#i2350 Post Processing Filters in Photoshop
This week, I pulled screenshots from my GDW game in order to place them in Photoshop where I have access to tons of different image filters and effects. By playing around with different layers and filters, I can simulate a wide range of different post processing effects.
The class was told that after we have something we like in Photoshop, we can look at the history to prototype shaders which can produce the same effects in our own games. Being comfortable with the concepts of shaders, frame buffer objects, and multiple rendering passes, I can definitely see how his is true. With shaders replacing filters, frame buffers replacing layers, and rendering passes that match the history sequence, we can create the same effects our games.
The first effect I decided to try is Bloom. Bloom makes bright areas of your scene bleed out onto adjacent areas of the screen. To create this effect, I copied the screenshot onto a new layer. I increased the contrast of the new layer to bring out the bright areas. After that, I applied a gaussian blur and lowered the alpha of the image. By placing the image back on top of the old one, we get brighter lights, that bleed into their surroundings.
For the second effect, I tried to emulate an old TV set. I first blurred the image horizontally. This is static here, but in game this effect would be randomized each frame, giving off a flickering effect. After this, I added a second layer, and filled it with noise. After blending the two layers together, I got a decent result.
I’m sure I want to implement Bloom for my GDW project. I’m excited to bring more intermediate shaders into my game as well!
#i2330 Game Design. Healthy Eating.
Healthy eating is always a popular topic, but that doesn’t mean that it translates well into a game. Educational games are often hard to pull off, many people are biased against them, and so it is difficult to maintain educational value while also keeping the game engaging. We decided to keep the game engaging, by providing fast paced game play, but with the appropriate themes and content to also educate the players.
Photo by lil moe72
-The Brainstorming Phase-
- Research: We started this project by looking up different types of fruits and vegetables and when they are in season. After this, we were about to move forward and research how to know when they are ripe, and ready to eat, we even started looking at recipes However, it was at this point that we realized that we didn’t actually have a comfortable grasp on the basics, so there was little point in trying to overwhelm our players with more complicated mechanics and information. We decided to focus just on the seasons, which was what the assignment requested of us from the start.
-The Play Testing Phase-
- Knowing The Content: At first we thought the game was too easy, and we regretted our decision to keep it simple. We were tearing through the rounds, and everyone knew what cards to go for. We were happy with the pace of the game, but felt that it wasn’t teaching us anything, until we realized the obvious, we already knew the content! We were all able to jump right in, and tackle the game head on while playing, because we had studied the topics in making the game. We noticed however, that the game was still making us more comfortable with the subject, and we became very familiar with the fruits, vegetables and seasons, because of this, we were still able to conclude that the game was a success.
-The Finished Product-
The Rules
The final game remains fun, fast paced and engaging while still educating the players about produce.
#i2330 Game Design. Dance Game.
Although we’ve made a variety of games so far, this one was certainly the biggest change of pace, literally. We’ve played with a variety of concepts, but this one was the easiest to have fun with, probably due to the fact that we were able to get up and be active while developing the mechanics of the game. The work itself was engaging this time around, and the game itself is even more active and fun. Let’s look at what we did to put the game together, before stammering with the formal game rules.
-The Examination Phase-
- The Video: The project focus on adapting the scene portrayed in a specific video into a dancing/activity game. The Bollywood clip shows a group of people dancing on a moving train. The dance is positive, and focuses on two main characters, a woman and a man. We took the time to examine the dynamic between the main characters’ dancing, and the dancing of the supporting cast. We decided that this translates well to a team based set up, and so our game pins two teams playing together much like the two dancers in the clip.
-The Brainstorming Phase-
- Making Challenges: The brainstorming phase was probably one of the easier ones we’ve done so far. It wasn’t easier conceptually but rather, it was more fun and engaging to actually work on the project itself. It was fun to brainstorm ideas with the team, and then try them out right on the spot. Normally, when we would come up with an idea for another one of our games, we would have to sketch out a rough version, and attempt to follow the new mechanic on rough paper. This time however, we were able to instantly try out new ideas in exactly the way they would appear in the game. This helped keep the pace up, and we found ourselves tearing through a lot more ideas, a lot faster, then if we were working on a board game.
-The Play Testing Phase-
- Free Testing: One of the great things about this project was the fact that we were constantly moving around and trying the moves during production. By the time we were happy with the rules, and reached the play testing phase, we realized that we were already comfortable with the rules and the flow of the game. This was because of the fact that the game focused on physical movement and engagement, unlike the other games we’ve made to date. Because of this, the time we spent developing the rules was mostly spent actually trying the moves, simply getting up to quickly try a new idea for a move was directly playtesting it, even though it wasn’t our focus at the time.
- What We Changed: Even with most our playtesting done, there were still a couple problems floating around that we hadn`t spotted before formally playtesting.
-The Finished Product-
The Rules.
The finished game is one that challenges players with fun and engaging physical activity. The game is a welcome change of pace from the usual board/card games we’ve being playing with so far. It was fun to get ourselves moving, and we’re confident that others will enjoy it too.
#i2330 Game Design. Storytelling in Games.
Game mechanics actively engage the player, and draw them into the game. However, game mechanics alone are not always enough to create a great game. Sometimes, a context is set, a story in which all the game’s elements belong. Without changing the elements themselves, this context can still have the power to completely change the aesthetics of a game. Imagine the game of Battleship for instance; would it be nearly as engaging with the game mechanics alone? Hardly. The context of Battleship sparks the imagination of the players, creating a game with true action.
Stories can go much further than that, creating an entire fictional universe, filled with different items, settings and characters. These allow the players to interact with the game in more complex ways, stimulating more complex and interesting experiences. Stories with characters allow the user to view the experiences of others, and relate to them. Fictional characters are difficult to create, because people will notice any inconsistencies in their actions.
Bogdan Florea is a character that I created. Let’s take a look at how consistent is responses are during an interview.
-What is your name? Gender? Race? Religion? Age?
I’m Bogdan Florea. I’m your average 26 year old here [in Romania]. I’m Christian orthodox, as my parents before me.
-Where were you born? What about your parents—where are they, and are they alive? When you were growing up, did you struggle, and if so, in what way?
I grew up right here in Adjud under my parents. They are both alive and well, which I am thankful for. They are great parents, which put me through a good school. I won’t lie they were a little mad when I dropped out but they gave me a chance, and with their help I had my workshop within a couple months.
-What year is it now?
You need this for the record? The year is 1960.
-How would someone stereotype you at a glance?
I’d imagine that folk would think I’m poor, perhaps even living on the streets. I’m always covered in soot and I’m usually wearing the clothes I work in. That’s not an issue though, it’s a small town here and everyone knows who I am. Half the time I’m covered in soot because I just helped them fix their furnace.
-Do you have a romantic partner? If so, whom?
Yes, I have a wife, Monika. She has been with me since 1954, 2 years after we’ve met.
-Who is your best friend and what is he/she/it like? How would your friend describe you?
My best friend is Teddy Florea, the last name is just a coincidence actually, and we are not related. He’s a good man, I’m glad I know him. He would probably describe me as a hard worker since he usually comments on how much time I spend working. Sometimes he outright gets in the way, but I know he means well.
-What is your economic situation? What have you done for work?
I’m not in trouble economically, but I would have liked to have more to show for my work. Speaking of which, I’m an inventor, a mechanic or electrician if you will, specifically I work with trains. Formally, I work for the train station in Adjud. I design and maintain their electrical systems, not limited to the trains themselves. Most the time though, I tinker with stuff in my workshop at home, sometimes I make useful things for the house, but I’m usually fixing things or making them work better.
-Would you steal? How do you feel about lying? Can you be trusted by your friends? Do you have any other vices?
As most other kids, I used to lie to get what I wanted, or to try to pass something under the nose of my parents, but they always seemed to know regardless of the story I came up with. That
-What makes you happy? What makes you sad?
Working makes me happy, which is good because I can get a lot of work done, but I’m always told I work too much which is annoying. Work can make me sad too. I won’t rest until I’ve solved the problem at hand. This will keep me up late regularly, but equally is that annoying people will start to try and stop me, or slow me down.
-What is the one secret that no one must know about you?
I trust you, so I’ll tell. I cheated on my wife a year after we were married. There was another girl, I’m not going to mention who, that I knew from childhood. We were good friends but I always knew that she had feelings for me. She pretended to take the news well when I told her I was getting married, but I knew it hurt her. A year later she must have continued to feel the same about me, and she managed to get my guard down after Teddy’s birthday party. I was pretty drunk, but she continued to offer me drinks. Eventually I hardly knew what I was doing and she seduced me. That morning I was furious, for obvious reasons. I was screaming at her for at least half an hour. I eventually stormed out of the place. A few months later she had the courage to approach me. She apologized, and I decided to forgive her. We don’t talk as much, but we are still friends today.
-Are you afraid to die?
No, I trust that god knows what is best, and he will know when it is my time.
-Do you have any phobias?
I don’t like small spaces. I really like to be able to walk around and think. Unfortunately I have to get in these spaces occasionally when I work on trains.
-Are you quick tempered or patient?
I’m very patient. I can work on the same problem for days. I usually don’t see any reason to be mad. In the off change that I am really angry about something, I’ll go work it off and use the energy to get something productive done.
Conclusion:
Making a character is not easy, but it’s rather fun because it allows you to be creative while also challenging you to be consistent.
#i2330 Game Design. Remix and Modification
Games are built on a clever balance of luck, and skill, but what happens when you modify these after release? Can the balance be shifted without compromising the core mechanics of the game? The short answer is yes, but let’s take a look at some examples.
-Remixing TicTacToe-
Photo by by realeyez
Adding an element of luck to tic-tac-toe, while keeping the game engaging and keeping the game comparable to its original mechanics is difficult. It wasn’t difficult to come up with chance based mechanics, it was difficult to effectively add them into the game. Since tic-tac-toe is such a simple game, played on such a small board, it’s hard to make any changes that don’t severely alter the flow of the game. This obsticle was overcome by keeping to simple ideas. By adding a game mechanic that can block the other player, the game remained functional, while shifting the balence towards a chance.
The New Rules
-Remixing EarthQuake-
EarthQuake was my first board game. It allowed players to both move across the board, and modify the board by sliding its rows left and right. This mechanic was used to move walls in front of your opponents while you open up shortcuts for yourself. To change this to a luck based mechanic, I decided to let a die dictate the movement of the rows. This means that the players are now guessing what the best path to the finish is. As an added bonus, the gameplay better matches the game’s name, because the board is shuffling randomly as though an earthquake has taken hold of it.
The New Rules
#i2330 Game Design. Art Game.
When creating a game, you are constructing the mechanics, play-testing the dynamics and trying to make everything fit to the aesthetics of your vision. This weeks game was completely different. Our goal was not to create a fun, balanced game, but instead to craft an emotional experience for the players based on Van Gogh’s starry night. This meant that we had to take a brand new angle on what it means to create a game.
Photo via wallyg
-The Examination Phase-
- Researching: Before we formally began this project, everyone in the group took a few moments to research the painting and learn more about it. This gave us an insight into the mood of the painting and cleared up some misconceptions, such as the fact that the infamous black figure on the left of the painting is just a cypress tree.
- Breaking down the painting: We started by identifying aspects of the painting that stood out, such as the hills that divide the dark town with the bright swirling sky, or the symmetry between the stars in the sky and the lights in the town. After we had a list of our observations, we began to discuss how these elements influenced us emotionally.
-The Brainstorming Phase-
- Interpretation: Now that we had the main elements of the painting laid out, we began to discuss them and how each of them made us feel. Lots of different feelings were expressed, some of us found that it made us feel small when looking at the large sky, while some felt the lights in the town and sky were calming. After discussing the elements for a while, we realized that most of our interpretations were calm and peaceful, so we decided to focus on those two emotions.
- Building Up The Game: We started by deciding what tools we would use to express the emotions. We didn’t think that moving game pieces around was very emotionally engaging, so we choose to focus on narrative and player interaction instead. We structured the game as a discussion tool. The game sets the mood, and lets the players discuss. By having players interact with one another, they would influence each others emotions, and within the context that we set, they would experience the emotional responses we want.
- Game versus Art: We wanted to focus on the interaction between players, so the game mechanics present are minimal. The game mechanics lead players around the board, and give them the cards they need to begin discussion. However there is no way to win/lose, gain points or kill players. The game board only ensures that players get cards randomly.
-The Play Testing Phase-
- This stage was hard to apply effectively but not because the game was something different from what we’ve made before. It was because we had all been intimately involved in the creation of the game. We had all helped brainstorm the game and had wrote the narratives for it. This meant that the experiences that resulted from play-testing the game were biased. Although this was the case in all the other games we’ve done, it hadn’t been an issue before, because fun was more consistent to measure as apposed to emotion.
-The Finished Product-
Rules/Questions
- The finished game is a discussion tool, using familiar game elements to guide the discussion and keep it within a context that will induce our target emotions.
#i2330 Game Design. Lair’s Dice.
This week’s project was an interesting change of pace. It meant that my group couldn’t create another simple and easy to play game but ,none-the-less, we had a lot of fun manipulating this popular game and we even got carried away many times by just playing through our modifications.
-The Examination Phase-
- Understanding the game: There was no design phase this week, we didn’t need to construct the game, we just needed to change it. This meant that rather than holding brain storming sessions, we read up on the rules and played the game, both online and with the group.
- Feedback loops: We had to do more than just learn how to play the game though. We also spent this time predicting the dynamics of the games components, and how the interact with each other. Here we were able to identify the main positive feedback loop that makes winning players, more likely to win. This feedback loop exists for the winning players because losing players see less of the dice that are in play. The losing players see less information and cannot call bids, or identify liars as accurately. This gives the already winning players, more of an advantage.
-The Play Testing Phase-
- Examining the Dynamics: This phase is where this week’s focus was. Beyond understanding the rules and feedback, we needed to understand the dynamics of the game, and how each part fit together. Without this, we wouldn’t be able to make effective modifications. This is why we spent a lot of our time playing the game and observing how different actions would flow into others. We were able to observe the feedback loop we predicted, in action.
- Modifying the Dynamics: Now that we had a comfortable feel for the game, we moved on to make our modifications. We all knew that the feedback loop couldn’t be removed outright, because the same mechanic that drove the loop, also dictated the win condition, so removing it would break the game. So the members of the group set out to add modifications that bring the losing players back on fair ground with the wining players. The modifications we came up with buffed the losing players, giving them an extra edge that offsets their lack of information.
- Testing the Modifications: After everyone settled on their modification, and we removed any duplicates, we started to play test. We tried each modification on its own. Some modifications worked better than others, but overall, we say more instances where losing players would make a comeback, sometimes to win the game. We had also tried a few combinations of modifications but our modifications weren’t designed with other ones in mind, and the game became unbalanced and messy. However, each one was at least somewhat successful when tested on its own.
-The Finished Product-
The Modifications. (I wrote number 6)
We were able to help negate the positive feedback loop with our modifications, although not all of them were equally effective.
#i2330 Game Design. An Atari Card Game.
Designing simple and easy to pick up games has become the main goal of my group. We know that players will only have a small amount of time to play our game, and we want the experience to be quick and easy for them, as well as being fun. This week was no different, and although it was tough to create strong connections with the video game Centipede, we were able to pull it off.
Photo on left by Sascha Grant, photo on right by gamerscoreblog
-The Design Phase-
- Picking a game: Our first task was to select an Atari game to remake. We spent the better of a day jumping back and forth between the options. We had a lot of great ideas, but not all of them could be simplified to fit our goal. Occasionally, one would be eliminated and we eventually came to a decision; We decided to focus on the conflict between the human and the centipede, in the game “Centipede”.
- The Core Rules: Since we wanted to emphasize the conflict, it seemed fitting to start modeling the games rules from the rules of the card game, War. From here we had manipulate the game to create a connection to the Atari version. We a turn limit to the game, and a health counter to the centipede. This emulated the behavior of the worm in the Atari game because the player is trying to hit the centipede before it has time to reach the bottom of the screen. To add the finishing touch, we added two effect cards that bring in the other mini-enemies from the video game.
- The Aesthetics: At this point we had the connection we wanted, and the game remained simple. However, it felt like something was missing. In all our other games, we needed to create the game board and pieces but this time all we had was a standard deck of cards. We didn’t want to stop there, so instead of designing a custom deck of cards, we created two hats -one for the human and one for the centipede- that would bring our game further into the context of the Atari one. This added a silly touch to the game that gives players more excuses to have fun.
-The Play Testing Phase-
- The Difficulties: Play testing is difficult for my group. We prefer to make simple to play games, but since we have less components to our games, any one change will have a large effect of the game as a whole. This makes play testing more difficult and time consuming.
- The First Session: Our first goal was to ensure that the game was evenly matched. Since our game can be played in less than 5 minutes, we went ahead and played for a while, keeping track of how many times the human and centipede won. We found that It was more difficult for the human to win. With a 10 turn time limit, and 5 health on the centipede, the human had to average one successful hit every 2 turns. This was too much, and after playing with the turn limit and the health, we found that the most even match up was created with 10 turns, but 4 health on the centipede.
- The Second Session: The second time we sat down to play, we focused on the effect cards. The 8 card worked well, but the 4 card was almost useless. To win against a 4 card, the human had to play down another card that was greater than 4, this was very easy to do and caused only minor headache to the player. After brainstorming, we changed this card to reflect the mushrooms in the Atari game, rather than one of the mini-enemies. The card now advanced the turn counter up, moving the centipede closer to the player as it would have in the Atari game.
-The Finished Product-
The Rules.
The end product is a game that is quick and easy to play. The game incorporates the core concepts from Atari’s game “Centipede” and remains balanced and fun, while slightly silly.
