Game Design Portfolio

PORTFOLIO

Ping-Hsin Wang (Benson) Selected Game Design & Non Related Projects

EDUCATION

2020 - 2021 City, University of London MSc Computer Games Technology

2017 - 2020 University of Arts London London College of Communication

BA Games Designer

EXPERIENCES

July September 2021

Warming! - An Emergent of Bitcoin Territory Researcher

• Worked with two architects to design a bitcoin mining territory where it can coexist with normal citizens to create the least pollution possible.

• Responsible for researching suitable and ideal territory for bitcoin mining

• Responsible for researching and conceptualizing a mores sustainable practice through a circular energy system to mine bitcoin.

February March 2018

Collaboration Project University of Arts London Project Leader | Game Designer | Programmer

• Appointed as project leader of 4 students (3 animators, 1 game designer).

• Responsible for creating a clear list of goal for team member to follow and deliver on time.

• Responsible for coming up with a storyline for the game.

• Responsible for programming all the objects within the game.

SOFTWARE SKILLS

PROGAMMING LANGUAGE

Pyro Ball

PC Game Prototype | Game Design

BA Final Individual Project Year: 2020

Development: 2-3 Weeks

Platform: Unity Art Style: 2D Pixel Art

As the Pyro Balls traveled together through the winding metal cave, they were determined to find a way out. But all of a sudden, one of the Pyro Balls couldn’t keep up and became lost in the darkness. The player, controlling one of the Pyro Balls, must now help their lost friend by navigating through the dangerous cave and overcoming various obstacles in each level. With quick thinking and skillful maneuvering, the player must guide the Pyro Ball through the treacherous cave and reunite with their Pyro friends at the final level. Can the player help the Pyro Ball escape the metal cave and reunite with their lost friend? Only time will tell.

CORE GAMEPLAY

In Pyro Ball, players control a Pyro Ball on a quest to reunite with their friends. This 2D platformer game challenges players to navigate through five levels filled with obstacles and challenges. Using only the keyboard, players must move quickly and fluidly through each level, solving light puzzle elements along the way. The game’s linear gameplay is designed to be fast-paced and engaging, with a variety of obstacles and challenges to keep players on their toes. As player progress through the levels, they will encounter new obstacles that are designed to slow them down and test their skills. Players will need to use their wits and quick reflexes to overcome these challenges and make it to the final level.

GAME MECHANICS

Player will need to control the Pyro Ball using WASD or arrow keys to move in a direction and use Spacebar for jumping over obstacles.

The platform in this game are made out of metal. When the Pyro Ball is on the platform, it will turn orange, meaning that the platform is heat up.

When the player is on the platform with the water pipe. It will shoot out the water. If the player is not on the platform, the water will not shoot out.

The pipe will shoot out water when the cooldown reaches 0. The player will either need to try to jump over the water or wait until the water goes down. Walking into the water will kill the player.

Checkpoint is provided at every level. There are at least 1 checkpoint at every level. When the player walks over the checkpoint, it will turn into an active checkpoint.

Level 1

Level 2 added a new mechanic when the player is on the platform the water pipe will shoot the water upwards.

The first level of this game is for the player to understand the mechanic of the water pipe

Level 4 requires the player to move upwards to move onto the next level. This level challenges the player skills. Player will need to time their jump correctly to avoid death.

Level 5 heavily challenges the player’s mechanic skills and reaction time. The player will need to be fast and time him jump perfectly. Meanwhile, the player will also need to think which small platform to jump onto the wrong platform can result in requiring the player to restart at the checkpoint.

ARTWORK AND ASSETS

All of the artwork and assets of this game are created by using Aseprite software on Steam

PC Game Demo | Game Design

CORE GAMEPLAY

The player has a limited set of skills that the player can perform including run, jump, and double jump. All these skills will gradually be given as a reward for complete certain number of levels. The more levels that the player complete, the more skills is given.

Each level will contain alphabet

platforms. The alphabets that provided in the level can form a word. The word will be shown on the screen. The player will jump onto the platforms to complete a world to move onto the next level.

Once the player completes a level, it will show the player the definition of the word. This way player can play and learn

DESIGN DECISION

This game has been carefully designed by researching and playing successful platform puzzle games and educational spelling games. Its primary purpose is to promote the English language at a school in Thailand. Additionally, it targets students who are addicted to video games and struggle to study, offering a game-like environment that encourages learning.

TARGET AUDIENCES

The target audiences are for everyone who likes to puzzle platformer games and ranging from casual to hardcore gamers. However, the primary target audience will be students age between 13 21 years old since this game will be educating students with vocabulary and definition that they might not be familiar with.

UNIQUE SELLING POINTS

There are two unique selling points in this game. The first one is that player will be able to play this game while learning vocabulary and the definition of the word. The second one is the game can be use in schools to motivate student to learn vocabulary.

GAME MECHANICS

Platforms

There are 2 different types of platform in this game. The stationary platform is the easiest to jump on and is the most common platform in the game. As the name suggested the platform will not move. The platform is harder to jump on it. The moving platform can move up and down, left and right or in circular motion.

Dead zone

The dead zone is located below and out of sight of the camera. When the player hit the dead zone, the player is dead and is respawn at the starting point.

Enemy

The enemy for the player is the DEL keyboard button. The enemy will be moving from top to bottom or across the scene by pushing the player down from the platform into the dead zone.

Respawn point

The respawn point is located at the start of every level. When the player is dead, the player will respawn at the respawn point.

Flag

The flag represents the exit of the level. Once the player collides with flag, it will take the player into the definition scene.

LEVEL DESIGN

This game, designed for educational purposes, has a minimalist and relaxed design featuring simple artwork and relaxed design featuring simple artwork and relaxing background music. It comprises three levels of increasing difficulty: the first level features stationary platforms, the second level adds moving left third level includes circular motion platforms in addition to stationary and moving platforms. Upon completing a level, the player will be shown the definition of the corresponding vocabulary word in the next scene.

Level 1 Level 2

Level 3

Bullet Hell

PC Game Prototype

MSc Game Architecture Individual Project

Year: 2021

Development: 3 Weeks

Platform: MonoGame

Art Style: 2D Pixel Art

Role: Game Designer, Programmer

This game showcases my ability to use a deployment-ready production framework to create a fully functional game with a sound architecture that separates the game engine and game code. Furthermore, I applied design patterns and a date/event-driven architecture to produce loosely coupled code.

CORE GAMEPLAY

Bullet Hell is an endless shooter game in which the objective is to get the highest score and survive for as long as possible. The game becomes more challenging as the player’s score increases. The player starts with five lives, which are lost by colliding with asteroids or enemy spaceships. The player controls their spaceship using the WASD keys to avoid obstacles and the Spacebar to shoot bullets to destroy asteroids and enemy spaceships. The asteroids will appear at the top of the screen and gradually move towards the bottom of the screen.

The player can earn 100 points by destroying enemy spaceships. There are three types of enemy spaceships: small spaceships, medium spaceships, and boss spaceships. Small spaceships spawn at the top of the screen and move in a zigzag pattern towards the bottom of the screen. Medium spaceships spawn at the top of the screen and move in a circular motion within the screen boundary, while boss spaceships spawn at the top of the screen and move only left and right at the top of the screen. Only medium and boss spaceships shoot bullets at the player’s spaceship. The boss spaceship will drop either a health power-up, which gives the player and extra health, or a speed boost power-up, which increases the player’s spaceship’s attack speed for a duration

GAME MECHANICS

Player Spaceship

In this game, players control a spaceship that can be moved using the WASD or arrow keys. The spacebar key is used to shoot bullets. The spaceship also has the ability to pick up power-ups that will aid the player in lasting longer in the game. The spaceship has 5 lives, which will be challenged by the increasing difficulty of the game.

Small Spaceships

Small spaceships are spawn at the top of the screen and move in a zigzag movement using sine and cosine down toward the bottom of the screen. The goal of the small spaceship is to collide with the player’s spaceship to make the player lose two lives. If the player destroy the spaceship, the player will gain 100 points.

Medium Spaceships

Medium spaceships are spawn at the top of the screen and move in an orbital movement using sine and cosine. The medium spaceship will shoot at the player. The goal of the medium spaceship is to collide and shoot the player’s spaceship to make the player lose two lives. If the player destroy the spaceship, the player will gain 100 points.

Boss Spaceship

Boss spaceship is spawn at the top of the screen and move left and right at the top of the screen. The boss spaceship will shoot at the player. The goal of the boss spaceship is to shoot the player’s spaceship to make the player lose one live. If the player destroy the spaceship, the player will gain 100 points and the boss spaceship will drop either a health power-up or attack speed boost power-up for the player to collect.

Power-ups Power-ups can only be obtainable through destroying the boss spaceship. There are two types of power-ups that the boss spaceship can drop. The first one is the health power-up, the player can gain one extra health by collecting the health power-up. The second one is the attack speed boost power-up, the player can gain extra attack speed for a duration by collecting the speed boost power-up.

Asteroids

Asteroids spawn at the top of the screen in a random position and move down slowly to the bottom of the screen. If the asteroids were not destroyed, they will respawn at the top of the screen again. The goal of the asteroids is to slow the player down and collide with the player’s spaceship to make the player lose a live. If the player destroys the asteroid, the player will gain no point.

Architectural Components of Bullet Hell

The top-level architecture of the game is composed of several key components, including the main game class Game1.cs, which manages the game loop and handles events in the game world. Game1.cs also initializes , loads, and saves information using DataManager.cs, and ensures that the UI is updated and scenes area loaded, updated, and properly rendered in the game world.

The CommandManager.cs converts keyboard input into game commands, with the InputHandler.cs and KeyboardEventArgs.cs handling input arguments and registering keyboard state, respectively. The SceneMnager.cs is responsible for loading and managing the GameOverScene.cs, GameScene.cs, and MenuScene.cs, while the DataManager.cs manages score data. The MenuScene.cs displays the main menu, and the GameScene.cs loads and manages all assets and HUD elements, such as PowerUp.cs, Asteroid.cs, BossShip.cs, MediumShip.cs, SmallShip.cs, Projectiles.cs, and Spaceship.cs,

A discussion of the use of profiling software to improve the performance of game engine for Bullet Hell

Usually, games are high-performance real-time systems, so game engine programmers are constantly searching for ways to improve the speed of their code. One way to improve or measure the performance of the software is through profiling.

The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, stats that in certain cases, 80% of the effects of some events come from only 20% of the possible causes. This rule has been applied to both bug-fixing and software optimization in computer science. It is said that 80% of the clock time spent running a piece of software is accounted for by 10% of the code. To know which 20% of your code is optimize, you can use a profiler.

A profiler is a tool that calculates the time it takes for your code to execute and tells you how much time each function takes. You can then focus your optimizations on the functions that consume the most execution time. Profilers can be divided into two broad categories : statistical profilers and instrumenting profilers.

Statistical profilers designed to be low-key, meaning that the target code runs at almost the same speed whether profiling is enabled or not. Statistical profilers work by periodically sampling the CPU’s program counter register and noting which function is currently active. The number of samples collected within each function yields an approximation of the percentage of total running time consumed by that function. Game developers can use Intel VTune Amplifier to improve the performance of Bullet Hell’s game engine, which is considered the gold standard in statistical profilers for Windows machines using Intel Pentium processors.

Developers may use comprehensive source code profiling data to optimize compute-intensive tasks such as physics and AI. Intel VTune Amplifier allows you to fine-tune both single-threaded and multithreaded performance. You can use this tool to optimize cache usage by identifying which memory objects are bottlenecks and tuning bandwidth-limited software. It can also tune CPU threading issues such as thread imbalance and unnecessary context. In addition, it can tune the workload balance and interaction between the CPU and GPU, enhancing computational efficiency by examining comprehensive profile data and determining whether Bullet Hell or engine is CPU and GPU limited. Lastly, you can annotate and sort data by frames, allowing you to see each frame on the timeline, determine slow and quick frames, compare timeline trends with frame operation.

In addition to statistical profilers. Instrumenting profilers work by inserting code into the target program that records. This information is then used to generate a report about the performance of the program. One advantage of instrumenting profilers is that they can provide more detailed and accurate information about the program’s execution than statistical profilers. However, they can also have a larger impact on the program’s execution.

Instrumenting profilers are often used to identify specific issues or bottlenecks in the program’s execution . They can also used to track the flow of control through the program, allowing developers to understand how different parts of the program interact with each other.

Some common examples of instrumenting profilers include Valgrind, Xdebug, and gprof, These tools are often used in conjunction with other performance optimization techniques, such as code profiling and debugging, to help developers identify and fix performance issues in the program.

The impact of video game reward type in platformer game genre and how it affects the player experience

Game Research | Experiment Platform Game (EPG)

MSc Thesis Individual Project Year: 2021 Development: 2 Months Platform: Art Style: Role:

PURPOSE OF PROJECT RESEARCH AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The aim of this study is to determine the most effective reward type for platformer games in order to enhance the player’s enjoyment and reward experience. To do this, we will create an experimental platformer game (EPG) featuring different reward types in each stage, including the most and least commonly used types in the platformer genre.

I will assess players’ experiences through the Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ) and self-report measures. Our motivation for this project is to gain a deeper understanding of video game rewards and identify which ones are most suitable for the platformer genre.

My research will focus on two questions: The main research question is: What is the most suitable reward type in platformer game genre, and what are the differences in player experiences for each reward type.

The second research question is: Are there any differences in player experience between the three and most and least used reward types?

The EPG is designed to investigate the various types of rewards used in platform games and their impact on player experience. Players will begin in an empty room with doors leading eight experimental stages. They will use the keyboard to control their character’s movement (WASD or arrow keys for movement, spacebar for jumping).

The game map has been designed to minimize order bias as much as possible, allowing players to choose the stage they want to start with rather than requiring them to play in a specific order. Players must complete all eight stages of reward types in any order. Upon completing a task within a stage, players will be rewarded with a specific type of reward. The first six stages each represent a different reward type, while the last two stages contain a combination of the three most and least commonly used reward types, as determined by a review of reward instances.

The primary goal of gameplay is to expose players to different reward types in the EPG. However, to adhere to the design paradigms of commercial video games and to maximize players’ sense of reward during the experiment, the EPG must also include hazards and obstacles.

REWARD DESIGN

Designing the reward system for the EPG presented several challenges. The reward had to align with Cody Phillips’ taxonomy of rewards, clearly represent the essence of each reward type, and have a discernible impact on the player. Additionally, all rewards had to be intrinsic and virtual in nature. All rewards are delivered to the player through physical pickups or trigger points. Players will always be rewarded for completing obstacles within a stage, such as by jumping over obstacles. To help players differentiate between the various reward types, each type was given a distinct visual appearance. For instance, a medical box might represent a reward of additional health, while a key might indicate access to a new environment.

TYPE OF REWARDS

According to reward taxonomy by Cody Phillips, there are six types of rewards in video games:

Reward of Access

Reward of Access allows players to unlock new areas of the game environment or resources that were unavailable before. This type of reward often alters the game environment directly more than other types of rewards. In this game, a key was used to represent the reward of access. These rewards can be obtained once the player completes an obstacle within the stage. Once the player picks up the reward, a wall will disappear allowing the player to move onto the next area.

Reward of Facility

Reward of Facility boost the avatar’s effectiveness with upgradeable abilities or weaponry, allowing them to do thing they could not do before.

In this game, the facility reward is a shield power-up, where the player can receive it from a chest. Once the player picks up the shield power-up, there will be a large sphere of aura surrounding the player. This shield aura protects the player from getting hurt from the obstacles. The shield will have three charges, once the player uses up the shield aura, it will disappear

Reward of Glory

Reward of Glory is a reward that do not affect or alter gameplay, and that are quantifiable in the game or meta-game through achievements, points, and badges. It was designed as a scoring system.

In this game, the reward instances of glory will be a star shape. The reward will be placed ay many different positions where the player will need to make an extra effort to get it. A head-up display will appear in the top right corner of the game once the first star is collected, and each time player collects a reward instance of glory, the player will receive 100 points.

Reward of Sustenance

Reward of Sustenance allows the player to keep playing the game by providing burden mitigation such as health regeneration.

In this game, Reward of Sustenance was designed as a traditional health potion where the player can gain an extra life. The player will start with five lives and if the player picks up the health potion with five lives, that number will not increase. However, if the player has less than five lives, player will gain one life. This reward mostly worked with the game’s punishment system by preventing the player from reaching the ‘Restart’ or ‘Game Over’ state.

Reward of Praise

Reward of Praise express a form of flattery or praise to the player, it can be textually or verbally.

The reward was designed as a simple message visible to the player. A positive text emerged on the screen when the player crossed the trigger line, showing one of three congratulatory phrases. For example, “Good Job”, “Excellent Play!”, and “Perfect”. This type of reward is often used at the end of a level in the platform game genre to encourage players to keep playing.

Reward of Sensory Feedback

Reward of Sensory Feedback provides the player with positive tactile feedback, visible aesthetic, and sound aural which encourage the player to keep playing.

A visual effect or tactile feedback emerges on the screen when the player crosses the trigger line, showing fireworks, and positive audio will play in the background.

GAME DIFFICULTY AND OBSTACLES AND HAZARDS

To ensure that the stages of the EPG were well-designed, the spiral model technique was used to allow for multiple rounds of modification and expedite development while enabling the orderly addition of new features and functionality. Each stage of the EPG was play tested and refined using this technique. Originally, the EPG was designed to maintain a constant level of difficulty throughout each stage. However, a common principle in recreational game design is for the game’s difficulty to increase progressively as the game progresses. Omitting this principle would significantly deviate from the norm for recreational games. Therefore, I have decided to implement this principle by starting each stage with an easy level of difficulty that gradually increases towards the end. Hazards and obstacles were also included to adhere to the design paradigms of commercial video games and maximize players’ sense of reward during the experiment. Without these elements, the experiment’s potential findings could be limited. Players are tasked with avoiding hazards and obstacles in order to avoid punishments such as losing a life or having their score reduced, depending on the stage they are playing.

Obstacles are placed within the game environment, which was spikes that require the okayer to jump over or jump on a platform preventing the player falling onto the spike. The obstacles are paired with two types of hazards present in the game.

Hazards

The first hazard is a moving spike. There are three types of moving spikes. The first is a falling spike, he second is a spike moving from left to right, and the last is a spike moving from right to left. This hazard requires the player to time their character’s movement and jump to avoid collisions.

The second hazard type is a moving spike ball. The spike ball can move in vertical, horizontal, and diagonal directions. This hazard requires player to study the pattern of movement of the spike ball and time their character’s movement and jump.

STAGES/LEVELS OF EPG

The following images represent all of the stages/levels in EPG.

Reward of Access stage

Reward of Facility stage

Reward of Sensory Feedback stage

Reward of Glory stage

Reward of Praise stage

Reward of Sustenance stage

Three least used reward type stage (Glory, Sensory Feedback, Praise)

Three most used reward type stage (Access, Sustenance, Facility)

The three most and least used reward types were determined from reward instance review phase. The purpose of these two stages is to identify that does the three most and least used reward types combination have any differences in player experience.

RESULTS

The results of the study, which were obtained by conducting a game experience questionnaire (GEQ) among participants who played the EPG, suggest that players experienced a higher level of positive affect and immersion when they received Reward of Facility rewards compared to other reward types. These rewards also had the lowest value in terms of negative affect, indicating that players did not experience negative emotions when receiving them. Additionally, the results indicate that there are differences in player experience between the three most and least used reward types, with players generally preferring the former over the latter. To learn more about the research and findings, please refer to the link provided below. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_QXlI8Vtg-sOeTYpWz9tqCpBzGyWTKxf/view?usp=share_link

Little Red Riding Hood

PC Game Design

Individual Project

Year: 2022 Once upon a time, in a magical world, Little Red Riding Hood lived with her grandmother in a cozy cottage in the forest. Little Red Riding Hood was known as a brave and adventurous young girl, and she loved to explore the forest and help her grandmother with her chores. One day, Little Red Riding Hood came back to see grandmother was suck into a portal to another universe. Determined to save her grandmother, Little Red Riding Hood set off on a journey to this other world.

CORE GAMEPLAY

In this 2D side-scrolling platformer, players control Little Red Riding Hood as they navigate through three different maps - the Dark Forest, Cave, and Castle - using various abilities such as running, jumping, dashing. Wall sliding, and both ranged and melee attacks. Along the way, players must face obstacles and enemies such as gaps to jump over, falling objects to dodge, traps to avoid, and dangerous monsters to defeat or avoid. As they progress through the game, players can pick up power-ups like magic apple for temporary invincibility, health packs to restore their health, and arrows to restore their ammo. These power-ups can be obtain through opening chest and killing monsters. The core gameplay of this game involves using these abilities and power-ups to overcome challenges and defeat the final boss at the end of each map, ultimately working to save grandmother and complete the game.

GAME MECHANICS

Little Red Riding Hood

In this game, the player takes on the role of Little Red Riding Hood, the main character. They can control her movements and use various abilities such as jumping and double jumping, wall sliding, and shooting arrows with a bow, or attacking with an axe. Little Red Riding Hood can also pick up various items scattered throughout the game, such as health items to restore health, arrows to restock ammo, magic apples for temporary invincibility, and keys to unlock new areas. However, if the player collides with enemies or obstacles, their health will decrease, and if their health reaches zero or they fall into a dead zone, they will be restarted at the last checkpoint.

Slime

In this game, slimes will be located all over the first map. Their task is to patrol the area and, if they detect Little Red Riding Hood nearby, they will move towards her and attack. The slime attack the player by biting. If Little Red Riding Hood is out of range, the slime will return to patrol mode. If a slime successfully attacks Little Red Riding Hood, it will inflict a certain amount of damage. The slime can be defeated by stepping on it, shooting it with an arrow, and attacking it with an axe. If the player defeats a slime, there is a chance that it will drop health items or arrow ammo as a reward.

Goblin

Goblins can be found throughout the first and second map. There are two types of goblins: stationary goblins that protect treasure chests and attack the player if they get too close, and patrol goblins that follow a set route and attack the player if detected nearby. If a patrol goblin is out of range, it will return to its patrol. Both goblin uses a small dagger to attack the player. Both types of goblins can be defeated by shooting them with an arrow or attacking them with an axe, and there is a chance that they will drop health items or arrow ammo as a reward upon defeat. If a goblin successfully attacks the player, it will inflict a certain amount of damage.

Mushrooms can be found scattered throughout the first and second map. These mushrooms are inactive until the player gets close, at which point they will awaken and attack the player. The mushrooms will continue to attack until they are defeated or the player’s health reaches zero. They attack by using their large hand to clap, creating a loud noise that can damage the player if they are within range. Mushrooms can be defeated by stepping on them, shooting them with an arrow, or attacking them with an axe. Upon defeat, there is a chance that the mushroom will drop health items, arrow ammo, or, very rarely, a magic apple as a reward.

In the second and third map of the game, players may encounter skeletons patrolling certain areas. These skeletons will attack the player if they are detected nearby, but will return to their patrol if the player is out of range. The skeletons attack using a rusty sword and defend themselves with a shield. If a skeleton successfully attacks the player, it will inflict a certain amount of damage. Upon defeat, there is a chance that the skeleton will drop health items or arrow ammo as a reward.

Witch

In third map of the game, players may encounter witches patrolling certain areas. These witches will attack the player if they are detected nearby, but will return to their patrol if the player is out of range. The witches attack by throwing a purple fireballs toward the player. If a witch successfully attacks the player, it will inflict a certain amount of damage. Upon defeat, there is a chance that the skeleton will drop health items or arrow ammo as a reward.

Skeleton

Boulder is the boss of the first map. Players will encounter him before moving on to the second map. Boulder attacks by creating a loud clap that sends out a shockwave that can travel a long distance. As his health lowers, he will begin to use multiple shockwaves as an attack. These shockwaves can deflect incoming arrows. If the shockwave hits the player, it will inflict a large amount of damage. Upon defeat, Boulder will drop a Magic Apple and a large number of arrow ammo as rewards.

Golem

Golem is the boss of the second map. Players will encounter him before moving on to the third map. Golem have a melee attack where he swing his giant axe around. The melee attack can nearly be considered as a range attack. As his health lowers, he unlock a new attack where he smash his axe on the ground to create a shockwave which travel a long distance. These shockwave can also deflect incoming arrows. If the Golems attack hits the player, it will inflict a large amount of damage. Upon defeating, Golem will drop a Magic Apple and a large number of arrow ammo.

Elphaba is the final boss of the last map. Players will encounter her at the end of the map and must defeat her to rescue the grandmother. Elphaba has a ranged attack where she exhales toxic smoke in both directions. Once her health reaches a certain point, she will gain a new attack where she disappears and attacks from above, crashing down onto the ground. If Elphaba’s attack hits the player, it will inflict a large amount of damage. Upon defeating Elphaba, the player will gain access to a room where the grandmother is held, beating the game.

Elphaba

Treasure Chest

Throughout the first, second, and third maps, players may come across treasure chests. These chests can only be opened once, and will remain opened even if the player restarts at a checkpoint. The treasure chest may contain items such as arrows, health items, keys, and very rarely, Magic Apple.

Magic Apple

Throughout the first, second, and third maps, players may come across Magic Apples. When consumed, these items grant the player temporary invincibility, allowing them to run through obstacles and ignore incoming attacks without taking any damage. However, if the player falls into a dead zone, the Magic Apple’s effects will not work and the player will be killed.

Health item

Health item can be found throughout the map from killing enemies to opening treasure chest. The health item provide player certain amount of health when consumed.

Arrow

Arrows can be found throughout the map from killing enemies to opening treasure chest. Arrows provide ammo for player to use to kill enemies.

Dead zone

The dead zone is located below and out of sight of the camera. When the player hit the dead zone, the player is dead and is respawn at the starting point or checkpoint.

Spike

Spikes can be found throughout the entire game and are designed to slow down the player and increase the difficulty of the game. Player will inflict a tiny amount of damage when in contact with the spike.

Platforms

There are four types of platforms that players may encounter. The first type is stationary, meaning it does not move and is the most common type of platform in the game. The second type is moving platform, which can shift in various directions such as up and down, left and right, or in a circular motion. These moving platforms can be more challenging to navigate. The third type is a collapsible platform, which begins to collapse when the player stands on it for a certain amount of time before returning to its normal state. The final type is a one-way platform, which allows the player to pass through it from the bottom and stay on top of it, but prevents from falling through it from the top.

Portal

Portals in the game transport players to the next level upon entry. Most portals will only appear after the player has defeated the boss of the current level.

Spike Smasher

Spike Smashers are obstacles found in the second and third maps of the game. There are two types of smashers that players may encounter. The first type will drop down from above at high speed after a certain amount of time has passed, smashing the ground before returning to the top. The second type will detect the player and drop down from above at high speed if the player walks past it, before returning to the top. Player will inflict a certain amount of damage if the Smasher smashes the player.

Dark Forest is the first and easiest map in the game. It introduces players to basic controls and enemies such as slimes, mushrooms, and goblins. Players will learn that jumping on the heads of slimes and mushrooms will defeat them. This map also introduces players to moving platform. The obstacles and hazards combing elements from earlier ones to create greater challenges. There are both obvious and hidden treasure chests scattered throughout the map, and players must complete certain challenges to unlock them. These treasure chests may contain new abilities such as the double jump and a bow and arrow weapon. Lastly, player will face the first boss of the game, Boulder at the end of the map.

The first section of the game is designed to familiarize players with the basic controls and the mechanics of various objects within the game. This section will introduce spikes, moving platforms, and treasure chest.

Dark Forest

The second section of the game builds upon the skills learned in the first section by introducing a new hazard: falling spikes. These spikes fall from the ceiling and can damage the player if they are caught beneath them. The treasure chest contain the ability to unlock the double jump and several health items.

The third section of the game introduces the first enemy, the slime, and the collapsible platform. Players will learn that slimes can be defeated by jumping on top of them. The treasure chest in this section contain a bow and arrows for players to use in the next section and beyond.

The fourth section combines all of the elements and challenges that the player has encountered so far, presenting them in a more difficult format. The treasure chests in this section may contain health items, arrows, and very rarely, a Magic Apple.

The fifth section will introduce mushrooms and goblins. Players have the option to take two routes: the top path, which is guarded by goblins and falling spikes, or the bottom path, which is filled with mushrooms and moving platforms. The treasure chests in this section may contain health items, arrows, and in rare cases, Magic Apple.

In the final section of this map, players will face off against the boss Boulder. They must defeat him either by using arrow or by jumping on his head. Once Boulder has been defeated, players can move on to the next map.

In the first section, players must navigate from the top to the bottom while dodging strategically placed falling spikes. To ensure players cannot skip the challenge, the spikes are placed in such a way that they must be avoided. The first treasure will reward the player with a new weapon, a sword, and the second treasure contains arrow ammo, health items, and potentially a Magic Apple.

The second section tasks players with descending from the top to the bottom while avoiding falling spikes. To increase the difficulty, the deadzone is strategically placed at the bottom to prevent players from circumventing the challenge by jumping straight down without fall damage.

In the third section, players will encounter a new enemy skeleton. They can choose to defeat it using the sword or bow that can be obtain in the previous section and map, or alternatively, they can avoid it by jumping onto the platform above and traveling above the enemy. Players must also be mindful of falling spikes when navigating the platform.

The fourth section introduces players to a new hazard, the spike smasher. Players must navigate through the tunnel while avoiding the spike smashers, requiring quick reflexes and timing to successfully pass through the section.

The fifth section challenges players to engage in battle with four skeletons to obtain all the treasures. Players have the option to avoid clashing with the enemies and move on to the next section if they do not desire the guard treasures. All of the treasure may contain health items, arrow ammo, and Magic Apple.

The sixth section presents players with a test of skill as they navigate the platform, the platform may be moving or collapsible platform, requiring them to time their movements to avoid falling spikes while ensuring they don’t fall onto the deadly spikes below. The treasure may contain health items, arrow ammo, Magic Apple.

The seventh section presents a test of players avoiding a deadly fall. As they move upward, players may encounter a small cave where they must defeat a skeleton to obtain a treasure.

The eight section serves as a reprieve before the challenging boss battle of the second map. The difficulty of this section is lower compared to previous sections. The treasures chest in this section mostly contains health items and arrows, which will be useful in the upcoming boss battle.

In the final section of this map, players will face off against the boss, Golem. They must defeat him either by using sword or bow and arrows. Once Golem is defeated, player can move onto the last map.

The Castle map represents the final and most challenging level of the game. It tests players’ mechanics skills as they navigate through the map, and also requires them to engage in combat with enemies while simultaneously dodging and avoiding obstacles. This map offers various routes for players to choose from, each with its own set of challenges, making it a formidable test of skill. Lastly, this map will introduce the last enemy, the witch. The treasure chest in this map will mostly contain health items, arrow ammo, and very rare Magic Apple.

Castle

The second section of the Castle map offers players the choice of two routes to take, either the top or the bottom. Players may encounter five witches and three skeletons in this section. Along the way, players will come across two treasure chests that may contain health items, arrow ammo and in rare cases, a Magic Apple.

The third section of the Castle map challenges players to ascend while dodging falling spikes. Along the way, players will encounter witches on some platforms, shooting fireballs. Halfway through the section, players have the option to

The fourth section of the Castle map test players’ quick reflexes and timing as they navigate through the spike smashers while simultaneously engaging in combat with skeletons. Successfully navigating this section requires players to carefully balance avoiding the spike smashers with defeating the skeletons.

The fifth section presents players with a choice of two routes. The first is an easy route that is free of obstacles or enemies, but does not contain any treasure. The second route, while more challenging, offers three witches shooting fireballs, skeleton, falling spikes and moving platforms. It also provides players with two treasure chests containing health items, arrow ammo and in rare cases, Magic Apple.

The sixth section of the Castle map serves as a brief respite before the final and challenging boss battle. Two treasure chests are available for players to collect containing mostly health and arrow ammo, which will aid them in the upcoming boss fight.

In the final section of the Castle map, players will confront the final boss, Elphaba. To defeat her, players must use their sword or bow and arrows. Upon her defeat, the spikes will be deactivated, allowing players to proceed to the next room where they must rescue the grandmother. Successfully rescuing the grandmother marks the end of the game, and the player will be declared victorious.

Other non related Project

RENDERING

Produced a 3D model bus stop with a normal and snow weather effect using 3DS MAX.

An Emergent of Bitcoin Territory

WARMING 2021

Collaboration Project | Architecture Competition

Collaborator: Chayapa Udombunditkul, Soisalak Rojanavilaivudh

Year: 2021 Development: 5 Months

Role: Researcher

TASKS

As part of a collaboration with two architects, my task is to research the feasibility of location a bitcoin mining facility in a town, and to explore potential solutions for making the facility environmentally sustainable. This includes investigating the use of geothermal and renewable resources , as well as potential ways to repurpose waster energy generated by the mining process to power the surrounding community.

Bitcoin is what many believe to be THE new form of digital currency or the new gold. Bitcoin’s value and future are often discussed but not enough around the heated GPU, running 24/7 behind the scenes.

By 2033, We are at risk of rising global temperature by 2% from Bitcoin mining. The mining and processing transactions require heavy hardware and continuous electrical supply that consumes fossils fuels. Thus, how can this new cryptocurrency emerge alongside citizens, creating the least pollution possible?

‘Unalakleet’ is a town known for its long historical self-sustain tradition and fishing. The city reported a rise in the aging population; thus, to integrate the bitcoin industry into the town, the scheme provides active retirement housing by the riverside with a fishing lodge, allowing elders to have a relaxed gateway and activities that prompts social interaction.

While geothermal and renewable sources have been a greener solution for the digital mining crisis, this project aims to make cryptocurrency a more sustainable practice through a circular energy system. By capturing the heat generated

CAPTIONS

1. Map of Unalakleet

2. Wind Turbines: Combusting fossil fuels to generate electricity for housing and wasted energy from bitcoin mining contributes to global warming. We attempt to reduce global warming by using clean energy produced by Unalakeet’s wind turbine from the beginning of our energy consumption journey.

3.1 Housing: Consist of a private bedroom with in-unit radiators and restroom with ready hot water supply. Communal living functions such as laundry, kitchen, and dining. All functions are scattered to encourage elders to move and socialize among themselves.

3.2 Bitcoin Mining Facility: The facility is located underground, directly below the housing. There is an assembly zone for repairing and constructing GPU (Graphics Processor Unit). The mining zone houses 8,820 Nvidia RTX3060TI GPUs. Bitcoin mining operates 24/7, producing heat that is often wasted but is a significant opportunity to convert waste energy into clean energy.

Writing Portfolio

This portfolio is a demonstration of my skills in creative writing, featuring examples from my response writing, reviewing writing, and thesis.

Undergraduate Thesis

During my undergraduate study, I have taken research on How action video games enhance your cognitive abilities: Investigating cognitive abilities of non-video and video game players.

The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of action video game playing on the speed of processing and visual selective attention. Furthermore, to investigates the difference between expert video game players and regular video game players in cognitive abilities, skills, attainment, and rankings.

As this is a long piece of writing, thesis can be view below via the link.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y8d0ZRjZEXNjAwr2s0UnrgJLPl76GHnD/view?usp=sharing

Postgraduate Thesis

During my undergraduate study, I have taken research on The impact of video game reward type in platformer game genre and how it affects the player experience. The purpose of this study is to investigate reward types in the platformer game genre and how they affect player experience by developing an experiment platformer game and Game Experience Questionnaire

As this is a long piece of writing, thesis can be view below via the link. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_QXlI8Vtg-sOeTYpWz9tqCpBzGyWTKxf/view?usp=share_link

Formal Elements and Dramatic Elements

The design of a game is composed of formal elements, which are linked together to form the game itself. These are some formal game elements.

Players

In entertainment activities, players play an active role as free and effective contributors. They participate, dominate, and invest time in the activity, with the potential to become winners. The number of players in the game can influence the player’s experience. Each player may have distinct responsibilities during the play. They can also play as teams and collectively decide on actions to take. In role-playing games, while a player’s role may dictate their actions, the diverse play styles of players allow for diverse gameplay experiences, even when playing the same role.

Objectives

Objectives play a crucial role in motivating players to engage in gameplay. They serve as a measure of the player’s contributions to the game. Objectives can be grouped into ten categories: Capture, Chase, Race, Alignment, Rescue, Forbidden Act, Construction, Exploration, Solution, and Outwit.

Procedures

Game procedures are essential elements in the design of a game and dictate the gameplay. They are specific behaviors or ways of playing that are defined by the game’s rules. Procedures can provide unique instructions on what actions to take during the play. Player actions can be described by procedures that can be broken down into four stages: starting, progression, special and resolving.

Rules

Game rules are fundamental aspect of game design and gameplay. The ability for a game designer to define actions for all potential situations through a rulebook is crucial. The rulebook often includes visual aids to assist players in understanding the gameplay. The rules must clearly specify what actions players can and cannot take, and dictate the overall structure of the game world. Players who fail to adhere to the rules must leave the game. The rules serve three main purposes: defining objects and conditions, restricting player actions, and determining effects on players. An excessive number of rules can make the game unplayable, while too few rules can make the game simplistic. Poorly written or miscommunicated rules can cause confusion among players.

Resources

Game resources are seen as valuable in assisting players to reach their goals within the game. They can be used to create new merchandise and items, which can be traded in various markets. Game objects possess their own values, which are essential for players to achieve their individual goals within the game. The value of resources is influenced by their scarcity and utility. Resources are items that are used by players to achieve their goals. Game designers have the ability to control the availability of resources. Popular resources in games include: lives, units, health, currency, actions, inventory, and time.

Conflict

As players strive to achieve their goals within the game's rules and boundaries, conflicts may arise through procedures and rules. Conflicts are intentionally incorporated into the game to make it more challenging for players to achieve their goals easily. Conflicts can be generated in three ways:

1. The primary source of conflict in multiplayer games is other players or computer-controlled enemies.

2. Obstacles, which can be in physical or mental forms, are a common cause of conflict in both single and multiplayer games.

3. Conflicts from dilemmas stem from the choices player must make, where their decisions may have potential consequences that can be positive or negative. The consequences of these decisions must be considered before proceeding.

Boundaries

Boundaries serve as the demarcation between the game world and the real world. In his book "Homo Ludens," Johan Huizinga defines the game world as a "magic circle," a temporary space where the laws of the game apply, rather than those of the real world.

Game boundaries provide a mechanism to separate the events that occur within the game from those in the real world. This allows players to act in ways that may be cruel or hateful towards others within the game, without causing any actual harm to their relationships outside of the game.

Game Outcome

To generate engagement and excitement, the outcome of a game must be uncertain. This uncertainty is often quantifiable and can vary between players The winning condition differs from player objectives For example, in massively multiplayer online worlds, there may be no end state or clear winner. Similarly, simulation games may not have a fixed win state and instead reward players in different ways beyond completion of the game. While many game systems do have a defined winner, if a winning state is reached, players and the system will analyze the outcome, and the game will come to an end.

The outcome is determined by a variety of factors, including player interaction patterns and the nature of the game objective. For example, a game objective based on points will likely use points to measure the result, while a game based on capture, such as chess, does not use a scoring system but rather is based on winning or losing. The main objective of chess is to checkmate the opponent's king .

Dramatic Elements

In order to create a fully immersive and engaging gaming experience, the incorporation of dramatic elements is crucial. These elements serve to connect the various formal elements of the game and allow players to become emotionally invested in the outcome.

There are both basic and complex techniques used in the implementation of dramatic elements in games. Basic techniques such as play and challenge can be found in many common games, while more complex techniques such as premise, character, and story are used in more elaborate games to build upon the abstract elements of the formal system.

One important dramatic element is the premise, which provides context for the formal game elements and includes elements such as time, place, main characters, objectives, and actions that propel the story forward. Characters are also a crucial component, as they drive the story and allow players to understand the outcome of their goals.

Another important dramatic element is the challenge, which is linked to the player's skill level. Without an adequate level of challenge, players will not experience a sense of achievement and may become bored or frustrated with the game.

Johan Huizinga, a Dutch historian and cultural theorist, is recognized as one of the pioneering figures in the field of cultural history. He is particularly known for his seminal work, Homo Ludens, in which he introduced the concept of the "magic circle" to describe the unique and distinct nature of play and games.

In game studies, the concept of the magic circle serves to identify the unique, separate space within which the activity of play occurs. Inside the magic circle, the rules and constraints of the game take precedence over the real world, creating a temporary and safe environment for players to engage in the act of play. The magic circle provides a fertile ground for game designers to explore and address various aspects of human society. The rules of the game within the magic circle construct a unique set of meanings for players, guiding their play and allowing for a sense of escapism and fantasy. The experience of being inside the magic circle can be transformative and impactful, as players are able to leave behind the stresses and responsibilities of the real world. Even after leaving the magic circle, players take with them the ideas and experiences gained from the game.

Johan Huizinga stated that:: “All play moves and has its being within a play-ground marked off beforehand either materially or ideally, deliberately or as a matter of course. Just as there is no formal difference between play and ritual, so the “consecrated spot” cannot be formally distinguished from the play-ground. The arena, the card-table, the magic circle, the temple, the stage, the screen, the tennis court, the court of justice, etc., are all in form and function play-grounds, i.e. forbidden spots, isolated, hedged round, hallowed, within which special rules obtain. All are temporary worlds within ordinary world, dedicated to the performance of an act apart.”

For Huizinga, Magic Circle is an area designed for playing, an imaginary limited world dedicated to the act apart. The approach of the Magic Circle is regularly apply to Huizinga, and paragraph above really captured the idea how the concept is being used nowadays.

Huizinga proclaim that playing game commonly has an ethical import, and expect somewhat a bit of seriousness. Playing in many occasion to test the player’s power, skill, achievement and so on. The idea of fair play offer an element meaningful judgment at the origin of several games. The establishment of the Magic Circle is an origin element in the optimal of an structured life managed by agreeing upon conventions, which belong at the bottom heart of human society.

Huizinga again and again emphasizes that, inside the Magic Circle, the rules of a game hold absolutely. There is no space for suspicion (Rodriguez, 2016). The player can deny the rules by not playing the game or exploit them by cheating. Huizinga insists that there is no open to the uncertainty in the rules of a game. In conclusion, Magic Circle is where a game takes place inside the space. Within the magic circle, the game’s rules build a unique set of meaning. These meanings direct the play of the game. Also, being inside the Magic Circle is a way to avoid daily problem and anxiety. The important thing about leaving the Magic Circle is that when a person leaves the Magic Circle, they always being ideas and experiences.

Review of Design Museum

The design process is a collaboration between three key players: the designer, the maker, and the user. This museum offers visitors the opportunity to explore the design process from the perspectives of all three parties, highlighting how designers respond to the needs of makers and users, how users interact with and shape design, and how technological advancements and manufacturing techniques change our world.

Design is a holistic approach to problem-solving that can be applied to any scale. It is the ability of designers to understand and address both practical and emotional needs that sets them apart from other creative professionals.

In the 20th century, Modernists believed that good design was primarily about functionality and how well an object fulfilled its intended purpose. However, some argue that good design is more subjective and can elicit emotional responses through elements such as beauty and wonder. Many believe that design carries a set of values and ethical responsibilities, and that good design can improve our lives and make the world a better place, while bad design can harm it. Design and designers can be a powerful force for change, with innovative products capable of improving our lives and extending our longevity. The exhibit of the AK-47 and leg splint is particularly striking. Both products were created during or just after World War II, and while they serve vastly different purposes, they are both designed to be easy to use. The contrast between a weapon of destruction and a tool for healing highlights the ethical responsibilities that designers must consider in their work.

Play-Centric Design Process

The play-centric approach focuses on the development of a game for consumers by incorporating their input throughout the design process. By involving players early on in the design process, through methods such as iterative design, the game's plan and design can be tailored to ensure a positive player experience.

Iterative design is a methodology that involves continuous cycles of prototyping, testing, analyzing, and refining a product in progress. It is a flexible approach that allows for adjustments based on player feedback and testing results.

In the play-centric process, iteration plays a crucial role in ensuring a successful outcome. Designers iteratively design, test, and refine the game throughout its development. The flow of the iterative process includes: setting player experience goals, conceiving an idea or system, formalizing the idea through prototyping, testing the prototype against player experience goals, evaluating the results, and making necessary adjustments. If the results are positive, the iterative process is complete. If the results are negative, the process starts again from the beginning.

The iterative design process is an integral part of the play-centric approach in game design, as it allows for the consistent involvement of players throughout the development process. This methodology comprises of a cyclical process of prototyping, testing, analyzing, and refining the design. The process typically includes several key steps, including brainstorming, prototyping, presentation, design documentation, production, and quality assurance. Each step is critical in ensuring that the final product meets the desired player experience goals and offers a high level of quality.

Ultimately, the use pf play-centric iteration helps game designers refine existing concepts and generate new ideas, resulting in a more engaging and satisfying gaming experience for players.

Response writing about Branzi’s Dilemma: Design in Contemporary Culture

In this article, Buchanan presents Branzi’s Dilemma as a useful framework for understanding the complexities of change in design. He argues that the loss of central ideology and the emergence of pluralism are key components of the human condition. Buchanan raises the question of whether designers for the individual should strive to create for a broad audience or instead focus on designing for the individual needs of each person. He posits that this approach would enable individuals to actively engage with culture and seek out meaningful connections.

Buchanan highlights the challenges of this approach, but also expresses hope that designers will become increasingly adept at navigating these complexities. He suggests that improvements in design education can help designers to be more attuned to the needs of individuals and to understand the various types of information that are relevant to design.

I agree with Buchanan that designers should aim to support individuals in engaging with culture and finding meaningful connections. I also agree that design education can play a crucial role in raising designers' awareness of the various factors that influence design.

Design can be a powerful tool for effecting change in the world, and it is important that designers approach their work with a sense of responsibility. Buchanan emphasizes the importance of considering what is good, just, useful, and pleasurable in design. He acknowledges that designing for everyone's needs in one product is a difficult challenge, but encourages designers to explore different paths within this framework of responsibility.