A) Choose one of the indie designers / developers and outline why there work and approach is of interest to you.

Garry Newman, the founder, the main overseer and a programmer for the company ‘FacePunch Studios’. Garry created the widely known company ‘FacePunch Studios’ in 2004 on his own, however over the years the company has expanded to hold 43 employees in total. The company is notorious for producing games such as ‘Garry’s Mod’ and ‘rust’ as well as a few other lesser known titles. Rust which has been developed since 2012,  for instance was announced to have made the company $30,000,000 by 2014, only in 2 years, according to Garry Newman over Twitter, which had surpassed Garry’s Mod, which had been in development since 2004 ( Emanuel Maiberg, 2014) . Rust is the most successful game developed by Garry and his team, and here’s why:

(Source: https://www.myblackboxhosting.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/rust-1.png)

If we take ‘Rust’ as an example, their approach to game design is open. By this, i am referring to their interactions with their fanbase and community. The developers post weekly Dev Blog Updates, look at concept art created by fans (as well as producing their own) , and host Q&A sessions to try and get as much feedback from the audience as possible. This in my opinion has made the game incredibly successful as it has the influence of its players and additionally it keeps gamers informed, which keeps the fanbase interested in the game. The same techniques have been used for other games produced by the company, where so blogs are available to inform the fanbases.

(source: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/C5GYZoTGEUg/maxresdefault.jpg)

Additionally i could mention how the games themselves are competitive (in ‘Rust’s case) or imaginative and creative (such as with Garry’s Mod) which spurs people to carry on playing. However despite the games themselves, i believe that the constant updates the games get and the studios interaction with players, as well as “letting players test new features before they’re added to the main game” (Alex Wawro, 2014), is what truly makes the games they produce and their approach so significantly unique, interesting and successful.

(321 Words)

B)  What do you think could be the most exciting indie projects that are in development

(Source: http://www.craveonline.com/assets/uploads/2017/06/The-Last-Night-Controversy-Tim-Soret.jpg)

In my opinion, one of the most exciting indie projects in development is ‘The Last Night’ which is being developed by Odd Tales. The game is a cinematic platformer set in a cyberpunk themed world. To me, what makes the game interesting is the that the developers have “combined both 2D and 3D techniques” (IcyEyes, 2017) , which in this case formed the foundation for a “2.5D cyberpunk sidescroller” (Tom Marks, 2017). 2.5D in games means that the layout in the game is similar to that of traditional 2D games, with the addition of 3D elements such as layering. For instance within The Last Night the trailer shows the player moving along a 2D axis but objects and people around the protagonist move within the background and foreground giving  the perception of a 3D game.

(Source: http://oddtales.net/img/TheLastNight_04.jpg)

Additionally, the games mood lighting and cinematic effects add to the overall aesthetic and environment to the game, which looks promising in my opinion. The Trailer released this year, showing off in game footage, suggest the game should hopefully be driven more dominantly through an interesting and dynamic story, within an advanced, futuristic, cyberpunk landscape. Therefore for both the reasons of: lighting, story, and the fact its a 2.5D platformer, i personally am exited to see the completion of this indie project.

(213 Words)

References:

https://wwww.facepunch.com/#team

https://gmod.facepunch.com/blog/

https://rust.facepunch.com

https://rust.facepunch.com/blog/devblog-186/https://garry.tv

http://oddtales.net

Bibliography

Emanuel Maiberg, (2014),Rust already made more than Garry’s Mod’s $30 million. [Online] Available from: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/rust-already-made-more-than-garry-s-mod-s-30-million/1100-6417907/ [Accessed 21 November]

Alex Wawro, (2014) The developers who made Rust are rebuilding it from scratch. [Online] Available from: https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/219776/The_developers_who_made_Rust_are_rebuilding_it_from_scratch.php [Accessed 21 November]IcyEyes, (2017) 2.5D. [Online] Available from: https://www.giantbomb.com/25d/3015-660/ [Accessed 21 November]

Tom Marks, (2017) Take a first look at gameplay from cyberpunk sidescroller The Last Night. [Online] Available from: http://www.pcgamer.com/take-a-first-look-at-gameplay-from-cyberpunk-sidescroller-the-last-night/ [Accessed 21 November]

Nathan Grayson, (2017) Rust Designer Explains The Game’s $5.7 Million In Refunds. [Online] Available from: https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/06/rust-designer-explains-the-games-5-7-million-in-refunds/ [Accessed 21 November]

A) select one game of your interest and explain why does it have a good/bad game UI

The highly anticipated release of driving simulator Gran Turismo for the PS4 delivers a stunning user interface experience. The interface used is sleek and intricate but at the same time allows players to navigate through the vast modes easily and understand different aspects of the game. The UI is constantly helping players to become better not just in the meus but on the track. Hints and tips are constant but not annoying and car information is clear as well as allowing you to focus on driving. The information when driving can be complex at first however once you know each icon they become pivotal in helping you win races. In addition, settings can be turned off for a more immersive experience, but the UI is so minimalistic that you won’t want it off. The beauty of this game comes in the sleekness of the user interface.

B) discuss how technology augments human abilities. Reflect upon the implications of the future of HCI.

There are many advantages to HCI that have vastly improved human quality of life, one of these major advances is in medicine. One of the main developments helping doctors is in the technology used. These developments have helped patients be diagnosed faster and treated better. These advancements mean that many lives have been saved all over the world through the spread of this equipment. Overall quality of life has been improved by the advancements of HCI which helps to save lives. Technology plays an important role in every industry as well as in our personal lives. Out of all the industries that technology plays a crucial role in, healthcare is one of the most important.

One benefit of integrating HCI into medical profession is that it improves people’s quality of life. Medical technologies such as better monitoring systems, and more comfortable scanning equipment are allowing patients to spend less time in recovery and more time enjoying a healthy life. Using technology in medical research, scientists have been able to examine diseases on a cellular level and produce antibodies against them. These vaccines against life-threatening diseases like malaria, polio, MMR, and more prevent the spread of disease and save thousands of lives all around the globe. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that vaccines save about 3 million lives per year, and prevent millions of others from contracting deadly viruses and diseases.

Furthermore, the use of HCI has also introduced us to robotic, where in some cases, physicians do not even need to be in the operating room with a patient when the surgery is performed. Instead, surgeons can operate in another room, and patients can have the procedure done in a hospital or clinic, eliminating the hassles and stress of health-related travel. With other robotic surgeries, the surgeon is still in the room, operating the robotic devices, but the technology allows for a minimally-invasive procedure that leaves patients with less scarring and significantly less recovery time.

Sources

http://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps4/gran_turismo_sport

https://www.driving.co.uk/news/products/gran-turismo-sport-game-review/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUyROK4joLw

http://www.healthcarebusinesstech.com/medical-technology/

https://healthinformatics.uic.edu/resources/articles/5-ways-technology-is-improving-health/

https://online.king.edu/healthcare/digitizing-healthcare-how-technology-is-improving-medical-care/

References

Lebowitz, J. (2011). Interactive Storytelling for Video Games.

A) Choose one of the indie designers / developers and outline why there work and approach is of interest to you.

Jonathan Blow is a massive inspiration for me not just as an indie developer but also as a person. Blow is honest about the video game industry and makes great points about the society we live in today. Jonathan Blow is an American indie developer and programmer who is best known as the creator of the independent video games Braid (2008) and The Witness (2016), both of which released to critical acclaim. Being an indie developer is an increasingly difficult task especially when you are competing with large companies producing AAA titles. Blow has spoken many times about his views on independent video games both in interviews and in public speeches, although he has said on his blog that he has got what he wanted out of conferences from speaking at them. For his sometimes-controversial views, he has received praise, notably being called “the kind of righteous rebel video games need” and “a spiritual seeker, questing after truth in an as-yet-uncharted realm. Jonathan often speaks of the potential for games to be more. He has said that he tries to make games that are more adult for people with longer attention spans and noted that games could have a “much bigger role” in culture in the future but current game development does not address this potential, instead aiming for low-risk, high-profit titles Blow has spoken out against some games for immoral game design. On Farmville, he has said that the design of the game reveals the developers’ goal to degrade the quality of players’ lives, ultimately calling it “inherently evil.” He approaches his games using critical thinking and he is always trying to innovate to bring games to the next level. This kind of think resonates with me and works as inspiration towards my work.

B) What do you think could be the most exciting indie projects that are in development

One of the most exiting indie games currently in development is called Praey for the Gods. After an initial name change due to a clash with Bethesda’s Prey this looks to be a very promising project. It’s an action-adventure survival game being developed by No Matter Studios. Heavily influenced by eth latest Zelda title it gives players a realistic survival experience. Survive the harsh winter, slay some giant gods. It has a new climbing system that lets you grappling-hook to any rock surface and climb. The story seems very similar to that of Horizon Zero Dawn. The character will start off her journey on a frozen island without any equipment whatsoever, wherein she must find items, to survive dynamically generated weather, and climb onto massive bosses to defeat them. Players will track giants on the island and look to climb to defeat them, and use weapons they find on the island to approach these giants howsoever they choose. The game has an exhaustion system. Everything the player does will affect the level of exhaustion. To illustrate, the player will walk slower in deep snow, and to spend too long or to run too fast will affect those levels. Said element will likewise slow down the player to the point where it is easier for the in-game giants can catch up. Furthermore, dodging and sprinting can help to avoid attacks but will also wear on the exhaustion system. One such way that a player can resolve this quandary of exhaustion is by resting. When the player is exhausted their hunger, cold, and stamina states will lower. Locating campfires can help to refill their health, and exhaustion.

Sources

http://time.com/4355763/the-witness-jonathan-blow-interview/

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jan/27/jonathan-blow-designer-video-games-braid-the-witness

http://www.pcgamer.com/jonathan-blow-interview-social-game-designers-goal-is-to-degrade-the-players-quality-of-life/

http://www.pcgamer.com/action-survival-game-praey-for-the-gods-adds-breath-of-the-wild-style-climbing/

References

Lebowitz, J. (2011). Interactive Storytelling for Video Games.

 A) select one example to outline the key concepts of the interactive narrative genre?

An Interactive narrative is a form of digital interactive experience in which users create or influence a dramatic storyline through their actions. From a narrative perspective, The Last of Us is perhaps the most realistic story we have ever been told. The focus is of the narrative is entirely on the main characters of Joel and Ellie and how they develop over the course of the game. One key concept in the interactive narrative genre is symbolism. The last of us uses symbolism throughout to foreshadow events or tell us about different characters or locations. Joel’s broken watch, for instance, representing his lost past and the fact that he has never been able to move on. Another character holds a toy robot as he ponders philosophically over the consciousness of zombies. Gameplay is another key concept that the last of us takes full advantage of. When the game wants us to feel distant and disconnected from a character we have grown close to, it physically shifts our viewpoint to another character. When it wants us to feel conflicted, it forces us to do things we don’t want to do. For all its cinematic presentation, The Last of Us is so compelling because it knows it’s a game, and it takes full advantage of the medium. Combat in The Last of Us is stealth-oriented, but almost inevitably turns sloppy. Ammo is sparse, and things can get brutal all too quickly. What’s great about this system is that it really puts the player into the mindset of the character, especially on the higher difficulties. Sneaking around is tense. Head-on combat is messy and violent, and you never feel like you have everything you need to get the job done. Scavenging for supplies becomes as much a necessity for the player as it does for Joel and Ellie. There’s a constant feeling of desperation.

B) does the interactive narrative still have a role to play in video games today. Give exemplary examples?

Interactive narrative still plays a huge part in video games today. One example within video games is South Park The Stick of Truth. The Stick of Truth enables players to do whatever they want within the south park universe. It’s a giant South Park sandbox game. In this game players will take on the role as the new kid, a silent protagonist of the players own design, as they try to win back the Stick of Truth from Clyde and his horde of Twilight fans. This game is completely self-aware meaning that it knows what it is. Self-deprecation is amazing for this game because no other game could do it the way south park does. Its satirical attitude towards its own storyline is hilarious and shows off its interactive narrative by enabling players to do whatever they like. Interact with most of your favourite characters for hilarious results. Customization is also very strong in this game. There are thousands of possibilities for character creation in this game. In addition, players can also take advantage of their surroundings to solve puzzles, make pathways, or even knockout enemies before they get to you. The open world of south park is phenomenal and really makes you feel as though you are in one giant episode.

Sources

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b071h083

http://gdcvault.com/play/1021862/Classic-Game-Postmortem

https://www.pcmag.com/feature/317795/the-top-10-interactive-games-for-story-lovers

https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/ThomasGrip/20130819/198596/5_Core_Elements_Of_Interactive_Storytelling.php

References

Lebowitz, J. (2011). Interactive Storytelling for Video Games.

What are the key components of Post Modernism ?

The dictionary describes post modernism as a “late 20th-century style and concept in the arts, architecture, and criticism, which represents a departure from modernism and is characterized by the self-conscious use of earlier styles and conventions, a mixing of different artistic styles and media, and a general distrust of theories” The term was first used around 1970. Postmodernism is difficult to define because there is no one theory or idea behind the work. It embraces many different approaches to art making, and many day began with pop art in the 1960s and to embrace much of what followed including conceptual art, neo-expressionism, feminist art. Postmodernism was a reaction against modernism. Modernism was generally based on idealism and a Utopian vision of human life and society and a belief in progress. It assumed that certain ultimate universal principles or truths such as those formulated by religion or science could be used to understand or explain reality.

Roy Lichenstein – Whaam!

Whaam! is based on an image from All American Men of War published by DC comics in 1962. Throughout the 1960s, Lichtenstein frequently drew on commercial art sources such as comic images or advertisements, attracted by the way highly emotional subject matter could be depicted using detached techniques. Transferring this to a painting context, Lichtenstein could present powerfully charged scenes in an impersonal manner, leaving the viewer to decipher meanings for themselves.

What games do you think exemplify this in there design decisions ?

Metal Gear Solid 2 is an example of postmodernism in video game culture using hyperreality and by subverting player expectations in an increasingly over-the-top way. These subversions begin with the game’s marketing within the context of its release. The initial trailers marketed Metal Gear Solid 2 as an epic continuation of Solid Snake’s adventure. That is, until Snake apparently died in the opening. Players take control of Raiden, an often whiny operative, with extensive experience in virtual reality missions but no actual experience in the field of combat. Kojima knew that fans would be infuriated at the realization that they would be controlling the unlikable Raiden for the rest of the game, and deliberately designed the opening sequences of his mission poorly.  Raiden’s mission was consistently interrupted by long-winded, unnecessary tutorials.

Raiden was trained as a soldier through virtual reality, playing through simulations of Snake’s previous missions, each of them “indistinguishable from the real thing”. In context, Raiden represents geek culture, he believes that he is qualified for his mission because he played as Snake in combat simulations, lending him a strange inability to grasp the increasingly surreal nature of his adventure. In a closing monologue, Snake asks the player to embrace subjectivity and disregard the search for an objective reality.

Sources

http://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/p/postmodernism

http://www.theartstory.org/definition-postmodernism.htm

https://study.com/academy/lesson/post-modernism-art-definition-theory-characteristics.html

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13312484700A52189400&page=0

http://screwattack.roosterteeth.com/post/51230202

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-08-16-metal-gear-solid-2-the-first-postmodern-video-game

References

Lebowitz, J. (2011). Interactive Storytelling for Video Games.

1. A) Behavioural modelling is an important part of NPC development for games. Should emotive modelling be part of that development?

It all depends. Considering the level of emotive modelling technology and how this is still a field being worked on, lets presume it’s at its fullest potential. With NPC characters in game walking about freely, once the game is opened, doing as they wish. Learning new processes, understanding the other NPC’s and judging the player for who they really are.

One look at the Sims franchise and it is obvious to concur that advanced AI is something attractive to a large population, with over 200 million copies sold up to 2016. (The Strong, 2016) So why would emotive modelling not integrate into this game system? Well a NPC, after watching the player’s family go under days and days of torture in the swimming pool or trapped within a box, then seeing death show up, could have a serious effect on this NPC’s ‘human like’ emotive modelling.

(wikiHow, n.d.)

When talking about advanced AI and how intelligent it could be, it is always compared to human intelligence and emotion. Place emotive modelling within Call of Duty 4 campaign. Modern Warfare, the first level is played for the first time and these AI can be their learning process. Of course, there will be a number which meet their demise sooner than others in a linear campaign yet if the player is killed and must load from a saved location, what happens to the now intelligent AI? It then raises the morality question in how advanced AI can be used and where it stands.

Although these are extreme instances, I still feel that with emotive modelling would come the process of learning, and if it is okay to shut down and restart this AI and its own ‘life’, then maybe it can be used.

1. B) Consider your favourite video game. If it contains AI controlled agents how individualistic are they and their behaviours, and, how might you set about improving them?

My favourite video game that comes to mind is Skyrim, hugely because of the open world and the freedom what feels like has been given to many AI in that game. But now I have been posed with the question I cannot help to instantly find faults with how individualistic they are. It’s not just the individualistic qualities that stand out as poor AI, but the level of ‘intelligence’ seemingly in these NPCs.

(Anon., 2017)

Despite the previous question, this image expresses one of the key problems within Skyrim AI. No matter what you might do for a village, you might accidently pick up something from a cluttered table in front of a vender and become under siege. So, I’m thinking that including emotive modelling could be useful in this type of game. Where there is an equal amount of good and bad in the world.

There are groups and NPCs which will remember the player character and their actions, but this is to do with the pre-programming and is obvious as to how genuine it feels. When performing sneaking attacks and moves, although the game has so much lore, the responses from the AI verbally are generically the same and so can become boring and similar. This also applies to friendly AI.

(GreaterThanGaming, 2013)

I would say that the best way to improve on the AI in Skyrim would be to increase the memory, or simply give them memory in the first place. And in the case of the image above, something that does happen in the game; make sure that enemy AI are experienced in their chosen profession, to at least know an arrow in the face means you haven’t imagined anything.

References

http://iieng.org/images/proceedings_pdf/3408E0314005.pdf

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/5286500/?reload=true

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/oct/12/video-game-characters-emotional-ai-developers

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-sims-turns-10-tops-125-million-units/1100-6249485/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sims#cite_note-2016_World_Video_Game_Hall_of_Fame_Inductees_Announced-1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_of_Duty_4:_Modern_Warfare

https://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/615805-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/61787666

https://www.destructoid.com/blogs/greaterthangaming/most-overrated-skyrim-and-what-it-does-right–257741.phtml

Bibliography

Anon., 2017. 24+ Best Skyrim Memes That Will Make You ROFL. [Online] Available at: https://www.techlegends.in/best-skyrim-memes/ [Accessed 18 11 2017].

GreaterThanGaming, 2013. Most Overrated: Skyrim (and what it does right).. [Online] Available at: https://www.destructoid.com/blogs/greaterthangaming/most-overrated-skyrim-and-what-it-does-right–257741.phtml [Accessed 18 11 2017].

The Strong, 2016. 2016 World Video Game Hall of Fame Inductees Announced:. [Online] Available at: http://www.museumofplay.org/press/releases/2016/05/2688-2016-world-video-game-hall-fame-inductees-announced [Accessed 18 11 2017].

wikiHow, n.d. wikiHow to Kill Your Sims in Sims 3. [Online] Available at: https://www.wikihow.com/Kill-Your-Sims-in-Sims-3 [Accessed 18 11 2017].