peng ink

Yes, it’s that time again. Planning on entering the IGF Student Showcase myself next year (production has already begun), I typically use these finalists to gauge the chances of a GCS game making the list. The prospects? Not too bad.

Typical IGF final picks seem to hinge mostly on innovative and deviant gameplay (quite opposite of the rest of the industry), and the Student Showcase is no different. Of course, being around the indie game block a couple times myself, somehow the same “innovative concepts” seem to pop up again and again, great ideas rehashed if you will. But as I always stress, it’s all about implementation.

Requisite favorites list:

And Yet It Moves: mixing the classic world orientation changing gameplay with interesting 2D paper cutout visuals gives this game a real good atmosphere. Also note the ambiance created by beatbox sound-effects. Who knew mouth noises could sound so right?

Invalid Tangram: So close to being a shooter by ABA Games, but still not quite there (it lacks ABA’s magical touch). In any case, puzzle shooter game mechanics are quite clever, and I just can’t say no to these genre pieces.

Gelatin Joe: Namesake’s about where the similarities end, Digipen’s Gelatin Joe takes a gameplay concept and molds a world around it. Though a somewhat impersonal approach to game design for my tastes (can’t really relate to a circle), the puzzles seem quite solid, and the interface is clean and well thought out.

Euclidean Crisis: Requisite math-joke. Focusing more on tech than the other entries, the tablet pen based multiplayer action looks pretty good from the videos. I just hope there’s unit micromanagement involved…

I’ll be interested in seeing how these games turn out before the final presentation in March (feature creep? polish? anything can happen really). Well, back to working on my own future IGF entries (both of ‘em).

My first semester as COO of GCS is over. For the first time, no projects were abandoned, and every project had a build to present at the end of the semester. As much as I’d like to credit myself, it couldn’t have happened without the support from GCS project leaders and my fellow GCS officers.

Anticipation is high for next semester. Currently there are a projected 13 people who are interested in leading a project in Spring 2007. Of course, if each one of these 13 projects gets pitched, it will be absolutely beyond our current capabilities in terms of human resources or even the time we have allotted for each meeting. I’m hoping the numbers die down before the semester begins, but in case they don’t, I’ve already begun preparing for the situations that may arise.

I’ll probably post a couple of my favorites from this semester as soon as the pages materialize. Some really good games were developed this semester, games that I’d actually play in my own free time… (!)

I’ve been putting this one off a bit, but as the “news” goes, the game I developed for the Experimental Gameplay Project, Block Step, was basically disqualified for technical difficulties. To quote:

Block Step by sifupeng - Programming and art are top notch, and a puzzle game such as this seems like a fresh new use for a dance pad. It was too bad that controller sensitivity/response/whatever made it almost impossible to control what was happening. We would love to play again given a little more time and tuning!

Sadly, I’m fairly sure my controller input parsing was just fine. Which brings me to a single realization: I completely forgot to provide for in-game directions and/or a tutorial. Assuming that the judges read/understood the readme/design doc was a huge mistake on my part, and in any case, basic design fundamentals dictate that users should not have to read any supplementary material to pick up a game.

From there I can only imagine how easily it is to make assumptions about the underlying gameplay mechanics (the easiest one being having to actually match colors rather than simply having blocks of a color drop when stepped on), and quickly writing it off as a technical difficulty when results don’t match expectations.

Upon further playtesting, subjects seem to have similar experiences to that which I’ve predicted based on the “feedback” from the contest.

In the least, I do believe I’ve learned the value of preliminary user testing. So even though I lost, I suppose I didn’t end up completely empty handed after all. Right?

After much inner conflict as to what the game should be (designing for an audience is tricky business), I finally threw together a little design doc and sent it off, complete with in game art. After four days, the judges decided that 15 of the 27 designs were worth pursuing. Although I don’t quite agree with the final selection, it’s probably better to hold off on my own judgement until the final prototypes come out. After all, what it comes down to is how well the game actually plays, right?

As the title implies, I was able to make the top fifteen cut. But this is no time to start celebrating, the REAL battle begins now. Soon, true distinction will be made, between realists and dreamers, between action heroes and idea-men. I wish good luck to all.

If anyone is interested in my submission, click here.

Redoctane is holding a game design contest through the Experimental Gameplay Project (Carnegie Mellon ETC plug). The goal is to design a non-dance game to go along with one of their dance pads. Having used and taken apart many-a dance pad the past, I figure why don’t I give it a shot?

A few things about dance pads:

The basic design is very simple. Separate two sheets of conductive material separated by a porous layer of foam. Jump on top, and the two sheets connect.

Any game that is designed for a dance pad must have VERY careful input handling. Because the pad design is so simple, there is much room for misalignment of layers or accidental deflation of foam, not to mention “two left feet syndrome”. Thus, the game must function even with high input error rate.

Aslo, Hadoukens are nearly impossible to do on a pad. Believe me, I’ve tried.

Overall, it’s been a fairly educational experience. Although the quality of each writeup seems to have gotten worse as time went on, I think as I started to pace myself a bit toward the end (three an hour = bad), the quality of the designs improved. Of course, I only posted my top ten, there were a couple in between that weren’t really defined well enough to warrant mentioning (some sort of travelling salesman simulator?).

The whole Nintendo Mirror incident was quite unexpected and leaves me wondering if any more of these products of forced creativity are concurrently being developed. Will I walk into the store tomorrow, and find a DS version of Amoeba Joe sitting on the shelves? Maybe not, but apprently fellow GCS member Gregory Hallenbeck has had his own ideas for an Amoeba style game for awhile now…

After a final review, I’ve decided to set apart the few that I’d like to see developed within the next year. Specifically, Amoeba Joe, Bende Beads, and Spinal Tap. I’d also like to see RPS Advanced made sometime in the future, with development on portable systems (GBA is a no brainer) in mind.

EDIT: I’ve decided that some of the designs are much better illustrated with, well, pictures. In actuality, most of the designs started out being sketched out in image form rather than in written form.

Short: Amoeba Joe is a puzzle/simulation game where you control an Amoeba named Joe.

Background: Inspired by Bill Nye the Science Guy’s Johnny the One-Celled Boy and Katamari Damacy.

Description: Amoeba Joe is one hungry one-celled organism. Despite being genderless, because his name is Joe, we can refer to him as he. He wanders around in organic brine, searching for his next meal. Indeed, there is food everywhere, and he wants it all. But how can a single single celled organism eat all that food? Well, it can’t. That’s why Joe has a little trick up his sleeve called asexual reproduction.

In order to control Joe, the game requires dual analog sticks, each controlling a side of his body. To move, tap one forward, and continue with the other afterwards, to simulate his little psuedopods scuttling around. To eat, move the analog sticks opposite to each other, and forward. Joe will pull himself thin, and around his prey. To split, hold sticks opposite to each other for a longer amount of time, until Joe is finally in two. After a new Joe is created, you can send him off in any direction, and take him over at any time. Of course, you can’t split on an empty stomach, so the Joe that splits must have had a bite before another Joe can be made.

The game soon becomes somewhat of a game of micro management. You send new Joes in search of food, and eat food with the current Joe that you control. The goal for each level to eat a certain number of items, all the while finding new ground.

Hook: Experimental gameplay, the joys of micro-management, and all around weirdness.

Reflection: Out of all the concepts, I think this is my favorite. Amoebas are so cool.

Short: RPS Advanced is the classic game of Rock Paper Scissors into role-playing game.

Background: It’s almost like Fallout 2 with just rock paper scissors.

Description: Rock Paper Scissors. A game that’s been played for years on end. However, although typically overlooked as a simpleton’s game, in this parallel universe it has become a way of life. Thusly, strategies for RPS have been developed and natural talent is multiplied many times over. At the beginning of the game, you can decide what type of RPS natural skills you have. Will you have…

Powers of deception – an ability to trick your opponent, such as saying that you will throw rock, when in fact you will throw scissors!

Powers of deduction – the ability to narrow down your opponent’s choices, to recognize patterns, and maybe eventually be able to read their mind!

Powers of detection – amazing eyesight. Your opponents movements seem even slower, and you’re able to actually see their fist and react accordingly as long as the judge doesn’t notice. Also you more easily detect change in facial expressions.

Powers of the special – they say there are forbidden RPS techniques… woe be it to the man who learns “the nuclear bomb”.

All of these skills manifest themselves in RPS battle, which unlike the 3rd person overworld, is done from a first person perspective. All you see of yourself are your hands, but your opponent’s entire profile is in view. You are given a timer, and on the count of three you throw by pushing the button corresponding to the correct hand formation. However, actual game-time may vary based on powers of detection.

As you win more battles, you gain more experience, and are able to put skill points into each of your powers. Your goal? To be the World RPS Champion of course.

Hook: Character building, applicable strategies, and more yomi than you can shake a fist at.

Reflection: This is my attempt at a licensed sports game. I say this with a straight face.

Short: Fine Glutton is a casual mouse-based puzzle game where you compete in speed eating contents with style

Background: An eating game to combat the recent array of cooking games. With a dash of Diner Dash for taste.

Description: You’re the gentleman of the speed eating circuit, maintaining proper composure, utensil use, and manners all the while consuming as much as you can. Given an array of food, you must choose the correct utensils (or combination of utensils) by clicking them first, and then clicking the food you want to use them on second. Incorrect utensil usage will consume more time (try eating a steak with a spoon why don’t you), and in that case your opponent will win! Watch out for second courses!

Hook: Clicky, easy to jump into, lunch break style gameplay. Food aficionados don’t have to ask for seconds.

Reflection: Designing on an empty stomach yields interesting results.

Short: Spinal Tap is a vertical space shooter based around enemy power-stealing and abstract 3D graphics.

Background: Combining elements from the Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow along with the graphic style and consistent quality of anything from A.B.A. Games.

Description: Basic top-down space shooter rules apply – a huge menagerie of enemies, bosses with too much HP, high scores and more bullets on the screen than you can keep track of. However, in addition to a basic moveset, powerups are only available through the enemy power stealing system, which works as follows:

- A progress bar fills up per enemy type as you destroy them. As soon as you reach a certain number of kills, you’re able to choose that enemy power at any time.

- You may also obtain a tractor beam, which automatically steals a power of one enemy that you use it on, once you reach a certain number of points.

- Points are based on strength of enemies, and also the combo system. The combo counter increases if enemies are killed within three frames of each other, without taking damage.

Hook: Twitch gameplay, power collecting, high score beating, explosions and particle effects a plenty. It’s a space shooter, what else can you expect?

Reflection: A very simple concept which has most likely been attempted in the past. But what will matter most in the end is the quality of implementation.