Wayne - Work Links

Assignment 1 and 2: Unit 22 / 72
(Done on Paper)

Assignment 1 : Unit 20

http://tomgamesdesign.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/game-platforms.html

Assignment 2 : Unit 20
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1chWIBdm7gdd_oKe8jDjNcaBj-Ub3WTbZ5wXEoo42stc/edit?usp=sharing

Assignment 3 : Unit 20
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B78eRKNPF97rbklGSnBCNC13TkE/view

Assignment 1: Unit 74
http://tomgamesdesign.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/unstoppable-analysis.html

Assignment 2: Unit 74

The story script: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13OyKnxm_aLOHQVd_ZoN2K444Q9OGl6c3y2zFzOyFSqA/edit?usp=sharing
The powerpoint:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B78eRKNPF97rR2oxekpkNmc2b2s/view?usp=sharing

Wayne Story (Righteous Guardians )

Here is a link to the story created by me and Ryan: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B78eRKNPF97rR2oxekpkNmc2b2s/view?usp=sharing

Wayne Game Conversions

Here's the link to the two tasks for mobile and web browser game conversions: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B78eRKNPF97rbklGSnBCNC13TkE/view?usp=sharing

Game Platforms

There are many popular platforms out in the world today from big companies like Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. Most notably the mobile phone and the consoles Xbox One and Playstation 4. But some of them are not as popular for various reasons and in this blog I will explain why.

First of all the graphical capabilities. Every platform has a way to generate graphics and aesthetics but some do it better and others worse. For example, both the Playstation 4 and the Xbox One use a semi-custom built AMD GCN Radeon that is integrated into their processors. This is a great graphics card that's small enough to fit into the console without taking up too much room, this means however that it's weaker, but not weaker than other platforms. The graphics card in the Nintendo Wii is around 35% weaker than the two above which means that the games don't look amazing, but are still good. Smaller platforms like the Playstation Vita and the everyday mobile phone also have weaker graphical capabilities due to the size of the card that it can hold. The Playstation Vita is aral the size of two hands and contains a Quad-core PowerVR SGX MP4+. This is a good graphics card capable of working with DirectX, OpenGL and 3D rendering. The reason that AAA games in their natural form are not on smaller devices like the Playstation Vita and mobile phones is because they don't have the graphical capabilities needed to play them as well as the processing power and RAM. Because of this, some developers choose to release a smaller version of the game that can run on smaller devices. These are usually a different genre of the same game or the same game but with parts taken out.

Next, their sizes. Every console has a distinct shape and size that all revolve around a large rectangle. But aren't easily portable and can be a pain to carry around with you. Even if you can carry them you can't use them without a power source and a form of display. This is where the Playstation portables, mobile phones and other handheld devices come in. The Playstation Portable/Vita is nearly the size of your hands and comes with its own power source which allows it to be played on the go. Both of Playstation's portable devices do the job, but the newer 'Vita' is better in most way including the addition of touchscreen. The mobile phone is usually nearly the size of one hand and comes with a power source like the Playstation devices, allowing for use when travelling. The mobile phone is the better choice for playing games as there are over 750,000 free games available to download, so you're sure to find something you like regardless of your age. However, these games aren't as 'well-made' as games for other platforms are. The Playstation Vita has a good variety of game sequels that are popular in the world. This meant that the sales for these games were high above others for the platform.

Another factor is the processing power. Every platform has a processor that loads games, apps and the operating system in general, but some are weaker for different reasons. The Playstation 4 and the Xbox One both have custom/semi-custom built 8-core processors that run at around 1.7Ghz each. This means that they are able to control multiple programs at once with a speed-to-core ratio that's pretty good. However the Wii's "IBM Broadway" is a single-core 700Mhz processor that is said to be derived from the architecture in the Gamecube, but 50% faster. Compared to the consoles above, it's pretty weak, but people still find a lot of enjoyment from the console due to it's selection of family and party games available. In the Playstation Vita they use a quad-core 800Mhz (Up to 2Ghz if over-clocked) ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore. Though similar to the Wii's processor, it is capable of better graphics and thus, better quality games.

Then there is the memory or "RAM". Every platform has this too but some contain more than others. The Playstation 4 has 8GB of GDDR5 RAM - the best available for consoles - aswell as 256MB of DDR3 RAM for background tasks. Whereas the Xbox One only has 8GB of DDR3, and only 5GB of that is used for the games. The Wii meanwhile, has only 91MB of GDDR3 SDRAM. This is not meant for big, intense games as it handles the games available well. The Playstation Vita has 512MB of RAM and has 128MB of VRAM which helps with graphical frame buffering.

Now onto storage. Every platform has storage for games and their data, but some have tons and some only have a little. The Playstation 4 has a base total of 500GB of space which can be upgraded to higher amounts and is also compatible with SSD's which can increase loading speeds of everything installed on it. The Xbox One has a 500GB hard drive like the PS4, but instead cannot be upgraded and hasn't got SSD compatibility. The Wii doesn't have any hard drives, however you are able to expand its flash storage upto 32GB through SD cards. These SD cards can be used to download small games and to save game data. The Playstation Vita has 1GB of flash memory, however this can be upgraded to a max of 64GB through custom made Playstation SD cards.

Finally, the games. Every console has games; some have a very high amount of them, some a very low amount. It's hard to tell exactly how many games each console has but I will estimate a rough amount. The Playstation 4 has roughly 450 games available right now which isn't bad considering it was only released in late 2013. These games once downloaded to a certain amount, can be played whilst still downloading. You are also able to access your game library from any Playstation 4 in the world. The Xbox One has roughly 350 games, which is significantly lower than the Playstation 4. The games once downloaded to a certain amount can be played the same way that the Playstation 4 can. The Wii has roughly 1350 games available, which is three times as many games as the Playstation 4. There is no way to play games whilst they're downloading like the new consoles can. However, the Wii does have backwards compatibility that lets you play Game Cube games. The Playstation Vita has roughly 960 games available, which is over double the Playstation 4's amount. The device is also backwards compatible with games from its predecessor the Playstation Portable.

All devices I have talked about are successors to an original platform. The Playstation 4 has had three consoles before it, each one getting better and better as the years went on. The Xbox One has had two consoles before it that have improved overall with every upgrade. The Wii is not part of a series but has evolved from the Nintendo Game Cube. It also has a successor called the "Wii U" which includes a touch screen gamepad and slightly better hardware overall. The Playstation Vita has had only one portable console before it which didn't have touchscreen and had slightly worse hardware.

Some of the consoles in general have unique features. The Playstation 4 has the capability to produce great game graphics and has a touchpad on the controller. The Xbox One feels like a computer in that everything you want can be found easily and it's easy to swap to another program like Skype. The Wii has a handheld pointing device that can detect movement and implement them into games. The Playstation Vita has touchscreen which improves the portable gaming experience.

Unstoppable Analysis

What genre would you choose for the game?
If I was to create a game based on the movie “Unstoppable” it would be an ‘Endless Runner’ type-game in which the player needs to move trains onto other tracks before the fast and unstoppable train hits them. The inspiration comes from the mobile game "2 Cars" in which the player needs to move two cars at one whilst hitting circles and avoiding squares. The game tests your coordination and reaction time. In my game, the longer you survive the faster the train gets and your reactions need to be. I feel a train that can’t stop and will travel forever fits the Endless Runner genre well. This genre also allows for high replay-ability where the player can upgrade and buy skills such as slowdowns and reduced amount of cars which can be used when collected to help you survive longer, and get a better score.

Is the movie based on anything?

The movie Unstoppable isn't based on a book but it is inspired from the CSX 8888 incident in which an unmanned runaway train containing hazardous chemicals traveled across Ohio at 82km/h.

Who are the main characters?

The main characters in the movie are veteran railroad engineer Frank Barnes (played by Denzel Washington) and young train conductor Will Colson (played by Chris Pine) who are the people who coupled onto the trains’ last car in the final attempt to stop it.

Who are the side characters?

The majority of people in the movie are side characters such as:

• Connie Hooper, the train yardmaster who helps Frank and Will throughout the incident
• Ned Oldham, the railroad lead welder
• Dewey, the hostler who accidentally starts the disaster
• Oscar Galvin, the vice-president of AWVR train operations
• Scott Werner, the FRA inspector who helps Frank, Will, and Connie
• Bunny, the railroad operations dispatcher
• Gilleece, Dewey's friend who helps him stop the train
• Darcy Colson, the main character Will's estranged wife
• Jesse Colson, the main character Will's brother who helps him with his family situation
• Judd Stewart, the veteran engineer who dies in an attempt to slow the train
• Groundman, the railroad ground specialist
• Maya and Nicole Barnes, the main character Frank's daughters who work at Hooters
• Ryan Scott, the US Marine veteran who attempts to board the train from a helicopter
• Aisha Hinds, the Railroad Safety Campaign Coordinator on a train heading into the runaway.

What are the emotional themes?

The central themes of the movie are family and loss. Family is shown as being very important in that the main characters reflect on them before they go on their life or death train stopping attempt and fight to live so that they can turn their lives around. Loss is shown in the various failed attempts to stop the train. For example, "Judd Stewart" another veteran train engineer, dies in his attempt to stop the train from the front. Frank's also talks about how his wife died of cancer years before. Trust is also a silent theme throughout the movie, regarding Will's family problem. He lost his wife Darcy Colson for not trusting her and later down the line Frank asks him if he trusts him in his decisions for evading the train and in stopping it. It feels as though he trusts Frank in his decision because of his years of experience, but also because the last time he didn't trust someone he lost them. Because of this him and Frank manage to stop the train and become good friends.

What are the characters motivations? 
Frank Barnes as a person is always focused on the job, doing it right and avoiding mistakes and even though his concerns and problems aren't really shown during the film, he does talk about a few main things. One of his problems that we see throughout the movie is that many new young people are taking away jobs like his and he has already been issued an early retirement to make the job available faster. He also has a family problem involving his daughters working at a bar called "Hooters" in order to pay for college, so money is an important role in their life at the point in life the movie's set in, and with Frank about to lose his job, it will become more of a problem. So he continues to work as a train engineer in order to help with their payment.

Will Colson is a young conductor who has just started working and is partnered with Frank Barnes. He too has family problems, but instead with his wife. He saw her texting and asked who it was, she said no one and so he went to her cop friend assuming she was having an affair with him. When he gets there to talk to him he points a gun to his head and told him to stay away. He then gets a restraining order against him that stops him having contact with his wife and child. Because of this he gets a job as a train conductor in a small attempt to make things right. Later on, he chases after the runaway train with Frank and has to complete a dangerous task in order to stop it, which - if completed - could redeem him.

What is the relationship between the two main characters?
At the start of the movie Will and Frank dislike each other. Frank doesn't like Will because he's one of the people taking his and his friends jobs, and Will doesn't like Frank because he's forced to work with an old person and throughout the movie Frank advises him even though he is the boss. When the train is on the tracks and they don't know, the two men talk about their current problems. The main advise comes from Frank who tells Will that he needs to call his estranged wife Darcy and attempt to fix his family problems. When the duo stop the train and save the city they become good friends. This is because the event has forced them to work together in a dangerous task as well as trust each other. When Darcy saw Will fighting for his life between two carriages on television she felt a what it would be like to lose him, so when he lived. She was ready to forgive him and get back together.

What is the plot of the movie?
Hostlers Dewey (Ethan Suplee) and Gilleece (T. J. Miller) are in charge of moving a train from the main line to another. He sets the trains dynamic brakes and jumps off to throw a misaligned rail switch. As he does this the train shifts itself into full power and heads unmanned down the mainline at high-speed. On the other end of the line Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington) a veteran railroad engineer oversees his freshly hired conductor Will Colson (Chris Pine) as they run a train from Pennsylvania. Their job is to pick up twenty cars from a zinc processing facility.

Meanwhile down the track, yardmaster Connie Hooper (Rosario Dawson) orders Dewey and Gilleece to attempt to board the train and stop it, but just as Gilleece tries they hit a railroad signal and fail. When the vice-president Oscar Galvin (Kevin Dunn) hears about the runaway train he asks all railroads to be more secure until a plan is formed. The plot thickens when safety inspector Scott Werner (Kevin Corrigan) alerts them that molten phenol carried on board is highly explosive and will decimate an entire city, or more. When Connie hears this she suggests derailing the train at an upcoming unpopulated farmland so that no one gets hurt. Galvin rejects this idea as he cares more about the cost for his company than he does the lives of innocent people. Instead he decides to let veteran Judd Stewart (David Warshofsky) slow the train down at the front so that U.S. Marine Ryan Scott (Ryan Ahern) can rappel down from a helicopter and take control of the train. The plan goes well until Judd loses control of power and the runaway begins to shove him off the track. These shoves cause Ryan to crash through a carriage window almost killing him and eventually throws Judd from the track which kills him. But the horror doesn't end there, as Connie and the team realise the train is heading to a part of track named "Devil's Curve" at which the train won't be able to slow down and will derail causing a disaster that will decimate the city and more.

Meanwhile on the other end, Frank and Will avoid the train by pulling into a nearby Repair-in-place track. However, due to a mistake Will made earlier with how many carriages he attached, the train smashed through the last carriage. As the train passes, Frank notices that the train has an open knuckle that they could hook up to and stop the train. But Oscar hears this and threatens to fire the men if they try, but they go anyway. Oscar then decides to use a derailer on the train before it reaches Arklow. Frank informs Oscar that the train is too heavy and too fast for the derailer to work but Oscar ignores advice again. Before they attempt to derail the train the police try to hit the fuel shutoff button in between two diesel tanks but fail due to missing and worries over hitting the tanks. They then try the derailer plan and just like Frank said, it failed, so Oscar is left with no choice but to rely on Frank and Will.

Finally Frank and Will catch up to the train for the final stop attempt. The attach themselves to the back and begin slowing it down, but it still travels too fast. Frank, in attempt to slow it down further, jumps from carriage to carriage engaging each manual brakes until he is met with a carriage he can't get past, but luckily the speed is just low enough to make is round the curve. The men then realise that the train is getting dangerously close to the end of the line and will destroy and contaminate the yard at the end if not stopped. Just as it looks like they have no chance, Ned arrives in his truck and pulls up next to the line to take Will from the back to the front and stops the train. Will, Frank and Ned are then celebrated as heroes and the two main characters are reunited with their families.

When is the start, middle and end of the movie?
The start of the movie begins when the main character Will arrives at the train yard for his day on the job looking for Frank. This is where the main characters first meet and the story starts. The middle or plot start begins when a hostler named Dewey is moving the train to a different track. When he does this he sets the dynamic braking and gets off to throw a misaligned rail switch. As he does this the train shifts itself into full power and heads unmanned down the mainline. The end of the movie begins when the train is successfully stopped and the two main characters are taken off the train by safety teams. This is where the plot ends and the cliche "hero gets the girl" part happens.

Unit 73/P1 - Music and Sound

List a range of music/FX sources

You can get music and/or sound effects from stock libraries such as: SoundCloud, Incompetech, SoundBible and FreeSFX. You could hire someone to do it for you like a friend or freelancer, or even create it yourself using programs like Audacity, Adobe Audition or Reaper.

Explain the purpose of game music
The music used in video games can have various effects on the player that invokes emotions. The most common placement in games are during the reveal of new enemies or locations.

In Dark Souls, the mood for the game is dark, lonely and sad. There's no music during exploration and travel, which adds to the empty and lonely feel of the world. During some of the boss fights in the game, fast strings (which are iconic from movies like "Psycho") are played to symbolize horror, terror and fear which are feelings felt at each boss. But for one boss in the game that looks mysterious and sinister, slow strings and whispering is used to match those feelings. When the player is in safe zone, slow strings and harp plucks play to make the player feel more relaxed but there is still hints of sadness which reminds the player of the world around them.

In the games' epilogue, their are two endings; one that plays music and one that doesn't. The one that doesn't, involves you sacrificing yourself to keep whats left of mankind alive but has no music because it's a dull ending that doesn't make you feel good or bad about what you've done, you simply kill yourself. However, the ending that does have music involves you becoming the king in the upcoming world of darkness. When you do this you feel evil, powerful and like you've achieved something, and the brass instruments and choir singing that plays matches that. The music played during the end credits involves calm operatic sounds and a harp. This is played to simply let you think about everything that's happened and makes you think about the empty world you were just apart of as well as what could happen next.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a single-player story game in which you play as a cyborg that confronts a private military company intent on changing the world for their own gain. The game makes you feel powerful, heroic and awesome. Music is played throughout the games; linear storyline and is heard most during the intense and action-packed boss fights. Towards the end of the talking before most of the boss fights, music starts playing slowly and gets faster and faster as the talking continues until they eventually fight at a high speed tempo. This rise in tempo is used to build tension and the fast music is used to match the fast-paced action in the fights. The songs played for the boss fights also have lyrics relating to the kind of person the enemy is which helps the player to understand what they are 'fighting' for.

In Portal 2, the mood for the game is mysterious and lonely. The robotic/futuristic music in the game is similar to the two games above in terms of techniques used but also has the addition of interactive music and sounds. Throughout the game there are various interactions the player can have that will affect the music playing. For example, when a laser is constantly fired from a mechanism in the wall it plays at a normal volume, but getting closer increases it and moving away decreases it. There are also clever interactions with the sounds played when using things in the game. An example of this is when you use orange gel that makes you run faster. Whilst you are on running on it the music speeds up and when you stop running it slows down. Another use of interactive sound is when jumping on blue gel that helps you to jump higher. The music that plays here is mysterious, futuristic and minimalistic, but colliding with the gel adds another level of sound that completes the music. By running along the orange gel and into the blue gel, you are technically able to create your own music.

What are the legal considerations needed when obtaining or using Music/FX?
If you want to use someone elses music or sounds, then you need to ask permission from the creator and credit them in some way, either with money or by naming them in the game.

If you use sounds or music that are too similar to another or include parts of their sounds/music then you might get in trouble for copyright.

A working contract would be the best way to allow the use of sounds/music. They simply need to sign it and the trade is allowed.

Psychology of Sound

What is Foley?
Foley is the reproduction of everyday sound effects such as footsteps and breaking glass. They are often added to film, video and other media in order to enhance the audio experience. Without these noises media would feel unnatural and uncomfortable.

Three games/movies that use sound as information
Blade and Soul
This Korean-made open-world MMO game uses speech that can be recognised as Korean without the uses of images. The oriental music fits with the Japanese styled aesthetic and is iconic as the instruments that make it oriental are used in various other Japanese games of the same genre.

Lost
This american TV series uses foley in order to create moods and feelings that are invoked in the viewer/hearer. For example, in one episode they played gentle yet tense music during heavy rain just before one of the main characters was accidentally killed.

Dark Souls
This Japanese open-world game uses orchestral music to symbolise the visuals for the area of the game you are in. For example, the first threatening boss you meet in the game looks hideous, scary and brutal, and the music that plays during it - in my opinion - fits that description in every way. The game also uses foley for some of the sounds used in-game like the blacksmiths hitting the anvil and swords clashing against each other.

Sound for Computer Games

Dark Souls - Taurus Demon Theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzWFWCH_lTE

The game developer might have chose this powerful and dark orchestral music to invoke feelings of fear and to scare the player. It is played during the first boss fight against a huge monstrous enemy on a narrow bridge. I felt fearful and tense when I heard this soundtrack at the encounter. I think that this song fits what I felt perfectly.

Warframe - Main Theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCfWB0IFaMg

The game developer might have chose this tribal music to invoke feelings of fast-paced action and/or survival. It is played during random missions in the game when combat begins. I felt calm yet fearful whilst hearing this soundtrack. I think that this song fits what I felt nearly perfectly in relation to the race you play in-game.

Metro 2033 - Main Menu Theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO5vBMQ5jCw

The game developer might have chose this guitar music to invoke feelings of loneliness and sorrow. It is played on the menu before you start the game; probably to set the mood for the game which - for the most part - you are alone. I felt sad before the game and empathetic when the game started. I think that this song fits the scenario that the game is set in really well and got me in the best mood for the game.

Fractal - Level Soundtrack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AnJVKypUiI

The game developer might have chose this electronic music to uplift you during the game. The music uses some sounds found in-game. It is played during the game along with various other similar tracks. I felt uplifted and jubilant whilst hearing this soundtrack. I think that this song fits what I felt near perfectly in the context.

Blade and Soul - Login Menu Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfp8u7YurXo

The game developer might have chose this oriental music to uplift you and to symbolise a journey. The music is played at the login menu screen before you start the game. I felt uplifted, intrigued, primed and ready for a journey whilst hearing this soundtrack. The feeling of a journey could be because the game is set in a huge open world. I think that this song sits what I felt perfectly for the games context.

Why is music and sound FX so important within games development?
Music and SFX are important to game development as they invoke emotions that give the player the best experience required for the game. In game development, audio can be used for various reasons. For example, ambient music would be added for slow period in the game where the music aims to set the mood and setting. Music is also used for in-game events such as picking up items or hitting enemies.

What is waveform, (wavelength, amplitude, frequency); pitch; Hertz (Hz); decibel level (dB); sound generator (loudspeaker)?
A Waveform is the shape of a wave as it travels, the most common being the curved "Sine Wave". They are not visible without a special device. A wavelength is the length of the shortest repeating part of a "sine wave". The amplitude of a wave is a measure of how big its vibration is. Frequency is how often an event, such as a wave vibration, repeats itself over a set amount of time. The pitch means how high or low a note is. The hertz (Hz) is a unit of time that measure frequency. It shows how often something happens. A decibel (dB) measures ratios of power or intensity. In other words, it measures the volume of a sound. A sound generator like a speaker converts radio waves like the "Sine Wave" into sounds which are played at higher decibels.

What is Foley?
Foley is the reproduction of everyday sound effects such as footsteps and breaking glass. They are often added to film, video and other media in order to enhance the audio experience. Without these noises media would feel unnatural and uncomfortable.

What is Timbre?
Timbre is the quality of sound. It is what makes two musical instruments sound different from each other, even when each instrument plays the same musical note.

Top 10 Games

1. Bulletstorm - This game has a story in which the main protagonist seeks revenge for being forced to kill good people and so, crashes his ship into a planet full of mutants in a failed attempt to kill him.
2. Dark Souls 1 - This game has a simple story in which the main protagonist must prevent the age of darkness by sacrificing their soul to the first flame in existence.
3. Blade and Soul - This game has a story in which the main protagonist seeks revenge on the people that murdered everyone they know. 
4. Warframe - This game has a story in which the main protagonists, ancient warriors known as the "Tenno", have awoken from cryosleep during a planetary war and must fight back.
5. Binding of Isaac: Rebirth - This game has a story in which the main protagonist Isaac escapes from his overly-christian mother who is asked by god to kill him.
6. Magicka: Wizard Wars - This game has no story and simply involves wizards fighting each other.
7. Smite - This game has no story and simply involves gods from all pantheons battling.
8. Gauntlet: Legends - This game has a story in which a mage called Garm summoned the demon Skorne who then imprisoned his soul in the underworld and so, the main protagonist must fight through a tough gauntlet to save him.
9. One Finger Death Punch - This game has no story and simply involves fighting endless amounts of enemies in fast-paced strategic combat.
10. Metro 2033 - This game has a story in which the main protagonist Artyom must make his way across a post-apocalyptic Moscow to destroy the base to an alien race called the "Dark Ones".

Nearly every game in existence has some kind of story, whether it's very simple or incredibly complex, it's there. Though there are some games that have no story whatsoever. Here are a few examples:

     Tetris (Puzzle)

     Worms Series (Action-Strategy)

     Wii Sports and Wii Play (Sports/Party)

     Monster Hunter (Action-RPG)

     Zynga Poker (Card/Poker)

When creating a game the developer will look for a balance between story and gameplay. If a game has very fun and addictive gameplay then a story might not be required. But a game that has hardly any fun gameplay elements might need a good story to save it from failing. The most common genre to have no story are puzzle games as their core is gameplay and a story isn't important. These kinds of games are commonly played by middle-aged women during breaks at work or at many different times at home, though people of other ages have been known to play them too. The main reason that people play puzzle games is for the competitive elements. Friends who play the same game will feel obligated to get to a higher level than the other and thus have the potential to play the game for several hours per day.

P2 - Concept Art

Wayne’s brief

Create a Platform game for the students to play. The main character of this game ‘Max’ has to move from level to level dodging enemies which block his way whilst collecting gold. Max gets score from collecting gold and has to collect certain items to unlock the next levels. This is a platform game so I would expect Max to be able to jump over obstacles and enemies.

My brief

The character of my game will be a Caucasian male called Max. Though, I could have made them female and called them Maxine if I wanted too. My game will be a unique drop-down styled platformer which has five 960 x 416 levels, each one getting progressively more difficult as you go down. There will also be two types of bonus loot to collect in the form of gold bars and diamonds. I will make objects for each solid object in my game as well as an invisible object which be used to block off certain areas. For sprites I will make them in a PNG format and apply them to every object in my game and I could possibly make more if I have time to add animations. I will also make my game on “GameMaker” as it is free from the South Leicestershire College facilities.

I have made sure that my sprites are original and not similar to others, my game will contain mild violence relative to the age that I’ve decided on. I have used the “cel-shaded” art style for these sprites….

Design Specification for the Maze game

Customer

What does the customer want?

The customer wants an educational-maths game with GCSE grade C level questions in the Maze genre

What does the design brief say?

The main character of this game ‘Brainbox’ has to move from level to level solving increasing difficult maths based problems. Each level should show a different maths problem and the level of the maths problem should be GCSE grade C Mathematics.

Who is the target audience?

The target audience for the game will be GCSE maths students who want to revise.

Development

What sprites do we need?

I will need to make sprites for the main character “Brainbox”, the enemies “Mathia”, the walls, the hacking terminals and the maths screen.

What sounds do we need?

I will need 1920-inspired royalty-free soft jazz music.

How many levels do we want?

I will need to create 5 levels, each one getting progressively harder.

What other elements do we want?

I will need to create up to 10 maths problems, 1 or 2 from each topic.

Management

What do we want to do by the end of this session?

25/11 - By the end of the session, I hope to have completed the design specification and started to generate ideas for the game.

How long do we have to create this game?

I have 4 weeks to create the game.

How can we break down the tasks in making a game?

I will make a list of tasks that need to be done and will put them into 4 groups for each of the 4 weeks.

Concept Design and Libel - Exercise

What is copyright law?

Copyright is simple the right to copy and is a law that gives the owner of content, the right to decide what other people can do with it. Copyright laws make it much easier for authors to use their work online as other people are only allowed to use it if the owner gives permission.

What is Libel?

Libel is “a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation”. In other words; defame or discrediting someone for work they’ve done.

How are female characters portrayed in games?

Women in video games are often portrayed as eye candy to persuade male gamers to buy games. They are also shown to be the "damsel in distress"

Generating Concept Art - Exercise

What are computer game graphics?

Computer game graphics are the way a game is displayed, not how it looks. A game could be presented in various ways. For example, a game could be made in a first/third-person, top-down, side-scrolling or simply 2D or 3D. There are also techniques that can be used such as: the lighting and shadows of objects, the animations of objects and maybe a heads up display.

What is graphics specification?

Client Needs


Audience


Thumbnail Sketching
Thumbnails are images that are of a smaller size than the original image. They allow more images to be displayed on a page. Search engines use image thumbnails to display more search results of the page.

Visual Style

Photorealism

Games that are designed to be as realistic as possible, whether fictional or non-fictional. Photorealism is difficult and time-consuming to create, and takes a lot of skill to get the textures and scaling of the world to look realistic.

Notable games that use photorealism include all of the Call Of Duty games, as well as the many Rockstar games.

Cel-Shaded

Designed to look like it was drawn by hand, and is used to represent a cartoon or comic book. Cel-shaded is primarily used by Japanese developers, in games such as Yu-Gi-Oh! and the Dragon Ball Z series.

Exaggerated

Games which are loosely based on Photorealism, but the style is modified, giving the graphics an overdone look. The graphics of the game can make it seem like it is not a serious game, because the characters are outrageously muscular, or features are not proportional, for example: large eyes. Japanese game developers also exaggerate the hair on their characters in anime games, such as Tekken.

Abstract

Games that use geometrical shapes and lines to create a unique visual style. Abstract does not take much skill to create compared to other styles. Abstract games can use both bright colours for fast-paced action, whilst others might use softer colours, which makes the player feel relaxed. An example of an Abstract art style designed game is Geometry Wars.

Military

Usually designed from first person perspective, military games simulate the physics and looks of a battlefield in a war. Characters are designed to look like soldiers, whether present, historic or futuristic. Medal of Honour is a Military game, set in Historic wars, and the more recent conflicts.

Composition

In the visual styles, in particular graphic design composition is the placement or arrangement of visual elements or ingredients in a work of art, as distinct from the subject of a work. It can also be thought of as the organization of the elements of art according to the principles of art. The term composition means 'putting together,' and can apply to any work of art, from music to writing to photography, that is arranged or put together using conscious thought

 

Typography

Typography is an artistic way of arranging words on a page and can involve both letters and symbols. A 'typographer' might select different fonts for each word...

Technical considerations

Compression

Files can be compressed into smaller folders using Zip File, which allows several different files to be placed into a small folder, which requires to be unzipped before any of the contents can be accessed. This feature makes sharing files through the internet or through a file sharing program, such as an FTP much quicker and simpler.

Optimisation

Optimizing an image file consists of saving the image as a suitable graphic
compression format. Saving an image as a PNG will reduce the file size without losing any data, therefore the photo file has been optimized.

File naming conventions

When you have multiple versions of a file, such as an object, different file names will be helpful in identifying which file name corresponds to each version. For example, a first draft of the main characters might be named "Main character V1.0" and a later version might have a slightly larger number in the name such as "Main character V1.11" because there are 11 different versions.

Documentation

Production Schedule

This is my weekly game production schedule:

Week 1: Complete all the documentation and research sprites/background ideas.

Week 2: Code the game and plan out the structure.

Week 3: Create sprites and backgrounds, and add them to the game.

Week 4: Fix any problems and add anything missing. Overall tidying up.

Moodboard

The moodboard for my game can be found at this web address:

http://puu.sh/cO7DK.png

Storyboard

The storyboard for my game can be found at this web address:

http://puu.sh/cPrCa.png

Budget Log

Material/Software etc.	Cost
Photoshop CS6	Free as part of SLC facilities Real life price £105 per annum.
GameMaker	Free online and from the SLC facilities. £509 if I wanted to make the game for more platforms.

Clearances

Independent Contractor Agreement

This Independent Contractor Agreement is made and entered into by and between, the musician and Tom Broughton.

1. Engagement of Services.

Contractor will provide Tom Broughton with background music.

2. Compensation.

Tom Broughton shall pay Contractor a flat fee of £50 as total compensation for the services described above. Payment shall be made as follows:

£50 due upon receipt of final product.

3. Independent Contractor Relationship. Contractor's relationship with Client will be that of an independent contractor, and nothing in this Agreement is intended to, or should be construed to, create a partnership, agency, joint venture, or employment relationship. Contractor will not be entitled under this Agreement to any of the benefits that Client may make available to its employees, including but not limited to group health insurance, life insurance, profit-sharing, retirement benefits, paid vacation, holidays or sick leave, or workers' compensation insurance. No part of Contractor's compensation will be subject to withholding by Client for the payment of any social security, federal, state or any other employee payroll taxes. Client will regularly report amounts paid to Contractor by filing a Form 1099-MISC with the Internal Revenue Service as required by law. Contractor may perform the services required by this Agreement at any place or location and at such times as Contractor shall determine. Contractor agrees to provide all tools and instrumentalities, if any, required to perform the services under this Agreement.

4. Ownership of Property. Contractor acknowledges and agrees that all documents produced by Contractor, including but not limited to memoranda, research notes, correspondence, emails, pleadings, and reports in the course of his work for Client, shall be the property of Client, and Contractor shall retain no ownership, interest, or rights therein.

5. Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the United States of America and by the laws of the State of Indiana. Each of the parties irrevocably consents to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of the federal and state courts located in Indiana, as applicable, for any matter arising out of or relating to this Agreement, except that in actions seeking to enforce any order or any judgment of such federal or state courts located in Indiana, such personal jurisdiction shall be nonexclusive.

6. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is held by a court of law to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) that provision shall be deemed amended to achieve as nearly as possible the same economic effect as the original provision, and (b) the legality, validity, and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall not be affected or impaired thereby.

7. Injunctive Relief for Breach. Contractor agrees that his obligations under this Agreement are of a unique character that gives them particular value; Contractor's breach of any of such obligations will result in irreparable and continuing damage to Client, for which there will be no adequate remedy at law; and, in the event of such breach, Client will be entitled to injunctive relief and/or a decree for specific performance, and such other and further relief as may be proper (including monetary damages if appropriate).

Agreed to this 12th day of November, 2014.

Contractor	Client
_______________________________	_______________________________
………………...	Tom Broughton

Health and Safety Checklist

PAT Test	/
No liquid near PC’s	/

Contingency plan

What can go wrong?	How to avoid the problem?
Losing your work, design or game itself	Create back-up copies on email/HD/USB
Hardware faults	Have back-up parts or a computer. Don’t touch the hardware