Game Theory – 1.1 – What Makes Games Interesting?

There are many reasons why we play games from design to mechanics. Below I explore what makes game interesting (in both digital and non-digital context) looking at environments, characters, story lines, graphics, game mechanics and popular game franchises.

Story lines

A lot of games are well known for their story lines, characters and environments can impact the story, however I believe it is the game mechanic ‘Ownership’ that makes us feel the way we feel when playing video games.

The Last of Us

Image Source: http://telkomgaming.co.za/the-last-of-us-remastered/

This game is incredibly well-known for its intense story line, incredible environments and immersive interactivity. In 2014 the game won a BAFTA games award for the story along with many other awards including awards for audio, performance and best game of the year. The story is intense and features many sections to get your heart racing which may include jump scares and dark/spooky environments. The game is fun, however I believe we don’t play it for fun; I believe that we play it to find out more and more of the story as we go along (purely for curiosity) and to see the relationship of both characters grow. Most recent games are almost always featuring a companion which also adds to the story as you get to know them along your journey and then something intense/dramatic will happen therefore affecting the players feelings.

The Bioshock Game Series

Image Source: http://savegameonline.com/c2-reviews/bioshock-infinite-will-the-circle-be-unbroken

This game series is very consistent, I do find that the game can be boring when doing repetitive fetch quests, however, when the quest links more towards the main story line it gets rather interesting as the game is clever in which you can depict what is actually happening; by this I mean the game is so confusing that there are many ways that you can depict the ending and even parts of the story. Some of the story line has been set in stone, but the games complexity is what makes it so interesting. I have played Bioshock Infinite about 3 times now just so I can understand and wrap my head around the main story line, I’ve even looked at the DLC’s in relation to how they fit into the main story line. Most of the game mechanics stay the same, the only thing that technically changes is the constants and variables which is explained in the main game. “There is always a lighthouse, there is always a man, there is always a city” – Elizabeth states within the main story of Bioshock Infinite, the first Bioshock features an underwater city (Rapture) and a man (Jack) and the lighthouse (portal to infinite universe i.e. a tear via the luteuce device.

Assassin’s Creed

Image Source: http://www.f-covers.com/facebook-cover/assassins-creed

This game series is again known for many great game aspects, however I think the story lines for these games are amazing as they teach us about history and what it was like in that sort of time era. Most of the games feature a character called Ezio and throughout the game series we grow attached to him and other characters which then affect the story line and also our feelings. The story lines are very interesting and there are also many fetch quests, however these fetch quests (unlike other games) are not boring as you still get to free roam around the city with amazing free-running and parkour mechanics as well as beautiful landscapes to view.

Characters

LA Noire

Image Source: http://game6789.net/san-pham/820/l-a–noire:-the-complete-edition.html

Within this game you play as a detective called Cole Phelps who has just recently joined the Los Angeles Police Department. Although he isn’t a well-known or iconic character such as Mario or Sonic I chose to write about him because his character is unique as we feel the way he feels throughout the story and we watch him grow as a character as you rise through the ranks of the police department. Phelps goes from Patrol Officer to Detective to homicide to vice to then get demoted to arson after a series of events happenend to then unfortunately lead to his death. As well as seeing how his work life is going we also get a glimpse of his home life and we do feel sorry for him at most of times. Also to gain more interest in the game we also have a companion with each promotion. The companions all have different personalities so it gives us a chance to like and hate (as well as having the usual enemies/suspects).

Murdered: Soul Suspect

Image Source: http://www.nisute.com/2014/06/21/murdered-soul-suspect-rest-in-peace-detective/

Again another detective game in which the main aim is to uncover the mysteries about the deaths of characters. When the detective gets close to uncovering the mystery of the serial killer known as ‘The Bell Killer’ he gets attacked and pushed out the window by the killer. Ronan (the main protagonist) dies and turns into a ghost, he is then informed by his wife (who was already dead) that to rejoin her in the afterlife he needs to solve the case of ‘The Bell Killer’. The story line is good, however it has been said to be the only good thing about the game. I have played it and I do admit it would be hard to replay it as it would be very boring because you know all the mysteries that have been solved  also when in trouble or around enemies you can only really run away. It could have been better if they worked longer on the game or made it today with the technology we have in which we can program AI to learn from your mistakes as well as randomly generate the levels.

Skyrim, Fallout, Saints Row, Grand Theft Auto etc.

Image Source: http://telkomgaming.co.za/steam-selling-skyrim-for-r50-this-weekend/

Image Source: http://s654.photobucket.com/user/ShadowWeezle/media/fallout_banner.jpg.html

Image Source: http://www.sticktwiddlers.com/2015/03/10/a-look-back-on-saints-row-from-the-hood-to-hell/

Image Source: http://www.ucgl.net/page/index.html/_/commnews/frontpage/grand-theft-auto-5-r2

All of the above games feature character customization and character development/progression. I am a really big fan of games like this because designing your character is so much fun; you can make it look like you, make it look like a celebrity or even make it look really creepy and alien-like. When playing as a character you have created you feel a lot more involved and when looking at Grand Theft Auto and the Elder Scrolls we get to see other players character creations online as well as show off our own. I also find that with games like this we enjoy it more as when the main story line is over we still have the chance to unlock items and customize. Character progression is great as it keeps the players so interested and when we have great story lines, great characters and large, immersive environments like all of the games above we find ourselves within a state of flow.

Environments

Rise of the Tomb Raider 

Image Source: http://gamecloud.net.au/review/rise-of-the-tomb-raider

When the new Tomb Raider games were announced I became quite worried just like many others as most people prefer for good games to stay in their original state, however, the outcome of these games is truly amazing as Lara is looking more realistic, the story reveals more about how she became the Tomb Raider she is and most of all the environments are so immersive. I like the environments in this as the detail is incredible. If there is snow Lara walks slower the thicker it gets, shivers when shes cold and leaves footprints therefore we feel more immersed when playing the game as seeing her reaction to the weather and we actually understand the difficulties she must be facing. When in water her hair and clothes get wet and again we get reactions from her when she enters cold water. As well as the environment affecting Lara, the environment itself gets affected in many ways; paths crumble and the environment can be quite interactive such as smashing walls down, discovering murals and walking into death traps.

Resident Evil 7

Image Source: http://news.evatech.com.au/

This game has only just come out and I am already amazed by the environment. The graphics are in so much detail from a completely realistic human to centipedes that are so real you don’t want to go near them. Obviously I don’t know too much as the game has only just been released but I know the environment puts the player on edge at all times (as it is a horror game) and the environments are quite enclosed as the player is restricted to tight, confined and scary spaces. They have really put a lot of thought into making this game because they have considered every little detail. One of the main NPC’s named ‘Mia’ is incredibly detailed and I actually questioned if the start up was live action or not as she looks so real.

 Spyro the Dragon

Image Source: https://www.gamingnexus.com/Article/3479/2012-Gaming-Nexus-IP-Draft-Rounds-5–6

Graphics aren’t always the most important. The 1998 Spyro the Dragon game had such an amazing environment which was great for exploring. When looking for inspiration for my game I looked at Spyro the Dragon because the environment is quite free roam and you have a range of levels and area hubs to explore. There are many themed levels which makes the game even more interesting. Compared to other games I feel like it is very simplistic; I’m not sure if that is because of the time era it was made in or if that is the way in which they decided to go for making the game but simplicity really made the game quite fun to charge around.

Non-Digital Games

Monopoly

Image Source: http://newfullerton.com/2013/10/13/8th-annual-ywca-monopoly-tournament-set-for-oct-19-in-fullerton/

Monopoly, now known as the game that tears families apart. The game was and still is popular but no one can finish the game as it takes too long to complete and most people are arguing within the first ten minutes. The game is now popular due to the many special releases they have made such as:

• Monopoly Token Madness.
• Monopoly: Ultimate Banking Edition.
• Monopoly Junior Game.
• Monopoly.
• Monopoly: Star Wars.
• Monopoly Empire.
• Monopoly Junior: Disney/Pixar Finding Dory Edition.
• Monopoly Junior: Yo-Kai Watch Edition.
• Monopoly Jackpot.
• Monopoly: Angry Birds.
• Monopoly: Disney Princess Edition.
• Monopoly: Despicable Me 2.
• Monopoly Junior: Frozen Edition.
• Monopoly Junior: Disney Sofia the First Edition.
• Monopoly Grab and Go Game.

and those games above are just the ones from the Hasbro website, here is a link to another site which shows all Monopoly Releases (some may be digital). http://monopoly.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Monopoly_Games_(Board)

The game is now mainly bought as a collectible item and can be sold for incredible amounts of money. As a Games Design student who is a fan of Fallout 4 I am interested in the Fallout version of monopoly and I also have the disney version, whereas people with other interests such as Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad can pick up a monopoly set thatt they can enjoy.

Dungeons & Dragons

Image Source: http://www.towergames.co.uk/shop/dungeons-dragons-monster-manual/

This game is very popular and brings many people together. You can create and enjoy many stories as well as read about stories told by fantasy authors. One person is known as ‘The Dungeon Master’ and they control most of the story (they are almost like a narrator), the others play the game by rolling dice to depict parts of the story and aspects of their character as well as actions they might take throughout the game. The game is great for improving imagination and becoming a creative. However there are some issues; even though the game might be quite good to play many people don’t give it chance as it can be seen as ‘unpopular’.

Charades

Image Source: http://www.ministrypass.com/explore/

I chose to write about this game as it is something that can be played without technology, without a board and even without words. The game requires one person to act out actions so that the other people playing can guess what the word is e.g. if the subject was ‘The Little Mermaid’ the person acting would make little actions then act like a mermaid and the other would have to guess. At the beginning of the action the audience are told how many words it is and also what type of media it is. As simple as this game is (not needing anything at all but players to play the game) people have still made it digital. The digital version is called heads up and the bonus with this game is that it records the players actions and scores points.

My Favorite Games 

Fallout 4

Image Source: http://3dnpc.com/wiki/fallout-mods/fallout-4/

I really like this game and I was in such a state of flow that I just ignored every other game I had until I had explored everything I could within the game. The game gives us the option to have a companion and we also get a choice of companion in which they all have their own unique personalities and abilities they give us when we achieve 100% happiness within the relationship. The map is rather large as well and even when you attempt to uncover the whole thing you still uncover more. There are many weapons and weapon modifications as well as modifications to armor and your own power armor suit. The environment is amazing and very different to see and that goes with Fallout 3 as well as Fallout New Vegas.

Abe Game Series (Oddysee, Exoddus and New ‘N’ Tasty)

Image Source: http://www.wtfgamersonly.com/throwbackthursday-20-years-playstation-oddworld-abes-exoddus/

The game series that got me so interested in becoming a gamer but also scared the life out of me as a child. The original game was so good in its time and so good now that they have decided to remake it, also there will be another Abe game being released soon which has a new story line so fans are incredibly pleased. The game is fun to play as you have to take many risks, be patient and have a childish sense of humor as the game features very informal wordplay, funny but brutal deaths and a Mudokken full of gas. I really like the transformation the game made from Oddysee to Exoddus as you can see the improvements that were made were the improvements we wanted e.g. speaking to more than one mudokken at a time and having mudokken’s with feelings.

Rayman (The Original)

Image Source: https://blipblop.net/page/2/

I really like the original Rayman which was released on PlayStation 1 for its 2D aspect and its difficulty. I tried to recall playing the game as a child and all I could think about was the first level set and then I recently played it again and remembered that as a child I could never get past those levels and still to this day I find the game intense and difficult. The game has some characters but little detail about them. Usually the NPC’s are usually in danger or in need of help. Also the game is all text and Rayman is mute apart from grunts and little noises.

Bibliography

http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-most-compelling-video-game-storylines

http://lanoire.wikia.com/wiki/Cole_Phelps

Interactive Environments and Level Design – Asset List

• Lamp Post
• Carts
• Bikes
• Rubbish/Litter
• Bins
• Signs
• Sandwich Board
• Manure
• Hay Bales
• Show Shiner
• Post Box
• Coal Guy
• Telephone Box
• Pigeons
• Seagulls
• Dogs
• Cats
• People
• Street Sweeper
• Debris
• Guy in box selling papers
• Chestnut cart
• Homeless
• Benches
• Information Board
• Street Vendors
• Sewer Grates
• Pot Holes
• Manhole Covers
• Kids Playing
• Cardboard Boxes
• Trees
• Cleaners
• Buckets
• Barrels

Interactive Environments and Level Design – Group Meeting

Topic of Discussion – Assets

Asset List on Basecamp

Ridiculous Quests (Also Known as ‘Fetch Quests’

Character – Historical Researcher

Game Mechanics

• Discovery
• Reward
• Achievement

 

Interactive Environments and Level Design – Lesson Notes

‘A modular environment is an environment built out of reusable textures and models.’

Texture Atlas?

Using vertex colours – painting/tint geometry.

Use vertex materials for damage

[Theory: Efficient planning for modular environments]

Separate textures – major, minor, decals

Vertex Blending?

Floating plane with alpha map

Light maps?

PBR Workflow (Physically Based Rendering)

Video 1 – Texture Maps Explained – PBR Workflow (Physically Based Rendering).

• First image (texture cube) features a base colour, metallic, roughness, normal, height and ambient occlusion.
• Base Colour/Albedo/Diffuse – The literal colour of areas on a given space of your textures.
• Cube without base colour is just white.
• Metallic – The ability of your surface to reflect the imagery around it.
• If material is not too reflective (brick) the metallic map will be black and if it is reflective it will be white. Can adjust values in Unreal Engine.
• Roughness – The ability of your surface to reflect or absorb white light.
• White = Rough Black = Smooth
• Normals – Determines the illusion of depth and features.
• Height – The fake depth or height of areas on your map. (Bump)
• Parallax Illusion?
• Ambient Occlusion – Determines which areas are inherently darkened to simulate shadows. (Not essential).

Video 2 – Creating a PBR texture for Unreal Engine 4 in GIMP

Interactive Environments and level Design – Ideas List

Heritage Project

Themes

• Action
• Text Based
• Shooter
• Educational
• Action Adventure
• Adventure
• Driving
• Role Playing
• Multiplayer
• Fantasy
• Strategy
• Puzzle
• War Game

People (Sterotypes/job roles)

• Elderly
• Office Worker
• Shop Keeper
• Performer
• Thief
• Tourist
• Mayor
• Fisherman
• Reporter
• Artist
• Doctor
• Trader
• Drunk
• Privileged Class
• Gate Keeper
• Tram Workers
• Fortune Teller
• Children
• Beggar
• Police
• Firemen

Buildings

• Maritime Museum
• Princes Quay
• Jewelers
• Punch Hotel
• Hull City Hall
• Prudential Tower
• Banks?
• Empty Building
• Cafe Nero

 

Interactive Environments and Level Design – 3D

Tasks given

Harry langddon – The Puynch Hotel

Sam McNeil – Cafe Nero

Matthew Britchford – Ferens Art Gallery

Hannah Bales – Hull City Hall

Kyle Agnew – Maritime Museum

John Ovington – William Wilberforce Statue

Sam Akester – Prudential Tower

Harry Javan – Empty Building

 

 

 

3D Programs

3DS Max 2016

Unreal Engine Version 4.13.0

Mudbox/Zbrush

Photoshop

Substance – Painter, Designer, Bitmap2Material

Crazybump/Quixel Suite

Mixamo

Marvelous Designer

Make Human

Marmoset Toolbag

Creative Futures – Lesson Notes

• Vertex Painting
• Occlusion Culling
• Modeler Workflow

Define 3D Modelling Terms

Source Control

Github

Creative Futures – Tech Skills – Portfolio, research job sites, small client projects, making my own website, glossary, discussions, paperwork.

Paperwork – Disclosure Forms, model sheets, credits list, bibliography, signatures etc.

Look at the British Film Industry.

 

Game Theory – 1.3 – Flow Within Games – PC Games

For three of our game theory lessons we have been split into groups of three. Each group will spend one lesson playing either board games, PC games or console games then in the next lesson the groups will swap roles. My group is listed below along with a link to their blog:

Kelly-Ann Bright: https://brightkellyann.wordpress.com/

Laura Skipworth: https://queenavorwordpresscom.wordpress.com/

Harry Javan: https://harryjavan.wordpress.com/

Mark George: https://markgeorge26.wordpress.com/

Our group played PC games first.

DinoRun played by Kelly-Ann

Kelly-Ann played a game called DinoRun  which is in fact a game that was made purely to entertain computer users when their internet is either being slow or not responding. The game is really fun and addictive and gets it game mechanics from games retro arcade games in the fact of avoiding enemies and objects as your character runs. The game features a dinosaur in which you press the space bar to make him jump; the dinosaur runs automatically (all you need to do is jump to avoid things). Also the art style is very simple and computer based, it looks 8 bit.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi was the founder of Flow Theory and when incorporating flow theory into this game I would probably say this game gives you the feeling of either boredom or relaxation. I say boredom because of the repetitiveness of the game and relaxation because of the fact of the game is trying to prevent you from being bored whilst waiting for your internet to load up.

It features Agon (competition) from Roger Callois categories of play however I don’t feel like it features Alea, Illinx or Mimicry.

Also there are no achievements, no violence, no change of environment yet I do believe it could fit into the socializers section of Richard Bartles theory of player types as when trying to get a high score we try to compete and we socialize with others to find out their high score.

Fitting this game into the 8 categories of fun by Marc Leblanc I would say challenge as once the game goes on it can be quite challenging; without this aspect the game would not be able to end and it would get rather boring.

I wouldn’t really say the game relates to Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, however when Kelly played the game she had a sense of love/belonging as she really liked the little cute dinosaur character.

Here is the link to the game, if you have any thoughts or opinions on the matter please feel free to comment below on my blog post: http://apps.thecodepost.org/trex/trex.html

Pokémon Revolution Online played by Laura

Laura plays a game called ‘Pokemon Revolution Online’ which is a fan made Pokemon Multiplayer Online game in which players can talk to each other, trade Pokemon and battle just like the original Pokemon games.

I would say there is a level of boredom in my opinion yet sometimes a state of flow. The game is rather large and can play different depending on which way you play it and which starter Pokemon you pick; also if you are new to the game it may be rather exciting whereas if you have played the games for so long and collected all of the Pokemon you may be lost with what to do next and therefore get bored. However, many people have found this game to put them in a state of flow as it links in with so many other game theories as seen below.

There is definitely some Agon (competition) when it comes to Pokemon as the game features the chance to collect creature called Pokemon and the more you have means you are a better Pokemon Trainer, Alea (Chance) is also included as you don’t know when or where you will come across a Pokemon. Illinx (Disorientation) could be featured in the game as when in a battle certain attacks can affect your Pokemon and the screen may move or icons may appear above the characters head to show disorientation. Mimicry is another feature as many people like to cosplay as these characters within the game also you get to create your character.

When looking at Richard Bartle’s Player Types I wouldn’t say Killer as a player type within this game as when you are in a battle characters don’t die and there isn’t really much violence; however I would say achiever, socializer and explorer player types can be found playing this game as the game is open world, achievement is when you collect Pokemon or win battles and socializer would be for when players talk to each other and trade.

Looking at the 8 categories of fun I would say all of them fit into this game and that is why this game can easily fit into the theory of flow.

Sensation – The game is so immersive and fun to play.

Fantasy – The Pokemon are fantasy as they don’t exist in real life (however I feel a lot of people wish they did) also the world you play in could exist in real life although it still has its little elements of fantasy throughout the game.

Narrative – There is always a story to be told with the Pokemon games, however I don’t think that narrative is the most important part of the game series as most people just play the game to catch Pokemon and take no interest in the story itself. As well the game has a television series in which narrative is more important.

Challenge – It certainly is a challenge as some areas are not accessible and Pokemon can be hard to find and hard to catch. I find trying to remember everything a task as you need to keep track of your Pokemon health, inventory as well as your tasks and quests.

Fellowship – People who like Pokemon definitely get along as a group. On our course I know that the first year group all get along through their knowledge of Pokemon because they can venture together, battle and trade. It is a great way to add socialization to a game.

Discovery – Within this game you discover items to keep in your inventory for future use, Pokemon is obviously the key point of discovery and also uncovering all of the islands and areas for you to explore. Discovery plays a large part in most games and especially this one.

Expression – The game features expression in the fact that you can prioritize which Pokemon you level up and fight with.

Submission –  The game gives you much freedom and some tasks so simple that you feel relaxed. You can do battles to level up your Pokemon and even do pageants in which you enter your Pokemon for their personality and appearance.

Within Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs I would say that Pokemon could fit in the self-actualisation stage of the hierarchy of needs as there are senses of morality, problem solving and acceptance. A lot of players love this game so much that they try to bring it to their everyday life and now they can with the Pokemon Go app.

Operant Conditioning is within this game as when the player achieves something they gain positive reinforcement as they get XP (experience points). When they lose a battle they can’t use downed Pokemon which would be negative reinforcement.

Here is the link for this game: https://pokemon-revolution-online.net/

Happy Wheels played by Harry Javan

This game was very popular when it came out especially as a youtuber (known to be quite famous now) named Pewdiepie advertised the game even more by posting a gameplay video. The game is most popular for its funny ragdoll features and chance for creation.

I think the game differs depending on the environment and the character as some characters drive different vehicles which may have different effects such as driving faster or being bulky to get past obstacles. I played the game and felt a sense of boredom as the game doesn’t always work successfully. Some of the games have been made by other players. At times I felt anxiety because I knew what I had to do but I just couldn’t do it and had to restart the level all the way back to the beginning.

There is Agon (competition) within this game as your task is to get to the end of the level and some do better than others, we then get competitive and try to complete as many levels as possible. There isn’t any Alea (chance), Illinx (Disorientation) or Mimicry.

I believe that all player types are mentioned as there is a lot of cartoon gore as your player and even NPC’s can die gruesome deaths (Killer), Achiever is when the player completes a level, socializers is when players make gameplay videos and socialize with members of the public to give feedback on the levels and explorers is testing out all of the given levels.

I feel that out of all of the categories of fun there are only two that fit with this game. These categories are Challenge and Discovery. The main reason people play this game is to discover all of the levels. To discover the levels you have to get to the end to see what happens. This makes this tough though as the challenge can be highly difficult.

I feel that the hierarchy of needs comes into place when safety is involved. A lot of the game is based on morals, some of the characters are elderly or children and when a challenge is failed they an die a gruesome death, some question if it is morally wrong to place this game.

The game features a lot of positive and negative reinforcement. When in a level you might replay it lots of times just to succeed and get to the end, positive and negative reinforcement help us get to the end for example if you was to fall down a hole you would replay the level and jump over that hole.

Here is the game if you want to play it. Please again feel free to give any feedback you have down in the comments below: http://www.totaljerkface.com/happy_wheels.tjf

League of Legends played by Mark George

This game is a top down game in which you create a team, fight and level up. As a team you compete in battles that can last over an hour and complete objectives and achievements. The game competes against the World of Warcraft franchise as they have their similarities.

I have never played the game as even though it is free there are so many add-ons that are in need of getting to make the game interesting. I’m not much of a PC gamer but I know that a lot of people get into so much flow that they will play the game continuously for hours. It goes to show that being in a state of flow can be dangerous as there has been numerous reports of people getting injured and even death has occurred due to too much gaming. One guy had a heart attack from lack of sleep, food and water as well as gaining stress throughout gaming also another person passed away after completing a gaming marathon due to a blood clot. Although gaming may not be the main cause it still contributes when you play games way too much. (Read the full article here: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/man-dies-after-playing-league-747660)

These categories of play fit into this game as Agon (competition) is obviously the battles that take place, Alea (Chance) the items you come across and the enemies you meet, Illinx (Disorientation) isn’t in the game as far as I know but Mimicry is a large part of this franchise as many people choose to cosplay as characters from the game.

All player types work with the game as you kill enemies, achieve objectives, socialise with other players and explore an immersive world.

The game features most of the categories of fun including sensation, fantasy, challenge, fellowship, discovery, expression and submission, however I’m not too sure on the narrative but it is known to have characters that have a great character background to make the game even more immersive.

To sign up to the game ‘League of Legends’ follow this link: https://signup.euw.leagueoflegends.com/en/signup/index?ref=en_uk_goos&gclid=Cj0KEQiAv4jDBRCC1IvzqqDnkYYBEiQA89utoozG0keUVuoFcKZnKN-YEbvuhZI4jxh7e3ksgcecFRwaArxY8P8HAQ&realm_key=euw

Life is Strange played by Hannah Bales (Me)

This game is a Role Playing Game and Puzzle Game. You play as a girl named Max Caufield (an 18 year old student) who has just arrived back in her home town. She keeps having visions of a storm that is going to happen and doesn’t know what to do. She ends up discovering a power in which she can reverse time ever so slightly to alter actions gone wrong. Throughout this game you have to choose between the rights and wrongs and depict the games true ending.

I find the game quite fun to play as I like to play third person RPG games because you get to relate to the characters and feel all sorts of emotions that your player also feels. The game can be so immersive because when you have the choice of a certain way to end the game you somehow feel a sense of determination in which you feel the need to end the game correctly (even though there can be many endings and possibly no right or wrong answers). There are many characters you get to know and the game also turns into a detective game when you try to uncover different personalities.

I think the game definitely uses Skinners Operant Conditioning as a bad choice could lead to a bad consequence whereas a good option will lead to a good result. Also I feel like the game does appear on the flow theory chart a lot as the game can put you in a state of flow, but you can get bored as it can be quite repetitive, however, we continue to play the game as we are curious to how the game will end and what happens next; this is achieved by the game being made episode by episode.

To play the game login to ‘Steam’ and download it from the ‘Steam Store’.

Game Theory – Easter Egg

The game theory online brief via the New Media site is very easy to read and understand, however part 2 section 2.4 just says ‘Easter Egg (TBA)’. Today we found out what the easter egg was, our teacher wanted us to act as if he was a client and he delivered us a task to complete within our 3 hour lesson. The task was to create a kiosk to fit a scene created by Doug Chiang, it was required that we design a kiosk that would fit well with the scene, one that would be of relative size and it was recommended that we just design it however we also had the choice to create in 3D also. Below is the image of Doug Chiang’s Spaceship concept art.

Doug Chiang – Spaceship Cockpit

Image Source: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/ff/06/62/ff0662e63e717c06d39352ec89d9fa7e.jpg

After looking at this image I did some more research on other concept art within spaceships and I also looked at other work by Doug Chiang.

Doug Chiang – Star Wars Concept

Image Source: https://www.pinterest.com/tonyswann12/?redirected=1

Spaceship Cockpit Design

Image Source: https://www.pinterest.com/victou/ideas-for-a-spaceship/

3D Spaceship Concept

Image Source: https://www.pinterest.com/terrencedrumm/spaceship-interior/

Alien Spaceship Cockpit Concept

Image Source: http://mhofever.deviantart.com/art/Spaceship-Interior-WIP-153459977

I really like the look of some of these images because of the shapes and the great amount of detail. Also the ones with colour in them look so bright and futuristic. As we were to behave like this was a client project we asked all the questions before the task began and then afterwards no questions could be asked. There was a lot of free rein within this task and after completing the task there was a lot of questions I would have like to have asked, however under the pressure I didn’t have any thoughts. I would have asked questions about colour, shapes and possible use of the kiosk.

After doing the research I started drawing some quick concepts. As shown below.

Above I mocked up some quick sketches of a computer kiosk thinking about the shapes that were used within Doug Chiang’s concept art. I made the screens square as well as the keyboard and base but then I used pipe work and cylinders as I noticed some pipes and compression systems were amongst the chosen scene. I do like the bottom right image as it is rather neat and square; it would fit nicely within the scene, I also like the way in which the screen is designed on the bottom left side.

Looking at the last image of research I tried to use that as inspiration for the screen. I created a circle screen, however I wasn’t to certain that it would blend in with the scene. I then decided that instead of making it circle I should make it curved (just like modern television screens are like today), I would like to model a curved screen also as I am fond of the idea. I then thought about desktops and created one in which had different trays and files as an organised kiosk but with this design I thought it would be too bulky. I even looked at a hologram table as the client did say futuristic, however it would be rather large to fit into the spaceship cockpit. I then finally came up with the wheel idea. Looking at Chiang’s work on the Star Wars concepts I liked the one with the wheel so I incooperated that into a computer.

The computer features a wheel for transport, a block mechanism to stop it from rolling about when on board the ship, springs for comfort, a moveable keyboard and 3 screens for immersion and workspace.

Above is my final concept with a touch of colour. I would have liked to have added more colour but I didn’t manage my time as well as I could have. I spent a lot of time on concept art which isn’t too much of a bad thing as it provides me with ideas and variety.

I am not happy with my final renders as I struggled to get the lighting right even though I was happy with the final model. I would maybe make the wheel a bit bigger so it was more realistic and I really want to work on my rendering and lighting so I don’t struggle when my hand in dates arrive. Overall I really enjoyed the project as I proved to myself that if I put my mind to it I can get lots o work done within the given time limit.