Zombie Makeover Day!

It's been a while since I've posted, mainly because I've dropped some research in favor of jumping into actually creating my game. Without further ado, here's some of what I've been doing:

I'm making a zombie apocalypse game, so where are the zombies?! I searched Creative Commons and found a really nice drawing that would work for my zombie game pieces.

Isn't it cool how this...

...turned into these?

I needed to color code them as a part of their artificial intelligence, the way I'm making them move around the board and "chase" the player characters. The basics of that are six differently-colored pawns from another board game that correlate to 6 colored parts on a spinner wheel. The zombies all start from the middle of the board and head to a specific location (building) that's color-coded to match their color. Once the zombie gets there, the players spin the spinner and move the pawn, indicating the zombie's next target location.

I figured that the zombies' speed should be 3 spaces, since that is the average roll on a 6-sided die. The human players should move the zombies to their locations via the shortest route.

So yes, the players are responsible for moving their own character pieces as well as the zombie opponents around the board. It's a bit clunky and slow but so far it's the best I can come up with for a randomized way to make the zombies roam. It will probably take some further testing.

More on that in a few posts!

Capstone Research: Heny Ellington's "How to Design Educational Games and Simulations"

Today's research was about something different than the last few posts. Instead of researching theory about games and culture or the societal effects of video games, I read about when it is appropriate to design a new card, board, or role-playing game and some ways to go about it.

Ellington's article deals with creating a game for educational purposes, but the overall principles he writes about work for my zombie-themed board game as well.

In the first part of his article, Ellington makes the point that it is not always necessary to create a whole new game. He argues that sometimes it is more prudent and cost-effective to use a game that already exists or tweak another person's idea rather than start from scratch. This may be true in the realm of education, and could work in my case, however, the audience Ellington writes for is not getting a grade for their game.

Ellington writes that once the need for a new game is established, the content of the game should be chosen. He gives the example of a chemistry simulation for a science classroom in which students can better understand different types of chemical reactions as one possibility for game content. Ellington also mentions that game content may be much more broad and abstract. Things such as interpersonal skills, interpretation of the ideas of others, and decision making skills could be the focus of content for other games.

I already have my content chosen, but I could use Ellington's descriptions to fine-tune what I have brainstormed already and narrow some things down.

The next step in the process of game creation, according to Ellington, is choosing a format for the game. Ellington describes four main formats:

• Simple manual exercise: This type of game or simulation does not involve the use of cards, boards, or computers. The only materials needed are role assignment sheets and a sheet describing the objective(s) of the game. This is a role-playing exercise.
• Card game: This game or simulation involves the use of a specialized pack or packs of cards.
• Board game: In this type of game or simulation, players use a specially designed surface (game board).
• Computer-based exercise: This game or simulation involves the use of a computer. (Ellington describes it in some really old-school terms. This was published in 1987.)

In regards to these formats, Ellington writes, "In choosing the format for your exercise, your aim should be to decide which of the various possible formats would be best suited to serve as a vehicle for achieving your selected design outcomes, using the content that you have provisionally selected, and bearing in mind the constraints of your individual situation". Basically, Ellington is telling his colleagues to choose the game format that will best suit their content and goals, but not to get ahead of themselves in what they can do. He makes the point that no matter how much someone might like to make a computer game, if they do not have the knowledge or the programming skills to make one, it's not worth their time and effort to do so.

Ellington goes on to discuss different structures for how players interact and how gameplay will flow. He provides useful diagrams for each type of structure. Choosing this is the next step in creating a game.

Ellington also discusses prototyping, a step that I will definitely need to take before I make the final version of my game.

I learned a lot from this article and will definitely be referring back to it throughout this project.

Citation:

Ellington, Henry. "How to Design Educational Games and Simulations. Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 19." (1987): 1-19. Http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED289502.pdf. ERIC. Web. 24 Jan. 2011.

Capstone Research: Developing the "Gamer Disposition" by David C. Wyld

This time for research, I read David C. Wyld's article "Developing the 'Gamer Disposition': The Key to Training and Learning with the Digital Native Generation May be 'Serious Games'...Seriously". Wyld's article was published in Competition Forum in 2009.

Wyld's article opens with the fact that the video game industry has grown rapidly and at the time of publication was almost a $50 billion industry. A good chunk of this money goes towards the development and design of virtual worlds. Surprisingly, these virtual worlds are meant for children. Wyld, like Jindra (see last post) mentions that children and teenagers aren't the only age groups playing video games, but they are the demographic that spends the most time and money on video games.

This article mentions the term "digital natives" and says that today's youth are the epitome of the term. Children and teenagers now grew up with the internet and video games and know the lingo of computers, know their way around the Internet, and know how to pick up a new gadget and use it. Parents, educators, politicians and the like speak "DSL, or digital as a second language". (Sidenote: I personally found that reference funny, since DSL Internet connection is outdated, so that is a perfect term in more ways than one!) It shouldn't be surprising, then, if the likes and dislikes of the digital native generation help shape trends in digital technology and its marketing, kid-friendly virtual worlds not excluded.
(Sorry, you'll have to zoom in!)
The gist of my diminutive chart is that the names of sites going down the y-axis are different virtual worlds, ranging from Webkinz (a virtual pet site) and Club Penguin (a site where kids can deck out their penguin avatars) in the top two slots to Second Life, which is generally more for adults, in the bottom row. The numbers across the x-axis range from 0-6 and are in millions of users. Keep in mind that this data is from September of 2007, so in one month Webkinz got traffic from roughly 6 million users with Club Penguin a close second with over 4.5 million users. In one month. Second Life, the "grown-up" virtual world, had only 0.5 million users in that same span of time. The digital natives are winning.

Wyld's article mentions that while the digital native generation is perfectly at ease in virtual worlds and can even learn leadership and social skills in these worlds, they are bored and not doing well in their classrooms. There needs to be a way to make learning almost as fun as gaming. The military and medical fields use "simulations" for training--don't you dare call them games. According to the article, the Chief Officer for the U.S. Army Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation Program Executive Office said, "The word 'game' is not appropriate...". These are serious training methods done digitally.

The article concludes with a discussion of the "gamer disposition" mentioned in its title. The point is made that MMOs encourage leadership skills among groups as well as other skills that may be valuable in the workplace. Wyld cites the work of authors Brown and Thomas who defined the gamer disposition in an article from 2008. Brown and Thomas give a list of five characteristics of the gamer disposition:

1. Being bottom-line oriented.
2. Understanding the power of diversity.
3. Thriving on change.
4. Seeing learning as fun.
5. Marinating on the "edge" (seeking new ways of solving problems)

This type of employee, as described by Brown and Thomas, will be "flexible, resourceful, improvisational, eager for a quest, believers in meritocracy, foes of bureaucracy"...and have "exactly the disposition you should want in your work force".

Digital natives, then, seem to already have a head start on becoming this type of employee. Their tech-savvy way of life and domination of the U.S. virtual gaming market has them well equipped to develop the gamer disposition.

Citation:

Wyld, David C. "Developing the "Gamer Disposition": The Key to Training and Learning with the Digital Native Generation May Be "Serious Games"…Seriously." Competition Forum 7.2 (2009): 354-261. EBSCOhost. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.

Capstone Research: Michael Jindra's "Video Game Worlds"

I'm making a board game for my senior capstone project, but before I start I need to research game design, game development and testing, and games and culture to get some background information.

I just read Michael Jindra's article "Video Game Worlds" from the journal Society. The article was published in 2007 but its concepts are still true today.

In the article, Jindra reviews other non-fiction books about video games and culture and discusses how valid the other authors' arguments are. He even sets up a sort of debate in his article, and brings up opposing concepts from the books he read to show contrasting ideas.

Something Jindra spends a lot of time talking about is what another author, Edward Castronova, calls "synthetic worlds", the virtual universes of MMOs like World of Warcraft, SecondLife, and Everquest. Castronova, who coined the term synthetic worlds, seems to be in favor of them and the escapism they provide from the real world. According to Jindra, "In fact, he argues, most of the activities of the real world can be replicated in online societies. This, of course, is already happening for millions that already use MMOGs, but Castronova foresees a time when 'hundreds of millions' decamp into cyberspace".

One of Jindra's arguments against Castronova's support of synthetic worlds is the neglect for the real world that occurs when one is so caught up in a virtual world. Castronova mentions little about the player's mind, health and real social life deteriorating, and says that we as a society should make the virtual world a beautiful place that we want to spend time in. Jindra thinks this is backwards, and we should spend time on bettering the real world. The dangers of synthetic or virtual worlds are also discussed in the article in regards to dating and sex simulations that make a game out of infidelity.

If synthetic worlds impact people so negatively, why are they so popular? Jindra brings up the ideas of some other authors who explain that players have nearly unlimited control in virtual worlds. The feeling of power is something people love, and in synthetic worlds players can control anything from people (the Sims) to history (Civilization) or battle against other players and guilds for fame, money and glory (World of Warcraft and other fantasy MMOs). With this euphoric feeling of control, multiplayer games bring a second attractive element, the element of social interaction. No matter how superficial or fleeting these encounters may be, players feel less alone in their quest for domination. It's no fun to conquer the world alone, and players need allies, and sometimes enemies.

Another major discussion point in Jindra's article are the effects of video games on children. The article mentions that children are not the only age demographic playing, but they tend to play the most hours a day. Studies showed that young adults in college had dropped classes or gotten low grades because of hours spent playing video games. The article pointed out that the amount of hours played per day should be limited, and that parents should think before letting their young children play violent or graphic video games.

Citation:

Jindra, Michael. "Video Game Worlds." Society 44.4 (2007): 67-73. EBSCOhost. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.

Typography as Used in Hillman Curtis' Artist Series videos

I watched the videos about David Carson and Pentagram. Both of these videos were great and showed great work done by either one person (Carson) or a group of people (Pentagram).

Carson uses typography as art in his work. Legibility is not the highest priority for Carson. Instead, he uses words or clusters of words to accent the images. In the video, he talks about interpretation, and how he was criticized when working at Ray Gun magazine for doing his own thing based on his interpretation of the articles he read and the images he saw with them. In Carson's work, it seems like words are as valuable as images and can be part of the image instead of just a complement.

The video about Pentagram was interesting (after the company's long and complex genealogy). The examples of Pentagram's work were the CitiBank logo and the Muzak logo. Pentagram uses typography to create pictures out of words. These logos create a lasting impression in the viewer's mind and are easily recognizable. Pentagram seemed to be more about creating a strong brand impression than creating art with typography.

Motion Graphics: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

So far this semester, I've noticed something about motion graphics. Putting together a motion graphics project seems like a way to cram everything I've learned in my communications studies into one project. Something I've learned about recently is color theory, how colors can incite emotions in the viewer and different ways to create meanings and illusions with color.

This doesn't, or at least shouldn't, pertain to just the classroom. The pros at Igloo Design know about color and put it to good use in their showcase video "Igloo Reel 08":

Igloo's designs show good use of color and a good grasp of the principles of color theory. I like how every time the brand changed, the color scheme changed with it. The use of contrasts in the work Igloo has done caught my eye. None of it was too harsh, but it created enough excitement. Something I saw a lot was the use of colors in the same color family, different shades and tints of one color or similar warm or cool colors.

Watching the video made it easy for me to see why so many different companies hired Igloo. Their work is good and creates a strong brand image that is professional but can still be fun.

I went against the rules here a little bit and found a motion graphic that uses color poorly and is visually UNappealing. That would be wwwourmachinecom's "MTV Bumpers", another showcase reel of work done for MTV. Let's take a look:

I really didn't like these. Something about them was unappealing and even jarring to my vision. The colors didn't quite clash, but the creator of these motion graphics didn't really choose a nice palette of anything. The main colors used were red, black, and white, although pastel blues make an appearance. Red and black are both strong colors with strong emotions associated with them. Together they seemed to send a message of fear or even violence (like blood in the streets or something), possibly salsa dancing at their best.

The color choices seemed inconsistent and tacky,like the target audience for the channel would probably wear outfits with these colors and patterns. Oh yes, the patterns. Those were also displeasing, even though they were generally the only visually interesting part to the motion graphics. The checkerboard patterns and graffiti-styled writing put me off, and didn't add anything to the poor choice of colors.

Between the poor choice of color and loud patterns, the whole thing looked haphazardly put together. This may have been what MTV was going for, but somehow I doubt it. It was more "What were they thinking?" than "This is so cool!" I think MTV was going for exciting, but I must have missed that.

Usability Matters

Until reading Jakob Nielsen's Usability 101: Definition and Fundamentals, I had never heard the term "usability". Usability was something I had dealt with before in my own visiting websites, and I had experienced sites with poor usability as well as those with good usability.

Usability itself was a something I'd encountered, but never given much thought to. Now that I'm making my own website, it's something I need to be aware of because it does have an impact on visitors to a site.

The priniciples of usability as put forth by Nielsen make sense. They're easy to comprehend and it can be understood why these principles of usability--and moreover usability itself--are so crucial to web design.

I also liked how Nielsen was candid with the reader about why it is important to put the time and effort into usability testing for their company's website. He mentioned something that has been very true (at least in my experience with poorly designed websites): If they don't get what they need easily, users will leave your site.

Nielsen writes,"There's no such thing as a user reading a website manual or otherwise spending much time trying to figure out an interface. There are plenty of other websites available; leaving is the first line of defense when users encounter a difficulty". That's one of the benefits, and in this case drawbacks, of the Internet. There's such a wealth of knowledge out there that the answer to one question can be found in probably hundreds of other places.

I read an article about the multiple attempts to re-vamp the Georgia Tech Library's website. I found the article, "Redesigning for Usability: Information Architecture and Usability Testing for Georgia Tech Library's Website" on EBSCOhost through the Shepherd University library, but read the full-text PDF file from another site.


In this article, authors Heather Jeffcoat King and Catherine M. Jannik discuss the changes made to the Georgia Tech Library website beginning with the website's design in 2002. In between pages of the article, there are screen shots of the library website's homepage at different major intervals. The authors discuss the changes made and the processes of usability testing along each stage, and the screen shots helped me understand the progress better than just trying to picture the changes in my head. Figure 1 on page 3 shows a boring and confusing list of services for users to guess which one to go to, whereas Figure 3 on page 4 shows a more visually appealing homepage with the links from the list in Figure 1 neatly organized into a sidebar.


The article concluded with a statement that this project is ongoing, and that although the library's website has improved (an understatement!) Georgia Tech does not consider this the end. There are plans for more testing and incorporating the university's Digital Initiatives department into the current library site (King 7).

Citation:

King, Heather J., and Catherine M. Jannik. "Redesigning for Usability: Information Architecture and Usability Testing for Georgia Tech Library's Website." OCLC Systems & Services 21.3 (2005): 235-43. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 Jan. 2011. .