Difficulty & Structure of GamePlay

Difficulty in Games

EASY? - MEDIUM? - HARD?

You need to give the player a challenging game experience.But a balance has to be met so the player can feel they are improving their skill and advancing through the game.
Difficulty can be set at the beginning of some games while other alter the setting depending on the players progress.
In your post indicate how you will set the difficulty in the two game concepts.Include examples of games you have already played and indicate how difficulty of the game is altered and how does it become more difficult?

Structure of a Game


LINEAR? - HUB? - SANDBOX?


Game progress is often divided into "levels".The structure of the levels can determine the gameplay of the game.
Linear games connect one level with another but usually once one level is completed you do not visit that level again.A sandbox or open level structure gives you a large level which you progress through giving you the freedom to attempt activities in any order you like and even revisit levels more thn once.
In this part of the post you will explain what structure your game will take and compare it to other games and their structure.Explain how the stucture of your game will improve the game play experience.


Please Download the PowerPoint on Moodle in U72 /Resources/Lectures
GAMEPALY_Difficulty_structure.pptx

Gameplay Fundamentals

Gameplay is another element of Computer Game Design.Gameplay describes what the player does in the game  and how the game works ,while Visual Style describes what the player can see while playing the game.Both these elements make up Game Design and are important to give the player an immersive and worthwhile activity.

In this post you will concentrate on what the player will do in the game.The fundamentals of any game play can be broken down into key elements that occur in different types of games.

GOALS

CHALLENGES

PLAYER ACTIONS

REWARDS

GAME MECHANICS

All computer games will include the elements of game play above.

In your post you will need to explain each of these game play elements in both of your  own games.You will have to use examples of gameplay from  existing games  to compare these with your own games gameplay.In doing so you will need to critically evaluate the gameplay in the games you have played and how this has influenced your own game designs.

GOALS

What the player need to do to win the game or progress through the game.In Space Invaders it is to destroy the alien hordes.In Tomb Raider Lara sets out on an expedition to recover a mysterious artefact called the Scion.But in Tomb Raider the player is given sub goals along the way as the story unfolds.

CHALLENGES

The obstacles in the way of achieving the goal or sub goals of the game.A variety of challenges can be presented to the player.These can test the players eye and hand co ordination or mental ability.

PLAYER ACTIONS

Define what the player needs to do to overcome the game challenges and achieve the goal of the game.

REWARDS

Either given to the player after they have successfully overcome a challenge to encourage them to proceed.It can also be used to entice the player to take on a risky challenge.

GAME MECHANICS  

Is the deconstruction of the gameplay into specific rules that define how the gameplay works.Game Mechanics are needed to engineer the game.

Game Mechanics is a detailed description of the interplay between goals,rewards,actions & challenges.

Game Mechanics can define how we score points in a game,utilise units in a RTS game to overcome opposing units.Describe player actions that are repeated throughout a game to achieve the game goal.

Game Mechanics describe actions,behaviours and controls within a game.

Tasks to be completed 

1. Deconstruct a game level you have played and identify key elements of gameplay indicated above.Include screen shots or video clips to help when explaining.
2. Develop ideas for both of your own game concepts.Produce a game level for each and identify the gameplay elements.Include diagrams and sketches were appropriate.Use the level word template on Moodle.

Go to Moodle Yr 1 & 2 Games

Resources/resource_materials/level_outline_template.doc folder.

Developing Ideas for your Game World

Week 2
Developing Ideas for your Game World

• After your initial brainstorming you should have decided on the two game concepts you are going to develop.
• In your sketchbook you will need to produce sketches and notes describing the game world.If it is a 2D game you can draw out level sketches indicating the terrain,architecture and objects that might populate the world.
• For the 3D game concept perspective drawings and mock up in 3dsmax can also be considered to represent the game world.
• You can also use Photoshop to create more finished concepts.
• Include primary and secondary sources to help you with developing ideas (make sure these are annotated to indicate why they have been slected and how have they influenced your game ideas)

To add ideas to post

• Sketches from your sketchbook can be scanned
• JPEG's can be uploaded from Photoshop
•  3D renders can be uploaded
• Using Google Documents or Google Drive Slideshow can be created which can be placed on your Blog post.

Concept slideshow

Player Characters & NPC's

Week 2

Player Characters & Non Player Characters

Player characters are an important element to the visual style of a game.These avatars are controlled by the player.They can represent real or fantastic characters.They can have complex behaviours or simply be a graphic that the player controls.
Non- player characters also inhabit the game world in early games that represented obstacles to avoid.Later these NPC's became more complex characters which you might communicate with or join forces on your quest.
In this post you need to explain about the role of the player character and NPC in your games you are developing.You will need to include examples of player characters and NPC's in existing games that have influenced your ideas.In your reserch you will need to comment on the important features that these charcters bring to the game design.And ask yourself are characters and NPC's important to games and why? 

U72:C2:Initial Game ideas:brainstorming

Week 1
Produce a mind map for the games you have selected showing initial idea development. Post on the blog. If you do any sketchbook work, this can be scanned into either a PDF or images that can be added to the post.

U72:C1:Visual Style:Genre ,Game Worlds & Perspectives

Week 1

 



10th September

To begin your assignment on Computer Game Design you will develop an understanding of Visual Style.

     Do some initial research into the two game designs you would like to develop. Identify the genre,perspective  and game worldof your game concepts. Include at least two existing game examples that represent the similar genre and perspective you are developing. Make sure you correctly define what a game genre is. Include appropriate screenshots, video clips, and diagrams in your posts.

Critically evaluate the game world and perspective in the game examples. Take into account the strengths and weakness of the game world and perspectives in each of the game examples. Include appropriate screenshots, video clips, and diagrams in your post.

In your blog post an example of the RTS and role playing game genres.
Explain what defines the differences in the genres?