The idea stems from the cellar experiences and blends with child hunger/famine and links to the recent stories of children that have been found after being shut up in 'domestic prisons' for many years. Just a basic nub of a game idea really.
The basic idea
The game is basically an escape game. I haven't really heard of an escape game, but I'm sure there are some. I had the idea of the player as a child locked up and having to escape from the dungeon they are in, or at a later point in the game. When they do, they must try to evade their pursuers, whilst at the same time piecing together bits of information that will help them find out who they are and why they have been incarcerated. The storyline can be big (major conspiracy, kidnap, large organization/s), contemporary (paedophile ring, etc) or personal (child kidnapped as slave labour, tries to find parents, etc) within a national or international context.
The child will have to find/acquire food to sustain themselves and find ways to evade different groups whilst facing challenges that will further their knowledge if completed.
The first level
The game starts with a black screen (I always seem to want to do stuff like this). You can move around, but you bump into things. As you so, you might hear an "oww" and you might notice a red bar appear and go down imperceptibly. As you move around, you bump into more things. Slowly, over the course of maybe two minutes, your eyes adjust and you can see where you are. You see a few insects scuttling around. You are in a dungeon or cellar. Your health is quite low. You hear a noise from outside and the sound of a lock being pulled back. You hear a gruff male voice say. "Four days", then Mr Jameson comes to collect". The door opens and you are blinded by light. Another voice says "Food". The door closes and you find the tray and eat and drink the basic stew and bread and can of fizzy drink. You eyes now adjust fully, You can see the cracks in the walls, you can see the makeshift bed and toilet. There is more to the place. Futher back there is an area with junk, beams of wood and other odds and ends. You hear the door being opened again. You stumble to the shaft of searing light, and see a body framed against it. "Where's the tray?" the voice growls. As the man bends down, you try to escape.
If you do (unlikely, but a possibility). You are on to the next part of the game.
If you don't. You are slammed down to the ground, the breath knocked out of you. "No food for you tonight" you hear, as the door slams shut and the dark returns to envelop the dungeon. You don't know why you are here. You hazily recollect some notions about yourself, but you don't really remember who you are. All you know is that you are here, and it is cold, and dark.
As time goes on, you realise you are hungry, and that that knock has taken some time to recover from. You need to eat something, you are weak. If you are clever, you will hunt down the insects and spiders that inhabit the walls and crevices and use them to assuage your hunger and increase your health. Eventually the door opens again. Can you use something from the recesses of the dungeon, and do you have enough strength to fool or overpower the man at the door and escape? If not, will you have another opportunity to try again? If not, what will happen when Mr Jameson comes? Who is he and what does he want with you?
Saturday, 27 October 2007
Moving towards a game idea - utilizing something that moves you
In the last few weeks, Jon has been talking to us about utilizing things we are passionate about, things that move us, in our work. Once stated, it seems so obvious, but sometimes one can be taken up with the notion of "a good idea" which is kind of a little bag of gold or treasure one hordes from the rest of the world in the belief that if someone sees it, before it it banked or redeemed, it is devalued in some way. I'm not like that (so why the %^$ am I saying it ..... :) ..)
I though immeadiately of something in my childhood that I could use. It doesn't 'motivate' me in the normal sense of the word, but it informs my view on life somewhat. I thought about throwing it out in this blog or writing it up in my new forum that would just have DGD/A people access.
I'm going to quickly digress. Jon said, what you are passionate about. I used to say, a bit tongue in cheek, that important things to me were/are:
Music,
Sex,
Food,
Drink
Creativity
And all the mixtures of those (eg Music + Sex, Creativity + Drink, etc...)
Something to use? In a 'the game of life' idea maybe.
I was interested in Charlotte having 'Team Charlotte' in her blog name. She has invited me to be a friend on Facebook because I'm in Team Charlotte. I think we have been throwing the exact details of 'how we know each other' around because we haven't agreed on them! Sarah says that Charlotte and I are quite similar. I suppose we are!
I wanted to know more about Team Charlotte so I checked out Charlottes blog. I was quite gobsmacked about how brave she was I thought, there I was, going on about being open and all that, and there Charlotte is being quite amazing. Charlotte, I'm going to send you a quick email so if this is inappropriate, I'll delete it.
Anyway, as soon as Jon had talked about "stuff that moves you", I thought about stuff like seeing kids dying from malnutrition, no fresh water, etc and the pain that the parents would have to endure as they watch their children die and they can't do anything to help them.
Then I thought about stuff more personal. My father was in the war and I know he has been affected by it in very subtle ways. He is a bit of a James Bond, although I know he does exagerrate at times. But he has done some amazing things and my sister and I are very proud of him. However, although I know he loved/loves us fiercely and was very active in our education, he had a bad temper, was very moody and could be quite cruel.
To cut a long story short, we had a cellar under our house, with a low ceiling and four seperate rooms. To turn the lights on in a few, you had to walk through the dark to find the light switch. There was a lot of junk and tools and boxes in the rooms, and lots of spiderwebs hanging.
When Dad was angry about something, he might beat us and then we'd have to go down in the cellar and stay there until we were allowed back up. We'd always go alone, never together, sitting there in the dark. We must have been 7- 11 years of age.
Something that also happened was my father would sometimes not allow us to eat if we 'had done something wrong'. He would say we couldn't eat anything all for 2 days. I'm sure this had something to do with him not getting food during the war. He would inform mum that on no circumstances should we be given any food, and that if we were caught taking or eating any food, there would be more punishment. I remember once coming to the end of the time I couldn't eat. Dad stood in front of me and questioned me about whether I had eaten anything during the two days. "No", I answered. Dad stood with mum, looking at me angrily "Anything at all during the day?" "No". "At night?" "No" I insisted. "Then you are STUPID" he replied, "I didn't say you couldn't eat anything at NIGHT". As he walked off, I just stood there looking dumbfounded, as did my mother.
I think that day was a sunday. We went to church so I could "beg for forgiveness" or something. I remember being so weak I could barely stand and when we had to stand I prayed for those periods to finish quickly so I could sit down before my knees buckled.
I remember another time when my sister wasn't allowed food and then went to sunday mass. She was feeling so weak she was swaying slightly and had to sit down whilst all others were standing. At that time I wished I could have done something, put my arm around her because I knew how she was feeling. I remember some older people in the congregation looking at her as she sat down. I couldn't tell whether they were staring at her out of concern because she had sat down, or in reproach for the same reason.
As a side note. How does that affect me/inform my life? Many years later I was a Clinical Research Assistant (facilitator/tutor) in a home education prgramme for children with autism, called the Son Rise Programme. In the programme we looked at our own beliefs, reviewed our working practice and developed skills. I always talked about my Dad when I talked about things that wrre on my mind. always talked about him but never got to the nub of what the thing was, the meta-point.
Then, when I was at the Option Centre in the US, where the Son Rise Programme had originated, with lots of other people on an 8 week course, I had an epiphany. We were taking turns talking and looking at our own beliefs. I had just been talking around Dad for about half an hour, when I was asked how I felt in my childhood. I said that I felt powerless, then I thought about it again and said "I felt terrified". As soon as I said this I burst into tears, which I don't do very often, and I reconnected with the crap that I felt as a kid. Of course, almost as soon as I said that, we were supposed to swap around, but I wanted to go over it more, so I told the other person I wanted more time. I can be quite automatic, ask my own best questions sometimes, so that's what I did for a few more minutes. I had found the 'meta-point'.
Throughout my life, I have always known how my childhood has affected me. A lovely girlfriend I once had, called Claire, once told me, "You are a happy person because you haven't had much bad happen in your life. If you had, you wouldn't be so positive and optimistic".
I thought for a moment, damn... she must be right! Then I thought, hang on, I know that's not true. I talked to her about my childhood and explained that I am usually happy and optimistic because of my thoughts about my bad experiences. I have lived through them and survived them. I am aware of them and have analysed them both personally and with others. I am not afraid of them and not ashamed of them because I was not their instigator. I forgive my father, although he refuses to believe that he behaved in such a way, because I know that he loved us and he did the best that he could do with his experiences.
The big thing though, is that, in perspective, little annoyances and gripes are so small in comparison. If a cup of tea spills - so what? It's just a cup of tea. Why get het up about it? People usually try their best. I know I will never be in the position of being a disempowered kid again.
I try and use my experience to make sure the children I have worked with, and my own children will have a better childhood than the one I have had. My father lived through the war and was born in the country that has seen the most inhuman brutalism ever experienced in Europe, stretching out through centuries. I am lucky in that I have never had to experience that, or live through it.
Anyway. Rethinking all in a brief moment after Jon had re-emphasized the "take an idea that moves you", I thought of a basic idea. It's going to be on the next post.
I though immeadiately of something in my childhood that I could use. It doesn't 'motivate' me in the normal sense of the word, but it informs my view on life somewhat. I thought about throwing it out in this blog or writing it up in my new forum that would just have DGD/A people access.
I'm going to quickly digress. Jon said, what you are passionate about. I used to say, a bit tongue in cheek, that important things to me were/are:
Music,
Sex,
Food,
Drink
Creativity
And all the mixtures of those (eg Music + Sex, Creativity + Drink, etc...)
Something to use? In a 'the game of life' idea maybe.
I was interested in Charlotte having 'Team Charlotte' in her blog name. She has invited me to be a friend on Facebook because I'm in Team Charlotte. I think we have been throwing the exact details of 'how we know each other' around because we haven't agreed on them! Sarah says that Charlotte and I are quite similar. I suppose we are!
I wanted to know more about Team Charlotte so I checked out Charlottes blog. I was quite gobsmacked about how brave she was I thought, there I was, going on about being open and all that, and there Charlotte is being quite amazing. Charlotte, I'm going to send you a quick email so if this is inappropriate, I'll delete it.
Anyway, as soon as Jon had talked about "stuff that moves you", I thought about stuff like seeing kids dying from malnutrition, no fresh water, etc and the pain that the parents would have to endure as they watch their children die and they can't do anything to help them.
Then I thought about stuff more personal. My father was in the war and I know he has been affected by it in very subtle ways. He is a bit of a James Bond, although I know he does exagerrate at times. But he has done some amazing things and my sister and I are very proud of him. However, although I know he loved/loves us fiercely and was very active in our education, he had a bad temper, was very moody and could be quite cruel.
To cut a long story short, we had a cellar under our house, with a low ceiling and four seperate rooms. To turn the lights on in a few, you had to walk through the dark to find the light switch. There was a lot of junk and tools and boxes in the rooms, and lots of spiderwebs hanging.
When Dad was angry about something, he might beat us and then we'd have to go down in the cellar and stay there until we were allowed back up. We'd always go alone, never together, sitting there in the dark. We must have been 7- 11 years of age.
Something that also happened was my father would sometimes not allow us to eat if we 'had done something wrong'. He would say we couldn't eat anything all for 2 days. I'm sure this had something to do with him not getting food during the war. He would inform mum that on no circumstances should we be given any food, and that if we were caught taking or eating any food, there would be more punishment. I remember once coming to the end of the time I couldn't eat. Dad stood in front of me and questioned me about whether I had eaten anything during the two days. "No", I answered. Dad stood with mum, looking at me angrily "Anything at all during the day?" "No". "At night?" "No" I insisted. "Then you are STUPID" he replied, "I didn't say you couldn't eat anything at NIGHT". As he walked off, I just stood there looking dumbfounded, as did my mother.
I think that day was a sunday. We went to church so I could "beg for forgiveness" or something. I remember being so weak I could barely stand and when we had to stand I prayed for those periods to finish quickly so I could sit down before my knees buckled.
I remember another time when my sister wasn't allowed food and then went to sunday mass. She was feeling so weak she was swaying slightly and had to sit down whilst all others were standing. At that time I wished I could have done something, put my arm around her because I knew how she was feeling. I remember some older people in the congregation looking at her as she sat down. I couldn't tell whether they were staring at her out of concern because she had sat down, or in reproach for the same reason.
As a side note. How does that affect me/inform my life? Many years later I was a Clinical Research Assistant (facilitator/tutor) in a home education prgramme for children with autism, called the Son Rise Programme. In the programme we looked at our own beliefs, reviewed our working practice and developed skills. I always talked about my Dad when I talked about things that wrre on my mind. always talked about him but never got to the nub of what the thing was, the meta-point.
Then, when I was at the Option Centre in the US, where the Son Rise Programme had originated, with lots of other people on an 8 week course, I had an epiphany. We were taking turns talking and looking at our own beliefs. I had just been talking around Dad for about half an hour, when I was asked how I felt in my childhood. I said that I felt powerless, then I thought about it again and said "I felt terrified". As soon as I said this I burst into tears, which I don't do very often, and I reconnected with the crap that I felt as a kid. Of course, almost as soon as I said that, we were supposed to swap around, but I wanted to go over it more, so I told the other person I wanted more time. I can be quite automatic, ask my own best questions sometimes, so that's what I did for a few more minutes. I had found the 'meta-point'.
Throughout my life, I have always known how my childhood has affected me. A lovely girlfriend I once had, called Claire, once told me, "You are a happy person because you haven't had much bad happen in your life. If you had, you wouldn't be so positive and optimistic".
I thought for a moment, damn... she must be right! Then I thought, hang on, I know that's not true. I talked to her about my childhood and explained that I am usually happy and optimistic because of my thoughts about my bad experiences. I have lived through them and survived them. I am aware of them and have analysed them both personally and with others. I am not afraid of them and not ashamed of them because I was not their instigator. I forgive my father, although he refuses to believe that he behaved in such a way, because I know that he loved us and he did the best that he could do with his experiences.
The big thing though, is that, in perspective, little annoyances and gripes are so small in comparison. If a cup of tea spills - so what? It's just a cup of tea. Why get het up about it? People usually try their best. I know I will never be in the position of being a disempowered kid again.
I try and use my experience to make sure the children I have worked with, and my own children will have a better childhood than the one I have had. My father lived through the war and was born in the country that has seen the most inhuman brutalism ever experienced in Europe, stretching out through centuries. I am lucky in that I have never had to experience that, or live through it.
Anyway. Rethinking all in a brief moment after Jon had re-emphasized the "take an idea that moves you", I thought of a basic idea. It's going to be on the next post.
Personal Reflection no 4 (in a series of 50) How I think of game ideas
Something I've been slowly cogitating over these past few weeks. Its' been bubbling up but I haven't bothered to nail it down blog-wise.
It's about personal practice regarding thinking up game ideas. I think of things mostly in a cinematic way, "play things out in my head", although I do have lots of ways/inputs that trigger me off creatively. I know sometimes it can be quite funny from the outside, but a word, phrase, look, situation, text, action can throw out something that sets me off.
However, I have come to realise that I see things from a theatre viewpoint, as if it is going to be staged,
I think about what someone (the audience, the player) will see.
Good game designers harp on about what the player will DO.
I see no problem with this as long as I learn how to think like a game designer as well as a theatre director. In the Play/Time Lab, the most striking thing I saw was that the two groups worked/approached things in different ways, and bringing both groups in to work together on ARG's only made the final product more vibrant and focussed.
So, when I think about games, sometimes gameplay is one of the last things I think about. I have to make sure that is somewhere at the top. To me, game design is much more like good teaching practice, a more user-centred approach, rather than theatre direction or playwriting.
So, I'm going to engage more, learn more about gameplay. In some ways all over again, because the import of it didn't sink into my working practice as much as I think it should. I need to learn about different types of game play - v. important.
It's about personal practice regarding thinking up game ideas. I think of things mostly in a cinematic way, "play things out in my head", although I do have lots of ways/inputs that trigger me off creatively. I know sometimes it can be quite funny from the outside, but a word, phrase, look, situation, text, action can throw out something that sets me off.
However, I have come to realise that I see things from a theatre viewpoint, as if it is going to be staged,
I think about what someone (the audience, the player) will see.
Good game designers harp on about what the player will DO.
I see no problem with this as long as I learn how to think like a game designer as well as a theatre director. In the Play/Time Lab, the most striking thing I saw was that the two groups worked/approached things in different ways, and bringing both groups in to work together on ARG's only made the final product more vibrant and focussed.
So, when I think about games, sometimes gameplay is one of the last things I think about. I have to make sure that is somewhere at the top. To me, game design is much more like good teaching practice, a more user-centred approach, rather than theatre direction or playwriting.
So, I'm going to engage more, learn more about gameplay. In some ways all over again, because the import of it didn't sink into my working practice as much as I think it should. I need to learn about different types of game play - v. important.
Some reflections on Play/Time Lab: Idea presentations
In groups of 3-4 we were given the task of brainstorming game ideas. We had a list of parameters, which we were to include if possible. The group I worked with made up an idea called "The House That Love Built", looking into social networking and a exploratory/discovery space for artists to create work with other artists.
After noting the idea out on giant "post it"s we presented our work to the main group. Altogether, we other ideas from the week, we had about 30 ideas stuck on a wall.
We each were given 5 green stickers to place on the ideas of our choice. The ideas with no stickers were then taken away to another wall. We whittled down the remaining few by seeing if certain ideas naturally blended with other ideas, or had a similar story or agenda. Eventually we whittled out the ideas which only had 3 votes.
We then had about 8 ideas for 25 people. We each had to write our name in blue next to the idea which was our primary favourite, and write it in red next to our secondary one. Each idea was thought to be best developed by a team of no more than, but hopefully exactly, four people.
I wrote my names last, to see where peoples interests lay. I liked one idea, Globall, that was neatly summed up in the phrase, "the kick that connects the world", but I also wanted to see if anyone was interested in a few other projects. Eventually, I put "The House That Love Built" as my first choice, as it had 3 names, and could therefore do with a fourth, and "Globall" as my second choice.
When it came to the other group members, I found there were only 2 others. Dan Hung (sp?) and a woman called Claire who just joined the Play/Time Lab but was known already by a few people.
When we got together to work on the idea, I said .. (more in a bit)
After noting the idea out on giant "post it"s we presented our work to the main group. Altogether, we other ideas from the week, we had about 30 ideas stuck on a wall.
We each were given 5 green stickers to place on the ideas of our choice. The ideas with no stickers were then taken away to another wall. We whittled down the remaining few by seeing if certain ideas naturally blended with other ideas, or had a similar story or agenda. Eventually we whittled out the ideas which only had 3 votes.
We then had about 8 ideas for 25 people. We each had to write our name in blue next to the idea which was our primary favourite, and write it in red next to our secondary one. Each idea was thought to be best developed by a team of no more than, but hopefully exactly, four people.
I wrote my names last, to see where peoples interests lay. I liked one idea, Globall, that was neatly summed up in the phrase, "the kick that connects the world", but I also wanted to see if anyone was interested in a few other projects. Eventually, I put "The House That Love Built" as my first choice, as it had 3 names, and could therefore do with a fourth, and "Globall" as my second choice.
When it came to the other group members, I found there were only 2 others. Dan Hung (sp?) and a woman called Claire who just joined the Play/Time Lab but was known already by a few people.
When we got together to work on the idea, I said .. (more in a bit)
Sunday, 21 October 2007
Blood, Sweat, Tears, and a Company: What it Takes to Make a Game
I would like to found/be part of a small game company one day. Pipedream or not? Reading up about the trials and tribulations of small game company start-ups to better understand and facilitate a future making the kind of games I'd like to make, rather than Bratz 8.
Michael Dehen had the realization one day that if he was ever going to make the video game he always dreamed of making, he was going to have to start his own company. And he did.
http://www.gamecareerguide.com/features/442/blood_sweat_tears_and_a_.php
Michael Dehen had the realization one day that if he was ever going to make the video game he always dreamed of making, he was going to have to start his own company. And he did.
http://www.gamecareerguide.com/features/442/blood_sweat_tears_and_a_.php
BBC, Abertay In Talks For New Game Lab[10.11.07]
Convergence, convergence and academia ...
BBC Scotland is in discussions with officials from the University of Abertay Dundee in Scotland and representatives from other organizations to create a lab environment where students, staff, and game development companies in the area can collaborate to prototype new games.Professor Julie Adair, head of New Media at BBC Scotland, revealed the information during an inaugural lecture today called “Passion, Mass Disobedience and the BBC” at the university where she was recently appointed visiting professor of interactive media and virtual communities. Professor Adair also used the speaking engagement to discuss the ways in which new technologies, such as social networking sites, are fundamentally changing the way broadcasting is evolving. She spoke about the growing relationship between the University of Abertay, a new media university in Scotland that offers some video game development programs, and the BBC studios in the city. “BBC Scotland is very excited about being given the opportunity to base some staff at Abertay's innovative White Space project,” she said. The BBC has also been a major sponsor of Abertay's annual Dare to be Digital competition, which offers young, creative games designers the opportunity to develop their work with industry specialists. Professor Bernard King, principal and vice chancellor of Abertay University, commented in a press release, “Abertay launched its first computer games technology degrees 10 years ago and since then has added computer arts degrees, developed a strong research base and grown Dare to be Digital into an international competition. Since that time I have been arguing strongly for Scotland to seize the high ground in the new landscape of consumer-generated content and Web 2.0 technologies.” He later added, “The new lab that we are planning with Julie and her team will be a hothouse, innovation-studio aimed primarily at developing new concepts of engaging with future audiences and interactive communities. The project will capitalize on the existing expertise within both Abertay and the BBC in driving the future of entertainment content development, targeting younger audiences in particular.”
BBC Scotland is in discussions with officials from the University of Abertay Dundee in Scotland and representatives from other organizations to create a lab environment where students, staff, and game development companies in the area can collaborate to prototype new games.Professor Julie Adair, head of New Media at BBC Scotland, revealed the information during an inaugural lecture today called “Passion, Mass Disobedience and the BBC” at the university where she was recently appointed visiting professor of interactive media and virtual communities. Professor Adair also used the speaking engagement to discuss the ways in which new technologies, such as social networking sites, are fundamentally changing the way broadcasting is evolving. She spoke about the growing relationship between the University of Abertay, a new media university in Scotland that offers some video game development programs, and the BBC studios in the city. “BBC Scotland is very excited about being given the opportunity to base some staff at Abertay's innovative White Space project,” she said. The BBC has also been a major sponsor of Abertay's annual Dare to be Digital competition, which offers young, creative games designers the opportunity to develop their work with industry specialists. Professor Bernard King, principal and vice chancellor of Abertay University, commented in a press release, “Abertay launched its first computer games technology degrees 10 years ago and since then has added computer arts degrees, developed a strong research base and grown Dare to be Digital into an international competition. Since that time I have been arguing strongly for Scotland to seize the high ground in the new landscape of consumer-generated content and Web 2.0 technologies.” He later added, “The new lab that we are planning with Julie and her team will be a hothouse, innovation-studio aimed primarily at developing new concepts of engaging with future audiences and interactive communities. The project will capitalize on the existing expertise within both Abertay and the BBC in driving the future of entertainment content development, targeting younger audiences in particular.”
Students to Develop Two Games During 58-Hour Conference
This is the kind of stuff I'd like to do/do more of ....
Students to Develop Two Games During 58-Hour Conference[10.15.07]
Four game development students from Champlain College have been chosen to undergo and unusual experiment at an upcoming conference on learning. They will be tasked with creating two serious video games (games used for purposes other than pure entertainment) within 58 hours, all while under public observation of attendees of the Learning 2007 conference.The concept of the experiment is to give businesspeople who are not so familiar with game development a taste of what it all entails. The conference will take place October 21 through 24, in Orlando. About 2,000 learning professionals focused on enacting change in their sphere are expected to attend, among them, senior members of learning departments from Apple, the US Intelligence Community, British Airways, and Target Corporation.The four Champlain College students will be carrying out their task in the center of the main conference hall in full view of conference-goers. During their 58-hour development window, they will create two “GameLets,” or reasonably short, web-based learning games that will focus specifically on learning outcomes applicable to the business world.The students were selected for the experiment by conference organizer Elliott Masie, who also heads The MASIE Center, a Saratoga Springs, NY, think tank focused on how organizations can support learning and knowledge within the workforce. As serious games are becoming more widely acknowledged as a training and learning tool in the business world, Masie and others are looking forward to the experiment and watching the student team work through entire conceptual process, action steps, and production. Students in the experiment will be provided feedback by key colleagues, led by John Abele, founder and chair of Boston Scientific, and a key advocate of the use of gaming, simulation and collaboration for professional learning.While they won’t be told their exact objectives are until they arrive, the Champlain students were given a mission briefing by Masie via a YouTube, where he said the broad topics for the two GameLets will involve emergency preparation for companies for a pandemic or disaster, and preparing next-genners to fit in to a multigenerational workplace. In the conference sessions, some presenters will give updates on the Champlain students’ work. By the close of the event, they plan to have two competed GameLets that can then be posted on the Internet with an open source license so organizations around the world can consider using them in their companies free of charge.Other game-related content at the conference includes a session called "Videogames Make Better Surgeons" as well as a complete series of workshops, labs, seminars, and experiments in a smaller festival within the conference called Gaming 4 Learning Festival.For more information, visit the Learning 2007 web site.
By Jill DuffyOctober 15, 2007 07:00:00 AM PT
Students to Develop Two Games During 58-Hour Conference[10.15.07]
Four game development students from Champlain College have been chosen to undergo and unusual experiment at an upcoming conference on learning. They will be tasked with creating two serious video games (games used for purposes other than pure entertainment) within 58 hours, all while under public observation of attendees of the Learning 2007 conference.The concept of the experiment is to give businesspeople who are not so familiar with game development a taste of what it all entails. The conference will take place October 21 through 24, in Orlando. About 2,000 learning professionals focused on enacting change in their sphere are expected to attend, among them, senior members of learning departments from Apple, the US Intelligence Community, British Airways, and Target Corporation.The four Champlain College students will be carrying out their task in the center of the main conference hall in full view of conference-goers. During their 58-hour development window, they will create two “GameLets,” or reasonably short, web-based learning games that will focus specifically on learning outcomes applicable to the business world.The students were selected for the experiment by conference organizer Elliott Masie, who also heads The MASIE Center, a Saratoga Springs, NY, think tank focused on how organizations can support learning and knowledge within the workforce. As serious games are becoming more widely acknowledged as a training and learning tool in the business world, Masie and others are looking forward to the experiment and watching the student team work through entire conceptual process, action steps, and production. Students in the experiment will be provided feedback by key colleagues, led by John Abele, founder and chair of Boston Scientific, and a key advocate of the use of gaming, simulation and collaboration for professional learning.While they won’t be told their exact objectives are until they arrive, the Champlain students were given a mission briefing by Masie via a YouTube, where he said the broad topics for the two GameLets will involve emergency preparation for companies for a pandemic or disaster, and preparing next-genners to fit in to a multigenerational workplace. In the conference sessions, some presenters will give updates on the Champlain students’ work. By the close of the event, they plan to have two competed GameLets that can then be posted on the Internet with an open source license so organizations around the world can consider using them in their companies free of charge.Other game-related content at the conference includes a session called "Videogames Make Better Surgeons" as well as a complete series of workshops, labs, seminars, and experiments in a smaller festival within the conference called Gaming 4 Learning Festival.For more information, visit the Learning 2007 web site.
By Jill DuffyOctober 15, 2007 07:00:00 AM PT
Tuesday, 16 October 2007
A few little acorns of game ideas
* Six
Six is a game that I would like to develop in 3 versions:
simple board game (paper version completed)
flash/mobile version
fully developed 3D narrative version
Six is based on the theory of Isostasy
*Architectural 3D world game
Developing a 3D world for architects
*Goodwill network game
A game based on the idea that people like to do good. I don't really know of such games, but was thinking of creating a networking game that allowed people to use their skills to help others in need of them. Eg, a German architect spends the weekend drawing up plans for a school in Thailand, one that is cost effective for local production. People could link with local NGO's and charities to better understand local needs and so their skills and time is best utilized.
*Sci-fi Game
A story-driven sci-fi type game where you develop the game properties of NPC's in order that they can help you complete your missions.
*Alchemical Game
A story-driven action-adventure educational game, starting from the big-bang, where you create chemical structures, solve problems and interact with NPC's in a alchemical, chemically-infused world. There is a multiplayer component which allows players to construct armour and weapons from their environment and use their knowledge of acids, bases, matter and chemical change to their advantage. The game starts with players contructing the building blocks of the universe, snatching up electrons, protons and neutrons and binding them in different configurations to create elements. The game will endeavour to give the player ownership over their learning, and the basics of chemistry, rather than being a 3D version of didactic education.
*Caramelcentre logo network game
My most recent idea, and one that utilizes a few of the threads I am currently exploring.
Six is a game that I would like to develop in 3 versions:
simple board game (paper version completed)
flash/mobile version
fully developed 3D narrative version
Six is based on the theory of Isostasy
*Architectural 3D world game
Developing a 3D world for architects
*Goodwill network game
A game based on the idea that people like to do good. I don't really know of such games, but was thinking of creating a networking game that allowed people to use their skills to help others in need of them. Eg, a German architect spends the weekend drawing up plans for a school in Thailand, one that is cost effective for local production. People could link with local NGO's and charities to better understand local needs and so their skills and time is best utilized.
*Sci-fi Game
A story-driven sci-fi type game where you develop the game properties of NPC's in order that they can help you complete your missions.
*Alchemical Game
A story-driven action-adventure educational game, starting from the big-bang, where you create chemical structures, solve problems and interact with NPC's in a alchemical, chemically-infused world. There is a multiplayer component which allows players to construct armour and weapons from their environment and use their knowledge of acids, bases, matter and chemical change to their advantage. The game starts with players contructing the building blocks of the universe, snatching up electrons, protons and neutrons and binding them in different configurations to create elements. The game will endeavour to give the player ownership over their learning, and the basics of chemistry, rather than being a 3D version of didactic education.
*Caramelcentre logo network game
My most recent idea, and one that utilizes a few of the threads I am currently exploring.
Monday, 15 October 2007
Should we be calling them games? : Game software boosting airport security
As video games move into new areas, the 'game' tag still affects perception of the seriousness of the application or service. In light of this, 'Serious Games' sounds like an oxymoron. Should we be bothered about nomenclature?
Issue 2625 of New Scientist magazine, 14 October 2007, page 27
Playing games with airport security guards sounds like a bad idea, but Praveen Paruchuri of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles is trying to thwart criminals by doing just that.
Guards are usually told to patrol in a random fashion but, being human, they tend to form habits that patient criminals can exploit. To help make their rounds less predictable, Paruchuri and colleagues created software based on game theory that simulates various random paths that a guard could take around Los Angeles International airport (LAX), and also how criminals might react.
Potential rewards, such as catching more criminals, and costs, such as a terrorist explosion, are evaluated for each path. The software, being trialled at LAX, then suggests the best route.
Issue 2625 of New Scientist magazine, 14 October 2007, page 27
Playing games with airport security guards sounds like a bad idea, but Praveen Paruchuri of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles is trying to thwart criminals by doing just that.
Guards are usually told to patrol in a random fashion but, being human, they tend to form habits that patient criminals can exploit. To help make their rounds less predictable, Paruchuri and colleagues created software based on game theory that simulates various random paths that a guard could take around Los Angeles International airport (LAX), and also how criminals might react.
Potential rewards, such as catching more criminals, and costs, such as a terrorist explosion, are evaluated for each path. The software, being trialled at LAX, then suggests the best route.
Wednesday, 10 October 2007
Bloody Blogs - Finding a new way to organise info
Getting sick of blogs already. Scrolling up and down a list of info with no way to group and organise the random tidbits into a sensible order is irritating. I don't want to be in 5 blogs, x forums and n networking groups, where n is a number from 6-67.
I've been looking more at CMS's (content management systems) with a view to turning Caramelcentre.com into a website that hosts my blog and maybe a forum or somesuch other device that allows me to partition my info into distinct groups and is easier to read than blogs.
After trawling the net and trying out different CMS's on sites like http://www.opensourcecms.com/ and trying to see if I can make a website online asset management system cheaply (eg http://www.thecorpament.com/default.html), I found some game design webauthors who were in the same predicament:
Managing Content
If we make content easy for people to create, they will create more of it. If it's a hassle to create content, they'll create less of it. Case in point: my own website. It's all html and when I write a new article, there's about 6 different places I have to hand-edit something. It's really amazingly poor.
Unfortuantely, researching and installing various CMS's (content management systems) is all I've been doing for weeks now, so I've no time to actually write any content! The state of the CMS offerings out there right now is pretty bad, too. If you just want a forum, vBulletin is the best (that part's easy!). If you just want a blog, then Blogger is decent and Wordpress is good. But what if you want articles separate from blogs, articles with a summary and cover image that don't appear in the articles themselves, one page that lists all article summaries by date, another that lists all recent blog posts, a front page that lists som articles and some blogs (each displayed differently), and other stuff like that? It's quite a task to get a sidebar that automatically lists every single article by category, like I have on my current site.
So what's out there to do all this stuff? Drupal has a lot of features, but is hopelessly difficult to wrestle and no designed for non-technical people. Mambo...well I think the main developers left to create Joomla, so if you wanted Mambo, you might as well use the newer Joomla. I'm wary of both of them for some reason, even though I've hardly tried them. Subdreamer seems lacking. vbadvnced isn't up to the task. The integration between vbulletin and drupal found in "vb drupal" comes at too high of a price (a totally non-standard and unsupported version of drupal). ArticleLive has promise, but seems too hard to customize. EvoArticles has promise, but doesn't even have a working demo on its site. Wordpress is great for what it does, and pretty terrible for doing anything other than a straight blog (forget doing real articles on it).
So I uploaded drupal to one site, and joomla to another to see if i can work with them. Boring stuff, in a way not game-related, but a blog won't suffice for asset collation and storage.
I've been looking more at CMS's (content management systems) with a view to turning Caramelcentre.com into a website that hosts my blog and maybe a forum or somesuch other device that allows me to partition my info into distinct groups and is easier to read than blogs.
After trawling the net and trying out different CMS's on sites like http://www.opensourcecms.com/ and trying to see if I can make a website online asset management system cheaply (eg http://www.thecorpament.com/default.html), I found some game design webauthors who were in the same predicament:
Managing Content
If we make content easy for people to create, they will create more of it. If it's a hassle to create content, they'll create less of it. Case in point: my own website. It's all html and when I write a new article, there's about 6 different places I have to hand-edit something. It's really amazingly poor.
Unfortuantely, researching and installing various CMS's (content management systems) is all I've been doing for weeks now, so I've no time to actually write any content! The state of the CMS offerings out there right now is pretty bad, too. If you just want a forum, vBulletin is the best (that part's easy!). If you just want a blog, then Blogger is decent and Wordpress is good. But what if you want articles separate from blogs, articles with a summary and cover image that don't appear in the articles themselves, one page that lists all article summaries by date, another that lists all recent blog posts, a front page that lists som articles and some blogs (each displayed differently), and other stuff like that? It's quite a task to get a sidebar that automatically lists every single article by category, like I have on my current site.
So what's out there to do all this stuff? Drupal has a lot of features, but is hopelessly difficult to wrestle and no designed for non-technical people. Mambo...well I think the main developers left to create Joomla, so if you wanted Mambo, you might as well use the newer Joomla. I'm wary of both of them for some reason, even though I've hardly tried them. Subdreamer seems lacking. vbadvnced isn't up to the task. The integration between vbulletin and drupal found in "vb drupal" comes at too high of a price (a totally non-standard and unsupported version of drupal). ArticleLive has promise, but seems too hard to customize. EvoArticles has promise, but doesn't even have a working demo on its site. Wordpress is great for what it does, and pretty terrible for doing anything other than a straight blog (forget doing real articles on it).
So I uploaded drupal to one site, and joomla to another to see if i can work with them. Boring stuff, in a way not game-related, but a blog won't suffice for asset collation and storage.
Current strands of thought in my game design ideas
Some strands of interest are/have been:
- making part of a game in which the player is blind. (Neatly doing away with fully textured, 3D models!
- the use of music/sound in a more immersive way.
- A game that explores novel notions in networking. Serious games, augmented gaming?
- A game that is both entertaining and educational
Looking at gameplay first and foremost. Using 2D line drawings to make false 3D. '2 and a half D' a la Starcraft. - Making a game, or 3D world that encourages co-operation, and/or the free movement of skills and thoughts in such a way that poverty-stricken areas, or areas in need of basic skills to help with pressing issues, can utilize the time and skills of others.
Play/Time Games Lab application
Yesterday I applied to be a participant in the Play Time Games Lab workshops. A few hours after the deadline but I only read the email at college. :(
http://www.unexpectedmedia.com/2007/08/29/playtime-games-lab/
I know we (James applied too) don't have much chance of getting in as 'mere' students, but this is the kind of cross-curricular creative endeavour I relish, so it would nice to be a part of it!
Thanks for your interest in the Play Time Games Lab.
We will contact you in the week of October 8th to let you know whether your application has been successful.
Are you: Student
Why do you want to participate in Play/Time?
As a multimedia practitioner, I am excited by the potential of digital games in non-traditional areas. As a current MA Digital Games Design Student, I would relish the opportunity to explore and develop game ideas with others from different fields.
What skills and experience would you bring to the mix of the lab?
I have extensive experience of writing and developing site-specific, audience-interactive multimedia indoor and outdoor theatre.
My initial background as an educational consultant for learners with autism in the UK and in Africa and my work with an Oxford group researching how virtual worlds may benefit such learners has helped me develop an understanding of how different people view and use games. I am an enthusiastic and energetic team player.
Please give some examples of your work relevant to Play/Time Lab. FireNoise - Art Director of Multimedia performance troupe
Coriolis - Play
The Hare That Loved The Moon - Shadow Puppet Play for children
What is your favourite game? Why?
My favourite game is Darwinia, by Introspection. Although it is not the type of game that I want to design myself, I admire Introspection for the amount of work they have put in. I like the retro design and the gesture-based command interface. The Darwinians are very simple characters, but gameplayers feel an emotional response to them when they play the game. Darwinia is an excellent example of what a small games company can do.
Please provide URLs for any websites that contain examples of your work, describe your specific role.
My current portfolio is being updated - apologies.
http://www.unexpectedmedia.com/2007/08/29/playtime-games-lab/
I know we (James applied too) don't have much chance of getting in as 'mere' students, but this is the kind of cross-curricular creative endeavour I relish, so it would nice to be a part of it!
Thanks for your interest in the Play Time Games Lab.
We will contact you in the week of October 8th to let you know whether your application has been successful.
Are you: Student
Why do you want to participate in Play/Time?
As a multimedia practitioner, I am excited by the potential of digital games in non-traditional areas. As a current MA Digital Games Design Student, I would relish the opportunity to explore and develop game ideas with others from different fields.
What skills and experience would you bring to the mix of the lab?
I have extensive experience of writing and developing site-specific, audience-interactive multimedia indoor and outdoor theatre.
My initial background as an educational consultant for learners with autism in the UK and in Africa and my work with an Oxford group researching how virtual worlds may benefit such learners has helped me develop an understanding of how different people view and use games. I am an enthusiastic and energetic team player.
Please give some examples of your work relevant to Play/Time Lab. FireNoise - Art Director of Multimedia performance troupe
Coriolis - Play
The Hare That Loved The Moon - Shadow Puppet Play for children
What is your favourite game? Why?
My favourite game is Darwinia, by Introspection. Although it is not the type of game that I want to design myself, I admire Introspection for the amount of work they have put in. I like the retro design and the gesture-based command interface. The Darwinians are very simple characters, but gameplayers feel an emotional response to them when they play the game. Darwinia is an excellent example of what a small games company can do.
Please provide URLs for any websites that contain examples of your work, describe your specific role.
My current portfolio is being updated - apologies.
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
Current personal reading (and re-reading) list
Futurism by Caroline Tisdall, Angelo Bozzolla
Looking into Futurist Theory, The work of Umberto Boccioni- Representing force, compenetration of materials - depicting matter and energy in games in ways that would be impossible in real-life. We can depict magnetism, electricity, ultra-violet, aura, etc in ways that would be impossible in most other media - how can that be used constructively in our games. What would a cubist or futurist game look/play like? From a writers point of view, not only a designer.
Theories of Modern Art – Herschell B. Chipp
Studying the theories and fundemental processes underlying modern art movements to better contextualize some of the game ideas I am thinking of.
Fundamentals Of Game Design – Adam Rollings
Enough said!
A Dictionary of Symbols – J.E. Cirelot
Using symbols in games - alchemical symbolism is a rich vein to tap. Symbolism - a lazy shortcut, crass art,cultural motifs? Symbols instead of characters?
Happening And Other Acts – Mariellen R. Standford
Pre-digital live art, multimedia presentation. Fluxus, the nature of performance art. The nature/relationship between artist and audience.
Game Writing (Narrative Skills for Videogames) – Chris Bateman
Looking at narrative in games. How does this differ from my playwriting/scriptwriting? What are the advantages/disavantages of writing for games?
Incorporating Social Goals In The Classroom – Rebecca A. Moyes
Creating games that are of benefit academically and socially. What could the social aims of games be? Would that change in different societies?
Understanding Power – Noam Chomsky
Power, the media and the messages they broadcast, the creative medium, lexicographical pointers. Accumulations of power and the power of individuals and groups.
Impro – Keith Johnstone
The nature of Status, Improvisation, Character, Maskwork - Character design and interplay and the importance in narrative structure.
Zero – Charles Seife
Mathematics, mathematical development - relating to symbols, molecular modelling and conundrums. What is zero? What is 'void'? What is the space 'outside the game map'? Also the emergence and development of fundemental ideas.
Body Hotspots - R. Dale Guthrie
The notion of 'the use and display of social organs' and how that could inform character design and character- character interaction
Looking into Futurist Theory, The work of Umberto Boccioni- Representing force, compenetration of materials - depicting matter and energy in games in ways that would be impossible in real-life. We can depict magnetism, electricity, ultra-violet, aura, etc in ways that would be impossible in most other media - how can that be used constructively in our games. What would a cubist or futurist game look/play like? From a writers point of view, not only a designer.
Theories of Modern Art – Herschell B. Chipp
Studying the theories and fundemental processes underlying modern art movements to better contextualize some of the game ideas I am thinking of.
Fundamentals Of Game Design – Adam Rollings
Enough said!
A Dictionary of Symbols – J.E. Cirelot
Using symbols in games - alchemical symbolism is a rich vein to tap. Symbolism - a lazy shortcut, crass art,cultural motifs? Symbols instead of characters?
Happening And Other Acts – Mariellen R. Standford
Pre-digital live art, multimedia presentation. Fluxus, the nature of performance art. The nature/relationship between artist and audience.
Game Writing (Narrative Skills for Videogames) – Chris Bateman
Looking at narrative in games. How does this differ from my playwriting/scriptwriting? What are the advantages/disavantages of writing for games?
Incorporating Social Goals In The Classroom – Rebecca A. Moyes
Creating games that are of benefit academically and socially. What could the social aims of games be? Would that change in different societies?
Understanding Power – Noam Chomsky
Power, the media and the messages they broadcast, the creative medium, lexicographical pointers. Accumulations of power and the power of individuals and groups.
Impro – Keith Johnstone
The nature of Status, Improvisation, Character, Maskwork - Character design and interplay and the importance in narrative structure.
Zero – Charles Seife
Mathematics, mathematical development - relating to symbols, molecular modelling and conundrums. What is zero? What is 'void'? What is the space 'outside the game map'? Also the emergence and development of fundemental ideas.
Body Hotspots - R. Dale Guthrie
The notion of 'the use and display of social organs' and how that could inform character design and character- character interaction
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