Exercise #6 - Flowlab IO

January 30th, 2014

Make a simple game with a background, surface and player character based on the startup tutorials in 'flow lab'

General Information:
In class, we got our first taste at game creation on a simple and accessible platform. We used an online web tool called Flowlab. It's a new and very helpful tool for anyone who wants to design a simple and playable online game. It doesn't require any knowledge of programming and is highly customizable. There are some default sprites and objects to start your game from. Each piece you build with is in the shape of a small square.

With Flowlab, users are allowed to create and customize sprites, add and link behaviors, as well as design the background and gameworld. Learning all of this can be done in a short period of time.

Personal Reaction:
I had a great time experimenting with Flowlab. I was happy to find out that there is a program basic enough to be used by a newcomer like me.

It was quite surprising how much time I allowed myself to spend on such a program. Using Flowlab gave me a great deal of inspiration into making games of this kind. It made me feel as if I could make anything as long as I dedicated the proper amount of time and effort into it. 

Through lots of trail and error, I'm very happy that I made something playable out of literally nothing but small pieces.

I don't think this is the last I'll see of Flowlab. I can see myself doing more than just the introductory lesson I've done today. With a little more time and creativity, I feel I can customize the basic sprites given to me and make something that more represents my style and views.

The Game:
Up There

I created a very simple sidescrolling game in Flowlab. I used the default sprites and objects to create a stage. I kept the game world very basic. I didn't design any aspects of the user interface; This is because the UI is for more advanced users. I decided to focus on the basics in the background and gameworld.

The objective of the game is to simply gain the coin at the end of the stage. To get there, the player must be able to jump without falling into the crevices.

Link to My Flowlab Game

List #2

Work due by 7th of February, 2014

Assigned
- Read Ch. 4-5
- Exercise #3: High Concept
- Exercise #4a: Game Appraisal 
- Exercise #4b: Video Game Excellence

- Exercise #5: Cartoon Network Game Creator

- Exercise #6: Flowlab IO

- Exercise #7: Emotional Tone Powerpoint

Personal
- Prototype Fighting Engine: PFE - Preparation
  - Program Type
  - Game Development Document 

Exercise #3 - High Concept Statement (Original Game Idea Paragraph)

January 17th, 2014* (Date Assigned)

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

My High Concept for Game:

General Mind Map for PFE (Incomplete Ver.)

My idea for an original video game is a 2D game in the fighting game genre called PFE (Prototype Fighting Engine). The fighting game will have all the elements of modern fighters. However, there will be differences in the style and mechanics in comparison to current fighting games.

The reason why I want the game to have 2D graphics is because I want this fighting game to go back to its roots. Nowadays, fighting games have fallen into the 3D trend, where character models and backgrounds are three dimensional. Aesthetically, I believe that 2D Games are just as visually pleasing and beautiful as 3D games.

PFE will have several elements similar to typical fighting games. The game will have multiple characters, stages, combos, super moves. What will be different about this game is how the game can be played. There will be super moves that can be gained in two different ways; Beginner and Expert modes. Before a match starts, the Player will be able to choose either mode. Specifically, beginner mode allows the Player to gain super meter (comeback mechanic) as they are attacked. Expert mode allows the Player to gain super meter as they are attacking/being aggressive. The purpose of this mechanic is to allow beginners a chance to succeed while simultaneously providing a mode that is accommodating for veteran and skilled players. Also, I'm hoping that the mode would allow more personality and diversity within the game.

Visually, I want this game to have clean and smooth looking sprites. Just because the game is 2D does not mean the sprites have to be of 8 bit quality. A good example of this would be games like Guilty Gear, Blazblue, or King of Fighters XIII. Another aesthetic component of this game with be that it will be darker. I believe fighting games are not respected as sometimes they are depicted as too cartoony. For PFE, I want it to be dark, cool, and serious. 

The players themselves can choose whoever they like. There will be a total of 5* selectable characters and a few unselectable characters. The unselectible character will either be secret bosses or the boss himself/herself.

As for the programs. These are what I'm planning to use at this stage:

Flash

Game Maker

MUGEN

King of Fighter's Style will be a huge insiration for this Project

Exercise #1 - Ball Game Assignment

January 10th, 2014* (Date Assigned)

Summary:

Originally, my first day of class was supposed to be this day. Unfortunately, I did not get to attend for various reasons. However, I did get to catch up and am now up to date. I just thought I would post the assignment that was originally due. 

I was very happy and excited to do this particular assignment because this is my first time ever making up a game idea for myself. I apologize if it comes off as overly boring or simple. Hopefully, as I develop in creativity and skills, I can be capable of developing more complex and interesting games. 

Assignment Description:

Ball Game Challenge 

Create a competitive game for two players and a ball that does not involve throwing it or kicking it.  Prove that it is a game by showing how it contains all the essential elements.

Game Title: Sprint Ball

Game Description: A simple game that requires two things. A ball and stamina. The preferred area of play is in a location the approximate size of a basketball court. This game requires a great deal of cardio as each round will require a sprint(s). The game goes as followed:

The game starts as the ball is placed directly in the middle of the arena. The players are facing opposite directions, with their backs turned toward one another and both are unable to see their opponent. In the middle of the two of them is the ball. The game officially starts when both players agree to sprint. The objective is to run to the end of the court and back to the ball in the middle. The first player to grab and hold the ball (past the waist) earns ten points. Winners are determined by being the first to gain 50 points (can be adjusted to 20-40 points for victory). 

However, after each round, the game changes from a symmetrical balance to an asymmetrical balance. The winner of each round is put at a disadvantage every time, as the winner loses two feet of ball space the following round.

Game Elements:

1) Play
- The player is fully in control of his/her fate. Their ability to outrun their opponent is essential to their success. In this game, the more athletically healthy and experienced runner should win. However, as the game goes on, the two foot ball gaps should obstruct the superior runner from achieving a 50-0 end score.
2) Pretending
- We imagine that the ball in the middle has some significance. The ball itself in this "magic circle" has a significance of ten points. 
3) Goals
- The goal in this game is simple. Be faster than your opponent.
- But at the same time remembering that you can't always be faster due to health limitations. You have to keep in mind the long-term goal of victory. Can the pace you set for the first game be met in the third or fourth? The game can be strategical in that one may even pace themselves one round, giving their opponent a great opportunity to steal a round, while one recovers and regains two feet of ball space in return.
4) Rules
- Basic Rules:
a) Requires 2 Players
b) Requires a Ball
c) Arena the size of a Basketball Court (preferred)
d)The Ball = 10 points.
e) The Winner of each round loses 2 Feet of Ball Space in their Opponent's Favor.
f) Termination Condition requires the Winner acquire 50 points before the Opponent can.

- Miscellaneous:
a) Additional Rules:
  - Ball Type is Adjustable; Preferred Lighter Weight.
  - The Arena can be bigger of smaller depending on preference. However, one might want to adjust the Two Foot Ball Space Handicap according to area.
  - Termination Condition Points can be adjusted due to average staminas.
 b) Other
  - No Late Starts, No False Starts.
  - Tie Rounds: (Where both Players grab the Ball at the same time) Results in both Players receiving ten points and NO Handicap to either side for the following round. Tie rounds also force the ball back to the middle of the arena regardless of previous advantage.
  - If a Game results in a score of 50-50, an Overall Tie, the game will then be decided by a Final                   Termination Round. This round is played as followed:
    - Both Players Start at the END of the court instead of being next to the ball.
    - First Player to grab the Ball earns a final 10 points to bring the score to 60-50.
    - If a Tie occurs in the Termination Round, both Players must play until there is a Winner.


Thoughts:

Originally, I didn't think I could make an applicable game with just a ball with no kicking or throwing. But, I learned that from a simple idea, you can come up with all sorts of options.

I just combined a few things that I knew I liked. I like to run on my free time so I thought that this game would be well suited for people who like to get in exercise in daily. I also decided that it should be competitive game because I've always liked how competition seemed to get me focused; how it helped make me lose myself in the game. I think the combination of exercise and competition as my goals ultimately helped me make a game in which, I believe, gives you the sensation of not realizing you are actually exercising. With that, I came up with a game called Sprint Ball.

My first idea I had with Sprint Ball revolved around possibly hiding it. Generally, everyone who plays games requiring a ball desires to possess it one way or another. I first thought of making the ball like a treasure. But, eventually I determined that I didn't want to make a hide and seek game at the moment because this was going to be my first game. Ultimately, I decided that I'd go really simple. 

So I just thought of having two people running really fast at the same object. The idea of running after the ball while simultaneously seeing your opponent do the same thing made the game more competitive to me. I was not too sure how applicable this game would be in real life but I liked how it sounded in my mind.

Lastly, During my thinking process, what I kept asking myself was how do I give the ball significance? In all the games I could think of, the ball has some sort of neutrality. I wanted the ball to be more than just neutral. For me, the ball needed to be positive but at the same time also be a curse. I really wanted there to be some penalty or handicap for grabbing it. So I made winning a round result in the Two Feet Ball Space Handicap. And because I integrated this idea, I think that it added a whole lot more strategy to an otherwise very simple game.

Truly, even now, I still  don't know how this game really turned out. But, as of right now, I'm happy that it's something that is mine and something that I created. The first game I've ever made.

List #1

WORK due by the 24th of January, 2014.

Assigned
- Read Ch. 3
- Paragraph Summary on Blogger
- Wikimedia Commons Image
- Updating and Emailing

Personal
- Review and Complete
 1) Items originally assigned on the 10th of January
   a) Check Insight Documents
- Find Program to prep for "Prototype"

Exercise #2 - Collaborative Chess - My First Day of Class

January 17th, 2014* (Date Attended)

David Cox's Game 100 (12PM-3:50PM)

This day was my first time attending the Game 100 - Introduction to Game Worlds class. This is also my first time ever being in a class that focused purely on video games. To put it very lightly, I'm excited... 

Unfortunately, I missed the first day of class due to being uninformed. As soon as I was informed, I did everything in my power to be there the second day. Thankfully, Mr. Cox (The Instructor) was incredibly welcoming and flexible. He allowed multiple students, including myself, to add into the class. Due to his adjustments, I am now able to attend the most interesting, pivotal, and most importantly applicable class in my life.

I should have been following my passion like this a LONG time ago.

Back to the point. The first day of class was the most important day of public education I have ever encountered. I was incredibly excited. The classroom seemed electric with motivation and true passion. I saw other people who loved video games just as much, if not more, than I do. My first day in class, I realized, "I'm home. I'm doing exactly what I should be doing."

More specifically, I learned more about video games in a condensed form than I ever could've imagined. It gives me great relief to hear the instructor himself has actually worked in the field in which he teaches. Mr. Cox taught us multiple techniques and values in those three hours and fifty minutes he gave us. He taught us the basics on the history of video games. We learned about what makes a video game good or bad; What makes a video game for that matter. He also discussed not disrespecting your player. Which is important!

After his presentation was over, he taught us how to use programs. More specifically, he taught us how to use a program called Freemind. Freemind is an excellent program because it visually depicts on screen the processes that typically go through a creative writer/thinker's mind. It taught me that an idea sprouts from a single idea and branches outward. It is incredibly important to utilize this program because it helps keep track of the connections within a story. Naturally, many creative writers can keep track of this in their own mind. Unfortunately for me, I am not that smart or talented. This program will definitely help me and be used in the future. I have already downloaded this program and am optimistic of its potential future use.

Now I realize that Mr. Cox's intentions on teaching us the program was to give us the ability to prototype our eventual future game. After we finished our mindmaps, he obliged us to share our ideas to the class. Many people in the class had amazing ideas much different from mine. It made me remember how diverse and unique we all are. And afterwords, we were asked to collaborate in teams with others with similar visions.

Ultimately, I ended up in a group with 5 people, really stretching the limits of groups. On average, most groups in class were of 2-3 persons. Oops. Consequentially, we learned a hard lesson that day.

We were assigned a group project called, "Collaborative Chess." The purpose of this project was to come up with a unique idea for a custom game of chess. The pieces could retain any properties we desired and we could place the pieces however we liked. It was an exciting prospect. I had never been more involved in any project in school like this. In our team was some very talented individuals. One team member suggested making the game's bjective be centered around getting all colored pieces to opposing sides. Another suggested creating obstacles in the center. We had really solid ideas I felt. But one very apparent problem came up. Time.

Time became a very serious factor because of our large group. We as a group made the mistake of using too much time discussing rather than doing. Ultimately, what ended up happening was that we were given five minutes to finish up. In these five minutes, we had to crunch time and quickly and efficiently choose a game type. We had to discard all previous ideas and take whatever idea suited best for the time we were given. We all felt if we had more time, the game would have come out better. However, we did our try our best for the time we had.

I learned many lessons from that mini project. If I ever want to work for a video game company, I must learn these key facts. Is that time is very much a factor. Crunch time in video games is a very real and prevalent thing that I must prepare for regularly; but hopefully can avoid. Another is that sometimes, too many ideas can be, not necessarily bad, but be an obstruction to true progress. Like they say, "too much thought but no action."

In summary, I learned a great deal about video games and lessons abut life itself. I am incredibly excited for this class. I feel that this is the first step. I'm finally following my heart with this class. And I feel like you can never go wrong living like that. I'm hoping that this class is the beginning of something beautiful for me.