SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE COLLEGE (LICHFIELD CAMPUS)
Digital Games Interview Developing Computer Games Adam Gibbons 4/28/2011
This document is all about certain aspects of gaming. It specifies different gaming genres as well as crucial areas in gaming development. It also analyses the physiological effects on individuals and society from playing videogames covering both benefits and negative effects.
Introduction This assignment covers various aspects of games development. It discusses different types of games in detail as well as the effects of prolonged games use on individuals. It also details the effects games have on society, such as the fact that people now use online games a lot considering they did not exist fifty years ago.
Different types of computer games. Various genres of computer games There are many different genres with computer games and any other game in general. Within games, each different type of game has its own category, depending on the point of the game, what you required to do and what the game was originally designed for. There are generally quite a few game genres, such as: Action games Role-playing games Adventure games Strategy games Simulators Sports games Combat games Educational games Despite this, it can be extremely difficult for certain games to be categorized into certain game genres. For example, I regularly play a game called ‘Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004’, which is a simulator. But, it could also be thought as an educational game, since you learn when you play it. The following helps to explain game genres. Action games are games that are like physical challenges, and can usually include handeye co-ordination and reaction time. For example, some games are avoidance games where you have to use your reactions to avoid your character or ‘control’ to avoid hitting items in the game. Role-Playing games are games where the players play the roles of fictional or real-life players within the game. Adventure games are games in which the player assumes the role of the ‘main character’ within a story, or a puzzle-solving game. Most adventure games are single player, and the emphasis on the story usually makes the game more difficult. Strategy games are games in which players decisions largely affect the outcome and what happens in the game. For example, in a chess game, the player’s moves will determine if they will win or not. Simulators are games which attempt to simulator real life events or what could possibly happen. They are my personal favourite out of all games because since they simulate real life. For example, ‘Microsoft flight simulator 2004’ attempts to simulate flying aircraft.
Different types of computer games. Various genres of computer games - Continued Sports games are generally games about sports, hence them being sports games. For example, FIFA on the PS3 is a football game, a very popular sport in real life worldwide. Combat games are usually about fighting, evading and almost always involve weaponry. For example, ‘Microsoft flight combat simulator’ simulates world war two where you are flying. You have to shoot and evade so you can defeat the enemy. Educational games are what the name implies, designed to teach you something so you can learn about it. Technically, the flight simulator I use could also be in this category, since you learn information such as ‘Heathrow’s flight patterns’ on it, even though primarily it is a flight simulator.
The areas that may be involved in games development There are many areas in game development. These areas are crucial to creating a good game. Graphics are very important. For example, what do you think you see on the screen whilst you are developing a game? It is a graphical image! The graphical elements you choose are crucial to a good game. For example, they can affect the resolution that can be displayed as well as the frame rate being displayed. You also have two types of graphics. One is raster graphics, where maths is used to create lines and shapes. The other is bitmaps, where pixels are used to create an image. Artificial intelligence is used in games development. For example, sometimes you would want the game to make decisions, such as in strategy or combat when you are playing against the computer. The audio is also another important area. For example, if you were playing a shooting game, you would want to hear the sound of the shooting bullets. In simulation, you may want to hear the engine of a car, or the turbine of a plane. This of course has to be sound that is able to be heard by people. The game-play area is also an essential aspect of development. For example, the gameplay area will usually be associated with the environment, which is also associated with the game. Interaction design defines what devices and software the user can use. For example, it could control which mobile devices the user can use the software on, or which operating systems of computers that software could be used on. Another item involved in games development is a mood board. This usually compromises of images or assets (images are a part of assets) which are essential or can be used for developing the game. Brainstorming can also be an essential part of games development. For example, using brainstorming can be useful for creating ideas that can lead to advancements and additions to the game and the game development process.
Gaming Platforms and environments Videogames have many platforms and environments. A videogame could be defined as a game on an electronic device, which generates feedback to a useable human control device. The ‘video’ part of videogames usually corresponds to the part of a game where an image in either vectors or bitmaps is created and displayed to screen. The ‘game’ part of videogames is where the user is doing part of the game, such as evading or capturing an entity within the game. One aspect of platforms is the combination of hardware and software used to render and start the game, (or loop it, since most games are loops). Another name for this would be a system. There are a number of systems available currently in the UK market, such as: PS2 XBOX PS3 XBOX360 Nintendo WII Game cube Gaming PCs SmartPhone Tablets Each one of these systems has its own specific games, and games that work on more than one of them. They are all different in their own ways. For example, the Nintendo WII system uses human interface devices to simulate re-life events, such as bowling. One of the most common platforms/environments is 2D. Nearly all modern monitors are 2D flat screen, where an image made out of a set of frames per second is rendered onto the screen. This is used by nearly all games. Another platform/environment that is still expensive, hence being uncommon is 3D. 3D has a third dimension where you wear special glasses. As you are playing games parts of the screen will appear to jump out at you. Another platform is the use of webcams. These can either take pictures or record video live. They can be used to put whatever they are recording into the game. This could be your face that could be put onto a game character.
The influence computer games can have on society including the concerns and benefits Concerns There are many different concerns with the influence computer games have on society. For example, more and more people including children are spending time on games and going out less. This can have quite a bad effect on their brains. Children in particular can slow the development of their social skills by playing videogames for long periods each day. Another point to consider is the aspect of addiction. For example, people who have normal lives and nothing mentally wrong with them can easily become addicted to videogames. These people can also begin to forget about the responsibilities of everyday life such as going to work, doing course work for college etc. They can also go without sleep whilst taking large amounts of caffeine, which can damage their body physically. There is also the violence aspect of games. For example, some children may get very frightened and have nightmares off certain games. Although an age rating is put on games, many people choose to ignore the rating and get an older person to buy it for them. They can later come to regret this after realising that it may be too violent and horrific for them. Benefits Despite the concerns, there also numerous benefits to computer games such as improve reactions. For example, someone who regularly plays a game in which you have to react very quickly can sometimes have faster than average reactions in real life which can help with a variety of things, such as avoiding a potential crash whilst driving. Another point is the fact that if you play a game where you have to remember many things, it can be very useful. For example, if you learn to have a very good memory in the game, it can give you a very good memory in real life. A third point would be games that are simulations which can also qualify as educational games in some respects. For example, if you are a fan of simulators such as driving or flying simulators, these games can also teach you about the cars/planes you regularly use in the simulation. A very good point is if you have never driven a car or flown a plane, these simulators can be great fun to have a go at on the PC.
The physiological factors of computer games on individuals There are many physiological factors computer games have on individual. For example, some people can get seriously addicted. This can have a massive effect on their life, such as they can forget everything else around them. One of tasks they could forget is not completing college work and being kicked out of their college course. This could be quite disastrous, as they could have just wasted a year of their life. Another point is that they may waste a large part of the day playing video games, not doing much else, and possibly harming their health due to lack of sleep. In addition, it could cause social problems, particularly with the individual’s family. They could also become unaware of their surroundings and time, whilst staring that the video game screen wasting hours of their life on it. Furthermore, their life could begin to centre on the videogame, ignoring everything else and even possibly trying to emulate it in real life, with disastrous consequences. Despite all of these negative consequences, there are also positive factors videogames can have on individuals. For example, some tests have shown that people who frequently play videogames have slightly faster reflexes and are able to think a little quicker. This can be useful for a variety of things. They can make better decisions and think a little faster, like if they are on their home computer, they can browse through information a lot quicker, since their brain is accustomed to thinking quick. There are also medical problems that can occur. For example, eye strain can occur. This occurs when you over-use your eye muscles, which can happen when you play videogames for long periods of time. This can be cured by rest and not looking at monitors. Another problem caused by this is neglect. For example, parents who get addicted to videogames can neglect caring for their children and the general relationship help with their family. They can also lose financial responsibility which can further cause problems. For example, they could forget to pay bills, and they could get into serious debt.
Evaluation of the influences on individuals and society in the rise of computer gaming There are many influences on individuals and society in the rise of computer gaming. You compare now to thirty years ago and things can seem very different, as they are. For example, most people at weekends who were not working went out and got drunk with their friends, or at the very least read books, ‘chilled’ in their houses with their friends. Nowadays, you can get internet cafes that are open all of the time. People can use their spare time up in these places, playing games against other people doing the same thing; playing games in an internet cafe. This is quite a bad problem, as people begin to spend more and more time in front of monitors, computer screens etc. This can be quite bad because they do not socialize as much and tend to waste their time on videogames that could be used for something else. Yes videogames are fun and that but people should not be wasting their lives on them. Despite all of this, there are benefits. For example, one main benefit is simulators, and the amount of people that use them. Weather forecasters simulate weather conditions to create accurate predictions for the public. Despite not seeming like games, you could categorize it as a game since the objective is to get the correct prediction. People can also get seriously addicted to computer games. For example, they can centre their whole life on videogames, playing them when they wake up, ignoring everything else such as college, not going to sleep etc. This can be very bad for many reasons such as: Lack of exercise, which is important for a health physical state Lack of caring for anything else, such as family relationships, work etc. Becoming ‘glued’ to the screen Suffering both mental and physical withdrawal symptoms if they do not play it for a short amount of time, showing that they have an addition. A negative aspect of videogames is the effect of behaviour. For example, if young children play violent videogames such as ones with weapons, they can start to think very violently in real life. There have been cases in life where people have killed other people due to violence they have encountered in videogames. Despite all of this, videogames can have benefits. They improve people’s thinking. For example, people can play games and relate them to real life and vice-versa. They can possibly learn to read faster if they have to read a lot of text in the game. Videogames can also have educational aspects. For example, the armed forces and people who predict weather use simulations, since they are programmed to emulate real-life and predict what could happen, and what the most likely output is based on a set of inputs. People can use this in an educational way.