13. Pong

Pong is one of the earliest arcade video games. It is a two-dimensional video game that with the settings of tennis sports game. Pong was one of the first video games to reach mainstream popularity. The game is simple, player just need to defeat the opponent in a simulated table tennis game by earning a higher score. The game was originally manufactured by Atari Incorporated who released it in 1972. Allan Alcorn created Pong as a training exercise assigned to him by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell. Bushnell based the idea on an electronic ping-pong game included in the Magnavox Odyssey, which later resulted in a lawsuit against Atari. Pong quickly became a success and is the first commercially successful video game, which led to the start of the video game industry. Soon after its release, several companies began producing games that copied Pong's gameplay, and eventually released new types of games. 

Interactivity
Actions involved are to move to 2 different directions, which are UP and DOWN.

Concept and Settings

The concept of the game is tennis sports game. The developers intended to offer the players such experience of playing tennis sports game electronically. Game is set on a 2D table tennis, where there are two players max per match. The game could be played against AI or another player.

Goal
The goal is to get the higher score by striking the ball to the enemies area (wicket)

Challenges
Game could be hard to play, because it is based on AI level of difficulty.

A.G.E Framework

12. 1942

Click here to play: http://www.nintendo8.com/game/268/1942/

1942 is a shooting video game made by Capcom that was released for the arcade in 1984. It is a vertically scrolling shoot'em up, where the game was set such constraint to be played only in vertical mode. Thus player could experience controlling a combat-plane that is just always moving forward.

It was the first game in the 19xx series. It was followed by 1943: The Battle of Midway.

Interactivity
Actions involved are shooting, roll or loop-the-loop, move to 4 different directions (left, up, right, and down)

Settings and Concept
1942 is set in the Pasific theater of world war II. Developers intended to offer the players such experience of being in a world war II, where the player pilots a plane to defeat the japanese

Goal
The goal is to reach Tokyo and destroy the entire Japanese air fleet. The player pilots a plane dubbed the "Super Ace". The player has to shoot down enemy planes, and to avoid enemy fire, the player can perform a roll or loop-the-loop.

Challenge
The challenges in this game are those bosses (planes) at each stage, and the variety of enemy's planes.

A.G.E Framework

11. Pac-Man

Pac-Man is an arcade game that was developed by Namco and first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Upon its release, Pac - Man derivatives, became a social phenomenon that sold a large amount of merchandise and also inspired, among other things. Pac-Man is often credited with being a landmark in video game history, and is among the most famous arcade games of all time. It is also one of the highest-grossing video games of all time, having generated more than $2.5 billion in quarters by the 1990s.

Interactivity

Actions involved are move to 4 different directions, which are right, left, up, and down. Players wander around the 2D map, and eat all of the pac-dots.

Concept and Setting

The concept is being a pac-man that is trying to eat all of pac-dots spread on different parts of the map. The map is like a maze, and there are four enemies or ghosts that are trying to kill the players (pac-man)

Goal 

The goal of this game is to eat all of the pac-dots.

Challenge

Challenges are those enemies on the map that are tracking down the pac-man.

A.G.E Framework

10. Workshop week 10 - Puzzle game

In the workshop week 10, we learnt how to design a puzzle game such that it is not that hard to play, but still challenging.
The lecturer taught us the 8 steps to design the puzzle game from scratch.

The 8 steps are:

1. Inspiration (specifying the rules)
2. Simplification (specifying the rules)
3. Design Specification (specifying the rules)
4. Construction Set (specifying the rules)
5. Levels
6. Sequence
7. Testing
8. Presentation

After the lecturer gave us a brief explanation about how the puzzle game could be created, then he gave us task to create our own puzzle game. We are given a paper with hexagonal shapes on it, and we are intended to draw or design the game using those hexagonal shapes on the paper.

Thus, we draw it like the one below.

On the top of the map, there is a child that must be saved from the witch (on the bottom of the map).

We are to design the puzzle to dodge the witch's spell, and make it back attacking the witch.

We need to set several pipes for the way of the witch's spell, so then the spell would go through the hole of the pipe, and follow the pipe that in the end pointed back to the witch.

 if the pipe blocks the spell, the pipe then would be destroyed by the spell.  

9. Bomberman

Click here to play: http://www.nintendo8.com/game/1/bomberman/

Bomberman is a strategic, maze-based video game that was originally developed by Hudson Soft. It was published in 1983.


Gameplay

The general goal is to complete the levels by strategically placing bombs in order to kill opponents and destroy obstacles. Exploding bombs can set off other bombs, kill or injure enemies, and destroy obstacles. However player could be killed as well. There are several power ups that would come up from obstacles (bricks). Player could use those power ups to power up their bombs. In order to win the game, player could kill all of enemies on the play field.

Interactivity

Actions involved are, moving around the play field, setting up bombs, exploding bombs (R/C Bombs only).


Concept and Setting

It's a walking-alone guy (bomberman) who is trying to get away from enemies. Bomberman's weapon are bombs that could explode and kill the enemies.


Goals

The goal of this game is to defeat all of the opponents on the play field.

Challenge

The challenge is the number of enemies on the map, and some of them walk fast! Last but not least, the bomb itself could kill the bomberman.

A.G.E Framework

8. Puzzle Bobble

Click here to play: http://www.classicgamesarcade.com/game/21606/puzzle-bobble.html

Puzzle Bobble is a tile-matching arcade puzzle video game for one or two players created by Taito Corporation in 1994. It is based on Taito's popular 1986 arcade game Bubble Bobble, featuring characters and themes from that game. Its characteristically 'cute' Japanese animation and music, along with its play mechanics and level designs, made it successful as an arcade title and spawned several sequels and ports to home gaming systems.

Gameplay

This is the screen when a player playing alone (1 player mode). Player plays against time only. In order to win the game, player has to clear the play field by matching the same color balls (Colors consist of yellow, red, blue, and green). Player has to shoot the ball, and try to match the color. The ball will be removed from the play field if three or more balls on the play field are matched with the player's ball shot from the pointer. After a period of time, if the game went too long, the play field will be more cramped (the balls on the play field are getting closer to the player). Player will lose if he/she could not able to clear all of the balls on the play field in a period of time. 

It offers 2 players mode as well!  Here, the players play against each other and time. It's quite challenging. The game play is about the same.

Interactivity

One of actions involved in this game is the pointer to the left and to the right (approx 90 degree: 45 to the left, and 45 to the right). Player also could shot the ball using a button (based on the settings).


Concept

It's like a puzzle game with color based.


Goal

The goal of this game is to clear those balls on the play field by matching the color. Player matches the color and shoots the ball from the pointer. There are several stages that could be done in order to win the game (1 player mode).

Challenge

The challenge is that there are several different colors, and also there might be difficulty when trying to match the ball with the same color (other balls might block the way).

A.G.E Framework

7. Workshop week 6

During the workshop in week 6, my group mates from the previous workshop and I continued working on the RPG board game. We were trying to understand all of the rules, and afterwards we tried to play the game. 

Previous workshop - Week 3

Race to The End

In week 3, we were creating a simple board game, "Race to The end". The challenge came from this link http://bbrathwaite.wordpress.com/2008/07/09/the-easiest-game-design-exercise-ever-really/.

The game consist of two components: start point, and destination or finish point.

Rule in this game is very simple, the one who reach the finish point earlier would be the winner.

During the workshop I formed a group with some of class mates and create our own map using the paper given by our lecturer Prof. Roberto Dillon. There are hexagonal shapes that are drawn on the paper, and our task was to draw the route from the starting point to the destination point. Thus, we draw the route or map, afterwards we started to play the game using 6 dimensional dice. The game was not quite fun though, so, we added several power ups spread randomly on several hexagonal shapes on the map.

6. Turbo Esprit

Click here to play

Turbo Esprit was published by Durell Software in 1986. It was designed to be compatible in three different platforms (ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and Amstrad CPC). It is the earliest game with concept of free-roaming city environment with several in-game features such as indicator lights, pedestrians traffic ligChts, and a view of car's interior controls.

Gameplay

Player acts as a special agent, driving a Lotus Esprit car to prevent a gang of drug smugglers to completing a delivery of heroin. Player should track down their cars and destroy them by either ramming or shooting them. Player must travel around one of four available cities to take down those criminals. There are two types of opponent cars, armoured cars and hit cars. Players are recommended to ram those armoured cars as they are bulletproof. However, players could use built-in machine gun to defeat those hit-cars as they are quite speedy. Players could get penalty point if they hit other cars, and could explode if they crash into anything while traveling fast

Interactivity

Actions involved in this game are controlling car (move left, right, forward, and stop), shooting, as well as ramming. Buttons to control could be set up in the in-game settings.

Concept and Setting

The concept of the game is a special agent who is assigned mission to stop drug smugglers activities in a city.

Goal

The goal of the game is to destroyed or exploded the drug smugglers' cars by shooting or ramming them. 

Challenge

There are two types of opponent's cars, armoured cars and hit cars. Players have to defeat armoured cars by ramming them since they are bulletproof. However, players could not ram hit cars since they are moving fast; players need to shoot them. 

Citizens' cars could be a distraction while chasing the opponent's car. If the player's car crashes while moving in a high speed, then it could be exploded and the game ends (game over).

A.G.E Framework

5. Workshop week 5 - RPG Board Game

In workshop at week 5, I learned about the mechanics of RPG game. It was not the one that is visualized on the computer screen, but it was a board game!

At first I could not imagine of how this game was going to play with paper and dice. Because I knew that an RPG game involves character selection, equipment selection, purchasing items, character appearance, and last but not least a complex calculation for character's status

Here is the game that my friends and I played during the workshop. We formed a group and then the lecturer passed me a form of character specification, as well as a bundle of paper listing the game mechanics such as list of monsters, list of items or equipment, in-game rules, as well as the game story line.

Game title: Microlite20 Purest Essence

Created by: Robin V. Stacey, Darrell King, and Al Kombach

Players have to choose a character, and fill a character form to set up the character's name, height, status, skills, as well as equipment.
There are 4 types of character with 4 different races.

1. Classes: 
• Fighters
• Rogues
• Mages
• Clerics
2. Races:
• Humans
• Elves
• Dwarves
• Halflings

Afterwards, players have to set up the character's status(Strength, Dexterity, Mind) and skills by following the given rule. 

Last but not least, players have to purchase several equipment using the given credits/money.

After the characters are set, then my group members and I tried to play the game. However, it was not really working well since we played using dices and it also required a frequent calculation.

4. Battle City

Click here to play: http://nesbox.com/game/battle-city/rom/4790d4c1c59af5ca9ae29744050a55d5

Introduction

Battle City (a.k.a Tank 1990 or  Tank) is a multi-directional shooter video game for the Nintendo family computer produced and published by Namco in 1985. The game was later released for the Game Boy and was included in the Japanese version of Star Fox: Assault. It is a prt of the arcade game Tank Battalion with additional features (two player simultaneously play). There was also a rendition for Nintendo's Vs. System arcade cabinets.

Gameplay

• The player controlling a tank, must destroy enemy tanks in each level, which enter the play-field from the top of screen.
• The enemies attempt to destroy the player's base (represented as phoenix or eagle) as well as the player's tank itself. 
• A level is completed when the player destroys all 20 enemy tanks, but the game ends if the player's base is destroyed or the player loses all the available lives.

Play-field

1. Yellow rectangle - represent number of enemies
2. Blue rectangle - represent available lives of the player
3. Green rectangle - represent player's base
4. Blue arrow - represent the player's tank 
5. Silver tanks are the enemies

Interactivity

The actions involved in this game are shooting (use Z or X button on the keyboard) and moving around the play-field (using UP,LEFT,RIGHT,BOTTOM arrow on the keyboard)

Concept and Setting

Setting of the game is like being in a war zone, where the player controlling a tank and defending a base from enemies (tanks).

Goal

Goal of the game is to eliminate 20 tanks at each level and protect the base.

Challenge

The challenge is to avoid being killed by enemy tanks while protecting the base. Bricks could distract the player's movement, however player could destroy only the red bricks.

A.G.E Framework

3. Snake

Snake is a casual video game that originated during the late 1970s in arcades and has maintained popularity since then, becoming something of a classic. After it became the standard pre-loaded game on Nokia mobile phones in 1998, Snake found a massive audience.

Snake 2D

It was first developed as 2 dimensional casual video game. 

Snake 3D

This is the second generation, with 3D view. Unfortunately, it did not succeed to hit the market because it has lost its simplicity of the gameplay. 

Snake Trouble
Click here to play: http://www.onemotion.com/flash/snake-game/

Snake Trouble is a casual video game powered by flash. It has the similar gameplay as the one on the Nokia mobile phone.


Interactivity:
The action involved is just moving the snake using mouse. Users can freely move the snake around the map.

Concept and Setting:
It is a casual game while players play this game just for fun. They also could try to get the highest score.

Goal:
The main objective is to get points as high as possible by devouring mice at each level/stage. Eating a mice will lengthen the snake at a particular size.

Challenge:

The challenge occurs when the snake has devoured a lot of mice so that the body becomes long enough. It will reduce the scope for the snake to move since the snake is not to eat its own body. Last but not least, the snake should have eaten the snake before a period of time 

A.G.E Framework:

2. Tetris Battle

Click here to play : https://apps.facebook.com/tetris_battle/‎

Tetris is a tile-matching video game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in the Soviet Union. It was released on June 6, 1984. He derived its name from the Greek numerical prefix 'tetra' (all of the game's pieces contain four segments).

Tetris Battle on Facebook is a comprehensive online Tetris competition game

It comes with several features such as

1. Ranking - this game has 6 game mode and each have ranking systems.A player has to earn 5 stars in order to rank up. Winning the game earns 1-2 stars, while losing and quitting while playing will decrease 1 or more. Highest rank is 110 with 50 stars.
2. Energy meter - indicates a limited amount of matches and each match costs 5 points of energy. The only way to refill are either wait up to 25 minutes or buy an energy pack.
3. Player level - the level meter indicates Experience Points (EXP) that earns after the game has finished. Filling up the meter will award 1 tetris cash and fully charged energy meter

It has several game modes:

2 Players

4 Players - Sprint

6 Players

Interactivity:

The action involved in this game is moving blocks using UP,RIGHT,DOWN,LEFT on the keyboard and use shift to hold a block.

Concept and Setting:

Concept of this game is a tile-matching, where players compete to get the highest score

Goal:

The goal of this game is to accumulate points as much as possible before it times up.

Challenge:

The challenge is that the player needs to accumulate the points as much as possible before it times up, also players are encouraged to do combos as much as possible to earn extra points. Moreover, there is an event where the ground is getting higher and higher usually because of either rivals did a lot of combos or the match is about to time up.

A.G.E Framework:

1. Centipede

Click here to play: http://www.atari.com/arcade/arcade/centipede#!/arcade/centipede/play

Centipede is a 2D vertically oriented shooting arcade video game published by Atari, Inc. in 1981. It was designed by Ed Logg and a female game programmer, Dona Bailey. The main objective of this game is pretty simple, the player just need to defend against swarms of insects, and he/she can complete the stage after defeating the centipede which always move closer to the player ground.

Tips: try to survive by dodging and killing distractions (insects)

Briefing...

Gameplay

This is how the gameplay looks like at the level 1. There is a centipede moving to the player ground, and a spider distracts the player. Player can only move around on the player ground, and can only shot upwards.

1. Red arrow = showing the score (earned after defeated insects)
2. Green arrow = showing the current stage/level
3. Black arrow = showing player's life (given 3 life for each level)
4. Yellow arrow = the centipede (must kill)
5. Orange arrow = other insects (distractions)
6. Yellow star = the player
7. Oval blue = player territory (player ground) 

Interactivity - Core game mechanic or action

The action involved in this game is shooting using SPACE button on the keyboard, and move along the player territory using W,S,A,D or UP,DOWN,LEFT,RIGHT on the keyboard. 

Concept and Setting - Big theme

Theme of this game is being in a jungle, defending a camp (i my opinion) from brutal attacks of various insects.

Goal 

The goal of this game is to survive at each level and get the highest score among other players. 

Challenge

The challenge of this game is to dodge and then kill every insects on the field. More insects are coming at the higher level, and those are getting more annoying since they move faster and faster.

Story

I do not thing that there is a story element within this game. 

A.G.E Framework