How we all doin'? Don't answer that. I'm not too sure if we enjoy pre-blog banter such as this, but leave a comment if it bothers you. Or if you want more of it. Either way, here's our articles for the week:
McBain, M. (2014) From Donkey Kong to the Silver Screen: The Past, Present and Future of Game Cinematics. Retrieved 24th May, 2014, from http://www.gamedev.net/page/resources/_/creative/game-design/from-donkey-kong-to-the-silver-screen-the-past-present-and-future-of-game-cinematics-r3670
Grip, T. (2014) 5 Core Elements of Interactive Storytelling. Retrieved 24th May, 2014, from http://www.gamedev.net/page/resources/_/creative/game-design/5-core-elements-of-interactive-storytelling-r3661
McBain's article centralises on the role of cinematic experience, both on a commercial and narrative scale within games. He also comments on the necessity for balance between story lines and cinematic experience to enhance the player's immersive experience.
Though most games I design and create have little to no storyline, it would be interesting to work on a story-driven game (if you read my Belonging creative story for the HSC, you'll uderstand why I don't create stories often). Yet, if you look at games like 'Flappy Bird' and 'Doodle Jump', those games have practically no story at all, and have topped the charts in their own leagues. But they are both mobile-based games, so I suppose the nature of the platform has influence of the magnitude and appropriateness of story line to a game.
Grip's article seems to oppose McBain's ideas, stating that games are designed to be new narrative experiences rather than reproductions of film. Although it is good to have some downtime from game interaction, Grip argues, it is not to be the main focus of the game.
He proposes 5 basic principles to what makes a narratively involving game, all of which are seldom achieved by the plethoras of games out there. Still, if game designers and development teams strived toward these 5 aspects, narrative experience could become ever so consuming as the years go on. But, the main problem is priority; Grip says that the main problem is overall delivery; games have all the parts for an immesive story, they just have to piece them together correctly and integrate the story effectively with the game play.
I don't want to bore y'all, so that's it for this week. Take a read of the articles yourself if you're extra interested in their themes and arguments.
Peace. ☮
Saturday, 24 May 2014
Friday, 16 May 2014
Testing and Redesigning Games; More than meets the Eye of Sauron
Yet again, I've been slacking off the blogging. Sorry, kids, but life can get busy, especially since subjects are chucking at at you assignments and quiz notifications. I'll try and blog when I can.
But, enough excuses. Straight to business, men!
Robledo, R. (n.d.). Game Tester - What is a Game Tester?. Retrieved May 16th, 2014, from http://www.animationarena.com/game-tester.html
Anthropy, A., Clark, N. (2014). How a Common Game Design Language Can Improve Game Design [Page 1]. Retrieved May 16th, 2014, from http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=2178859
Robledo's article is generally about game testing and the clarification of misconceptions associated with the career name "game tester". He argues that game testing is difficult work, requiring some games to be played for months. 8-12 hours a day. 5-7 days a week. Add that up, and game testing becomes much more than a side hobby.
In fact, there are even many types of game testers, such as Publisher and Developer QA Teams, 3rd Party QA Teams, and good ol' Beta Testers. Included are some tips on how achieving the career in the first place is even remotely possible, as well as the Pro's and Con's of each type of testing.
In any game, testing is a huge part of addressing bugs and exploits in game play and design. So, I guess it's important that people realise the importance of even the most frivolous and under looked role in game development. Sure, pay varies on each game, but it does seem more interesting than sitting in a chair all day.
Moving on, Anthropy's article is only an introduction in a 4-part series (you can read the rest at the hyper linked page), but still raises some interesting points.
She indicates that game designers are losing trust in players to instinctively and inventively find out how controls work instead of being bombarded by blocks of text and somewhat bothersome introductions. She then proposes a universal 'vocabulary' where designers can intuitively let players figure out controls on their own, without parental-like intervention. Control manuals can offer such levels of tutorial, but the game itself is more likely to be 'read' and interpreted than the manual.
I've played games where instructional calibre varies greatly, from Unreal Tournament 2004 (nothing tells you how to fly a space ship, so you pretty much have to figure out everything on the fly) to Super Meat Boy (when unlocking new characters with distinct abilities, you gotta pass specific levels built for that character) to Pokemon Platinum (I DO NOT need a fifth introduction on how to catch Pokemon! A choice to choose whether to view the tutorial would have helped a lot).
In all these games, instructions as we know it are imbued and ingrained into game development so much so that we forget why players play games to begin with: Not so much to learn, but to discover, to explore a world with their own hands rather than being guided by an overarching figure, ensuring players have "the essential skills" to pass levels.
That surely gives us something to think about, whether we're playing or designing games, finding bugs or merely commentating on functionality.
Well, I'll try and catch y'all next week, or the week after if you don't see anything new next week.
Peace. ☮
But, enough excuses. Straight to business, men!
Robledo, R. (n.d.). Game Tester - What is a Game Tester?. Retrieved May 16th, 2014, from http://www.animationarena.com/game-tester.html
Anthropy, A., Clark, N. (2014). How a Common Game Design Language Can Improve Game Design [Page 1]. Retrieved May 16th, 2014, from http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=2178859
Robledo's article is generally about game testing and the clarification of misconceptions associated with the career name "game tester". He argues that game testing is difficult work, requiring some games to be played for months. 8-12 hours a day. 5-7 days a week. Add that up, and game testing becomes much more than a side hobby.
In fact, there are even many types of game testers, such as Publisher and Developer QA Teams, 3rd Party QA Teams, and good ol' Beta Testers. Included are some tips on how achieving the career in the first place is even remotely possible, as well as the Pro's and Con's of each type of testing.
In any game, testing is a huge part of addressing bugs and exploits in game play and design. So, I guess it's important that people realise the importance of even the most frivolous and under looked role in game development. Sure, pay varies on each game, but it does seem more interesting than sitting in a chair all day.
Moving on, Anthropy's article is only an introduction in a 4-part series (you can read the rest at the hyper linked page), but still raises some interesting points.
She indicates that game designers are losing trust in players to instinctively and inventively find out how controls work instead of being bombarded by blocks of text and somewhat bothersome introductions. She then proposes a universal 'vocabulary' where designers can intuitively let players figure out controls on their own, without parental-like intervention. Control manuals can offer such levels of tutorial, but the game itself is more likely to be 'read' and interpreted than the manual.
I've played games where instructional calibre varies greatly, from Unreal Tournament 2004 (nothing tells you how to fly a space ship, so you pretty much have to figure out everything on the fly) to Super Meat Boy (when unlocking new characters with distinct abilities, you gotta pass specific levels built for that character) to Pokemon Platinum (I DO NOT need a fifth introduction on how to catch Pokemon! A choice to choose whether to view the tutorial would have helped a lot).
In all these games, instructions as we know it are imbued and ingrained into game development so much so that we forget why players play games to begin with: Not so much to learn, but to discover, to explore a world with their own hands rather than being guided by an overarching figure, ensuring players have "the essential skills" to pass levels.
That surely gives us something to think about, whether we're playing or designing games, finding bugs or merely commentating on functionality.
Well, I'll try and catch y'all next week, or the week after if you don't see anything new next week.
Peace. ☮
Friday, 2 May 2014
Video Game Health and Well-Being; The Plus and the Minus
I do apologize for slacking off over the past weeks and days. Having this flu thing is terrible, apparently it's the worst flu season so far, and things will only get worse in comping years.
I've also been having some family issues here; my father's been diagnosed with stomach (or was it prostate?) cancer during a regular check-up. I've kinda had my mind on these things, so blogging isn't really important in the face of personal adversity.
Having said that, our 2 articles for this week are revolving around health and well-being in video games. Here are our articles:
Granic, I. (2013). Video Games Play May Provide Learning, Health, Social Benefits, Review Finds. Retrieved May 2, 2014, from http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2013/11/video-games.aspx
Ruah, S. (2006). Video Game Addiction No Fun. Retrieved May 2, 2014, from http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/video-game-addiction-no-fun
Granic's article is a unique one, in that it's an article commenting on another article. It still has relevant points, so to speak, but essentially summarises its main points in a one page summary.
The "article" discusses a biased study on the analysis of video games on people, and how there is enough evidence on the detriments of gaming, and more study needs to focus on its benefits.
Some of Granic's main points of gaming include improved problem-solving skills, relax minds, cope with life in general and reasoning. Even video games are used to treat patients with various afflictions, such as cancers, and show promising results in terms of adherence to treatments.
Perhaps once day, gaming might be integrated so much so into society, we may not even realise we're gaming! That will be the day when gaming is truly at the peak of society.
Next up is Ruah's article on game addiction. Being completely polar to Granic's studies, Ruah argues that there is an increasing amount of people becoming addicted gaming, and as a result, society is taking the hit the hardest. She also gives examples of signs of game addiction (which have general similarities to any addiction), as well as ways to combat these addictions, such as learning to live with computers, time limits on gaming and understanding that reality and virtual worlds are different places, were problems are not so easily forgotten.
One of the most heavy-hitting quotes Ruah makes is "...You can get a 21-year-old with the emotional intelligence of a 12-year-old. He's never learned to talk to girls. He's never learned to play a sport." (2006, p.g. 2). Those very words basically describe my emotional state in a nutshell, and kinda makes me think: "What have I become? Where did it all go downhill?" And then I remember: High School. That, as far as anyone remembers, was where gaming was at its peak.
In a way, a good thing. But perhaps a major contributor to how I developed into a man, even now, still struggling to talk to girls and doing things outta my own little bubble.
So, that will probably get you thinking for a fair bit for a while. If you really wanted to, you can comment about your own gaming experiences and how that has shaped who you are today, reading this. After all, "Who can say where the road goes, where the day flows"? Only Time.
Peace. ☮
I've also been having some family issues here; my father's been diagnosed with stomach (or was it prostate?) cancer during a regular check-up. I've kinda had my mind on these things, so blogging isn't really important in the face of personal adversity.
Having said that, our 2 articles for this week are revolving around health and well-being in video games. Here are our articles:
Granic, I. (2013). Video Games Play May Provide Learning, Health, Social Benefits, Review Finds. Retrieved May 2, 2014, from http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2013/11/video-games.aspx
Ruah, S. (2006). Video Game Addiction No Fun. Retrieved May 2, 2014, from http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/video-game-addiction-no-fun
Granic's article is a unique one, in that it's an article commenting on another article. It still has relevant points, so to speak, but essentially summarises its main points in a one page summary.
The "article" discusses a biased study on the analysis of video games on people, and how there is enough evidence on the detriments of gaming, and more study needs to focus on its benefits.
Some of Granic's main points of gaming include improved problem-solving skills, relax minds, cope with life in general and reasoning. Even video games are used to treat patients with various afflictions, such as cancers, and show promising results in terms of adherence to treatments.
Perhaps once day, gaming might be integrated so much so into society, we may not even realise we're gaming! That will be the day when gaming is truly at the peak of society.
Next up is Ruah's article on game addiction. Being completely polar to Granic's studies, Ruah argues that there is an increasing amount of people becoming addicted gaming, and as a result, society is taking the hit the hardest. She also gives examples of signs of game addiction (which have general similarities to any addiction), as well as ways to combat these addictions, such as learning to live with computers, time limits on gaming and understanding that reality and virtual worlds are different places, were problems are not so easily forgotten.
One of the most heavy-hitting quotes Ruah makes is "...You can get a 21-year-old with the emotional intelligence of a 12-year-old. He's never learned to talk to girls. He's never learned to play a sport." (2006, p.g. 2). Those very words basically describe my emotional state in a nutshell, and kinda makes me think: "What have I become? Where did it all go downhill?" And then I remember: High School. That, as far as anyone remembers, was where gaming was at its peak.
In a way, a good thing. But perhaps a major contributor to how I developed into a man, even now, still struggling to talk to girls and doing things outta my own little bubble.
So, that will probably get you thinking for a fair bit for a while. If you really wanted to, you can comment about your own gaming experiences and how that has shaped who you are today, reading this. After all, "Who can say where the road goes, where the day flows"? Only Time.
Peace. ☮
Thursday, 17 April 2014
How to make successful games (in a nutshell)
Another week, another post, eh. Well, you're in for a big one, because this week we're talking about how your niche idea could become the next biggest phenomenon since Flappy Bird! But, it's not that simple (nothing's ever simple these days); there are a few guidelines that would help most of the non-programmers and amateurs of the technical spectrum out there, reading this. Here are our articles for this week:
How to design your own video game (2012). Retrieved April 18, 2014, from http://www.animationarena.com/how-to-design-your-own-video-game.html
Landgraf, H. (2012), The Increasing Role of Character Animation in Video Games. Retrieved April 18, 2014, from http://www.animationarena.com/character-animation.html
The first article is about discussing the different elements of a successful video game as well as the different skills needed to produce such works for feasible distribution. The article also points out key problems that can be faced during game development that could cause more detriment than intended if not addressed early enough.
One of the core aspects of this article was the 5 areas of discussion of already-successful games out there: Characters, Originality, Play-ability, Re-Play-ability, and User Interface. I recall some of the games I've developed for recreation lacking dire aspects of Re-play-ability and Character. Though not all games need to meet these 5 criteria, but that would depend on their sole genre.
Landgraf's discussion revolves around the idea that the changing audiences for games causes a demand for more immersible, believable and entertaining story lines that really capture the player into becoming the protagonist in the game. She also presents the importance of character animators in the game industry in order to "bring life" to the characters in the game, in order to simulate realism and smooth movements.
As is the case with most of us reading this (including myself at this moment of blogging), we don't really have a good foundation of character animation and modelling. But, given that we develop such skill sets, the game industry offers many opportunities to those with the right skills in the right fields.
One of the most significant quotes I found in the article was one that really emphasizes the importance of character development in video games today: "If you can get your audience to empathize with a character, they will follow you to the ends of the Earth."
If you ever thought of getting your game pitch out there, try finding someone who is in the industry or knows about how the industry works. If you ever wanted to be a game animator and modeler, there are courses and software programs out there (e.g. Unity, Unreal, etc.) to help you get a grasp on the technical side of the creativity of games. There was probably a better way of saying that, but you'll get the point.
In any case, don't stop believing, man. Because there is purpose in all of us, even if you're a game developer with little to no experience in actual game development.
Peace. ☮
How to design your own video game (2012). Retrieved April 18, 2014, from http://www.animationarena.com/how-to-design-your-own-video-game.html
Landgraf, H. (2012), The Increasing Role of Character Animation in Video Games. Retrieved April 18, 2014, from http://www.animationarena.com/character-animation.html
The first article is about discussing the different elements of a successful video game as well as the different skills needed to produce such works for feasible distribution. The article also points out key problems that can be faced during game development that could cause more detriment than intended if not addressed early enough.
One of the core aspects of this article was the 5 areas of discussion of already-successful games out there: Characters, Originality, Play-ability, Re-Play-ability, and User Interface. I recall some of the games I've developed for recreation lacking dire aspects of Re-play-ability and Character. Though not all games need to meet these 5 criteria, but that would depend on their sole genre.
Landgraf's discussion revolves around the idea that the changing audiences for games causes a demand for more immersible, believable and entertaining story lines that really capture the player into becoming the protagonist in the game. She also presents the importance of character animators in the game industry in order to "bring life" to the characters in the game, in order to simulate realism and smooth movements.
As is the case with most of us reading this (including myself at this moment of blogging), we don't really have a good foundation of character animation and modelling. But, given that we develop such skill sets, the game industry offers many opportunities to those with the right skills in the right fields.
One of the most significant quotes I found in the article was one that really emphasizes the importance of character development in video games today: "If you can get your audience to empathize with a character, they will follow you to the ends of the Earth."
If you ever thought of getting your game pitch out there, try finding someone who is in the industry or knows about how the industry works. If you ever wanted to be a game animator and modeler, there are courses and software programs out there (e.g. Unity, Unreal, etc.) to help you get a grasp on the technical side of the creativity of games. There was probably a better way of saying that, but you'll get the point.
In any case, don't stop believing, man. Because there is purpose in all of us, even if you're a game developer with little to no experience in actual game development.
Peace. ☮
Thursday, 10 April 2014
The Cruciality of Storylines & Characters
Third post on the blog! Woohoo! Well, you can throw a party wherever you are to commemorate this milestone. So, today, I'd like to address a rather under-looked element of game making: Story lines and Character Development. Here are today's articles:
Nguyen, W., "Buckeye", "jbadams" (2014). Character Development in Video Games. Gamedev.net. Retrieved from http://www.gamedev.net/page/resources/_/creative/game-design/
Colson, D., "Dragonsoulj", "jbadams", Vega, J. (2014). Games are a Wholes New Form of Storytelling. Gamedev.net. Retrieved from http://www.gamedev.net/page/resources/_/creative/game-design/
Nguyen argues that a singular form of character development will not suffice current involvements of players than a combination of varying methods. He states that unlocking game play limits, milestones and incremental learning are all crucial to players learning the game and its mechanics.
Notably, he suggests "Avoid things such as boring game play. Instead of grinding, they can do missions...". As much game making I've done so far (which isn't much), I've seen now that my game play, as much as it amuses me sometimes, we ultimately still need to think about player experiences rather than our own suppositions of what players may or may not enjoy.
He also defined a 'limitation' within the game play as "It can be any type of mechanical change in the game that involves unlocking a new feature", meaning that there are still ways to make any game engaging and fun for players, as long as it doesn't require grinding for hours and getting nothing back, or similar circumstances.
In Colson's article, he proposes that a game's storyline is one of the core elements of a story-driven game, not "just a lick of paint", as he quotes other media he had read prior to writing the article. He states that a game tells a story in a way which involves the player, and with the right tweaking of context and freedom, the game can immerse the player deep in the world the game portrays.
I'm sure we've all seen games where the storyline just doesn't make sense, or the characters are just 2D personalities. The market for games is changing into not one that merely enjoys the mechanics of a game, but also a story to follow, if any. Characters, environments, plot twists; at the same time, Colson states: "...the viewer's interpretation of the image fill in the gaps and create the story", implying that we, as game developers, are not just spoon-feeding the storyline to players, as books and films more or less do.
The player should be able to interpret the game in their own ways, but at the same time, act and understand in a way which matches the context of the game itself.
I think it would be better if you actually read the articles themselves for a full immersion into the depths of a game. I dunno, I found it enlightening, anyway. Hope to catch y'all on this blog again next week.
Peace. ☮
Nguyen, W., "Buckeye", "jbadams" (2014). Character Development in Video Games. Gamedev.net. Retrieved from http://www.gamedev.net/page/resources/_/creative/game-design/
Colson, D., "Dragonsoulj", "jbadams", Vega, J. (2014). Games are a Wholes New Form of Storytelling. Gamedev.net. Retrieved from http://www.gamedev.net/page/resources/_/creative/game-design/
Nguyen argues that a singular form of character development will not suffice current involvements of players than a combination of varying methods. He states that unlocking game play limits, milestones and incremental learning are all crucial to players learning the game and its mechanics.
Notably, he suggests "Avoid things such as boring game play. Instead of grinding, they can do missions...". As much game making I've done so far (which isn't much), I've seen now that my game play, as much as it amuses me sometimes, we ultimately still need to think about player experiences rather than our own suppositions of what players may or may not enjoy.
He also defined a 'limitation' within the game play as "It can be any type of mechanical change in the game that involves unlocking a new feature", meaning that there are still ways to make any game engaging and fun for players, as long as it doesn't require grinding for hours and getting nothing back, or similar circumstances.
In Colson's article, he proposes that a game's storyline is one of the core elements of a story-driven game, not "just a lick of paint", as he quotes other media he had read prior to writing the article. He states that a game tells a story in a way which involves the player, and with the right tweaking of context and freedom, the game can immerse the player deep in the world the game portrays.
I'm sure we've all seen games where the storyline just doesn't make sense, or the characters are just 2D personalities. The market for games is changing into not one that merely enjoys the mechanics of a game, but also a story to follow, if any. Characters, environments, plot twists; at the same time, Colson states: "...the viewer's interpretation of the image fill in the gaps and create the story", implying that we, as game developers, are not just spoon-feeding the storyline to players, as books and films more or less do.
The player should be able to interpret the game in their own ways, but at the same time, act and understand in a way which matches the context of the game itself.
I think it would be better if you actually read the articles themselves for a full immersion into the depths of a game. I dunno, I found it enlightening, anyway. Hope to catch y'all on this blog again next week.
Peace. ☮
Thursday, 3 April 2014
The Game Industry itself.
Sorry I've been slacking off for a week. Life can get pretty busy while you're still studying. Yeah, I'll try and keep the updates going while I can. Who knows, maybe some of you reading this are inspired randomly to take up a similar quest for answers and money. Mostly money, as in my case.
Anyway, TONIGHT. We talk about the jobs in the game industry. Here are the articles this time round:
Robledo, R. (2014) What is a video game designer? Retrieved: April 3rd, 2014, from http://www.animationarena.com/what-is-a-video-game-designer.html
"ArenaMaster" (2014) Getting into the Video Game industry Retrieved: April 3rd, 2014, from http://www.animationarena.com/getting-into-video-game-industry.html
I'd like to note that Robledo speaks, presumably, from an American viewpoint, since he uses terms such as "college" and links possible education avenues to American colleges when the "Degree in Game Design" link is accessed. (Link: http://www.animationarena.com/video-game-design-school.html) However, it does capture the general idea of how the game design process works.
Basically, Robledo states the basic role of game designers, as well as common misconceptions about them, one of them being "Brainstorming and coming up with cool concepts are what a Designer does 10% of the time. The remaining 90% is comprised of the execution of the ideas..." He then moves on to talk about the tools and skills necessary for successful game designers, such as time management skills, effective communication and technical & creative skills.
Personally, this does give me a bit more insight when deciding which career path to choose, as the game industry here in AUS isn't exactly booming, and nor are existing industries (see Hawthorne, M. (2014) Toyota to exit Australia, 30,000 jobs could go, Link: http://www.smh.com.au/business/toyota-to-exit-australia-30000-jobs-could-go-20140210-32cl3.html).
"ArenaMaster", as the alias at the time of writing states as the apparent author, in their article Getting into the Video Game industry mainly focuses on the aspect of video game artistry rather than the industry as a whole. By those means, "ArenaMaster" then discusses the necessary skills and tips required for a decent chance of getting into the art sector of the game development industry, which include daily sketching of things and learning how to use the right graphics tools for certain art styles.
Although I have little intention on joining this niche (or major, depending on how you look at it) part of the industry, it's still important to be aware of the different avenues of game design out there and the types of training and effort needed to remain competent in the busy world of jobs.
As I said at the start, I'll try and blog again next week, so stay tuned for more articular goodness. I wonder if Blogger also allows a comment system for these posts as well...
Peace. ☮
Anyway, TONIGHT. We talk about the jobs in the game industry. Here are the articles this time round:
Robledo, R. (2014) What is a video game designer? Retrieved: April 3rd, 2014, from http://www.animationarena.com/what-is-a-video-game-designer.html
"ArenaMaster" (2014) Getting into the Video Game industry Retrieved: April 3rd, 2014, from http://www.animationarena.com/getting-into-video-game-industry.html
I'd like to note that Robledo speaks, presumably, from an American viewpoint, since he uses terms such as "college" and links possible education avenues to American colleges when the "Degree in Game Design" link is accessed. (Link: http://www.animationarena.com/video-game-design-school.html) However, it does capture the general idea of how the game design process works.
Basically, Robledo states the basic role of game designers, as well as common misconceptions about them, one of them being "Brainstorming and coming up with cool concepts are what a Designer does 10% of the time. The remaining 90% is comprised of the execution of the ideas..." He then moves on to talk about the tools and skills necessary for successful game designers, such as time management skills, effective communication and technical & creative skills.
Personally, this does give me a bit more insight when deciding which career path to choose, as the game industry here in AUS isn't exactly booming, and nor are existing industries (see Hawthorne, M. (2014) Toyota to exit Australia, 30,000 jobs could go, Link: http://www.smh.com.au/business/toyota-to-exit-australia-30000-jobs-could-go-20140210-32cl3.html).
"ArenaMaster", as the alias at the time of writing states as the apparent author, in their article Getting into the Video Game industry mainly focuses on the aspect of video game artistry rather than the industry as a whole. By those means, "ArenaMaster" then discusses the necessary skills and tips required for a decent chance of getting into the art sector of the game development industry, which include daily sketching of things and learning how to use the right graphics tools for certain art styles.
Although I have little intention on joining this niche (or major, depending on how you look at it) part of the industry, it's still important to be aware of the different avenues of game design out there and the types of training and effort needed to remain competent in the busy world of jobs.
As I said at the start, I'll try and blog again next week, so stay tuned for more articular goodness. I wonder if Blogger also allows a comment system for these posts as well...
Peace. ☮
Wednesday, 19 March 2014
Refined Randomness and Beta Testing via Children
So, this my blog. Basically, here's the lowdown:
Every week, I'll post about 2 links to articles, as well as provide a small (or medium sized, depending on how interesting the article may be) commentary of what I thought of those articles. If any personal commitments get in the way, I may miss a week or more of blogging, but I'll inform you all anyway of such events (hopefully I get a heads-up on these instances).
Every week, I'll post about 2 links to articles, as well as provide a small (or medium sized, depending on how interesting the article may be) commentary of what I thought of those articles. If any personal commitments get in the way, I may miss a week or more of blogging, but I'll inform you all anyway of such events (hopefully I get a heads-up on these instances).
With things that simple, lettuce get started. Our 2 articles this week are:
Germer, C. (2013). "Not So Random Randomness" in Game Design and Programming. Hamburg, Germany: gamedev.net
Link: http://www.gamedev.net/page/resources/_/creative/game-design/not-so-random-randomness-in-game-design-and-programming-r3423
Germer, C. (2013). "Not So Random Randomness" in Game Design and Programming. Hamburg, Germany: gamedev.net
Link: http://www.gamedev.net/page/resources/_/creative/game-design/not-so-random-randomness-in-game-design-and-programming-r3423
Nemberg, M. (2014). Beginners Guide to User Testing With Children. Baltics: gamedev.net
Germer's article basically speculates how randomness within games can be further harnessed for "realism". In his article, he uses the example of collecting loot from a treasure chest and how the chance of getting something can be increased with every consecutive chest opening.
It's a fairly amusing concept, as I myself a small-time game-man, because randomness can be so static due to our reliance on in-built library functions, that we sometimes don't look further and beyond in order to create that sense of realism just that little more...realistic, I suppose.
Beginners Guide to User Testing With Children by M. Nemberg lists 6 basic steps to make sure that children, too, are included in the Beta testing process. It also outlines the boundaries of certain actions, such as parental permission and physical contact with the children.
Similar to Germer's article, I find this article fairly interesting, as it looks at how you can transition children correctly into the physical environment, as well as how to interpret certain reactions. The point I find most fundamental is #6 Pay Attention to Non-Verbal Cues, and how you, as a test coordinator, need to be able to show children that this is not a classroom; there's no right or wrong answer, and that they are able to express freely what they feel about the game.
That's it for this week's post. I apologize if any of you did get bored. If you can send me back any feedback, go right ahead.
It's a fairly amusing concept, as I myself a small-time game-man, because randomness can be so static due to our reliance on in-built library functions, that we sometimes don't look further and beyond in order to create that sense of realism just that little more...realistic, I suppose.
Beginners Guide to User Testing With Children by M. Nemberg lists 6 basic steps to make sure that children, too, are included in the Beta testing process. It also outlines the boundaries of certain actions, such as parental permission and physical contact with the children.
Similar to Germer's article, I find this article fairly interesting, as it looks at how you can transition children correctly into the physical environment, as well as how to interpret certain reactions. The point I find most fundamental is #6 Pay Attention to Non-Verbal Cues, and how you, as a test coordinator, need to be able to show children that this is not a classroom; there's no right or wrong answer, and that they are able to express freely what they feel about the game.
That's it for this week's post. I apologize if any of you did get bored. If you can send me back any feedback, go right ahead.
Peace. ☮
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