I’ve decided to write about Van Gogh self-portrait (1889) due to the significant impact it had on me at such a prolific time in my own personal life. Gogh created many self-portraits over his short career, due to his financial situation he was unable to hire models to sit for him, but on an introspective level this allowed him to fine tune his painting skills, but also to ask the necessary questions about ones own identity.

At first glance upon visiting this piece, we’re struck with this character who is quite anxiously well prepared in his suit. The emerald green that projects from the subjects eyes strikes us with this demoralizing tone, that could quite honestly make us as the viewer question our own sense of identity as

Self-Portrait 1889 Oil on canvas H. 65; W. 54.5 cm Paris, Musée d’Orsay Gift of Paul and Marguerite Gachet, the children of Dr Gachet, 1949© Musée d’Orsay, dist.RMN-Grand Palais / Patrice Schmidt

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

Incorporating real human behaviour into NPCs through human data has led to them seeming more believable and engaging, and give a larger range of outcomes than say, a decision tree. To introduce real human emotions into the mix would take up a huge amount of resources, as there are just so many different possibilities that would need to be accounted for. For example, parts of military training is often done in strategic multiplayer or single player games, where NPCs must be realistic and have to adapt to different environments and situations for the training to be effective. Even with behaviour modelling, NPCs still cannot act like a real-life enemy, but they can come close. Emotive modelling would require NPCs to act based on their mood and their attitude as a person; for example, a fearful person would not be likely to run in guns blazing. NPCs in these training exercises are not assigned a personality, and while this would be extremely challenging to implement, I believe it would add a new layer of realism to the exercise and make people think more carefully about how to approach a situation.

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 game is Dishonored, a linear 3D stealth game developed by Arcane Studios, with many open areas involving guards and chief commanders you can take out, either by using stealth or attacking them head on. The guards are programmed to react based on your actions; if you make a loud noise they will typically question it and turn towards the sound. More impressive behaviours include the AI never forgetting that they saw you, noticing when their fellow guards aren’t at their post, and reactions to specific events, like deactivating barriers, which they will discuss with their friends.

However, in terms of individualism, the game falls flat, as almost all the guards sound, look and act the same. Killing one guard after another doesn’t feel like you’re taking on different people; it feels like you’re taking on an army of the same people. There is also a lack in variety of conversations you overhear between guards; many times, you will hear the uttering of, “Should we gather for whiskey and cigars tonight?”. Because you could hear this from any guard, it essentially removes any thought that they could have a personality.

If I were to improve them, the first thing I would do would be to create varying reactions to the same situation. For example, when a guard sees you, instead of saying the typical, “There you are!”, some guards could react in disbelief, as they are not used to anything of interest happening, or some could jump aback as if it has startled them. I feel as if this would add more of a personality to the guards and thus creating a more immersive world.

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

Spraragen, M. (n.d.). Modeling of Emotional Effects on Decision-making by Game Agents. Retirved from Science Direct: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877050914001513

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/4797516/?reload=true

https://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/636040-dishonored/64490816

https://www.reddit.com/r/dishonored/comments/1ay5e4/shall_we_gather_for_whisky_and_cigars_tonight/?st=jauhbfxh&sh=5e4aa07e

Image 1: https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/m7-IluUbDF3OxnmCpn5V6twLY4k=/0x0:1919×1079/1600×900/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/1507329/dishonored-polygon-hero-test-1.0.jpg

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

A game I play very regularly is Hearthstone, a digital card game published by Blizzard. The UI in this game is some of the best I have ever seen; it is fluid and satisfying, and makes interactions in the game feel like a joy. The entire UI is based around a box you play inside, with wooden panelling and layers that make up the buttons; the reason for this was to ensure players would not find the UI distracting or immersion breaking. The game is set up so everything you need to see is always in view, with everything positioned right where it should be; your cards and hero power are always right in front of you, with other things like card history and your deck positioned to the side as not to interrupt the flow of the game.

Senior UI designer Derek Sakamoto explained at GDC 2015 how “the game is UI”, stating how it is not a game with a huge amount of action or monsters running around, so it would make sense to invest heavily into the UI design. He also mentions that many game designers fail to see the importance of UI, and don’t give it enough thought when designing a game. He points out when making a game, these designers create their mechanics and just “slap” a UI onto it. By having dedicated UI designers, they have managed to make their game so much more accessible and fun to play.

Discuss how technology augments human abilities. Reflect upon the implications of the future of HCI.

Augmented humanity has become more and more prevalent over time, with new technology being developed every year. We are more connected with our cars, TVs and phones because of technology such as speech recognition, touch screens, heartbeat sensors and so on. This comes with an increasing reliance on technology, as there are increasingly more tasks that our devices can accomplish for us. For example, Google Glass allows you to take a photo by winking, and mobile phones can now be unlocked in multiple ways, through a fingerprint scanner or through face recognition.

As for the future, this trend suggests that technological interfaces will become more natural and instinctive, increasing the connection to be stronger and more emotional between human and computer. The future of augmented humanity certainly seems to show promise for video games, with VR giving the potential for increased immersion, especially with the addition of equipment that can simulate your arm and leg movements in game. Also with VR comes a an improvement for health, for example autism therapy; rather than looking at toys on a table, kids can see virtual environments that can be tailored to their specific needs through sensory complexity. It has been reported that so far VR has had a calming effect on children with autism. This means that therapy could be delivered at home through VR headsets, rather than having to take trips to the doctors.

https://hearthstone.gamepedia.com/Design_and_development_of_Hearthstone

http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1022036/Hearthstone-How-to-Create-an

http://www.thedrum.com/news/2017/12/05/2018-will-be-the-year-augmented-humanity-isobars-new-report-says

Nagubandi, A. (2016). The age of augmented humanity. Retrieved from The Hindu: http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/The-age-of-augmented-humanity/article14010133.ece

Park, M. (2017). 3 practical ways that VR is improving health care. Retrieved from Venturebeat: https://venturebeat.com/2017/12/04/3-practical-ways-that-vr-is-improving-healthcare/

Image 1: http://puu.sh/yA9vt/345d80a3c7.jpg

Image 2: http://puu.sh/yA9ZA/0ae3fb5ba4.jpg

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

One indie developer I have enormous respect for is Playdead, both for their outlook on making games but also the sheer quality of their games. I am a huge fan of 2D platformers and I find Limbo and INSIDE to be two of the best, for their incredible atmospheres and attention to detail. INSIDE was in development for six years, a very long time for an indie company to make a game, but it does show. Even the smallest details have thought and time poured into them, especially the sound design; a real human skull was used to create haunting echoes and ambient sounds, and real breathing audio data was used to match the protagonist’s interactive movements to make his character seem more realistic. These considerations add up to make the game experience that much more enjoyable; I really admire that they only released the game when they knew they were fully happy with it. This shows that they like to create experiences that people will enjoy the most, rather than focusing on what could be the most profitable idea.

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

An indie game I’ve very excited for is The Last Night which is in development by Odd Tales, and slated to release in 2018. The art style looks very impressive, with a combination of 2D pixel art and 3D environments. It is also very reminiscent of Blade Runner, full of neon signs and flying cars. While only a small trailer has been released so far, the unique art style and gorgeous animations sees it as already one of the most ambitious indie games of next year. As far as gameplay goes there isn’t much known about, although from the trailer it seems there could be a lot of interacting with other people. Any game that can show evidence of having fresh and innovative ideas is worthy of being on my watchlist I believe, and this is no exception.

Another indie project I’ve been keeping my eye on is Hello Neighbour, developed by Dynamic Pixels, which comes out of early access in early December and is a stealth horror game centred around trying to break into your neighbour’s house to find out what he’s hiding in his basement. I think the concept sounds intriguing, and from the beta footage I’ve seen it seems like it has a lot of potential, with an advanced AI that counters your moves and evolves based on what you do. It has promised a variety of gameplay too, with many different ways to attempt to break into the house and objects to interact with. Because the developers chose to go down the Early Access route, they have been working closely with the community and have tweaked the game continuously based on feedback. Because of this and positive reception from beta players I think there’s a high chance this could be a great game.

Lucas, D. (2017). The best upcoming Xbox One indie games heading your way. Retrieved from Gamesradar: http://www.gamesradar.com/the-best-upcoming-xbox-one-indie-games-heading-your-way/

Broomhall, J. (2017). Heard About: How Playdead used a real human skull for Inside’s audio. Retrieved from Develop-online:http://www.develop-online.net/interview/heard-about-how-playdead-used-a-real-human-skull-for-inside-s-audio/0209170

Tinybuild. (2017). Hello Neighbour. Retrived from Tinybuild: http://www.tinybuild.com/helloneighbor

Robertson, A. (2017). The Last Night was one of E3’s most dazzling games — and also its most frustrating. Retrieved from The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/16/15802708/the-last-night-hands-on-gamergate-cyberpunk-e3-2017

Image 1: https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/16/15802708/the-last-night-hands-on-gamergate-cyberpunk-e3-2017

Select one example to outline the key concepts of the interactive narrative genre:

The Warlock of Firetop Mountain is a Choose Your Own Adventure book released in 1982 and written by Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson. The book is centred around 3 attributes assigned to the player: Skill, stamina and luck, which are related to swordsmanship, determination and overall fitness, and how lucky you are as a player, respectively. You use these attributes to fight enemies (or flee) and try to make the correct decisions to get the best ending possible. After making decisions you are told to turn to a specific page to continue that narrative, and eventually you will reach an ending, which may be bad or good depending on your actions. While typical fiction books are one-sided, as you can only watch a story unfold, in interactive narrative games such as these you are responsible for the character’s journey, making these very engaging books to follow along with. While there may be limits to the story you can create, the uncertainty that comes with making a decision means the story is never predictable.

Does the interactive narrative still have a role to play in video games today? Give exemplary examples

Yes absolutely, and I would argue that the role they play in video games is greater than ever, as the possibility for more immersive stories and worlds only increases as technology advances. Games such as Telltale’s The Walking Dead: Season One and Life Is Strange offer impressive and believable worlds for players to create their own story in; you feel like your choices make a difference. While often gameplay must be sacrificed for story, as game developers usually don’t have enough resources to focus fully on both, more recent games such as Life as Strange have a brilliantly structured interactive narrative but also fun mechanics, such as being able to turn back time. This balance has helped to keep the genre fresh at a time where gaming is at its most ambitious; recent open world games are bigger and denser than ever, but engaging games like Life is Strange are equally as appealing.

Another way that Life is Strange has revitalised the genre is through your choices actually seeming to make an impact. While Telltale’s The Walking Dead may make it seem like there are a string of different directions you can take the game in, inevitably they all lead to the same ending, and this is typical with all Telltale games. However, in Life is Strange, even the smallest decisions seems to have a weight on how the story will go, which eventually help to shape your decision at the end of the game. While the structure of the two games are very similar, Life Is Strange is different in that your story can feel very different to someone else’s because of how you choose the behaviour of the protagonist. I believe interactive narrative is still evolving in games and certainly has a big role to play.

Cyoa. (n.d.). One Book, Many Readings. Retrieved from Cyoa: http://samizdat.cc/cyoa

Green, J. (2014). You Are The Hero. UK: Snowbooks.

Nicholson, R. (1982). The Warlock of Firetop Mountain.

Dale North. (2015). Even the smallest choices matter in Life is Strange (preview). Retrieved from Venturebeat: https://venturebeat.com/2015/01/26/even-the-smallest-choices-matter-in-life-is-strange-preview/

Image 1: https://venturebeat.com/2015/01/26/even-the-smallest-choices-matter-in-life-is-strange-preview/

> A) Why could you say that the “Indie” game scene is not a new thing and explain, give examples ?

Modern released indie games tend to be experimental, unpopular or weird. However this is not new, many well-known companies such as Ubisoft and Nintendo started off their game development in very small studios, releasing games that were experimental and limited due to the technology available during those time periods. More people are now creating games as a hobby in their personal studios and more independent studios have evolved from this in the modern day. Programs such as Unity, Unreal Engine and Stencyl that are used by prominent game studios have been made free for personal use to the public encouraging game development for individuals. Web sites such as itch.io and Steampowered.com have communities where individual game developers can share their work and receive feedback. Such communities are largely visited by gamers and other developers so the indie game scene is something that the gaming community is aware of. In popular game store websites such as steam store indie games are being considered as a genre, although they tend to be multi-genres. This is because indie games have been recognised as games that are strange, quirky or unpopular to mainstream gamers.  The level of anticipation for some indie games are becoming competitive with triple A title games, this is because of the hype created through social media and funding sites such as Patreon and Kickstarter where the developers will showcase their game and receive support from the gaming community   

> B) Has the term indie become meaningless ?

The term indie has not become completely meaningless as the popularity of the development of indie games has given the word a different imagery. When using the term indie to describe a game typically a gamer would think of weird, experimental and unpopular themes. Referring to a game as indie creates the imagery of a game emulating the 90’s and 80’s experimental styles and keeping its flaws as aesthetic to induce nostalgia. The term Indie also communicates the idea of an individual or group who create work catered to people similar to themselves or to people who have interest in investigating personal work.

However, the term indie has different stereotypes attached to it. Using the term can be uplifting to describe a hard working individual’s product, but it could also paint such products with one brush as trying hard to be quirky, unique or clever. When a product has the word indie associated with it, the consumer may feel like an initiate to the creator’s work as the product is not popular in mainstream media, news or advertisement.   

In conclusion, the term indie has not become meaningless, but it has rather become a word that can depict work made by an individual similarly to every other creator trying to strive in a field, or a word that cultivates the sense of innovation to create a trend.

What does the term Avant-Garde mean?

Avant-Garde means to be innovative and original; to challenge existing ideas and to push the boundaries of creativity. It praises exploration and experimentation, and promotes the belief that art should be primarily judged on the originality of the artist’s visions and ideas. Works that take an Avant-Garde approach can sometimes cause controversy as they often express radical ideas by going against widely accepted existing ones, Cubism for example, a revolutionary approach to portraying reality in the 20th century.

Is it still possible to be truly ‘avant garde’? and if so provide game examples

I believe it is very possible, as there is plenty of space left for new and innovative ideas, especially with the technological advancement that allows some of these ideas to be developed. An example is the third-person game Waco Resurrection, created by designers at c-level in 2004, designed to be exhibited in a gallery setting. It takes the subject of the 1993 Waco siege, in which government agents were sent into the Branch Davidian cult compound. Controversially you play as the cult leader, David Koresh, with your aim being to defend the compound against the government agents using the weaponry at your disposal. Players are also required to wear custom helmets designed for the experience, which are modelled to look like low-polygon versions of David Koresh. The purpose of this is to increase the immersion for the player but also to hide the identity of the player for spectators, which add mysterious and disturbing elements to the experience. Players are also equipped with a microphone to voice commands in the game for special abilities.
As can be expected due to the shocking nature of the game, there were criticisms directed towards the game, mainly to point out that the game was in bad taste and exploitative. A reason for this could be that some people fail to consider that games can be used to teach about serious issues, or that perhaps they are used to the protagonist in a game being a hero. These criticisms show that this game was successful in defying the normal conventions of games.

Another example is The Witness, a 3D puzzle game released by Jonathon Blow in 2016. Set on a remote island with no other living humans around, the player progresses by completing puzzles on a grid and finding secret paths hidden in the environment. The game is not for everyone as there are absolutely no instructions; the player must understand what they have to do through working it out themselves through either trial and error or piecing together subtle hints in the environment. To solve the majority of the puzzles it helps considerably to use pen and paper or other similar tools; the suggested use of external materials shows that this is not a typical game. The game challenges conventions of modern gaming as in the past couple decades there has been an increasing reliance on tutorials and “helping hands” to help players understand game mechanics.

Isbister, K. (2016). How Games Move Us. London: The MIT Press, pg 13-17.

Tate. (n.d.). Avant-Garde. Retrieved from Tate: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/avant-garde

Tate. (n.d). Cubism. Retrieved from Tate: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/c/cubism

Widewalls. (2016). Understanding the Significance of Avant-garde. Retrieved from Widewalls: https://www.widewalls.ch/avant-garde-movement-theater-music-photography-contemporary-art/

Image 1: https://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/cubism.htm

Image 2: http://eddostern.com/works/waco-resurrection/

The first book that I looked at was by Alan Kennedy and it was published in 1990, its interesting as it shows the culture and understanding traditional aspect of Japanese’s fashion back in the days, the book focused more on the women but kimonos was worn by all genders. I was captivated by the patterns and history by the garments. I love the gold appliqué by one of the textile artist, it was very simple yet affective. Woman in the 18^th century was not about showing a specific silhouette to look sexy but showing the humility and pureness of the colours and patterns in the garment, as they were about class and status back then.

There is an exhibition about Japanese kimonos in Victoria and Albert museum, the museum showcase illustrations and garments created in the ages. The museum definitely has a variety of Japanese’s heritage of different people with different stories and meaning. Such as social backgrounds whether they work for the royal family or in the royal family. It is exciting to see that these garments have been through as it teaches us about how far we have come after centuries of modernising the world.

The second book I choose was about Mexican costume by Chloe Sayer and published in 1985 was about the Mexican cultures and traditions. I chose this because of the vibrant colours and different weave pattern produced throughout the history of their ‘Sarape’ which is a traditional poncho worn by men and ‘Huipil’ which is a traditional dress worn by women, the women in Mexico had some of the most awesome and lively dress styles back then. I was attracted to the colour and simple designs and it was a very outstanding way of Mexican heritage.

There’s an exhibition in The Royal Ontario museum in Toronto about Mexican culture. The museum offers a range of textile design produced traditionally by people using traditional equipment’s back in the days and from today. They first draw their inspiration by their Aztec ancestors by incorporating loose fitting and colourful garments; from time to time their clothing has become refined and more elegant. Especially we used the technique that they use to create their ponchos such as weaving. It is what we used on our clothing these days. The Mexican people showcase vibrant and exiting ways of how people incorporate and draw inspirations by their surrounding such as the colours and different landscapes.

Overall I choose to dip into the culture and tradition by two different countries, because they both offer exciting colours and silhouette back in the days and with limited resources like fabric and colours both countries have showed how to still work with what they’ve got. With both they are different in some ways as the Japanese’s fabric are finer and more elegant to show their status back in the days, whilst Mexican fashion offers and cater to all the people, they draw in consideration of the people.

book 1 – Kennedy, Alan (1990), Japanese Costume: History and Tradition

book 2 – Sayer, Chloe (1984), Costume of Mexico

website –

https://www.vam.ac.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvLSb0o341wIVhpPtCh2EPADDEAAYASAAEgLbCfD_BwE

http://www.rom.on.ca/en/exhibitions-galleries/exhibitions/viva-mexico-clothing-and-culture