Ok I was thinking about the game again and was thinking that rather than a black out in the train a solar eclipse this would explain the multitudes of people missing I forgot to mention before that the monsters that had grabbed the people in the train are unable to touch light this is the reason for the black out our solar eclipse because this will give the dark environment in which I desire. As for the first attack on the train I wanted a sudden quick flash of darkness this will I think freak the player out because the train would be travelling at a normal rate then suddenly the blackout then the train rolls to a stop just outside the tunnel giving the player the first glimpse of the well carnage.

So I was thinking of a monster to put into the game I was really thinking that the monsters had the ability to “hide” in the shadows and would have a Smokey appearance about them I found an image that shows this Smokey appearance however I do not like the design of the monster but i found an image that shows the build that im looking for in my moster as shown below.

My Game

1. Using some of the techniques discussed in this chapter, begin developing a concept foran original game idea. Discuss the central theme of your idea, and the methods you usedto bring your idea into existence.

Ok well the other day well about say 3 weeks ago I and my crew where going home via the train anyway the lights happened to cut out whilst we were in a tunnel and the cabin was in complete darkness well I added the comment “and the lights turn on and all the people where gone” which really spawned my game idea. Ok so my game idea first the story lets imagine that all the lights on the train go out and then when they turn back on all the people on the train have disappeared and the train has the look of a war scene between beast and man claw marks on the roof, floor and wall blood sprayed in all directions and I was thinking for adding some theme that would make these monsters distinct in nature but also increase the well scare factor and I thought wouldn’t it be weird if all the clothes of the victims were left behind, I thought that this was a good idea because it would show the multitudes of people that had gone missing as well as add an eeriness to all the levels and seeing a shopping mall filled with clothes that used to be people would kind of make me sit on edge so I figured it was a good tactic to well fake fear.


OK so this is extending on from the story after some thought and plot hole searching I’ve come up with my idea ok so let me start. Coming home from university or work you are catching the train talking to your friends having a laugh talking of the topic of the day the soon to occur solar eclipse of the earth from a fast passing meteor back your usual routine you move aside for the commuters of the train hoping you’ll be able to get off at your stop to catch your forwarding train. Just as you point to your friends the occurrence of the eclipse you head into a tunnel with a sigh of anguish of every commuter on board as you seem to miss the occurrence, heading thru the tunnel into central station you hear the operator announce the upcoming station and some gibberish about some quiet zone then a sharp cut off of the power and a silence for no more than a second light flickering back to life and the train rolling to a stop inside the underground station. Looking around you realise the commuters of the train station have all disappeared wondering what has happened you run for help forcing the doors of the carriage open until you reach the station still no one, suddenly the power cuts and you are left alone standing in the dark subway walking slowly to get out you come across one of the beasts standing on the subway seat you fall over climbing backwards as it inches towards with a low growl of the lungs, you in panic put your flash light to see what the monster is in an instant of the light touching its skin it ducks for cover hiding in the shadows with only its glowing eyes visible.

After the encounter you run out of the station to discover the carnage of the cars as they crashed together from an absent driver, then the game begins for you to find out what happened to everyone.

What I was thinking as far as story line goes is that the monsters are actually advanced aliens ... =) now bear with me yes its getting a little out there the planet they came from was of high carbon dioxide ozone allowing it to store heat and block out the sun as well as having a high psi so that’s a good reason for them to exfoliate the gas substance from their skin as they hide because of the lack of pressure. Now the comet as you don’t find out later is actually a cesspool of alien or foreign organisms that when contacted with from a larger organic being will piggy back on the organisms body eventually sending the occupant insane will cause massive rages and attacks on everything in sight so what the aliens where doing where following this cesspool around and when it came in contact with a occupied world they would kidnap the infected leaving the immune or seemingly immune behind and would cure them in their ship later returning them to the planet, unfortunately they did not warn you so for the entirety of the game you effectively kill the bad guys =).

3. How does a game’s genre affect the way its levels and environments are
designed? Choose one level from three different games—each from a distinct
primary genre—and compare how these levels are designed with regard to
setting, goals, puzzles, and risk–reward system.

As my previous post used three distinct games of different styles I will refer back to those three games as my sample for this question.

Game environments – All game environments are determined and designed for the games play, otherwise the game would either be too difficult of would be frustrating to play for example: very rarely would you make a strategically based side scroll game because it is very hard for this game to succeed and to be easy to play. It is for this reason allot of thought goes into designing the environment for a game or level.

Pac man and COD 4 – pack man and COD 4 share some similarities with game design and level construction as they are both fast passed action games although of different genres they both still need the same game genre this is because the game is fast passed and requires the player or user to think about the games objectives rather than the level. Both games require small simple levels that are easy for the player to understand and are unlikely to get lost in, this is because the games are fast based and if a player gets stuck because they are lost or are unable to follow the level in a fast manner the game will become slow and somewhat boring, let’s face it take the action and speed out of an action game and all you are left with is a boring shell of a game, how often do you really listen to the talking in an action movie, when was the last time you sat down and said the commentary to that action movie was very good and it is for this reason action based games have small simple levels so they can enforce that fast game play to the user and really show off their game.

Either game once again can be compared to goals and risk to reward system, either game’s risk is that the game will stop abruptly due to a death or loss of life in each game you take the risk of starting the level again or losing the game completely, and as is the risk similar so is the reward each game has as a reward an increase in level and a higher score and as the reward also allows the user to get directly back into the fast game play.

On the other hand a game like star craft where the game play is rather slow and strategic, levels and risks are different. Star craft has a slow game play so the levels can and are designed to be more confusing and difficult because the player is expected to stop and think about the levels design in order to achieve victory. The risk of this slower game is not a loss of level but more often than not a loss of troops or resources causing the game to be prolonged and become more difficult as the level progresses.

2. Play three games—one from the 1980s, one from the 1990s, and one
released after 2004. Compare and contrast how levels and environments are
designed in all three games.

Pac man – simple top down view 7 to 8 colours small maze level.

Star craft – more complex in the use of maps semi maze like, consisting of 32 colours and more, maps having a simple layout but garnished with terrain goodies and neutral NPC ornaments and cannon fodder. Every level has either a back drop or a lower level that is inaccessible in accordance with the level such as lava, empty space of a crevasse.

Call of duty 4 – levels are small and generally box shaped very high in detail and consists on many terrain extras such as rubbish, creates and bins, every level is small and consist of a small obstacle course like maze that has many options as to where the player is able to travel in order to complete the game and or mission. The game although having allot of flexibility in game play options is very liner.

Comparison- All three games have a similar attribute when it comes down to game play although differing in style of play and genre they are all tied down to a box like level in which the player is confined to play within its bounds, also they are bound to encounter a maze like setting in almost every level some more discrete then others but still very much present. Some similarities between pacman and COD 4 are that either game although graphically different are both set to a very simple map in which the user spends less time on problem solving and more time on game play, as apposed to star craft where the game is rather slow so the player has more time to use the maze strategically to their own advantage.

Question one

1. Imagine that you are a level designer working in the 1980s. Knowing the
limitations associated with this era, what type of game would you develop?

Ok so I have looked into some popular games and consoles of the time well of the 1980s and have seen a general trend amongst games that almost all games that where of any popularity during this time where in fact side scroll based games such as “Sonic” and “Mario” these two games also show a good indication for what type of consoles where the most popular of the time. The two most popular consoles of the 1980s where the “Nintendo Entertainment System” and the “Sega Mega Drive”, knowing what I know now with the development of Nintendo and the sum what diminishing influence of Sega, I would design a game for the “Nintendo Entertainment System, however during the time the Sega would of been the desired choice to develop for being that it possessed five more colours over the 56(useful colours) that the NES could generate on screen at one time so going on the basis that I am developing a game for the time period I would develop for the Sega mega drive.

Ok so I have chosen a side scrolling based game for the Sega mega drive, now I need to decide on a genre. Well for the genre I was thinking a blue echidna, chasing after golden worms that are curled up into a circle shape and I might call him Gonic... ok seriously I was looking into some of the different genres and came up with a list of the most frequently occurring and most popular,

• Adventure Game
• Puzzle
• Strategy
• Arcade shooter

The most common genre I came across was the side scroll based adventure game, now not to put another pea into the stew pot I was thinking on staying away from this genre although popular it is a risk of a flop as it would be another game on the shelf of hundreds so I was thinking a side scroll based game however a arcade shooter a fast game with minimal colours allowing for more special effects and flashes. Furthermore for my genre it would be a wise choice to base the game on historical events or current trends so as far as wars go there where two major conflicts during the 1980s these where the cold war and the Iraq war I’ve decided to base my game on the Iraq war as this has more influence over me in today’s age then the cold war and producing a cold war game that is unique would almost be impossible because of the volume of games.

Mike most side scroll based games I would put you in the position of an Iraqi soldier pitted against the “Enemy” outnumbered and out gunned with many aesthetically pleasing affects and explosions, the controls will be simple left, right, jump, crawl and shoot also with the possibility of a special attack or combo hit of some description.

In summary I would design a game suitable for the Sega mega drive. It would be side scroll based, arcade shooter game with a story line of the Iraq war.