Wednesday, 8 August 2012

Type of Control Schemes In Each Game (Blogging Task 8)

Each game have different types of control schemes. Each schemes describes in which way how players to move the avatar in a game.

Screen-oriented steering:

We can experienced this type of control scheme in  Tetris game where players need to control each block given. As the block is arranged completely in a row, the complete blocks in the row will disappear and give a score to players. 












Avatar-oriented Steering:

Counter Strike is one of the game that use this type of control scheme. Player need to control the avatar using mouse and keyboard. The use of mouse is to move the character around folowing the degrees that player need and click it when shooting. The keyboard helps player to move the avatar to walk or run.  







Flying:



Player can experienced this type of control scheme when playing Microsoft Flight Simulator. Player need to control the flight and the interface show to the player is just like the player were in the flight.  

Point and Click:

In Age of Empire I game, Point and Click control scheme used where user can move the avatar in the game by clicking the needed avatar and click the direction that player wanted. A large amount of avatar also can be moved in a same time.  

How Narrative Contribute To The Success Of a Game (Blogging Task 7)


Every games have their own narrative to make the game more interesting and make players understand more the motive of the game produced. The narrative in a game is different than a story because usually, the narrative is produced after the game was fully completed produced while a story is needed to be create before a product or media produced. 
A game can have a narrative in many ways such as:
  • —Out-of-game / off-game: cut-scenes (game cinematics) 
  • —In-game: dialog, text, non playable character (NPC) behaviours 
  • —External materials: manuals, packaged materials

For this task, I have choose Angry Birds game and study the narrative;

There are 3 birds that have hatch an egg for 3 of them in a park. There were so happy to have the eggs and taking care of it carefully everytime.  







Even a mosquitoe or a butterfly flying around the egg will be beaten by the 3 birds, showing how they taking care of the eggs with full of love and carefully because they don't want any bad things happen to it. 
  








Suddenly, when they are enjoying smashing a butterfly that fly around the eggs, 3 pigs taking the eggs without  the 3 bird's attention. They want to eat the eggs since they were so hungry. The 3 birds feel so weird, as they don't know where the eggs disappeared. 








They realize that the 3 pigs stolen their eggs. The 3 birds attacking the pigs until they get their eggs back. Attack by attack, finally they got their eggs back in a safe condition. Nothing that can affect the eggs happen to it. 

In my opinion, this narrative really make the game more enjoyable to play. As we can experienced how the game was played only just by dragging the birds towards the pig and click it to have each birds abilities, this narrative shows the motive of the theme in this game clearly. 

Malaysian Tour (Blogging Task 6 *Group Work)

I and Mohamad Syahmi Aiman bin Sulaiman have invented an idea of a game that is Malaysian Tour.
This game is a 14 level game and there are a task in each level that player need to complete.
Here is the description of our game:

Game Rules:

1. Player(s) must finish a task at each state in Malaysia within or before the time limit (1-2 minutes)

2. The task should be done by following the exact instructions given.

3. Player(s) must complete all 14 stages to achieve the goal of the game.

Game Goals and Objectives:

1. Player(s) must finish all stages to get A True Malaysian title from the Ministry of Tourism.

2. In each level, there got 14 different task/challenge need to do

3. The avatar (Ramli) need to go to all 14 countries to get a star and cash money that needs to be collected.

Types of Feedback:

1. If player(s) can finish each stage, the character played will gain money, to upgrade the living standard of the character.

2. There got 3 indicator that shows stars collected, cash money collected, and time limit when the character doing the task/challenge given.

3. The character (Ramli) will be also celebrated if he can finish his task by following the rules.

4. The character will travel all 14 countries by bus, the cash money collected will be used for the ticket fees. Players can choose any stage to travel as long the money collected is enough to pay the ticket fees.

Types of Interaction: user and computer

1. Player(s) can decide which stage he/she want to play as long the character have enough money to buy the ticket to travel to all stages and completed every level to get the True Malaysian title.

2. Competition: the character (ramli) need to complete the task given in time limit.


Types of Challenges:

1. Memory challenge: To finish the task in every stage, player(s) must learn and remember every situation that the character goes through because the task given is related to it. During the character travels to go to a country to complete a task, the character will experienced the cultural of the country, and the task given is related to it.

2. The task given must be done within the time limit.

3. The character needs to explore the stage that player choose to complete a task and during the exploration.

4. If the character does not fulfil all requirements needed, (not complete all stage and not collecting all 14 stars) the character will not gain the title of True Malaysian

A Story/Narrative That Represents the Game World:

Ramli is a village boy that wants to explore all states in Malaysia.
He does not have high academic qualification but he is aspired to do something that other people have never done before.
He intends to learn the culture in every state.
The desire attracts attention Prime Minister of Malaysia, and the Prime Minister asks the Ministry of Tourism to give him a True Malaysian title if ramli manage to do so.

However, his journey is not easy. He needs to face various challenges during the journey.



There are some improvements will be made of this game. :)

Identifying The Interaction Model Of a Game (Blogging Task 4)

In this task, I have decided to play Cat vs Dog game and trying to find the interaction model.




I found that this game using Avatar Based interaction model where player need to control his/her avatar only in a game.
In this game, player need to control his/her character either the Dog or the Cat.
If the player chosen the Dog character, he/she need to attack the Cat next to him/her by clicking at the Dog character and control the power of throwing a bone to the Cat.
This interaction model give player an experience just like the player throwing the bone to the Cat by himself/herself.

Tuesday, 7 August 2012

Narrative With Character Function in a Game (Blogging Task 5)

For this task, I have chosen Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Dark Horizons game. This game consists 4 characters where all of them are brothers that have their own abilities or advantages level and it is different for each characters. This game is a mission game where players need to complete all level and defeated all enemies. 


For the first character; Leonardo, he have the best abilities among his friends and he is the leader among them. The matured attitude show by him when facing any situation make his other friends respect him. 

The weapon used by him is Dual Katanas (dual sword). He is very determined and brave when fighting with enemies. 






Next character is Raphael. This fearless turtles fights bravely against his enemies. Have high level of attacking in this game. The weapon used is Sais (fork-sword type). He is loyal towards his brothers. 









Donatello is a brilliant among his brothers. He has make all weapons used by his brothers and himself. He can know attacking style of enemy during fighting. He is also very detail when making something like creating weapons for his brother and facing enemies. The weapon used by him is Bo Staff (a rod).


Michelangelo, the enthusiastic turtles in doing somethig. He is a positive person when making decesion. His skill when using Nunchakus as his weapon is superb.

Feedback Elements of an Online Games (Blogging Task 3)

For the third blogging task, we have been ask by our lecturer Dr Tan Wee Hoe to choose an online game and describe the feedback element of the game which have five (5) types :


  • Reward 
  • Judgement
  • Challenge 
  • Instructions 
  • Reinforcement/Encouragement
I have choose a simple online game which is Raiden X. The information returned to the players is very simple but it is easily understood to the players. This game contains 8 level and the difficulty of the game is suitable and balance in each level. 


Reward of Sustenance :
As we can see, as the players warplane (purple colour) destroyed the enemy's warplane, a small-purple box come out and players need to get it to upgrade the warplane's fire to a maximum level so that, players can demolish the upcoming enemy's warplanes, and tanks. If the players warplane have a minimum level of attacking fire, the enemies would be difficult to be destroyed. 

Indicators:
There are also 2 icons with numbers showing the Bombs (rounded-triangle with letter B) left to be used and a small-red coloured of warplane shows the life of the plane left.





Challenge and Success:
The above picture shows the second level of the game where players need to destroyed the "boss" in the level to move to the next stage. As the players attacking the big warplane, the score will increased until it is fully demolish. The difficulty to destroy it is slightly difficult compare to the first level. 

Colour Represent the Hit:
As we can see, there are lightning line near to the big warplane when the players attack it.


If players failed to finish all 8 level of this game, the total achievement gained by the players will be shown. Digits, text, colour are the feedback element contain in this scene 

for more info, check out at this web site:

Sunday, 8 July 2012

Group Work!!....

My lecturer, Dr Tan Wee Hoe have asked us to create a game, where we will develop it in prototype first. And if the game could fascinate him :) , it will be developed in digital form.....


*If it success to be marketed, 5% to you right???...... "Business is Business maaa"...


Hehe... well, after having migrain and headache, thinking about what is the game that I and my partner, Mohamad Syahmi Aiman bin Sulaiman need to do,. this is what me got.......(hopefully it is accepted)

Malaysian’s Tour

Game Rules:
  •      Player(s) must finish a task at each state in Malaysia within or before the time limit.
  •      The task should be done exactly just like what the instructions given.
  •      Player(s) must complete all stage to achieve the goal of the game.

Game Goals and Objectives:
  •     Player(s) must finish all stage randomly to get A True Malaysian title from the Prime Minister.
  •      To train user(s) to make a wise decision in different challenges/situation.
  •     To promote the uniqueness and harmony in Malaysia to its people and people from abroad countries.
  •      To unite and form noble values for Malaysians in creative way, by game.

Types of Feedback:
  •     If player(s) can finish each stage, the character played will gain money, to upgrade the living standard of the character.
  •     Player(s) can learn the x-factor of Malaysia especially player(s) from other country.
  •     Player(s) can be educated with noble values like respecting other people culture.
  •   Player(s) will gain new experience by get know many culture in every state in Malaysia.
Types of Interaction: user and computer
  •    Player(s) can decide which stage he/she want to play randomly as long he/she completed each level and get the True Malaysian title.
  •      Player(s) is given several options to solve the task given in every stage.
  •      Player(s) must control the character from danger during play the game.
Types of Challenges:
  •      To finish the task in every stage, player(s) must learn and remember every situation that the character goes through because the task given is related to it.
  •         The task given must be done within/before the time limit.
  •        The character needs to explore the stage and during the exploration, there are few obstacles that the character will go through.
  •        If the character does not fulfill all requirement needed, the character will not gain the title of True Malaysian
A Story/Narrative That Represents the Game World:
Ramli is a village children that want explore to whole state in Malaysia.
He does not have high qualification but aspire to do something that never other people do it.
He want explore to whole state in Malaysia and learn culture that there is in every state.
The desire attracts attention Prime Minister of Malaysia.
The Prime Minister of Malaysia decided that if the mission managed to, he will get title A True Malaysian.
However, his journey is not easy. He needs to face various challenges during the journey.

Saturday, 7 July 2012

Bored Game to Me and its Gameplay (Blogging Task 2)

Yeah....Games, sometimes its fun and people can addicted with it. But, there are also some game that were really bored.

In my opinion, the game might be perfectly design and created but there were a little aspect might be missed out in the process in making the game.

I have making a research on a game that is to me have the weakness. Although I was playing this game and make it like one of my habitual actions in my life, 

 Based on the game play of Super Mario game, which is an adventurous game, to me, the game play was so simple although this game is a multilevel game. 


It was didn't adventure enough and what make is fun and addicting to other people is the challenge upcome. We don't know what are the obstacle upcoming and that makes the user(s) playing continuously until they have finish a level and make people love to play it. Plus the user interface and the storytelling of the game is suitable for all ages.

Analyzing My Favorite Game (Blogging Task 2)

This game I have play since my age was 8. Always having a multi-player battle with my brother. Now, I'm still playing with this game. It's just like a marijuana to me. Although this game is quite left behind compare to other game nowadays, but it still the best game ever to me. In my opinion, this game have all the elements needed to make a perfect game. ...

I decided to analyze this game and this is what I got :

RED ALERT 2, is a 2.5D real time strategy computer game that published by Westwood Studios.

It was released for Microsoft Windows on 23rd of October 2003. User(s) can choose to play skirmish (single player vs computer) mode or campaign mode and need to choose their factions (Allies/Soviet).

The game play is based on the collection of money by collecting several means like gold and ore. 

Captured oil derricks that included in some of the map also can generate money. Advantages to Allied faction where they can use spy to steal enemy's money.


I found that, this game is a physical coordinator game that really need high coordination hand-eye level.

1. Speed & Reaction:
Player(s) need to organize their base. In the same time, the enemy(s) might be send their attacking armies. 
    The enemy(s) can attack from all directions (air,ground and sea). Thus, user(s) have high potential to be attacked and defeated by the enemy(s). So, user(s) need to beware while making a strategies to attack enemy(s) 
    2. Accuracy & Precision:

  • The amount of armies must enough to attack enemy's base. The enemy surely have their defense system to destroy our enemy, except if the user(s) want to attack the enemy many time. 
  • For Soviet factions, there are a warplane, Kirov Airship which is hard to destroy it because of its insensitive feature. So, if the warplane arrive to attack our base or army(s), it must be attack before the warplane get into our base.
3. Conflict:


  • When the enemy's army(s) and user's army(s) attacking each other, user(s) must manage their army(s) strategically. 
  • The strategy to develop base also important to prevent enemy(s) from destroy it easily. 
  • Another aspect that I got from this game is Socializing. Player(s) can battle with another player(s) in Multi-player mode with LAN connection.

Friday, 6 July 2012

Dissecting My Favorite Game (Blogging Task 1)

I have choose Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (updated version) and dissect it according the structural elements. This is what I got :

Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (updated version)
Based on my research on Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (updated version) developed and published by Konami, I have classified all contents in this game based on 3 Classic Structural Elements of Games which is:
  1.      Rule-based
  2.      Goal oriented
  3.      Feedback driven

  1.      Rule-based:
This game has the same characteristics as real-played soccer. This game does not have too much difference with a real soccer sports except the way it is played. The rules of this game has been renewed and upgraded according to the latest rules by International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) when user(s) played the game. Examples of the rules that I have discovered based on my research are:
·         User(s) must choose their team and before have a match with another user that he/she also need to choose his /her team if it is in multiplayer mode. Both players share the same fixed rule.
·         The game must be played not more than 2 teams in same time.
·         Numbers of player in each time during match must not more than 11 players.
·         User-controlled player cannot foul on another player during the match.

2.      Goal-oriented:
·      In this game, player(s) can choose whether to play in an exhibition mode, league campaign or coach mode.
·         If player(s) choose to play, league campaign, he/she must win every match in the campaign to win a trophy.
·         If player(s) choose to play in exhibition mode, player(s) must win the game to increase the quality of game by each player in the team. Thus, the level of the game will increase to high level. Example: From Amateur to Professional.
·         If it is played in multiplayer mode, of course the goal is to defeat our opponent who is might be our friend.
·         When coach mode is played, user(s) must manage the team perfectly to become a great team.

3.      Feedback Driven:
·         Honestly, each time I play this game, I’m addict with it. The graphical and sound elements in this game are totally superb.
·         We can know the latest info about soccer team around the world, maybe in terms of the team performance or the coming tournament.
·         This game also educates us to make a great strategy when facing our enemies to get the victory.
·         For those who are don’t know about soccer or don’t know how to play soccer, this is the great medium to help them.