Apple Interactive Concept NUCA

Apple Interactive Media Project

1/11

Personal tutorial with Mark. Showed him my game idea for 'Hand of God'. Basic idea is you make gestures with your hand to create natural disasters to wipe out civilisation. An energy meter could supply you with power to enable different moves. Stronger moves equals higher energy costs.

Proved to be a bit controversial considering the recent news of disasters wreaking havoc in Asia. Need to make the game less offensive.

Add an element of competitiveness by pitting you against another human players army? Could have a resource race, then build up an 'army' of machines to create elemental disasters? Perhaps set in the future, the past or even another time-line or planet.

Add some A.I to prevent the player from becoming too powerful? Firemen to put out the fires etc.

Inspiration from: Beautiful Katamari, Wario Ware, Command and Conquer, Black and White

2/11

Trying to make my game concept unique would require me to look outside the box.

Wario Ware struck me as a great idea to start on, with hundreds of crazy mini-games featuring some very random ways to play. Jumping up and down or blowing into the microphone like crazy would be some of the odd things you have to do to progress in levels. I want my game to feature a quirky gameplay mechanic but I’m not sure if I can come up with something as unique as that.

Beautiful Katamari has the player rolling around picking up objects (and ultimately destroying the scenery) as you go along, gradually getting bigger and bigger. I like the way the player controls one entity in a very dynamic, rolling action. I would like to incorporate this mechanic into my game when the player uses 'elemental disasters' via gestures. So the player initiates the move with their fingers, and moves the iPad/iPhone in the desired direction to move the disaster in that path.

3/11

Visited the Apple store to see what they had on offer. Plants versus Zombies was very enjoyable to play, along with a marble puzzle game. I also played a generic racing game and a futuristic shooter but they felt lacking. Looked up some specifications for the the iPhone:

• Video recording in HD 720p
• 5 Megapixel camera
• VGA quality photos and video up to 30 fps
• Tap to focus video or still images
• LED flash
• Photo and video geotagging

• Three-axis gyro
• Accelerometer
• Proximity sensor
• Ambient light sensor

Very versatile platform, similar to the the Nintendo DS. I think I will go along the RTS route as it can be a more engrossing type of game with varying outcomes each time you play.

5/11

Started visualising certain game assets. Drew some thumbnails of what the player would be using to destroy civilisation. Instead of having the 'Hand of God' I decided to go for a machine based disaster creating device. Abstract mechanical objects with 'orifices' to spew out tornadoes or lightning bolts.

7/11

Changed my ideas yet again, instead of purely machines or 'alien' technologies crippling the earth, I decided to incorporate animals mounted with weapons. One human controller would order his animal minions into battle, whilst the player created facilities to harvest elemental energies.

9/11

Looked at Black and White 2 for PC. A game where you control an animal avatar to do your bidding. You must also appease your citizens and protect them from danger. A strange but effective blend of real time strategy with the Sims?

Also looked at Elements of Destruction for DS and Xbox live Arcade and DS. You control environmental disasters to destroy the landscape, vehicles, installations and practically anything. You rack up money according to the devastation caused. I want to take certain aspects from these games and integrate them into my own system.

10/11

Found an iPad game called Fingerzilla, which features a very simple gaming mechanic in which you tap the screen to cripple and blow up cities. Sometimes cars or planes also get in your way too, but this doesn't increase the difficulty at all. Only a few levels and limited game options makes this an unfortunately short lived game. Low budget, low replay value.

14/11

So what makes an RTS?

''In an RTS, as in other wargames, the participants position and maneuver units and structures under their control to secure areas of the map and/or destroy their opponents' assets. In a typical RTS it is possible to create additional units and structures during the course of a game. This is generally limited by a requirement to expend accumulated resources. These resources are in turn garnered by controlling special points on the map and/or possessing certain types of units and structures devoted to this purpose. More specifically, the typical game of the RTS genre features resource gathering, base building, in-game technological development and indirect control of units.

The tasks a player must perform to succeed at an RTS can be very demanding, and complex user interfaces have evolved to cope with the challenge. Some features have been borrowed from desktop environments, most prominently the technique of "clicking and dragging" to select all units under a given area.

Though some game genres share conceptual and gameplay similarities with the RTS template, recognized genres are generally not subsumed as RTS games. For instance, city-building games, construction and management simulations, and games of the real-time tactics variety are generally not considered to be "real-time strategy".''

So an RTS is generally an over-complicated series of clicks, drags and drops, and mostly feature intense moments of being overwhelmed by an opposing force, or a sense of accomplishment as you finish off an enemies last unit or HQ.

I intend to create a simplified variant of an RTS, designed for people who may not intend to play a strategic game.

15/11

Summary of the core elements required for my game:

• Simple interface
• Fun, addictive touch screen implementation
• Rewarding gameplay progression (new units unlocked, stronger powers)
• Intuitive A.I
• Single player campaign and Multi-player for 2-4 players
• Faster than your average RTS

18/11

Playtested Dawn of War for PC. Based on a franchise, so the characters are recognisable to long term fans of the Games Workshop/Warhammer 40,000 universe. Sleek designed interfaces and heads-up display. Resource racing is the general rule here, but new objectives can be thrown in for additional challenges such as: capturing objectives, building an army made of certain units or defending your base against waves of enemies with limited resources. This can be said about most mainstream RTS games. What makes Dawn of War unique is that resource points must be captured before built upon, units level up in rank and gain statistical bonuses and you customise your leaders powers in the main campaign section.

19/11

Set out to create game assets such as the main user interface, and the heads up display for in game use. A limited HUD will make for a more involving experience. Only a few things will be shown such as the directional movement pad (for the camera) and radial menus when facilities or animal units are selected. I will try to stay away from the typical numerical values found in RTS games.

Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real-time_strategy

Chris Goodswen Lecture

Chris Goodswen

(3D Character Artist)

Like many others, Goodswen started with and preferred traditional mediums and techniques. He slowly started to build up on his landscapes and characters, transitioning to the 3D world. It wasn't an easy process, as at first the 3D programs seemed confusing and very complex. He told us to start learning by playing around with the tools and mechanics of a program we didn't know.

He says that 90% of a professional workload is research, complimented by a minuscule 10% of actual work. This was something I didn't expect to hear, and surprised me a little. I used to think it would be a much more balanced scale.

Research is always better when you go out and find things first hand. Goodswen researched fashion from different eras, as that is one of his main interests. This proves we can take influences from anywhere.

When doing concept work, Goodswen tries to think quickly on each individual character, spending only a few minutes or seconds on each one, and ending up with 200 to 300 small images. He tries to find interesting silhouettes through rapid painting and drawing. I think this was a very eye opening process, as I normally spend a much longer time on one character. I will most definitely be trying this.

When trying to break into the game industry, he says be relentless and keep pushing on. No matter how many times you get pushed over or ignored just keep trying. He spoke about 600 people applying for a couple of job vacancies, and this seriously demoralised and demotivated me and a few others I spoke to. He says that we will be competing against people with 10 years experience. I’m not sure if this is what fledgeling students want to hear at this point in time, but it did open our eyes to the true severity of the working world.

Games Art & Design Reflective Journal

Personal Blog

Games I remember as I was growing up...

Tetris GB B/W: First true experience (I think) of a gaming platform. At the time it felt amazing, the aspect of controlling falling shapes to rid a mass of blocks at the bottom was very satisfying.

They say you are shaped by your childhood, so I suppose this was the foundation for my admiration of tactic/logic based games. I can still hear the Tetris theme music ringing in my head.

Simple interface, limited controls and a sleek and simple design aesthetic. Great for all ages. Easy to pick up, hard to master. High endurance required.

Mario NES: Another all time classic, I remember watching my friends play this as I sat in awe of its mesmerising and addictive game-play mechanics. Classic side-on gaming had never received my attention before, but as soon as I saw Mario I knew it was a winner. The pure simplicity was enough to make you continue time after time after death.

I never actually got to play it much until recent years in the form of Super Mario Sunshine. Regardless of Mario's transformation to 3D, it seems to have retained all the core factors of a great Mario game.

Classic 2D Mario has survived through years of re-iteration and fusing with other franchises, (Super Mario Galaxy and Super Smash Brothers respectively) he remains one of the most malleable and well loved heroes of all time.

Simple control scheme, power-ups, boss fights, horizontal and vertical level design, original and unique throughout each new iteration, co-operative, social game-play, party game, from simple to hardcore gaming.

Pokemon Yellow GB Colour: One of the first RPG's I ever played. It's simplicity and addictive quality led me to play for hours on end. Random encounters in the field conjured feelings of excitement and intrigue as you'd never know which Pokemon you would face next. Being able to show off your collection to your friends and battle them was an amazing new feature I had never seen before, and this added to the quirky unique quality of the game. A deeply influential game for myself and many others.

Collecting, capturing, trading and battling, challenges, strengthening, exploring, unravelling, mysterious and intense. Social versus seclusion. Pikachu!

Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time N64: The first RPG to make me realise the potential of gaming consoles. I absolutely adored this game and craved to play it everyday. Borrowed from my sister at first, I didn't realise what I was getting myself into. As soon as you put the cartridge into the slot and load up the starting screen, you feel goosebumps travel up your spine.

Playing as Link for the first time wasn't easy, as traps would easily knock you over and bosses would seriously seem to overwhelm you. Through trial and error I learnt the ways and eventually got to explore the massive land of Hyrule. This game features a massive array of tasks for you to partake in, side-quests, horse riding, fishing, archery contests, treasure chest hunting and even ghost hunting. A game I can truly never forget, and one that made me aware of 3D gaming as opposed to side scrolling or top down games. A heavy hitter in the gaming world.

Questing, characterisation, gaining power, strength and knowledge, saving the world, vanquishing evils, travelling, exploring, growing and networking. Ground breaking.

Metal Gear Solid PS1: Well, the first time I played this I can't say I was very good at it. (Being the first tactical/stealth game I ever played) I remember getting stuck at the first area of the game, not knowing how to get past the guards to reach the lift, which I must say, was very frustrating and embarrassing. After getting to grips with this (very mature for my age at the time) game, I soon realised how incredibly in depth and visceral it was. The worries of being found by guards whilst hiding in a card board box, or the intensity of being chased by wolves will never fade from my memory. The story was and always will be politically confusing and long-winded as ever, featuring literally hours of cut-scenes, but that never drove me away from the game. To be in the shoes of one of gaming histories most hardcore protagonists is always an honour.

Tactical espionage action, as Kojima puts it.

Final Fantasy 7 and 8 PS1: I'll be honest and say I didn't actually want FF7 at first, as I actually asked for FF8 for Christmas but got the wrong one. Regardless of that, I ended up enjoying both.

FF7 struck me with its great cut scenes and music score, but again, I struggled with the first part of the game. This was my first experience with a menu-heavy, Japanese RPG. It's confusing and multi-layered item/equipment/status screens overwhelmed my younger self. Eventually I got through the game and saw it for what it was, a great RPG, still loved my millions.

FF8 on the other hand, blew me away. Even better graphics than its predecessor, even better mechanics and an explosive compelling story to follow. The characters in FF8 felt more flushed out, characterised and flavoursome, despite Squall's lack of speech. (Obviously intended for the gamer to place themselves in his place) The designs, scenery and score all fell in to place beautifully.

Massive game worlds, colourful characters, sinister plots and villains, enchanting creatures, fantastic designs, customisable, variable, alluring and compulsive.

Halo 1 Xbox: My first 'true' FPS. This game blew my mind away with it's amazing storytelling devices and one of the best opening levels I have ever played in my life. With graphics to make every game before it tremble in fear, and with a tight game mechanic to blow its competition out of the water, this game pioneered a new wave of shooter gaming. Everything felt real, from the vibration of the Assault Rifle, to the human character models and the living surface of Halo itself.

A truly visceral and heart-pumping adventure, an understandable plot, and addictive and satisfying game plays earns this game a top spot on my all star gaming podium.

Ground-breaking, fresh, explosive, co-operative, huge, high-tech, multi-player, engrossing, violent, mixed-genres and galactic.