Plugged in by LASA Ezine

Winter 2013

Walk into the Wasteland of Fallout 3 Meet the People Who Make World of Warcraft Work

Step Into the Life of a Game Designer

From The Editors

Cover Photo By: Zach Vega

Dear Reader, Thank you for taking the time to read our magazine. Even though Plugged In is our first publication, we worked extensively to provide as much relevant information as we could for you, the reader. As such, we hope you thoroughly enjoy the information we have researched and compiled. Plus, every editor enjoys a different aspect of gaming, so our magazine covers many different areas for you. Thank you,

The Editors

Photo By: Catherine Dickey

Table of Contents

Fallout 3: An Apocalyptic Wonderland

Beginning Minicore studio

Photo 1: Art by Nikola Alexsandrov Photo 2: Art by Kingsisle Photo 3: Art by Minicore Studios Photo 4: Art by Bethesda Studio

The Pirates Of Kingsisle

The Backbone Of Blizzard

24 3

Contributorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Page Henry Arjet is an avid gamer. His favorite class is E-Zine, and in his free time he enjoys gaming, watching Breaking Bad and surfing the Internet. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, he goes to Science Olympiad after school and he goes to Pixar club during lunch on Fridays. Jack LaWare has been playing video games since elementary school, starting simple and expanding to include many genres like FPSs and general open world games. His favorite video game series are Halo and Legend of Zelda. This year, his favorite class is E-Zine, and he plays violin in the orchestra.

Emma Mayers enjoys playing iPhone games and enjoys learning about the process of making games. Her favorite class is English. She likes to read, watch movies and spend time with her friends.

Max Sellers is a grammar and spelling Nazi. He loves using the Gravity Hammer in Halo Multiplayer and launching mini nukes with the Fat Man in Fallout 3. Away from the Xbox he is a passionate computer gamer whose favorite class is Art I.

Photo By: Catherine Dickey

Excelsior Controllers. Ever upwa rd: to the futu re

The Past, Present and Future of Controllers

By:Jack LaWare

Through the years, the way players have controlled their avatars on screens around the world has changed again and again. Along with the history of video game controllers, and current trends, here are some predictions for future input designs. Nintendo Famicom and NES Controller (1983)

Sega Genesis Controller (1988)

Nintendo SNES Controller (1990)

The Atari was one of the first consoles ever made, and its simple, arcade-like joystick design started the evolution of game controllers.

The Nintendo Famicom controller introduced the D-Pad idea into the gaming industry. It also featured two action buttons for more control.

The Sega Genesis controller added another action button, and had a rounded shape to fit more comfortably within gamers’ hands.

The Nintendo SNES controller had two more action buttons, positioned on the back of the controller. Now, gamers call these “shoulder buttons.”

Sony Playstation Controller (1994)

Nintendo 64 Controller (1996)

Sony Playstation Dual Shock Controller (1998)

Sega Dreamcast (with VMU) (1998)

With its first Playstation controller, Sony put two more shoulder buttons on the back. The controller also fit more ergonomically in player hands, allowing people to grip the sides easier.

Nintendo then released its controller for the Nintendo 64, having six main action buttons, two shoulder buttons and one analog joystick at the bottom.

Though very similar to the original Playstation controller, the Dual Shock added two analog sticks and a rumble feature.

The Sega Dreamcast’s controller had an analog stick, trigger buttons and a D-Pad, but also included two “upgrade slots.” A VMU screen came with it too, showing statistics and small graphics.

Sony Playstation Dual Shock 2 Controller (2000)

Microsoft Xbox Controller (2001)

Nintendo Gamecube Controller (2001)

Samsung NUON Controller (2001)

The Dualshock 2 controller had the exact same design as the first one, except that it added pressure sensitivity to the joysticks.

The Xbox controller switched locations of the D-Pad and left joystick. The action and shoulder buttons functioned in the same way as others.

Nintendo deviated from the standard button formation with its Gamecube controller, which had action buttons of different shapes and sizes.

The NUON controller came as part of a larger DVD set, and functioned very similarly to the Nintendo 64 controller.

Millennium Era

Middle Era

Retro Era

Atari 2600 Joystick Controller (1977)

Nintendo Wiimote and Nunchuk (2006)

Sony Playstation 3 Dualshock Controller (2006)

Xbox 360 Controller Version 2 (2010; based on 2005 version)

Nintendo’s next choice was a TV-remote style, motionbased, wireless controller that more directly tracked player movements. The the Wiimote itself could also function without the Nunchuk.

Though the layout of the Playstation 3 controller modeled the Playstation 2 version, this one used Bluetooth to communicate wirelessly with consoles, and also featured a built-in gyroscope.

Microsoft later released a second iteration of its Xbox 360 controller, which included different D-Pad aesthetics, concave analog sticks and rechargable batteries.

Nintendo Wii MotionPlus/Wii Remote Plus (2009/2010)

Sony Playstation Move + Navi/ Playstation Eye (2010)

Microsoft Kinect (2010)

Wii U Gamepad (2012)

The Wii MotionPlus added precise motion control, allowing players to better immerse themselves in games. This was first an accessory, until it came built-in with the Wii Remote Plus.

Sony made its own motion controller, Playstation Move, that worked alongside the Playstation Eye (a camera that tracks the controller) to sense motion. The Navi acted as an extra input device if needed.

Kinect doesn’t require a physical controller; all it needs is the player. Using three lenses, and by finding player joints, it recognizes precise movements. It also has four microphones for voice control.

Nintendo changed its controller design yet again with its Wii U Gamepad, which has its own game screen for multitasking, as well as the buttons from the Wiimote, shoulder buttons, and a gyroscope.

Last Generation

Wireless Era

Microsoft Xbox 360 Controller (2005)

Microsoft’s Xbox 360 controller introduced wireless gaming to the world. Besides wireless functionality and a headset port, the controller had the exact same design as its predecessor, however.

As shown above, alternative game controllers (things besides the standard analog-based console controllers or the mouse/keypad for PC) currently lead the way to future innovations. These not only include motion controllers, but also steering wheels for racing games, dance pads, and accessories like the guitar in Guitar Hero. So, what comes next? Well, history shows that early innovation attempts that may have failed initially actually caused future designs. For example, Nintendo experimented with motion control way back in the retro era. Even though those designs didn’t have short-term success, motion control has become the current trend in gaming. Also, with the release of the Sega Dreamcast came the VMU, a small, independent screen that only displayed various statistics and wasn’t really used for gameplay. Yet, in 2012, the Wii U launched its own, modern version of this (the Gamepad) that served as the centerpoint of controller design. Another example of this happened when people tried to recreate the EyeToy (an early version of the Playstation Eye, but for PS2) for PC; this eventually evolved to become Microsoft’s now signature Kinect. What these past patterns mean is that innovations made today definitely do influence future developments, no matter how successful they are. And, because current consumers show interest in motion, voice, and even touch control, there’s no question that next generation consoles--Xbox One (with its new Kinect 2.0), PS4 and beyond--will continue this trend by adding pinpoint, full-body motion sensing, precise voice recognition and touch control. Maybe gamers will even get to enter the gaming world itself… sources: videogameconsolelibrary.com, hongkiat.com, rit.edu

Images by: Evan-Amos, Blake Patterson, Takimata, Thegreyanomaly, LastActionCowboy

The Backbone of Blizzard Photo By: the0bestgamesiteever.com

The people who make WoW playible

By: Henry Arjet

fter a year away from the video game industry, Nicky Roach thinks it’s time to return. Roach worked at Blizzard Entertainment for two-and-a half-years, an experience she thoroughly enjoyed. She has a certain attraction to the video game industry, something she just can’t get in other areas of work. Fortunately for her, according to the Austin chamber of commerce, the video game industry in Austin is the third biggest in the world. Roach worked for Blizzard’s Austin branch as a Game master for World of Warcraft. “Let’s say a player had lost an item or accidentally deleted it”, she said. “I would be able to return that item.” Along with player-side accidents, she could also help in cases where “some-

“

body had their account compromised and their items deleted by the compromiser, also called a hacker, [she] would be able to research the logs of what happened and try to get things back for the player.” Roach started working as in-game customer support for Blizzard’s Austin branch in 2008, and found it to be wholly unique. “I wasn’t reading from a script,” she said. “I didn’t have ‘you have to hit this point and this point and this point.’ ” Roach said the kind of thing people were told was to “do what you can to make [the player’s] experience the best possible” and to “make the conversation reasonable enough to be that slice of epic that they wanted.” “What I liked best [about being a game master] were the players, and what I disliked the most

Let’s say a player had lost an item or accidentally deleted it, I would be able to return that item

”

World Of Warcraft. the game that GMs primaraly suport were the players,” she said. “The players could be amazing, and they could be heartless.” Roach talked about how sometimes “helping somebody who legitimately needed help could bring [her] out of having just a really rough day.” However, every once in a while there would be “the angry players who say terrible things about your mom and all that kind of stuff.” “In new hire classes we would ask people ‘Well why did you decide to work at blizzard?’” Roach said, “and 90 percent of the answers were ‘Because its Blizzard.’ ” In fact, one of Roach’s co-workers was fond of saying that “In-

“

stead of selling games, they sell awesome.” “The attitude at Blizzard is like nothing I have ever experienced,” Roach says. Blizzard has eight core values, and Roach said that “They fit so well with the values of [her] own life.” One of the biggest that she describes is “embrace your inner geek,” which she described as “the idea that everyone has something that they are passionate about and everyone should learn to love that passion” Another one of blizzards core values is “Learn and Grow.” “I come from a family of teachers,” Roach said. “Both parents and two grandpar-

The attitude at Blizzard is like nothing I have ever experienced

”

“

Blizzard’s Austin branch is customer service focused. According to Roach, they chose Austin because it was less expensive than another city and because it was home to the kind of employees they needed. Blizzard Entertainment is just one of the more than 100 game companies in Austin, according to the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce.

From my desk I could see a giant ruby slipper, a starship Enterprise, and a collection of 7 mint condition Green Lantern figures

”

Photo By: Blizzard

Photo By: staronion.comw

ents were teachers.” She said that learn and grow “has become an aspect of [her] daily life forever.” The passion that she described is very prevalent in the video game i n d u s t r y. “From my desk I could see a giant ruby slipper, a starship Enterprise, and a collection of 7 mint condition green lantern figures. All just stuff that people brought to work.” This is the kind of passion that make her love the game industry.

• • • • • •

• Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Blizzard Entertainment was established in 1994

• Blizzard games include Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo and World of Warcraft

• World of Warcraft is Blizzard’s most profitable game • 185 people are currently working on World of Warcraft

• World of Warcraft’s customer support staff number in the s thousands.

Photo by: Blizzard

Photo By: wired.co.uk

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Halo: Close Quarters Combat The world of Halo is a complicated one, with many, many weapons to choose from to drastically shorten your enemies’ lives in a multitude of different ways. For noobs to experienced gamers, here is the rundown on how to pick a close quarters weapon. By Max Sellers

The Gravity Hammer is an often overlooked and useful weapon.

A little known feature about this weapon is that it can parry Energy Swords. It runs on a battery, though, so have another weapon ready.

The Shotgun is also another classic, often finishing off an enemy with one shot.

While using the Shotgun, beware of the slow rate of fire and the limited range.

The charged Plasma Pistol fires a ball of plasma that knocks out vehichles for a short time.

The Plasma Pistol is much like the Boltshot, except that it is not headshot capable and the uncharged shots are stronger.

The Energy Sword is a distinctive feature of Halo. It is one of the top weapons at close range, and the sword lunge can prove deadly.

You might also want to consider the Promethean conterpart of the Shotgun, the Scattershot.

Another excellent Promeathean weapon is the Boltshot. The Boltshot is headshot capable and features a charging ability.

However, beware of quick enemy reflexes or the Gravity Hammer, which can block an Energy Sword’s swipe.

The Scattershot’s ionized beams ricochet off walls, and the gun possesses a faster rate of fire, but the gun can be unreliable.

The charge releases a shotgun-like blast that is very useful for killing a Spartan. Sadly, the charged Boltshot is not headshot capable.

The UNSC conterpart fotr the Plasma Pistol and the Boltshot is the Magnum.

The Magnum is simple, easy to use and relatively reliable at longer ranges.

It can headshot and is very useful for killing opponents, provided it is followed up by a melee weapon.

Finally, I am going to cover the weirdest weapon in Halo: the Needler.

The Needler shoots a lot of little pink crystal needles that home in on their target.

If 6 or 7 needles are fired into an enemyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body, they will generate an explosion called a supercombine, killing them instantly.

A little known fact about the Needler is that you can fire the needles prematurely, then target someone that comes into view. Instant kill.

While this gun is not strictly a close quarters weapon, it can be used to great effect to keep your enemies just out of melee range.

The Plasma Grenade, dating from the first Halo, is a great way to get rid of a pesky enemy or vehicle, especially if it sticks to them.

An alternative to the Plasma grenade is the Promeathean Pulse Grenade, introduced in Halo 4.

The Suppressor, introduced in Halo 4, is a surprisingly good close quarters weapon. I know this sounds weird, but hear me out.

To own with the Suppressor, do this: Take your enemies shields out with a Pulse Grenade, then unload your clip into them. .5-sec kill.

The Pirates of Kingsisle By: Jack LaWare boat is sailing across the sea, heading toward a sunset splashed with pink. Mountains loom in the distance, piercing the sky. The horizon seems to go on forever. But this scene isn’t real; the boat is flying, and the sea is made of clouds. All of these details were, however, carefully crafted by Kingsisle video game designer and world builder Rand Van Fossen, and as the sun sets on the first anniversary-Oct 15, 2013-of the company’s hit game Pirate 101, the place where this imagery is so prevalent, the steps behind the design of this game will be put to light. As a senior designer and world builder, Fossen “create[s] the maps for the levels initially, and tries to get the layout cor-

rect.” Then, the maps and layouts “go over to the art department, who will provide the art for the zones.” But Fossen’s development job goes deeper still; once the art is finished, “I implement e ver y t hing ,” he said, “putting...in triggers to make things happen, spawning monsters, creating the encounters for the players.” Fossen’s role in creating games is crucial to their production. However, Fossen constantly works with and depends on other parts of the Kingsisle team. “The programmers put together the game engine...which provides the tools for me to do my job, basically,” he said. “I also work with the art team to make sure I have the art that I need for the levels [and] for the characters. If I make some adjustments or

“ IIf

make some adjustments or some tweaks need to be made, we communicate back and forth and make sure we can work it out.

”

Photo By: Kingsisle

A sunset and sea of clouds in Pirate 101. Players control flying boats and roam the sky. some tweaks need to be made, we communicate back and forth and make sure we can work it out.” Though these interactions would happen within many game genres, Fossen specifically works on Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) games. “MMOs in general are huge projects that take a lot of people,” he said. “[T]here’s a high concept...big picture goals of how [we] want things to work. And from there, there’s a bunch of subsystems that need to be created...for the individual systems in the game, whether that be combat, perhaps resource collection, crafting systems… all the things that go with combat [like] weapons, armor. [Not only that], there [also] needs to be design documents [for] the actual world that [the MMO] takes place in.” Fossen said. “A lot

of times that comes back [to] a history or a storyline for the world, and that becomes critical [in terms of] how the world is shaped.” After these general documents are in place, more specific things happen. “All this information...helps out the artists coming up with the concepts,” he said. “So from there, the art team would maybe get that initial storyline for the world, send that out to some concept artists. The concept artists use what was given to try to come up with...how the world is going to feel and look. And then that is individually broken down into environment artists, who actually create the art. There’s a lot of documentation that comes first.” That’s not all, though. “[Then] it goes to the art department, and the art-

Photo By: Kingsisle

ists will come up and put together all the artwork [and] art pieces that are needed for the designers to implement,” Fossen said. He then explained what needs to occur on the programming side of things. “[T]he whole time this is going on, hopefully there’s a game engine already in place for everything to come together, for the artists to put the art into, for the designers to take that and create the world,” he said. “Even with the game engine in place, programmers are there to make sure all the graphics…[and] tool systems are working correctly…[and] that the systems can be integrated together without crashing.” As a world builder, Fossen takes all of this and puts it into the game. For example, he was influential in the creation of Pirate 101’s latest expansion pack. “I was basically doing the same thing I always do,” he said, “which is adding new zones, implementing quests into the game. I play through them, make sure they’re all working correctly... and then send them off to [Quality Assurance] and have them really try to break them down.” This entire design process is bound to happen in the future, as Kingsisle

Fossen adds new quest areas like this to Pirate 101, implementing many design elements together to create a brand new experience for players. evolves even more than it has. And, according to Fossen, the company will continue to grow. “[Kingsisle’s] got a solid work environment... their choices are pretty solid to not only keep the projects going well, but also keep their employees pretty happy,” he said. “And if the employees and people like myself are happy with what we’re doing, we’re going to try even harder to make [our games] even better.” Because of all of its positive aspects, Kingsisle seems to have a destiny for game design success nationwide. “I believe Kingsisle is going to continue to make some great games,” Fossen said. “We’re going to continue to expand upon the games that we already have out there that are doing pretty darn well. And we’re going to continue to make choices and expansions for them that are going to make them even more popular.” All parts of the development team at Kingsisle will keep working to ensure that this popularity

increases, including Fossen. But instead of the future, what about the past? “I started work in the game industry back in ‘96,” he said. “Initially...I [did] QA (Quality Assurance) work, and also tech support for some of the games back then for a company that no longer exists called Origin.” “I’ve always wanted to work in the gaming industry,” he said, “and at the time prior to ‘96 I didn’t even think it was possible.” However, sometimes success depends on connections with people already in the business. “A friend of mine that I went to college with got hired on at Origin,” he said. “At the time I was living in California, and he said, ‘Hey man, come on out to Austin, I can get you a job.’ So, I just kind of packed up and moved to Austin, and got a job at Origin, and I just, kept going from there.” And, now that Fossen has experienced his dream, he has some advice for aspiring game designers.

“Video game design is a very competitive market,” he said. “[K]now everything about it. Know about the art side of things, know how to create models in Studio Max or Maya. Know programming also.” Not only that, according to Animation Arena, “Companies who hire designers are also looking for someone with good problem solving skills and who is inhumanly patient...There are so many bugs and potential problems when designing a game that it could drive someone mad... Many of these complex problems need to be resolved quickly and with ingenuity... This can be profoundly stressful.” Though this stress is indeed real when working for a gaming company, but it can be even harder to create one’s own company. However, Fossen said, “[I]t’s possible to even start working on your own projects. Get your own design documents together for games that you want to make yourself...That right there, if you want to do it, if you want to become a game designer, is the way to go. Start your own project, try to make it happen.”

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Gamer Personalities By: Emma Mayers

The web site Gamification.com claims there are five types of player personality types: Achievers, Explorers, Socializers and Killers. Using this information, find which one you are based on games you play. Achievers: A achiever prefers to gain points, levels or equipment. One good game for achivers is: World of Warcraft.

Explorers: Prefer discovering new thing, and hidden places, looking for adventure games should be easy for explorers, for example Tomb Raider

Socializers: Enjoy playing the game because of social aspects, choosing a game is probably affected by which ones your friends are playing, for example Wizard 101.

Killers: Prefer competition with other players. Killers may also look for games with competition. Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto are some examples.

Images Provided By:

wowcataclysm-info.blogspot.com, palloc.com, wizard101.com, aerocominc.com

Content Provided By: csus-dspace.calstate.edu,

Gaming Jobs Enjoying video games can be more than just a hobby. It is possible to be the person to create the next big video game in the future. To be able to create the best game, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to know the positions in the gaming industry. Producer: Has the idea for the game, and acts as the main boss. They can fire, hire and do everything; they also work with many other people so working in teams is a good skill.

By: Emma Mayers Animator: Makes the game come to life visually

Marketing: The marketing manager supervises the social media and PR, promotes the game, and does advertizing. Programmer: They design and develop the codes for the game, and makes the game work. They also work with the designers to find what the game needs to look like. Video Game Tester: They test the video game and finds any faults and then reports the faults. Composer: Creates the music for the video game to fit the theme of the game. Writer: Creates the scripts, and the plot of the story. Creativity is useful in this job.

Images Provided By: game-designschools.com, www.thegnomonworkshop.com Information Provided By: venturebeat.com, careerplanning.about.com

Come to Austin, Texas: the best gaming city in the country!

Tell your friends: Come to Austin. Go to our link for a print-out copy of the poster above: http://austintourism.com/gaming Austin Tourism Industries

A Gamerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide to Genres

By: Henry Arjet

Like other forms of media, not all games are alike. Because of this, gamers have broken games up based on their common characteristics to form genres. Knowing the way around these genres is paramount to enjoying them.

Fighting games

Shooters

Action games focus primarily on combat and other fast-paced gameplay.

In a fighting game, the player fights the artificial intelligence or other players in oneon-one combat.

Shooters focus on shooting above everything else.

Examples: Devil May Cry and Bayonetta

Examples: Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter

Market share: 22.3%

Market share: 3.9%

Action Games

Examples: Call of Duty and Halo Market share: 21.2%

Strategy Games

RPGs

Racing Games

A strategy game require the player to use strategical and/or tactical thinking.

Role playing games give the player choices for much of the game in how it progreses.

In racing games, the player is placed into a vehicle to race other drivers or the clock.

Examples: Civilisation 5, the Total War series

Examples: Final Fantasy and world of warcraft

Examples: Mario Kart and Gran Turismo

Market share: 2.3%

Market share: 6.5%

Market share: 5.8%

Sources: allgames.com, statista.com, tvtropes.org, di.ubi.pt Images From: dualshockers.com, cheatku.com, playstationlifestyle.net, gamersxtreme.org, blogcdn.com, gawkerassets.com

Beginning Minicore Studio With Founder John Warren

sue gaming. “I think doing it as a career was really one of the things where, after college, I had no direction, honestly, and I just graviThe Sun At Night from Minicore Studios tated toward one of the through those steps and all took off really fast at things I loved see how easy [it] was...I SXSW [the] year I met and that hap- had in mind that I would three of the people that pened to be make this team, compa- still work with me today.” SXSW is a great way to video games, ny.” To his surprise, “[it] become involved in the and I’ve been gaming for the past three and a half years or so.” Warren started Minicore Studios while he was in graduate school, which proves that it is quite easy to begin a small business in Austin. Warren said he was, “Coming up with the idea of the company back in graduate school and then running with it right afterward.” “Back in 2011 ... we had an independent study where you could do whatever you wanted to, and I decided to just start a company,” he said. Minicore’s game, Tumblewords Warren decided to “go

we are “ making a

game now and that’s honestly been in a course of development for two years.

”

Photo By: Minicore Studios

rcades are a classic visualization of video games, now, video games are available at all times and in all places. The demand for mobile games is high, and John Warren is one of the many people who started a gaming company after college in Austin. Minicore Studios is one of the numerous competitors in the mobile gaming industry. Like many people, Warren was originally attracted to games because “I grew up playing games. I got a Nintendo back in 89’, I guess, and I’ve just been attracted to gaming ever since.” Even though he didn’t know what he wanted to do for his career, he always loved video games. When he was in college, he decided to pur-

Photo By: Minicore Studios

By: Emma Mayers

gaming industry, even if you just enjoy games for recreation. Even though there are many competitors in the industry, Warren says “We made three different games. Two of them are mobile games: one for android, one for iPhone and one for iPad.” The games are: The Sun At Night, Tanks for the Memories and Tumblewords. The Sun At Night is a action game platform that will be released in three parts . The first part is to be released in Febuary 4, 2014. The Sun At Night is about a dog, Laika, who believes that she can protect countless lives. The other game is Tanks For The Memories, an Android and iOS game that has been in development since 2011. Tanks For Memories is about a scientist that goes into peoples’ brains with tanks and guns their fears down. Tumblewords is made for iOS. The game is a blend of word games and

“

puzzle games. Warren said it is “a word game that just started with a basic game play device...First, you have to create a basic idea, then build features around that. Art is usually the last thing to drop in, because that often takes the longest. Once you have the core game play, you can start the testing process. For Apple, the process is different than for Android. Apple has the company submit a build of the game to their search team, and they

besides... money, and time, and keeping your team together, keeping your self in check is one of those things that you have to monitor.

esting?” And that is one of the things that can hinder a gamer: evaluating a game too much. Warren also said, “it’s not one of those things that I care to discuss all that often.” Even though Warren is the CEO, and is in charge of managing, he said, “I run the business itself and manage everybody, and am in charge of the hiring ...I don’t enjoy all that as much as I enjoy actual design work, so when I’m not doing business type stuff, I build levels in our games, and I place assets, and I help with the scripting process, deciding what happens when, and I am also in change of balancing games: how hard they are, how easy they are...[T]hat’s definitely the aspect of game development that I prefer the most.” In small companies like Minicore, even the CEO can still be involved in making the game. Photo By: Minicore Studios

”

take about two weeks to approve it or reject it. The Android process is simpler, for android, you just drop the game into the marketplace, whenever you want.” The development process for mobile devices is much simpler, Warren says. “Once the gaming company is assembled, and the building process begins, there are multiple issues that can affect the amount of time it takes to make a game “aside from money, and time, and keeping your team together, and keeping your self in check, is one of those things that you have to monitor.” It is hard to make people feel emotion. Warren said, “Your emotional state, honestly… keeping your self in check” is very important. Warren also said that he has to ask himself questions about his game. “Is this fun? Is this art? Is this pretty? Is this inter-

Minicore’s game, Tumblewords

Fallout 3

BY: Max Sellers

An Apocalyptic Wonderland

“A

merica’s First Choice in Post-Nuclear Simulation!” That is the moniker for Fallout 3, one of the most popular video games this decade, produced by Bethesda Studios. Adam Little, an avid gamer, says that Fallout 3 is “very entertaining [and] really funny.” Brayden McHorse says “[he] thinks that [Fallout 3] is the best video game ever!” Fallout 3 is an open-

world FPS RPG. It is set in 2277, 200 years after a nuclear war ravaged the United States and turned it into a radioactive wasteland. Players travel through the Capital Wasteland, which spans Washington D.C., Northern Virginia and parts of Maryland.

Here, Brayden and Adam are going to tell us about what it is like to adventure in the wastes of Fallout 3 and its downloadable content (DLC for short). Fallout 3 has a realtime combat system. The whole game can be played through in real time. However, the little Pip-Boy 3000 has a strange function: VATS. Using VATS (VaultTec Assisted Targeting System) slows time to a trickle and allows the player to target certain parts of an enemy’s body and fire at them. In VATS, it takes action points to attack an enemy. The number of action points needed

depends on which weapon the player is using. Firing at different body parts has different effects. Firing at a part of the anatomy will “cripple” it. Crippling the head will almost always kill the enemy. McHorse said, “Usually, if you kill them with a melee weapon, their head will go flying off!” Crippling an enemy’s legs will slow them down, while crippling their arms will reduce their accuracy and prevent them from using two-handed weapons. Firing at their weapon will knock it out of their hand. If an enemy is holding a grenade or mine, it can, as McHorse said, “explode and cripple [parts of their anatomy].” It is also

possible to score critical hits on an enemy. These will do more damage Little said, “[Using VATS will trigger a] cinematic cutscene where the attack will be shown in slow motion, [which is] really enjoyable.” The only problem with VATS is that once it is used, it has to recharge before it can be used again. Fallout 3 has a level system, where a player can complete quests and kill enemies to level up. The level cap without the DLC Broken Steel is 20; with Broken Steel, it is raised to 30. There is also the SPECIAL system, which consists of Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck. These statistics affect how the player can interact with NPC’s (Non Playable Characters), enemies, and the environment, as well as what weapons a player can wield or what equipment they can wear. These stats are increased throughout the game as the player levels up. McHorse also said, “If you complete a really hard quest [or] get an achievement, it is [possible] to get a SPECIAL point. Also, if you get [the] Intense Training [perk], you get a SPECIAL point every time

you level up.” Another game element is Karma. Players get good Karma when they free slaves or kill people with Very Evil Karma and other stuff, or get bad Karma for stealing or killing people with Good Karma. The Karma cap is 1000. Between -249 Karma and 249 Karma is Neutral Karma, below -250 Karma is Evil, and above 250 Karma is Good. Each level of Karma has its own advantages or disadvantages. Certain levels of Karma are required to get certain companions. McHorse said, “To get Fawkes, the [strongest] companion, who [has] a Gatling laser with unlimited ammo, you have to have Good Karma. He is the best companion in the game.” If a player has Evil Karma, they will be chased by Regulators, who have placed a bounty of 1000 caps on the player’s head. If a player has Good or Very Good Karma, they will be chased by Talon Mercenaries, who are seeking to kill the player because they have been paid to do so by a mysterious

“

person. The worst Karma loss in Fallout 3 happens if the player pushes the button to blow up the atomic bomb in the center of Megaton, one of the possible outcomes of the side quest “The Power of the Atom.” It results in an instant loss of 1000 Karma.

[It] can pin the heads, arms and legs of enemies to walls.

”

Every 4 levels, the player gets a chance to choose between 3 perks. Perks affect gameplay by altering your statistics. As Little said, “Perks can boost your damage with a certain type of weapon, boost your damage against a type of enemy, increase your SPECIAL stats, or affect your action points in VATS or even boost your health. [An example] is the Grim Reaper’s Sprint.

While in VATS, if you kill an enemy, all your action points are restored [so] you can keep slaying people in VATS, especially if you have a powerful weapon. [An example] would be a Fat Man or a Mauler.” Schematics for building unique weapons can be found throughout the game. In Fallout 3, there are 7 weapons built from schematics: The Rock-It Launcher, which launches random junk, the Nuka Grenade, which is the most effective grenade in the game, the Dart Gun, which can cripple limbs with one shot, the Deathclaw Gauntlet, which is a very damaging melee weapon, the Railway Rifle, which can tear limbs off, the Bottlecap Mine, which can be the most damaging explosive, and the Shishkebab, which sets enemies on fire. The most effective weapon is the Shishkebab, which is a flaming sword built

from a lawnmower and a motorcycle. The Railway Rifle, McHorse says, can “pin the heads, arms and legs of enemies to walls.” Schematics come in sets of three or four. Acquiring more schematics for the same weapon improves its health or how many grenades or mines gamers can make at one time. Players craft weapons on the workbench. Once the weapon is crafted, it appears in your inventory. Within the Fallout 3 game boundaries, gamers can find locations. Once you find them, they are marked with an icon on the Pip-Boy. Once you find a location, players can travel to them any time. Monsters can respawn during the time a player is not present. Everything of note or a place that might have a hidden secret will show up as a location. Gamers can get locations from NPC’s, but players must travel there on foot to be able to fast travel to that specific location. The Explorer perk gives players every location on the map, which is very useful for finding that last schematic for a weapon or a Nuka-Cola Quantum.

KRONOS: Central Grid 7:14:14

EMEVIL STUDIOS

The Business of Making Games By: Henry Arjet

Making games is an incredible process. It takes an average of $18-$28 million just to make one multiplatform game, and high-end games can cost an incredible $40 million. Because of these large sums, the game industry has become incredibly large and diverse, and has a lot of thought-provoking figures. = Read this way = Related pictures The average gamer is a 34 year old The Entertainment who plays 8 hours Software Rating Gamers consumed a week. Board rates 48% of $20.77 billion games sold as E. worth of games and accessories in 2012.

The average multiplatform game costs $18$28 million, with the most expensive, Grand Theft Auto V, costing $265 million.

Only 60 percent of games sold are physical, the other 40 percent are digital.

in 2009, the gaming industry made $10.5 billion in revinue.

The highest selling games of 2012 were Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Madden NFL 13, and Halo 4.

Sources: esrb.org, theesa.com, develop-online.net, vg247.com

Images From: edge-online.com, dualshockers.com maddentips.com blogs-images. forbes.com, internationalhouseofgeek.files.wordpress.com

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