects.