1. Mitchell is unabashedly cocky and fond of self promotion, proclaiming himself the "Sauce King" of Florida for his successful line of homemade hot sauces. Next to his family, Mitchell considers his arcade scores his greatest achievements in life.

How typical are these types of values and attitudes among 'core' gamers and how important is it to understand these values if you are a game designer? What *are* these values, exactly?
Mitchell is unabashedly cocky and fond of self promotion, proclaiming himself the "Sauce King" of Florida for his successful line of homemade hot sauces. Next to his family, Mitchell considers his arcade scores his greatest achievements in life. How typical are these types of values and attitudes among 'core' gamers and how important is it to understand these values if you are a game designer? What *are* these values, exactly?

2. Steve Wiebe has been laid off as a Boeing engineer, and now spends his time as a science teacher. His friends and his wife, Nicole, describe him as a tragic figure who always comes up short, despite being proficient at music, sports, art, and mathematics.

Is Weibe's 'tragic' aspect typical of core gaming 'types'?

What role does self esteem (high or low) play in the culture of hard core gaming and such subcultures as competitive vintage or 'classic' game playing? How would you best describe the relationship between low self-esteem and videogame mastery?
Steve Wiebe has been laid off as a Boeing engineer, and now spends his time as a science teacher. His friends and his wife, Nicole, describe him as a tragic figure who always comes up short, despite being proficient at music, sports, art, and mathematics. Is Weibe's 'tragic' aspect typical of core gaming 'types'? What role does self esteem (high or low) play in the culture of hard core gaming and such subcultures as competitive vintage or 'classic' game playing? How would you best describe the relationship between low self-esteem and videogame mastery?

3. Despite Wiebe's protests that his own first score was disqualified for being submitted via unsupervised videotape, Twin Galaxies accepts Mitchell's score over Wiebe's and proclaims that Mitchell is still the record holder.

How valid do you think videotaped gameplay should be in establishing videogame playing records?

If valid, why? If not valid, why not?
Despite Wiebe's protests that his own first score was disqualified for being submitted via unsupervised videotape, Twin Galaxies accepts Mitchell's score over Wiebe's and proclaims that Mitchell is still the record holder. How valid do you think videotaped gameplay should be in establishing videogame playing records? If valid, why? If not valid, why not?

4. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, wondering "Who would have guessed that a documentary about gamers obsessed with scoring a world record at Donkey Kong would not only be roaringly funny but serve as a metaphor for the decline of Western civilization?"

What do you think of the film?

Is it an accurate portrayal of what makes videogames so compelling for those who play them?
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, wondering "Who would have guessed that a documentary about gamers obsessed with scoring a world record at Donkey Kong would not only be roaringly funny but serve as a metaphor for the decline of Western civilization?" What do you think of the film? Is it an accurate portrayal of what makes videogames so compelling for those who play them?

5. On November 10, 1981, Walter Day opened an arcade in Ottumwa, Iowa called Twin Galaxies. Though it was a modest arcade of merely 22 arcade games, it soon became known as the International Scorekeeper for the burgeoning video game industry. Under Day's direction, Twin Galaxies set rules for gameplay on hundreds of games, while maintaining a records database of competitive high scores. Twin Galaxies is considered by gaming historians as being the first organizer of professional gaming, putting competitive electronic gaming on the world map.

How important do you think organizations like Twin Galaxies are in the vintage arcade gaming community?

Could such communities exist without such organizations?

What role does Twin Galaxies play ultimately, and why is this significant to the film and its story?
On November 10, 1981, Walter Day opened an arcade in Ottumwa, Iowa called Twin Galaxies. Though it was a modest arcade of merely 22 arcade games, it soon became known as the International Scorekeeper for the burgeoning video game industry. Under Day's direction, Twin Galaxies set rules for gameplay on hundreds of games, while maintaining a records database of competitive high scores. Twin Galaxies is considered by gaming historians as being the first organizer of professional gaming, putting competitive electronic gaming on the world map. How important do you think organizations like Twin Galaxies are in the vintage arcade gaming community? Could such communities exist without such organizations? What role does Twin Galaxies play ultimately, and why is this significant to the film and its story?

6. The film depicts Wiebe's skill at Donkey Kong being linked to his ability to deeply understand the title's game mechanics, particularly the way that rhythm and timing work to ensure a successful outcome.

The film in one scene compared his love of drumming and his abilities at basketball as well as his musical talent as part and parcel of his gift at playing Donkey Kong.

How would you best describe this set of inter-related skills?

Have you experienced anything like this yourself when playing games? Have you been able to associate the skill of playing games with similar related skills and talents and how would you best describe the nature of this set of inter-relationships between skills/passions/abilities?

The film depicts Wiebe's skill at Donkey Kong being linked to his ability to deeply understand the title's game mechanics, particularly the way that rhythm and timing work to ensure a successful outcome. The film in one scene compared his love of drumming and his abilities at basketball as well as his musical talent as part and parcel of his gift at playing Donkey Kong. How would you best describe this set of inter-related skills? Have you experienced anything like this yourself when playing games? Have you been able to associate the skill of playing games with similar related skills and talents and how would you best describe the nature of this set of inter-relationships between skills/passions/abilities?

7. In the film, Wiebe, while playing the game says hello to Mitchell. Mitchell didn't respond. As he's walking away from Wiebe, Mitchell says, "There's certain people I don't want to spend too much time with." Mitchell offered no explanation for his behavior towards Wiebe but did later explain that at the time of filming, he had not played video games for "more than a year", and that the filmmakers had not given him enough advance warning to train for a public record-breaking attempt. Seth Gordon, the film's Director, in referring to Mitchell's character says that Mitchell "is a true puppet-master", "a master of information-control".

What do you think Gordon means by this? What role does such behavior play in general terms in videogame culture?

In the film, Wiebe, while playing the game says hello to Mitchell. Mitchell didn't respond. As he's walking away from Wiebe, Mitchell says, "There's certain people I don't want to spend too much time with." Mitchell offered no explanation for his behavior towards Wiebe but did later explain that at the time of filming, he had not played video games for "more than a year", and that the filmmakers had not given him enough advance warning to train for a public record-breaking attempt. Seth Gordon, the film's Director, in referring to Mitchell's character says that Mitchell "is a true puppet-master", "a master of information-control". What do you think Gordon means by this? What role does such behavior play in general terms in videogame culture?

8. What did you think of the film? Is it really only about the game "Donkey Kong" and those who seek to hold the highest score or is it really about something more?
What did you think of the film? Is it really only about the game "Donkey Kong" and those who seek to hold the highest score or is it really about something more?

9. Have you ever played "Donkey Kong"? What was your memory of playing it? Where were you, when was it?

Level Design Elements

The Force Unleashed


What the heck are Weenies?

Enhanced Weenies and encountering player movement

Using lighting to encourage player movement

Posters

Alternative Maps & Posters

Presented Path & Posters

Presented Path vs. Exploration

The Power of the Path - the illusion of Freedom

Rediscovering Rewards

Thematic Level Goals

Moral Story Telling

Lesson of Main Street

Level Items

Thematic Level Goals

Illusional Narrative

Adding Danger

Applying it All

Warning/Foreshadowing

Maximizing the Path

Storytelling through Environment

Implied Threats

The Tutorial Section

Map and Discovered Information

Building Anticipation

Weenies and Foreshadowing

Juxtaposing Interior and Exterior Space

Illusional Narrative

The Clear Path Out

The following games can all be found on http://www.onlinepinball.net/.

The color code for the gameplay diagrams below:

Wall-e Pinball

Jurassic Pinball

Original Hardcore

 Dragon Crystal Pinball

Us vs. It iterative tuning

Robot info:
10 HP
7 action points, (6 under 7 HP, 5 under 4 HP)

Robot Action List:

Laser
Rotate
Rotate
Mine
Move
Move
Fist

Laser
Trigger: every turn
Damage: 0, 0, 0, 2, 1, 1, 1.

Rotate
Trigger: If attacked, turn towards attacker, if not attacked or under 4 hit points, turn towards goal.

Mine
Trigger: If under 7 HP, and there are no other mines on the board, drop a mine.
Damage: 1 on all squares, 3 on epicenter.

Move
Trigger: Every turn.

Fist
Trigger: Every turn.
Damage: 2 in front or diagonally in front, 0 if directly behind, 1 everywhere else.

Tank info:
4 HP
2 action points
Max speed 2 (1 under 3 HP)

Game Design Doc Assignment

My 1500-word game design doc (draft 1, I'll clean it up soon...).

This isn't finished - I have yet to really justify labeling it as belonging to the claimed sub-sub-genre, for example, or designate an ideal soundtrack/songsmith - but I'll post what I have and update changes as I'm able:

1) Write a high concept statement: a few sentences that give a general flavor of the game. You can make references to other games, movies, book, or any other media if your game contains simlar characters actions or ideas

An epidemic spreads exponentially through a quarantined office building. The player must, at the very least, not succumb to the disease and escape the building alive. At best, he is trying to destroy the disease and save the lives of as many of the building's population as possible, as well as resolve whichever of the dramatic scenarios he's undertaken at the game's outset, i.e., retrieve her son from the building's childcare facility, his pregnant wife, stuck in one of the building's disabled elevators, etc.

2) What is the player’s role? Is the player pretending to be someone or something, and if so what? Is there more than one? How does the player’s role help to define the gameplay?

The setting is very "real-world", as are the character options. The player chooses their role at the game's outset. The player's choice of character determines what dramatic elements the game will entail, such as story goals and relationships, as well as what the player will be physically and socially capable of within the game. For example, if the player chooses to play the role of a child character, their strength, height, appearance and immune system will determine gameplay options when faced with certain challenges: they won't be able to force open doors but will be able to crawl through air ducts, provided they devise a way to reach them if they're near the ceiling; they will be treated protectively - or be taken advantage of - by non-player characters with those respective attitudes towards children; and they will have more - or less - resistance to the illness depending on it's nature, which will vary from game to game.










3) Does the game have an avatar or other key character? Describe him/her/it.

The game is first person. The character's appearance depends upon their choice of roles and will be apparent in the game's reflective surfaces.

Answers pending:





4) What is the nature of the gameplay, in general terms? What kinds of challenges will the player face? What kinds of actions will the player take to oercome them?
5) What is the player’s interaction model? Omnipresent? Through an avatar? Something else? Some combination?
6) What is the game’s primary camera model? How will the player view the game’s world on the screen? Will there be more than one perspective?
7) Does the game fall into an existing genre? If so, which one?
8) Is the game competitive, cooperative, team-based or single player? If multiple players are allowed are they using the same machine with separate controls or different machines over a network?
9) Why would anyone want to play this game? Who is the game’s target audiencde? What characteristics distinguise them from the mass of players in general?
10) What machine or machines is the game intended to run on? Can it make use of or will it require any particular hardware such as dance mats or a camera?
11) What is the game’s setting? Where does it take place?
12) Will the game be broken into levels? What might be the victory condition for a typical level?13) Does the game have a narrative or story as it goes along? Summarize the plot in a sentence or two.

Video Game Cultural Studies Evaluation:

Tempest

Released October, 1981.

The game is a tube shooter, a type of shoot 'em up where the environment is fixed and viewed from a three-dimensional perspective.

The arcade interface used a trackball.

I can play for two minutes without being defeated.

The gameplay is random.

The game was published by Atari.

From Doteaters:

The arcade game made a TV appearance as a permanent prop on NBC's popular sitcom "Silver Spoons", which debuted in September 1983.

Centipede

Released in 1980.

The game is a vertically-oriented shoot 'em up arcade game.

The arcade interface used a trackball for movement and buttons for firing.

I can play for five minutes without being defeated.

The gameplay is random.

The game was published by Atari.

From Doteaters:

Over an illustrious 16 year career at Atari, Ed Logg created some of their more memorable arcade games, including Centipede (with Donna Bailey), Millipede, Gauntlet, Gauntlet II, XYbots, and Steel Talons.

Adventure

Released in 1979.

It was considered the first action-adventure game.

The interface was a joystick (on the 2600 - I'm not sure if there was an arcade version of this game).

I can play for two minutes without being defeated.

The gameplay is patterned.

The game was published by Atari.

From Wikipedia:

At the time of the game's creation Atari did not credit any of its authors for their work. Robinett included a hidden message in the game identifying himself as the creator, thus creating one of the earliest known Easter eggs in a video game. According to Warren, a young player from Salt Lake City, Utah first discovered the easter egg and wrote in to Atari regarding it.

Yar's Revenge

Released in 1981 for the 2600.

It was a (side-view?) shooter.

Not sure about the original interface.

I can play for less than a minute without being defeated.

The gameplay is random.

The game was published by Atari.

From Wikipedia:

As with several other video games for the 2600 system, a miniature comic book was included in the game package, illustrating the story behind Yars' Revenge. The comic book explained the "revenge" of the game's title: that the Yars were avenging the destruction of one of their worlds, Razak IV. The Yar race and the planet Razak were named after Ray Kassar, CEO of Atari at the time. Atari also released an album, under the label Kid Stuff Records, which contained a theme song and a radio drama-style reading of an expansion of the story in the comic book. A different, 7" recording explained the tragedy that revealed that a Yar could use himself to target the Zorlon Cannon rather than eating from the barrier. Both recordings were produced by John Braden.

Gravitar

Released in 1982 then ported to the 2600, originally just for members of the Atari fan club.

It was a shooter.

The original interface had five buttons.

I can play for about thirty seconds.

The gameplay is random. It's a vector-based game.

It was published by Atari.

From Wikipedia:  

Gravitar wasn't very popular. Many existing arcade machines were converted to Black Widow, which utilized the same hardware. Its only port was to the Atari 2600. Originally, it was only offered to members of the Atari Fan Club, but in the late 80s, when Atari was attempting to revive the Atari 2600, it was released to the public. During that time, the games had a red label, whereas the previous version had a silver label. Because the silver label version was released only to Atari Club members, it was harder to find than the red label version. Today, the silver label version is considered a collectors item.

Crystal Castles

Released in 1983.

It was a maulti-level, maze navigating, hunter-gatherer.

Not sure about the original interface.

I can play for a couple minutes before getting killed.

The gameplay is patterned.

It was published by Atari.

From Wikipedia:

Crystal Castles is also notable for being one of the first arcade games with an actual ending, whereas most games of the time either continued indefinitely, ended in what was termed a "kill screen" (a level which was impossible to complete and resulted in the player losing all his 'lives') or simply just restarted from the first level.