Research Task - Mechanical/Recycling

Film - Wall-E


I have chosen to look at the film Wall-E. This film is about a small robot that is left on earth to clean up and recycle the waste that was left there after the human left for space because of the current uninhabitability of earth. I have chosen this film because it links in to the idea of recycling and the mechanical theme. Wall-E is a robot and as you can see, some of his parts are exposed and you can see how they work. You can also see that he has been made from different parts, like pistons for arms and what looks like binoculars for eyes. I really like this because I creates a much more mechanical feeling/look compared to a robot with all of the inner working enclosed and hidden from sight.

Game - Machinarium

I have chosen to look at the game Machinarium. I have chosen this game because i really like the art style of the game. I think that this game looks really nice and well made. As you can see the scenery and character alike are mechanical and made of different parts of metal. If you look closely you can see that the scenery has been hand rendered (or at least that is how it looks). I think that this could possibly have done by drawing/sketching it out first on paper and then digitizing the illustrations and adding more detail on the computer. Regardless of the method used to create this, I think that the environment and the overall look of the game is incredibly appealing and really adds to the rustic and rusted feel of this game.



Book - Recycled Robots

I looked at a book called Recycled Robots. This is a book for children and teenagers that includes step by step instructions on how to turn some of the old junk in their rooms, like Legos or tinker toys, into cool robots. This book also teaches about the history of robots and how the are being used today. I think hat this is a very good idea and a great way to teach people about robots while creating them at the same time.

Art - Concept Robot

This is an illustration of a concept robot. I think that this concept piece is very good. The reason I think this is because the overall design of the robot is different and is not similar to anything hat I have ever seen before. I like that you can see some of the different parts, like wires, pistons and some of the inner workings of the tracks. However I also like that you can see some of the armour.



Designer - Marton Borzac

Marton is a designer that I have found on Behance. He has done research and then created blueprints of mechanical insects. I think that this work is very inventive and inspiring. He has looked at the anatomy of various different insects and then devised a blueprint of them as a mechanical robot. I really like what he has done because you can see the individual parts that would make up the mechanical insect if it were to be a physical thing.

Timeline of Game History

1972 - Pong

Pong was the first commercially successful video game. This game involved a moving square dot on the screen and the two players would have to hit it from one side to the other using rectangles that would move up and down the sides of the screen. This was the first game to really take off and become very successful as no one had seen anything like this before.

1978 - Space Invaders

Space Invaders. This game revolves around you shooting and destroying waves of aliens that are invading from space, hence the name 'Space Invaders'.

1980 - Pac-Man

 Pac-Man was released. This game is one of the highest grossing video games of all time gathering over 2.5 billion. It involves controlling your character (Pac-Man) and navigation him around the game collection little circles, however you are being chased by 4 enemies and if you are caught then you lose a life.

1985 - Super Mario Bros

Super Mario Bros was created by Nintendo and was the top selling video game until 2008, selling over 40 million copies. This game involves two players, Mario and Luigi. The two heroes battle through each platform to try and rescue Princess Peach from the antagonist Browser.

1986 - The Legend Of Zelda

The Legend Of Zelda franchise has sold over 67 million copies since the release of their first game. This gave centers around the main hero 'Link' as he adventures to save the Princess Zelda from the thief Ganon (the primary antagonist).

 1991 - Sonic The Hedgehog



Sonic The Hedgehog was released by Saga. Sonic has since come a long way and had comics and T.V shows made about it. This is another 2D platform game where you run through the different levels and battle Dr. Eggman's creations before battling him at the end of every stage.

1992 - Mortal Kombat

Mortal Kombat was released and has since has taken off and has had many spin-offs, sequels and even films. This game involves two players fighting against each other and has become one of the most successful fighting games of all time.








1993 - Doom


Doom is a follow on from the game Wolfenstien 3D. This game takes place on a base that has been over run by demons after experiments with teleportation to mars has gone very wrong and opened a gateway to hell. You play as a marine and you mission is to get through the levels. Shooting and gunning your way through the creatures that stand in your way.




1998 - Starcraft

Starcraft was one of the biggest real time strategy game that there was at the time. This game involved the player commanding and controlling units, and using them to destroy the enemy. These units could be made from different buildings and costed minerals and gas to produce. There was quite a huge pro scene for this game and many people still play it to this day.





2003 - Call Of Duty

Call Of Duty is a first person shooter based on world war 2. This game give multiple viewpoints of the war as you get to play as British, Soviet and American soldiers making this game much more diverse. Many people loved this game and the franchise has since taken off and Call Of Duty is now on of the most played games available.





2009 - Starcraft 2

Quite the same as starcraft this game is one of the most loved real time strategy games of all time. In starcraft 2 you can choose to play as 3 races as you battle opponents and rank up on the leader boards, progressing into higher tiers as your skill level improves. This game has good graphics and a huge pro scene just to add to the already amazing concept and game play.





2013 - Beyond: Two Souls

This game has incredible graphics. The photo realistic style of this game makes it feel like you are watching a film instead of playing a game. The stunning scenery and overall detail really makes this game very, very good. This is not a linear game as you get to choose most of the decisions that your character makes, each having a slightly different outcome and effect on the story line. This makes you feel more involved with the game and allows you to get to know and understand the                                                                   character more. This is an overall fantastic game to play.

Unit 1: Inventory

There are many different and wonderful types of inventories that have been created to fit different games, each with different mechanics and styles. Below, I will look into 3 different types of inventories and how they fit and impact the game they are in.


Inventory 1 - Skyrim - Weight Based Inventory

Skyrim utilises a weight based inventory and does so with huge success. Having a weight based inventory system means that the player must use his space wisely and cannot simply take every item he/she sees. Skyrim's inventory allows you to see every item in you inventory as it would be shown in game. You can rotate and zoom in and out of each item before you choose it. Information is listed on the item when you scroll over it, information like the damage, weight and even value. Interacting with this inventory is simple, you simply press 'I' on your keyboard (If you're playing on PC), select items and then easily navigate with the cursor through the different items you have stored in there. However items are not the only things that can be controlled this way, you can also choose what is equipped weather it's a skill, item, spell or even the map. All of these things can be accessed through the menu/inventory. Not only is this inventory smooth and easy to navigate round but it also looks the part. I think that the inventory really fits in with Skyrim's aesthetics. It uses a translucent panel that features all of your items however you do not leave the game as you can still see what is going on in front of you (Although the game does pause while you navigate through the menu/inventory).

I think that Skyrim's inventory is one of the best that I have seen. I think this because it look outstanding and it is so easy to navigate, even someone with no experience in playing games would be able to fully understand it and how it works. This would be something that I would like to incorporate into my own inventory. I would like my inventory to be smooth, simple and look great as well. 

Inventory 2 - Borderlands - Limited Inventory

The inventory in Borderlands is limited. This means that you cannot just have as many item as you like, your inventory has a maximum capacity. I think that this is a good Style of inventory because I think that it is better to have to make at least some choices to your items and equipment. I find that quite often in games that have an unlimited inventory, I find myself getting frustrated because I cant find a weapon/item. So I believe that limiting the number of items you can have in your inventory is a good idea . In Borderlands you start out with just 12 item slots, however this is upgraded as you progress through the game and the maximum number of slots available is 72. Interacting with this inventory is simple, you just bring up the inventory screen and click on the items that you want to equip and un-equip. However this inventory allows you to change you current quest and add skill points to your chosen character I feel that this makes everything more complicated and could be slightly confusing to someone who hasn't played very many games. You can access the inventory at anytime by pressing the 'I' key on your keyboard. Does the inventory suit the game though... I'm not so sure, when first pressing the inventory key for the first time, I was expecting to be met by a sort of run down, junk styled interface, however instead I was met by a messy blue and yellow panel that really didn't look to appealing at all so in my opinion, no, I don't think it does.

My overall opinion however in not a bad one. I feel that this inventory has both good and bad points in it simplicity and its visual appearance. I think that aspects of this could be incorporated into my own inventory. Aspects such as the simplicity, however if this inventory has shown me anything, it is that the way that the interface looks is big part of every inventory and is something that will need to correct when designing my own.

Inventory 3 - Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Shape Based Inventory

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is one of the fewer games that actually uses a Shape based inventory system. This means that the players items will take up an block or multiple blocks of space and the player must use the space wisely to ensure that all of his/her items can be stored. Interacting with this inventory is Fairly strait forward, you simply press 'I' or 'F1' on your keyboard and this brings up you inventory. The player can then drag and drop items to move them around their inventory however the game does actually arrange your items for you (The arrangement can be changed and moved around by you if you are not satisfied) items can also be dropped by dragging and dropping outside of your inventory slots. In my opinion this inventory suits the game very well. It has a kind of futuristic look to really merge well with the futuristic concept of the game.

In my opinion this inventory is very different but it works well with the game and I think that it is a very good inventory overall, however shape based inventories are not something that I have had a whole lot of experience with and I think that the more traditional inventories are slightly better as they are far more versatile. Looking at this inventory has made me think that, although the shape based inventory works well in Deus Ex, it may not be the kind of inventory that I would like to design.

 

Introduction

Hello... My names Jack.

I have a strong passion for computer games. I play all kinds of games, from MMO's and RPG's to Strategy and Puzzle games. The most resent game I have been playing is a MOBA (Multilayer Online Battle Arena) game called DotA 2 (Defense of the Ancients 2). I am completely in love with DotA 2! Never before have I come across a game that has so much versatility. So far I have played roughly 1500 hours and I have never been in the same situation twice. with nearly 100 hero and well over 150 items to buy it means that there is thousands of possibilities for you as a player and for your team to try and use in various different strategies.

I have enrolled on this Computer Game Design course as I enjoy drawing and I am constantly thinking of new things to draw and design. While on this course I hope to better my current skills and learn much much more on new software and programs. I hope to then further my studies and what I  learn in this course at University when I finish. Then, hopefully, progressing into the Game Design industry.