Haven't posted in the lounge the last few weeks so I thought I'd make a post, cause all work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy right? At least that's what I hear. Anyway, for those of you who want to know what I've been up to you need only to look at my other blog "Look What I Can Do!" I got my project proposal for the game done. I'm shooting for a GameMaker prototype and finished product in Unity (both done in 2D), but enough about work. When I haven't been working I've been watching 1 of 3 things: Breaking Bad, Indie Game the Movie, or HIMYM. Okay well Indie Game the Movie was a one time thing, I don't watch it every single day or anything.... or do I? Either way if you are dumb like me and haven't seen it yet, I'd definitely suggest watching it. Even if you're an avid gamer, it will give you a new appreciation for the indie scene and even mainstream. A lot of people laud games because of their mechanics or art style or storyline and overlook attempts to connect with people on a much deeper level. I'm not saying every game has a deep undertone that always gets ignored, but there are many games like that. Lets face it, games like CoD aren't trying to push the envelope in that direction in any way, but some are: Army of Two was trying to give a better look at comradery, Dishonored is another example trying to dispell the illusion that violence is the only answer. These mechanics could have been added simply because they were interesting, but I'd like to have a little faith in mainstream games and say that they were put in with a deeper meaning in mind.
Breaking Bad is amazing, I'm watching it on Netflix. Currently I'm on season 2, Walt just started making a deal to launder money with Saul his new lawyer; Hank is trying to get over is PTS; Skyler got a new job working for a guy that used to hit on her; Jesse is in love with his landlord. It's all extremely cool. Apparently Heisenberg (Walt) turns even more badass as the season progresses. Here's hoping that season 2 ends on an even crazier note than season 1. I can't wait to catch up and watch it as they come out.
Finally How I Met Your Mother. Apparently this is the last season so we finally get to meet the girl of Ted's dreams.
Okay so I mostly wrote this to promote Indie Game the Movie, you really need to see it whether you're an avid gamer or game designer. It gives prospective designers insight into what type of situations they will have to deal with. Furthermore, it is just entertaining to watch. Does everything work out for the co-creators of Super Meat Boy? Does Braid get the recognition Jonathan Blow want it to get from his fans? Does Phil Fish ever finish Fez? Well we know the answers to all of these questions, but still it's interesting to watch it unfold.
Nov 9, 2012
Oct 30, 2012
Escort Games
First and foremost I want to tell everyone who reads this to keep the victims and those who are without power due to Hurricane Sandy in your prayers. Now let's talk about escort games. For any who don't know an escort game is one in which the player is responsible for the well being of another character, usually a non player character (NPC). Many escort games have been used with great success. Thatgamecompany's Journey (to some degree) or Team Ico's Ico or Irrational Game's Bioshock 1 & 2, although admittedly that last one only had escort elements in it rather than being a full fledged escort game. The escort game is usually an action RPG or a platform game. Enslaved is a good example of a game that encompasses all those genres with some success. Although the platforming is relatively simple there are certain points in which the game uses it with success.
The most important aspect of these games is developing a relationship with the person you're playing with whether it is another player or an NPC this can be challenging. Thatgamecompany I feel does this with the most success of the games listed. I have yet to play the game myself, but from my understanding there are many times where people have such profound experiences with their anonymous counterpart that they connect on a very deep level. Granted the other games are very powerful and beautiful games, but not solely because of the escort aspect.
Ico's puzzles and platforming require you to manipulate the environment in order to allow Ico and Jorda to both get to the next part of the game, to get Jorda to move along Ico must clear a path then call her to get her to move. Bioshock has you protect "little sisters" and have them return to safety on occasion.
The reason why I chose to talk about escort games this week is because I plan on making an escort game for my senior capstone. This is going to be one of several games I'm working on and I wanted to get feedback from people about what they thought I could do to create an emotional connection to the player's character and the escort both through gameplay and through story. Currently I have an overview for the story: In a futuristic society the social views are not as far along as we (the real world society) are used to. Women are viewed as prizes in war, and skill in combat is the only measure of a man's worth.
In the midst of a raid between your enemy nation you manage to capture a young beautiful woman and take her with you to your rendezvous point for extraction back to your home. Along the way you run into trouble. After a well fought battle you make a mad dash hoping to make it to your extraction in time with your prize. Unfortunately you are left behind. Your communication was destroyed in combat and you're stranded. Your only option is to make it home is to traverse the terrain in enemy territory. As the player travels with his captive, the woman proves to be quite intelligent and voices her opinion on the true horrors of war. The gameplay will allow you to respond to her opinions. If the player wants her to like them more or feels that she has a valid argument they can choose a non lethal play style. This makes combat more difficult, but the woman will be easier to manage. If the player chooses to disregard the woman they can fight with lethal force but the woman will be prone to run from the player's side. Along with worrying about their own health, if the woman is killed, or runs too far from the player the player looses.
I also wanted to make the story more interactive by creating scenes in between the combat that allow for player responses, similar to BioWare's Mass Effect series although probably not quite as advanced. I'm going to be updating how things go with this project, but I am open to constructive criticism and suggestions from anyone. Just leave a comment or email me.
The most important aspect of these games is developing a relationship with the person you're playing with whether it is another player or an NPC this can be challenging. Thatgamecompany I feel does this with the most success of the games listed. I have yet to play the game myself, but from my understanding there are many times where people have such profound experiences with their anonymous counterpart that they connect on a very deep level. Granted the other games are very powerful and beautiful games, but not solely because of the escort aspect.
Ico's puzzles and platforming require you to manipulate the environment in order to allow Ico and Jorda to both get to the next part of the game, to get Jorda to move along Ico must clear a path then call her to get her to move. Bioshock has you protect "little sisters" and have them return to safety on occasion.
The reason why I chose to talk about escort games this week is because I plan on making an escort game for my senior capstone. This is going to be one of several games I'm working on and I wanted to get feedback from people about what they thought I could do to create an emotional connection to the player's character and the escort both through gameplay and through story. Currently I have an overview for the story: In a futuristic society the social views are not as far along as we (the real world society) are used to. Women are viewed as prizes in war, and skill in combat is the only measure of a man's worth.
In the midst of a raid between your enemy nation you manage to capture a young beautiful woman and take her with you to your rendezvous point for extraction back to your home. Along the way you run into trouble. After a well fought battle you make a mad dash hoping to make it to your extraction in time with your prize. Unfortunately you are left behind. Your communication was destroyed in combat and you're stranded. Your only option is to make it home is to traverse the terrain in enemy territory. As the player travels with his captive, the woman proves to be quite intelligent and voices her opinion on the true horrors of war. The gameplay will allow you to respond to her opinions. If the player wants her to like them more or feels that she has a valid argument they can choose a non lethal play style. This makes combat more difficult, but the woman will be easier to manage. If the player chooses to disregard the woman they can fight with lethal force but the woman will be prone to run from the player's side. Along with worrying about their own health, if the woman is killed, or runs too far from the player the player looses.
I also wanted to make the story more interactive by creating scenes in between the combat that allow for player responses, similar to BioWare's Mass Effect series although probably not quite as advanced. I'm going to be updating how things go with this project, but I am open to constructive criticism and suggestions from anyone. Just leave a comment or email me.
Oct 26, 2012
Borderlands 2
I'm only about half way through borderlands 2 but so far its awesome. I'm playing through as a siren in 2, the only class I didn't play in 1(I need to change that). Each tree has its own feel and is a viable option depending on your play style. For example the siren can be used for crowd control by turning her enemies on their comrades when they are phaselocked or pulling them all together. Or she can be the team medic, literally shooting her allies to heal them. Lastly she could be a harbinger of decay and be an effective elemental user. This is the particular tree I'm specced into due to my solo tendencies. I haven't had a chance to play co op yet but I can already tell based on skill trees that they've paid more attention to the co op aspect of this installment than the previous one. I love the new bad ass system which can keep a player interested in playing so long as the points keep racking up. The story line even improved from the first game and makes you appreciate the first games plot that much more. I won't go into details but its definitely an awesome storyline. Eridium is used to purchase storage upgrades which is an interesting concept. On the 1 hand if you love to open things up you'll have no trouble finding enough for the first two levels of upgrades for everything. Not everyone does that though. Eridium dropped by enemies comes few and far between.
One new feature I've found really cool is the ability to send items to your other characters. There is a 4 slot bank unit near your claptrap "master" over near zeds lab in sanctuary. If you pick up an item you've outgrown but still like to use send it to your other characters so you can keep playing with it.
The enemies in borderlands 2 are more carried. In addition to your bandits psychos bruisers midgets skags and all those other targets waiting for you. Pandora also shows off new inhabitants like stalkers threshers and bullymongs. The bandits have nomads goliaths who rage if you shoot off their helmet (letting a raging goliath kill its allies will increase the amount of xp you earn when you finally destroy him, the highest I saw was a super bad ass goliath) suicide psychos which explode if you let them get too close and midgets being used as a shield (pretty funny actually).
Don't think there aren't some familiar faces though. Roland, Lilith, Mordecai, and Brick are all working with you to stop handsome jack from gaining control of the warrior a powerful being inside the vault. You get to learn a lot more about the 4 heroes and what happened since angel had them open the vault so many years ago. I'd tell you what happened but then it wouldn't be as much fun when you actually met up with them. I haven't really fought alongside Roland yet but the other three joined in different fights (at different times) and they do not disappoint.
Pandora was my favorite part about borderlands 1 its colorful characters and bad guys made it a very fun and funny place to explore. Borderlands 2 takes it a step further by creating a variety of different places. From the frozen tundra of the southern shelf to the more familiar Pandora in places like the dust (a desert waistland where scooter's sister Ellie lives). I only wish they revisited some of the more iconic sites of Pandora. (I retract this statement after playing further I have learned that you revisit places like the arid badlands which includes fyrestone and even a side quest to see why exactly tk baha got killed.) However Handsome Jack has destroyed new haven and that whole area so it is legitimately explained why you don't go back. Not only is the scenery dynamic but so are the characters you interact with. Unlike tk or others who just sat in 1 place the characters in 2 walk around their area and seem more interactive. They are also much crazier. They all add to the experience of exploring Pandora.
My biggest gripe with the game is the pace at the start. It requires you to grind through the few side quests you have in order to get to a level high enough to continue the story. I felt like the game shouldn't have put you at a level disadvantage so early on. I understand you shouldn't just run through the game and not worry about side quests if you do that then you will be missing out on a good 30-50% of the game. The enemy sayings and ambiance gets a little repetitive especially when you're invading a Hyperion territory. The loader enemies spout all sorts of annoying sounds and chirps that I feel could have been more various or played less often. The quest design is also pretty frustrating. After clearing an area I turn in one quest and more quests are unlocked in the same area that I was just at. After I return to the area all the enemies are respawned.
Overall borderlands 2 improved upon almost all aspects of the first game. The new classes are fresh yet familiar. Theres plenty of exploring to do. And the storyline even makes the first games plot seem as lot more plausable. I haven't finished the game yet but I'll add a score when I have handsome Jack's head on a stick.
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So I finally finished Borderlands 2 and it was incredible. I still have tons of side quests to do before I start my next play through and my next character, but the game is great. Earlier I said you did not revisit any of the old places on Pandora, but after finishing the play through I have found that you do in fact get to see the Arid Badlands again. This time it is called Arid Nexus Badlands. You walk through Fyrestone and out into the area where the bus first dropped you off in Borderlands 1. I loved the battles where you got to join up with Brick and Mordecai in order to stop Handsome Jack and destroy the Vault Key. The ending even left room to do as many Borderland games as gearbox could possibly want. Overall I give the game a 9/10. There are a rare few technical hiccups in the game that can be frustrating (mostly the runners getting caught when it lands on awkward terrain, but some are a little more serious and frustrating) and fighting over loot with your friends is a drawback (for some). The quest repetition can get quite cumbersome for some people. But other than that the game is immersive, fun, and highly replayable.
One new feature I've found really cool is the ability to send items to your other characters. There is a 4 slot bank unit near your claptrap "master" over near zeds lab in sanctuary. If you pick up an item you've outgrown but still like to use send it to your other characters so you can keep playing with it.
The enemies in borderlands 2 are more carried. In addition to your bandits psychos bruisers midgets skags and all those other targets waiting for you. Pandora also shows off new inhabitants like stalkers threshers and bullymongs. The bandits have nomads goliaths who rage if you shoot off their helmet (letting a raging goliath kill its allies will increase the amount of xp you earn when you finally destroy him, the highest I saw was a super bad ass goliath) suicide psychos which explode if you let them get too close and midgets being used as a shield (pretty funny actually).
Don't think there aren't some familiar faces though. Roland, Lilith, Mordecai, and Brick are all working with you to stop handsome jack from gaining control of the warrior a powerful being inside the vault. You get to learn a lot more about the 4 heroes and what happened since angel had them open the vault so many years ago. I'd tell you what happened but then it wouldn't be as much fun when you actually met up with them. I haven't really fought alongside Roland yet but the other three joined in different fights (at different times) and they do not disappoint.
Pandora was my favorite part about borderlands 1 its colorful characters and bad guys made it a very fun and funny place to explore. Borderlands 2 takes it a step further by creating a variety of different places. From the frozen tundra of the southern shelf to the more familiar Pandora in places like the dust (a desert waistland where scooter's sister Ellie lives). I only wish they revisited some of the more iconic sites of Pandora. (I retract this statement after playing further I have learned that you revisit places like the arid badlands which includes fyrestone and even a side quest to see why exactly tk baha got killed.) However Handsome Jack has destroyed new haven and that whole area so it is legitimately explained why you don't go back. Not only is the scenery dynamic but so are the characters you interact with. Unlike tk or others who just sat in 1 place the characters in 2 walk around their area and seem more interactive. They are also much crazier. They all add to the experience of exploring Pandora.
My biggest gripe with the game is the pace at the start. It requires you to grind through the few side quests you have in order to get to a level high enough to continue the story. I felt like the game shouldn't have put you at a level disadvantage so early on. I understand you shouldn't just run through the game and not worry about side quests if you do that then you will be missing out on a good 30-50% of the game. The enemy sayings and ambiance gets a little repetitive especially when you're invading a Hyperion territory. The loader enemies spout all sorts of annoying sounds and chirps that I feel could have been more various or played less often. The quest design is also pretty frustrating. After clearing an area I turn in one quest and more quests are unlocked in the same area that I was just at. After I return to the area all the enemies are respawned.
Overall borderlands 2 improved upon almost all aspects of the first game. The new classes are fresh yet familiar. Theres plenty of exploring to do. And the storyline even makes the first games plot seem as lot more plausable. I haven't finished the game yet but I'll add a score when I have handsome Jack's head on a stick.
_________________________________________________________________________________
So I finally finished Borderlands 2 and it was incredible. I still have tons of side quests to do before I start my next play through and my next character, but the game is great. Earlier I said you did not revisit any of the old places on Pandora, but after finishing the play through I have found that you do in fact get to see the Arid Badlands again. This time it is called Arid Nexus Badlands. You walk through Fyrestone and out into the area where the bus first dropped you off in Borderlands 1. I loved the battles where you got to join up with Brick and Mordecai in order to stop Handsome Jack and destroy the Vault Key. The ending even left room to do as many Borderland games as gearbox could possibly want. Overall I give the game a 9/10. There are a rare few technical hiccups in the game that can be frustrating (mostly the runners getting caught when it lands on awkward terrain, but some are a little more serious and frustrating) and fighting over loot with your friends is a drawback (for some). The quest repetition can get quite cumbersome for some people. But other than that the game is immersive, fun, and highly replayable.
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