3. How does a game’s genre affect the way its levels and environments are
designed? Choose one level from three different games—each from a distinct
primary genre—and compare how these levels are designed with regard to
setting, goals, puzzles, and risk–reward system.
Game 1 S.T.A.L.K.E.R - Shadow of Chernobyl - FPS RPG - Set in present/recent past
Game 2 Empire Earth - RTS - set from prehistoric times to distant future.
Game 3 The Sims 3 - Simulation - Set in present, but with time machines.
Game 1 - All the mission goals in STALKER, whether primary or secondary, were tasks that you personally had to complete, such as killing a certain person, ridding a certain area of mutants, or obtaining an artifact. The setting was a post-apocalyptic world of carnage, with a clearly 3d landscape, enterable builings, and usable objects. The 'Puzzles' in this game would probably be the fighting, and the anomalies, which are transparent pockets of focused radiation, which can change gravity, or create small tornadoes, or rip flesh apart with wind, enemies must be killed and anomalies avoided. On top of this there are certain underground missions where you must destroy a certain machine which is halting your progress, or destroy a zombie-creating mind control device, or simply find your way through a secret underground area just to progress. The risk-reward is perfectly balanced, the more people you kill, the better the gear that they will be carrying, the depper you delve into the world, the more useful and more valuable the artifacts you find will be.
Game 2 - All the mission goals in the campaign of Empire Earth centre around the creation, or use, of an army, or pre-built defences, such as collecting supporters from differet villagers in a region, so you can then, with your army take over a walled town to use as a base, in which you can then enlarge your army, and then take over strategic points to weaken you enemy, and THEN attack them in full force, providing you have certain units. The game is set in a mostly 3d world, which includes simple lowered and raised terrain, which gives you or your enemies the advantage, based on who is higher, as well as most of the game objects; trees, units, buildings. The land is a basic template of terrain, either temperate, tropical, or arid (Both Hot and Cold). and the natural game objects are created appropriately. (Walrusus and snow covered trees in ice, Cactii and Prarie dogs in desert). The puzzles in Empire Earth are mainly to defeat a certain enemy with your men, to do this, it is best to counter their soldiers, i.e. Swordsmen beat archers, archers beat pikemen, pikemen beat swordsmen. also taking an enemy base with a limited number of soldier, using strategies such as taking out their defences with long range catapults, or artillary, and protecting those with a balanced, but small number of soldiers. For each objective you complete, you get points towards getting bonuses for your civilizations.
Game 3 - Their are really no objectives or missions in the Sims, except for those you set yourself, which are generally; becoming rich, getting to a certain stage in your career path, or acheiving your life dream. The setting is a pristine, sub-urban world, full of normal, and abnormal people, as well as your home, designed and furnished by you. There are very few puzzles, except things such as earning enough to get by, and the maximum level of comfort you can afford with those earnings. the more tiring and uncomfortable work and activities you complete, the better your sim will become at them, and the better his prowess in those things eventually.
1. Using some of the techniques discussed in this chapter, begin developing a concept for an original game idea. Discuss the central theme of your idea, and the methods you used
to bring your idea into existence.
Perhaps some kind of team game, where a single vehicle is controlled by 3-4 people, say, one to race the vehicle itself, one to control the main weapon, a gatling gun perhaps, or twin rocket launchers, another to control secondary weapons and abilities, such as scatter spikes, and if theres four players, one can maybe scout, or control some other facet of the craft. it would be 3rd person over-the-shoulder for the racer, perhaps isometric for the scout, and 1st person for the gunner, and the controller of the secondary weapons and abilities, or maybe first person for all. It would maybe be a race, or an AOS (like dota), or simply all out war, in an arena of some kind.
2. Create a backstory, environment, and three character descriptions associated with your
original game idea. How are these elements integrated and linked through a central
theme?
It is set on Yantuu, a desert planet, where many factions and tribes vy for dominance. Mostly flat, dusty, orange-brown landscape, with the occasional hillock, and cliff. Maybe on this planet the day/night cycle is very long, and during night, the unprotected landscape freezes over, and becomes an ice-world. The Factions and Tribes must survive both extremes, and while doing so, take control of the land. The planet has a prophecy, that whoever first unites these lands will know unlimited power. this is why they fight for this brutal world. Just like on earth, the sword made the club obsolete, the gun made the sword obsolete, and video killed the radio star, so too, on Yantuu has the armoured vehicle conquered the soldier. Instead of characters, i will describe three possible choices of vehicle.
First, The Grumm, a Large, Heavy, Tank-like vehicle, With 16 wheels and a huge engine, capable of bringing this giant to an unbelievable top speed, but its size and weight means it takes a long time to reach that speed, it has slow turning, but its armour means that it doesnt have to dodge much. Its main weapon is a large, single fire cannon, with massive EAP (Explosive, Armour-Piercing) Shells, which, if they hit, will heavily damage the enemy vehicle. Its special defence is Fireproof armour, fire will not affect it. Its secondary weapons are: 1: Contact bombs (Will explode upon heavy contact with anything, Strategies: 1.Throw it straight back when an enemy is right behind you, it should hit the front of their vehicle and explode, temporarily blinding the driver and doing heavy damage, 2. Lightly roll it out behind you, it will then serve as a mine.), uses: 5. 2: Flametrail (a barrel of slow-burning napalm is poured slowly out behind you, over a small fire, creating a wide, flaming wake, which slows enemies, and causes massive damage per second as long as their over it. Strategies: 1. (if its a race) Start using the ability on the far left, or far right of the lane, then zigzag back and forth across the lane, forcing them to go over it again and again, making it unavoidable. 2. let them catch up until they are right behind you then use it, try to anticipate which way they will go to avoid it, and stay in front of them.) uses: 30 seconds of constant, or otherwise use. 3: Earthshaker, a deep charge is released into the earth, causing a destructive ripple to blast outward from the Grumm's location, massively slowing every other vehicle on the track or field, and doing enourmous damage to any vehicle within a medium range, the Grumm can use the shockwave as a speed boost for a few seconds. Uses: 1.
Second, the Manta, a small, aerodynamic hover-craft, it only hovers slightly above the ground, but has great maneuvearability, and can reach its top speed, which isnt impressive, in a matter of seconds. It isnt armoured, but has the capability to avoid most weaponry, its main weapon is a single fire static charge gun, which does little damage, but good slow, on an enemy vehicle, its slick, aerodynamic body means its special defence is its inability to be slowed. Its secondary weapons are: 1: Hover (Hovers higher, avoids all ground based attacks), uses: 45 seconds of constant or otherwise use. 2: Opacitizer (a liquid-gas is released behind you, which, if it hits the enemy, will cover the craft, blinding the driver, the primary weapons operator, and possibly the secondary weapons operator too), uses: 3. 3: Stealth mines (an entire minefield (25 mines) is scattered behind you, as soon as these mines hit the ground, their cloaking devices activate, these mines will stay here for the rest of the race/battle, until an enemy venicle comes too close, at which point, the mines near the vehicle will explode, causing tremendous damage, these mines are not triggered by the manta) uses: 1.
Third, the Tipparu, the creation of a local, primitive tribe, but empowered by a powerful shaman, it has a good top speed, and great acceleration, and average handling. It is unarmoured, and has little maneuverability, and due to its primitive build, fire does double damage to it, its main weapon is a constant beam of magic, which does decent damage per second, and is very accurate. its special defence is evasion, 20% of attacks launched against it will miss. Its secondary weapons are: 1: Shell (a magic shield pops up around the ship, preventing any damage or other affect from hitting it. Startegies: Time the shield perfectly, so it pops up the instant a attack hits, and disappears the moment after, this can make 20 seconds of shielding last for an entire race or battle), uses: 20 seconds of constant or otherwise use. 2: Blast (a blast of electric energy is cast in any direction, damaging and temporarily confusing the vehicles controls, (reverses controls for driving)), Uses: 3. 3: Winds of Gaia (summons winds to ravage the entire track/field, slowing all vehicles almost to a complete stop, any airborne vehicles, weaponry, or abilities are affected doubly by the winds, and are pushed backwards for a short time, these winds also power the Tipparu forwards at a tremendous speed, it slightly damages all vehicles, including the Tipparu), uses: 1.
3. Document your concept with reference material and original sketches. How did you capture your reference images? Create thumbnails and silhouettes. Compile these images into an art “bible” to help guide your vision
1. Building on the original concept you developed in Chapter 2, create a
blueprint for your level. Make sure you begin with a series of rough sketches until your blueprint begins to take shape.
2. Create at least three gameplay mechanics for your level. How do these
objectives relate to your original story idea?
1. Turn. This enables player 1 to steer the vehicle around corners, making it possible to have tracks that aren't a straight line.
2. Speeding up and slowing down. This means player 1 can overtake other vehicles, and stop or slow the vehicle if an obstacle is in the way, this mechanic may also be affected by player 3's abilities.
3. Fire. This creates the possibility to remove obstacles or slow down, scare away, damage, or destroy opposing vehicles.
3. Come up with five level objectives that correspond to your gameplay
mechanics. How will you identify these objectives in your level blueprint?
1. Win the race: you and other vehicles all try to reach the end of a track. You must beat them to the finish line by whatever means possible.
2. Laps: you and other vehicles speed around a course. You must finish a certain number of laps before any other vehicles.
4. FFA Battle: Its a free-for-all fight to the death. be the last vehicle intact and win.
