The Next Task at Hand...

Now, we are working on our side games. We have a few good ideas for three different side games, two of which are in 3D. One is a new spin on an old game, while the other two are more animated and text-based. We'll see how the games turn out. In the meantime, I have some planning to do!

The Unfolding!

These are pictures of the canvas that we created using beans, rice, nuts, acrylic paints, spray paints, stickers and markers. This is the background to the game. It still needs some work done on Photoshop but this is essentially a finished canvas. Oh, I still need to add some glitter!!!

The Cognitive Flow of The Driven

1. The first thing I like to do is assess what my objectives are, however vague or undetailed. I like to outline on paper what I would like the end to be. This is usually a general and unformulated idea. I like to get the big picture before I hammer out details. Shortly after, I discuss what kind of game it will be: action, adventure, mystery, etc.

2. Next, I like to talk about the aesthetics of the game. I particularly love the artistic side of game-designing because I love to color and recently I have developed a passion for painting. Within talks about the visual appeal, ideas start to formulate as to the characters of the game. What do I want it to look like? Where is the gamer going to be transported to? What kinds of colors and environments do I want the gamer to experience? Then, lastly, I assess the relevance of each idea and then match them to my objectives. In this respect, I have a game environment accomplished. This is a very time-consuming stage, because ideas flow and are usually rejected, brainstorming occurs in staggering ways and many thoughts are shelved due to lack of relevance or programming constraints. Phew, it can be exhausting!

3. After that, I set about building my environment on the computer or on paper. Sketches are made of the individual characters, buildings and other components to be approved or rejected. At this stage, a visual represenatation of ideas are now presented and argued over. I like to review each sketch and see if there are any changes that can be made. Consequently, looking at these images also kickstarts some game ideas. For this game, we have decided on side games that are triggered when the gamer reaches a certain point in the game.

Thoughts and Musings Con'd

Now that we have decided on a coarse outline of the game, details must now be hammered out. We have thought about many different possibilities such as:

• using a 2D highway for most of the game
• 3D highways in some side games
• a railroad that works on AI trains
• chasing games - for example, the gamer will be in hot pursuit of the bad guy or the gamer will be pursued by the police for speeding 
• traffic lights that work
• avatars that gamers can develop
• blizzards that create slippery conditions - could be a side game testing response time and countersteering measures taken by the driver
• waterfalls and mountains for scenery
• video clips for when the bad guy has been captured
• the need for saving or pausing the game
• setting up the possibility of replay value of the game

These are some ideas that we are toying with. Some have become real possibility whereas others have been dismissed. The design document is developing at the same time as the game itself!

A Plan!

 We have decided on an action adventure game where the world will be a fantastical place such as an alien world with the objective of catching the bad guys. The gamer would have to navigate roads and complete side games in both 2D and 3D format in order to catch the bad guy. The rules of the road will pave the journey and the successful completion of this will be the real objective of the game.

Thoughts and Musings

After posting the last blog, I have since been musing over the task ahead and thinking of some ideas. These thoughts are sometimes fleeting and at other times very tangible. Some issues I have about the way I want to design this game deal with the degree of entertainment and education the game should contain, the delivery method that is most engaging and user-friendly and the best way to clearly and succinctly convey the objectives of the game.

I haven't settled on any one idea yet, but I prefer to brainstorm first, create a bank of ideas and then formulate an outline with the best ideas.

Below are some ideas, however fair or far fetched:

• The game could present an opportunity for the gamer to test their knowledge of street signs through a simple matching game
• How well a driver can obey procedural situations such as doing shoulder checks and using the indicators before doing a lane change or following another car far enough behind can be tested using a 2D game depicting a moving vehicle that the gamer must correctly manipulate in order to succeed
• There could be a hurricane or tornado on the screen that consumed an entire city and started spitting signs and questions at the screen where the gamer must answer correctly through multiple choice  
• A collaboration of different types of games could be used to make a multi-faceted game. For example, the game could consist of a matching game, a 2D and  a 3D aspect. There could be many objectives to each facet, only to be integrated in the last stage of the game, therefore testing the gamer as though it was a final exam

These are just a few ideas that are swimming around in my head, but stay tuned for more!

      

Introduction

I have just set up a blog to document my thinking process in the development of this game. Currently, I am juggling a few ideas about what features I would like to see in the game such as matching signs or word problems or a challenge-based simulation game along the lines of the visual appeal seen in racing games but with clear objectives for each run.

I think that being able to brainstorm ideas about features along with doing research and playing around with different platforms may lead to a game design that I can commit to and eventually develop.