Thinking out loud

I was thinking of a story kinda a mix between a few different shows and books. Just  a few ides about a character who has powers that allow them to jump between different words. They can't control the powers so they jump often to different worlds, some empty and others maybe destroyed. Just sorta thinking out loud about it.

3. How does a game’s genre affect the way its levels and environments are designed? Choose one level from three different games—each from a distinct primary genre—and compare how these levels are designed with regard to setting, goals, puzzles, and risk–reward system.

Plants vs. Zombies (2009, PC) Tower defence

PvZ level 1-4
Goal: defeat zombies
Setting: front lawn outside your house.
Risk & reward: Having enough sunflowers to get sun which works as money to pay for plants. Having too many Sunflowers however will take up room and leave less space to put offence plants. You need a good balance of Sunflowers and Offence plants to keep your house and lawn safe.
Having too many Offence plants will leave less room for sunflowers and thus making it harder to get sun and more plants.

Portal (2007, PC) puzzle/platformer

Portal test room 18
Goal: finish the test chamber
Setting: inside a run down test laboratory.
Risk & reward:  The risk in this game/level is putting yourself into dangerous places to get results. Such as there is a lot of risk when jumping into portals but the reward is getting to the place you want to be.
You need to take risky jumps or walk past turrets to complete the level. But you cannot take too much of a risk or you will fall into the acid or the turrets will kill you.


Pokemon Silver (2000, GBC) role play

Pokemon Silver Ecruteak City
Goal: Become the best Pokemon trainer. But in this particular picture, beat the ghost gym leader.
Setting: Just outside the ghost gym in Ecruteak City.
Risk & Reward: Risk and reward in Pokemon is the choice of which Pokemon you want to train. You can catch and train whatever Pokemon you want. If you decide to only train fire type you will have the reward of always being strong against Grass and Ice type of Pokemon, however you must take the risk when fighting water types.





The three games that I have chosen are hard to compare. They are all so different. The goal in PvZ is to defend, the goal in Portal is to complete, and the goal in Pokemon is to become the very best. Pokemon and PvZ are similar in that it's really up to the choices you make as to whether you will succeed. Portal and PvZ both are very strategic games, you need to think carefully about what you do before you act.
Pokemon and Portal both have a set storyline that you follow. To an extent you can stray from the storyline slightly and fined hidden extras, but there is a set order you need to do most of the game in. The games all have some similarities but overall are very different games so therefore are very difficult to compare.

2. Play three games—one from the 1980s, one from the 1990s, and one released after 2004. Compare and contrast how levels and environments are designed in all three games.

1988 - Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)

 

Super Mario Bros 3 has classic Mario 2D side scrolling levels with the addition of an over view map to select what level you wish to play. There are 9 different terrains, each one having a few levels that match the terrain. The graphics in this game are fairly basic but colourful and cute. Classic Mario with improved graphics.

1997 - Goldeneye 007 (N64)

Goldeneye has a 3D landscape levels. The levels allow you to follow the story line of the movie with a small amount of freedom to walk around the 3D world. The levels are very basic with just the objects and buildings needed to interact with and nothing more really. The textures of the buildings and objects are good looking.

2008 - World of Goo (PC)

World of Goo is a 2D puzzle game set in a funky almost steampunk goo world. The world has 5 different areas with different themes. The style of the landscape is very bright and cartoony. The levels are all really different in this game, they can go from bright and colourful to dark and strange, to bright green and cyber. 

There are lots of differences in these games. They are all very different. The game styles and game play are very different. Mario has a 2D colourful cartoon environment with strange little characters. Goldeneye has a darker much different looking realistic 3D levels. World of goo has a wacko strange style to it, which is different from the mushroom Kingdom style. Nothing like the realistic Goldeneye. The games are all different stories and styles. All are made at different times so there are so many things that makes them different. Each game with its own good and bad qualities. 

1. Imagine that you are a level designer working in the 1980s. Knowing the limitations associated with this era, what type of game would you develop?

In the 1980's some awesome games were made. The graphics were nothing like the graphics we have nowdays. However the gameplay and game levels were addictive and fun! Games like Donkey Kong (1981) were simple, graphics basic, levels simply made yet very fun. The story to the game was basic but gave a purpose to the level and the goal. The goal is to reach the top and save the princess.

Other games like Pac-Man (1980's) have different goals. Collect all the dots without dying. The graphics in this game are simple and cute.







The graphics and game levels aren't what's good about these games. What is good is the game style and game play. The games are fun and addictive.

If I were to make a game in the 1980's I would choose a simple story to give the game meaning, then a short fun level that can be played over and over.
Such as, jumping up a building to put out fires and save people. A game that continues and gets harder and faster the further up the building you get.