Cluttered Interface!

Pinball Mapping Exercise

Pinball Mapping Exercise!

I played three pinball games: the Original Hardcore Pinball, Ratatouille pinball, and Power Pinball (from Kiwi Games, creators of Bloons Tower Defense).

(Above) Is the Ratatouille game, while (Right) is the schematic of the playing field.

The ones up above are from the Power Pinball game. 

i) What is "good gameplay" when it comes to pinball game design? 

In my opinion, "good gameplay" ensures that the player maintains as much as control over the game's mechanics as possible. What was most frustrating about the less polished pinball games (such as the horrendous Original Hardcore one) was that many times I felt as though my ball was lost shortly after launching it. In these cases, the ball would quickly be"caught" by the level's many assorted bumpers and paths and then dumped at the bottom, leading to a quick death. These experiences proved very frustrating, for it was the game's wonky physics that were more at work than my actual input.

ii) How do pinball playfield designers create exciting experiences?

Designers can create an exciting Pinball experience by creating a large and open playing field, as was the case with the Power Pinball game (the second set of screenshots I posted). The screen above captures only a portion of the playing field; the designers clearly worked to prevent boxing the player in and restricting their actions. The openness of this level layout made this Pinball experience the most fun.

Pinball Doc Questions!

1) What was the big innovation in the 1940s that made all other pinball machines obsolete?

The big innovation in the 1940's was flippers.

2) In the 1970s, what new technological advance brought pinball up to date and enabled another step forward in the industry?

The 1970's introduced computerized, solid-state pinball machines.

What types of innovations did it make possible?

The innovations this made possible included function reliability and easily-added new features.

3) Which company specialized in 1970s pop-culture themed pinball machines?

The company was Gottlieb.

4) What technology shook the pinball world in the 70s? Why?

Video-game technology shook the pinball world because it more fun, involved more than one player, and easier to manage.

5) By the 1990s, was pinball successful or not?

Yes.

6) What was the key innovation behind "Pinball 2000"?

Pinball 2000's key innovation was a video monitor that projected moving images to the player.

7) What was the problem with the license behind the first major rollout of the Pinball 2000 idea with a major 3rd party license?

The problem was that Episode I didn't do as well as expected.

8) Why did Williams decide in the end to shut down its pinball division?

The pinball division was shut down due to reactions from pinball fans, as well as sales.

9) Do you think this was a good idea?

Yes. Pinball feels very dated in today's gaming market.

10) Does a good idea always guarantee a commercial win?

No.

Sketch Up Game Idea for Oh! Doctor!

Screenshots from the game!

Oh! Doctor! is a survival-horror game and will be designed for either the XBOX 360 or Playstation 3. Its bright anime art direction and nonchalant attitude towards its gratuitous violence will be geared towards gamers with a certain bizarre sense of humor. The player, whose avatar is an aesthetically customizable doctor, navigates labyrinthine levels trying to find their escaped victims.

Hero Maker Hero/Villain

GUNBEARD and her BEAR SIDEKICK

THE VILLAIN

Batman Level Creator

My level:

How would you describe the challenges and actions that make up the game level? 

The challenge of this game involves completing the level's objective(s) while staying alive. Staying alive is made difficult by the game's lethal obstacles and enemies, as well as the possibility of falling into a pit. Obstacles/enemies include laser-firing robots/gorillas, spiked platforms, and heat-seeking missiles.

What is the camera mode?
The camera mode is side-view/side-scrolling, as well as static.

What is the nature of the user interface (how does the player use the controls to play the game)?

The controls are very simplistic; there are action buttons for movement, jumping, and attacking. There is another button for switching characters as well (X) - this function is conveniently displayed at the top of the screen. This control setup and uncluttered HUD allows the player to immediately jump into the game and complete the objective without having to go through a tutorial.

What is the goal of the game? 

The goal of the game can be selected by the player:

1) Get to the portal

2) Get to the portal after collecting all the level's orbs

3) Get to the portal after defeating all the level's enemies

4) Get to the portal after collecting all the level's orbs and defeating all of its enemies

I chose goal #2.

Videogame in-class survey

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1. Videogames emerged from the culture of the "Cold War" - what does Henry Jenkins from MIT compare the period to in terms of a famous board game?

Henry Jenkins compares this period to the game "Battleship."

2. Who was the inventor of the first Video game according to the documentary?

According to the documentary, the inventory of the first videogame was William Higginbotham. 

What was the name of the game?

The name of the game was "Tennis for Two."

3. Steve Russell is credited with the first true computer-based videogame (in terms of its use with the PDP100 mainframe computer) with SPACEWAR - what popular science fiction book series also influenced him?

Russell was influenced by the science fiction book series "First Lensman."

4. What innovation did Steve Russell's SPACEWAR introduce in terms of input hardware?

SPACEWAR introduced the innovation of the joystick.

5. When the USA was aflame with internal conflict in the 1960s and 1970s, what new home entertainment system let consumers finally control what was being seen on the home television?

The Magnavox let consumers control what was on their television.

Who was its inventor/developer?

Its inventor was Ralph Baer.

6. PONG emerged out of the counterculture spirit of the early 1970s - its natural home was what type of entertainment setting?

Its natural home was the bar/pubs.

Who does Nolan Bushnell say were generally best at playing the game?

Bushnell says women were best at playing the game.

7. "Space Invaders" emerged in the late 1970s as the first game from Japan.

How did the production team intensify the emotion of the game via the use of the four-note in-game theme?

The tempo of the theme would increase as the Space Invaders got closer to the bottom of the screen.

8. Steve Moulder reflects that the first arcade games tended to result in the player's defeat and that 'defeatism' in turn reflected the view by the designers that war itself is defeatist. Has this view changed since that time? Do today's latest games still convey this sense? Why? Why not? (use your own words)

No, most games today are designed for consumerism, and are thus built with the player's victory in mind. Creating games for players who desire defeat/loss is not exactly the most lucrative business practice.

9. Have you ever played any of the games shown in this the first episode of "I, Videogame"? What was your memory of playing it? Where were you, when was it?

I have played "Pac-Man." I was very young when I played it for the first time, and not very interested by it. The first game to ever truly capture me was "The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time." I remember being terrified upon walking into Hyrule Field for the first time.