Game Studies

26.04.2024 - 24.05.2024 / Week 1 - Week 5

Michael Chan Henn Loong / 0363611

Design Principles / BA of Design (HONS) in Creative Media / Taylor's University

Task 1 / Proposal

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INSTRUCTIONS

<iframe src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BOnp_WglFuZYCw2qMmIidfKrOsPIyO3s/preview" width="640" height="480" allow="autoplay"></iframe>

In this task, students are required to begin synthesizing their own gameplay system which will be based on their investigations of digital and analogue games. They are to apply a concept based on their research about games and other existing studies. Students are also to suggest narratives and visual genres that would contribute to the unique selling proposition.

Students are to:

• Propose a board game/tabletop game system/framework with a visual theme that may be related to a narrative or genre.
• Identify research problems and questions
• Hypothesize possible gameplay solutions/ideas during playtime discussions on progress outcomes and development will be done during tutorial sessions.

Progress

Fig 1.1, Discord Discussion, (24.05.2024)

During Week 3 Jeevan and I discussed the theme and what type of games should we be working on since most of the ideations from Week 2 like the RPG game and the Card fight game were rejected. After having a short discussion, we sent both our ideas in a Discord chat.

Fig 1.2, Small Wolrd Board Game, (24.05.2024)

So after having some thoughts I went and searched up this board game called Small World the 2013 Gra Roku Game of the Year Winner and thought of creating a board game using some of the elements from this game like the characters with some perks, armies, resources and also conquering regions and spots to survive in the game.

I've also gone through a short video of the game Small World to recall the rules and playstyle of the game so that I have an idea of how I would want "Astral Empires" to work and run.

Here's the link to the Small World Tutorial Video-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibzqvd3b1Yg

Fig 1.3, Google Slides Ideation, (24.05.2024)

After the short discussion in Discord and some references to the game Small World, I took both our ideas and touched up some of the parts of my ideas and inserted them into the Google slides. After completing the ideation slides I sent them to the group for the team to decide on which one was more suitable we all misunderstood what we were supposed to do on weeks 3 and 4 so we thought that we would need to create a prototype of the game by that week.

                                                                 

                                                  Fig 1.4, Whatsapp Group Chat, (24.05.2024)

So after we were done with the ideation proposal Zi Long showed it to Dr. Charles during the Friday consultation hours and we've gotten our feedback on both ideas the word game is simple but maybe too simple and similar to the game that we came up with during week 2 and the second idea "Monarch mayhem" is a good idea but we might need to change it to a board game rather then a card game and we may add in some elements like LEGO bricks for the buildings. The name of the game should also be reconsidered to something like "My Empire". We are also told that we are to record a presentation video for the second idea.

Fig 1.5, Whatsapp Group Chat, (24.05.2024)

But on Saturday we received an update from Will saying that she'll leave the group, so we needed to rethink and reschedule how we distribute our tasks.

Fig 1.6, Canva Proposal Slides, (24.05.2024)

So after confirming which idea we would be using I proceeded with the proposal of the slides and added in all the details.

Fig 1.7, Canva Proposal Slides, (24.05.2024)

These are the contents that I've inserted into the slides before showing the proposal to Dr. Charles. After completing the slides I sent the link to Zi Long and he presented the proposal to Dr. Charles, but the slides emphasized too much on the details and there was no mention of who is the target audience so I proceeded and redid the whole slides on 24th May during the consultation hours with Dr. Charles after having a small consultation with sir and confirmed on what I should focus on.

Fig 1.8, Canva Proposal Slides, (24.05.2024)

So I made a new proposal with a background story of 4 alien characters to conquer not just the empires but the reality itself so we named it Astral Empires so it's more relatable. In the slides, we've included Background, Playable Characters, Components, Game Setup, Gameplay, Target Audience, and Summary.

Fig 1.9, Canva Proposal Slides (final), (25.05.2024)

Fig 2.0, Canva Proposal Slides (final), (25.05.2024)

After the discussion during the consultation on 24th May, Jee Van went home and redesigned a few pages of the slides. The images above are some of the slides that are updated by Jee Van We decided to have Jee Van and Zi Long record the presentation video and have Jee van edit the videos together and prepare them for submission.

Final Proposal & Presentation

Here is the presentation video by Jee Van and Zi Long-

Fig 2.1, Presentation Video, (26.05.2024)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10sJ2OQUPpuxdRCzb5GhYu-iqqHc5YkYo/view?usp=sharing

<iframe src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mAbAqE-D06CXuysuP-l2skciqUigP620/preview" width="640" height="480" allow="autoplay"></iframe>

To have a better experience on the slides please visit this Canva link below-

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGGGlXMzr8/1DPRjJWH5k2VrLWk_IIBIg/edit?utm_content=DAGGGlXMzr8&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

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Feedback

Week 2

- The RPG game might not work if the plot is not good enough

- Characters, maps, and surroundings should all be original

- Try thinking out of the box

Week 3

- The game is too cliche

- Try to create something more original

- Make something funnier and consist of a longer lifespan

 

Week 4

- Slide emphasizes too much on the details

- Can't see what the game is about

- What is the purpose of creating "Empire Builder"

- Too many slides on components and rules

- Cut short and summarize

- Who are the target audiences

Week 5

- "Empire Builder has potential, but it lacks "meat"

- Make the game interesting

- Present with passion

- Make it simple and lasts for around 1 hour with 4 to 6 players

- Can make the game fiction so that there won't be that many limitations 

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Reflection

During our game studies class, we explored the diverse mechanics that make games engaging. The course provided us with a solid foundation in understanding games as both entertainment and art forms.

Project Proposal: Astral Empires-

For our project, we proposed the board game "Astral Empires" This game is set in a dark, post-cataclysmic galaxy where players lead warlord empires, competing for dominance through strategic planning, resource management, and tactical combat.

Reflection on the Design Process-

We began by brainstorming various themes and mechanics. Firstly we thought of making something like everyone fighting against each other in a small world to survive but then the idea of a dark, space-themed strategy game quickly became a favorite among the group. The group discussions on the importance of theme and narrative helped us shape the game's lore and combine it with the gameplay.

The importance of playtesting was emphasized throughout the weeks. We plan to conduct several playtesting sessions, to gather feedback and to refine the game's mechanics and balance. Iterative testing can help us identify and resolve issues, improving the overall player experience.

Lessons Learned-

Collaboration: 

Working as a group taught us the importance of collaboration and communication. Each member needs to contribute and provide unique ideas and perspectives to enrich the game's development.

Adaptability: 

We learned to be flexible and adapt our ideas based on feedback and discussions, which was crucial for creating a balanced and enjoyable game for both the players and developers.

Conclusion:

Our experience in the game studies class and the process of developing "Astral Empires" have been incredibly valuable. We gained practical insights into game design, from conceptualizing to execution, and learned the importance of testing and iteration.