My project team this semester, Team Athena, has been developing a turn based strategy game on the iPad for 7-11 year old boys studying at Colonial School. Along with Elaine Fath, I am the co-game designer and coming up with levels has been an important task for our game which is very level and strategy-focused. However, for our team, the paper prototyping started all the way back in week 1. While brainstorming, we utilized paper prototypes to highlight our ideas in a more visual way rather than just use words and gestures. Infact, I feel without the use of paper and poker chips to show buildings, a cat to show the player and dice to show the enemies, we wouldn't have understood the otherwise very complex mechanics of our game. Now, another worry was how the children in our client's school would respond to this game. In an unprecedented manner, we went with our paper prototype right in the first week and made the children play the game. Due to simplicity of the "world" and it's "look", we got a lot of useful information on how the game plays. There were also added bonuses like the children adding in their visuals and sound effects as paper prototyping leaves a lot to the imagination. In the next week, we went to the school again, but this time, we also had a basic digital prototype for our tentatively named game "Smash", along with the paper prototype with added levels for the children to enjoy with. In this playtest, we also learnt that this game would not be fun to play as a multiplayer game since the children found it boring to play as the AI enemies. Our first basic levels were designed, as you can see above, using just poker chips and die. However, the board game format really help both our children demographic and ETC playtesters understand what is going on. Infact, during our early weeks of development, we found it very difficult for the digital version to match the paper prototype in terms of juiciness, immersion and enjoyment. However, using visuals, animations and sound, we have managed to transform THIS...... to THIS! Infact, our team has been using this method for iterating on levels designed as it proves to be a fast way to playtest with people with the option of putting the levels in and testing proving too tedious. This method has also helped us understand the various paths the player can use for beating a level. To those interested in understanding more about Smash, visit us at http://www.etc.cmu.edu/projects/athena/ or in our room in 2420 in ETC. Below is our gameplay video from our build from April 15th.
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In the last week, I have been playing a lot of Wii U to give me a break from all the Fire Emblem I have been playing on my 3DS. Legend of Zelda: Windwaker has been one game which really has stuck in my mind since I bought it a couple of months ago and I finally have got my opportunity to play it. On first glance, this game DOES NOT look like any other Zelda game I have ever played with a very different more cartoon-y style. However, I was in for a treat. THE GOOD! : First thing first, you are NOT in Hyrule! You are a young boy from Outset Island living with his grandmother and younger sister, along with other quirky people in your village. The new "Link" so as to speak has a very expressive face compared to his predecessors who were very one dimensional and reminiscent to other previous silent heroes like Red from Pokemon. In the second dungeon of the game aka Dragon Roost Cavern, in the cutscene before the dungeon mission begins, Link glances and looks out for weak links in the walls, and the expression alone shows what is going on inside his head. If there is one thing Nintendo is the master at, it is teaching the player a skill rigorously such that the player actually masters it during the tutorial. One primary example is the rope swinging in Tetra's cabin, which is a skill required in the entire game ahead. The cabin boy ensures that you cross the entire length of the cabin before you can get the treasure he promised. However, even you fail, there isn't lava or flames below to consume you, it's just wood. You can click the buttons to get the platforms up again and restart the entire process. This is very good game design as it teaches the new incoming player a skill without being harsh and punishing the player with death for failure. THE AWESOME!: The exploration in this game is insane! There's no boring overworld map for you to travel from one island to another. The player travels from one island to another with the use of the King of the Red Lions, which is a living and breathing boat. Using the wind direction, the player is guided indirectly to his next destination. However, this process is so much and never gets old and really shows off the glorious artwork and true beauty of this game. What's a Zelda game with out extensive and detailed dungeons to make you feel lost? I am proud because I managed to beat this game without using a single walkthrough although I was tempted to on many occasions. Dragon Roost Island was honestly my favourite dungeon to beat alongside Forsaken Fortress. The maps had so many layers to it, along with a lot of tracking back after getting a certain item and mistakes were punished pretty heavily. In the end, however, that feeling of satisfaction of beating the boss is still the best feeling ever! THE AWESOMEST! : Since the original release of the Windwaker for the Gamecube, critics and fans alike have been split on the art direction for this game. The more conservative Zelda fans were really incensed that the game went for more of a cartoony- look in order to pander to the younger players. The fans also believed that Nintendo was doing a disservice to the hardcore fans by changing the setting and art of what was already working with the Zelda franchise. However, over time they have come to appreciate the game and it has become a cult hit within certain branches of the Zelda community. The art is so detailed and just plain drop-dead gorgeous! Last but by no means least, the music! MY GOD, this alone turned the opinion of many fans who disliked it on first sight. I spent over two hours on the Dragon Roost Island dungeon solely because of the music. The music was very much like the old Zelda with European music used as an influence much like the Gerudo Valley theme from Ocarina of Time(had a very mariachi feel to it). In fact this game's soundtrack is so legendary that there have been many covers dedicated to it. Just check out Smooth McGroove's acapella take on the Dragon Roost Island theme! Overall, I would say this is one of my favourite Zelda games ever along with Ocrina of Time! However, I have never had the chance to play A Link to the Past, which by many is considered th best. Looks like I have the next game I'll be playing!
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Milind NilekaniLove Nintendo games and game design. This blog is to detail my love for both. Archives
April 2016
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