An introduction to Game Technology

Think of all the gaming platforms you have used in the past. As far as user interface is concerned, which one was the easiest to use?


The early consoles that I myself can remember using were the likes of the Nintendo Entertainment System, and the Sega Megadrive. And it is obvious to anybody who's has ever seen or played on the console that the controllers were not created with the idea of ergonomics or comfort in mind. For instance the Nintendo Entertainment Systems controllers where rectangle in shape and were just made for functionality, also the Sega controllers were big and chunky. And for the people who played consoles in the late 80's and early 90's were young children with small hands but the controllers did not reflect that.








The first console that I ever owned was a Sony PlayStation, so for me PlayStation controllers are the easiest to use, even when I am using any other consoles I refer to the PlayStation buttons when asked which button to press. Sony revolutionised the way that consoles looked at controllers, because it came at the aspect of controllers at not only being functional but also being comfortable.


Which platform looked the nicest?

For me I really like the retro look of the Nintendo Entertainment System. Even though it does not have the comfort of the new controllers that are out now but I still feel that for me it is the best looking, because it is retro and it does not try and be all flash like for example the new Xbox 360 controllers. I just feel that it goes over the top to look space aged for Gods sake just keep it simple that what I think anyway.


Is the game pad/joystick a dying technology?

I personally think the game pad is not at all a dying technology. With the new wireless controllers just emerging I feel that this technology will be used for many more years to come, because it has just been introduced. But with companies trying to put their own stamps on the way that game pads are used then I think it wont be long before a new technology or interface will be developed, but I feel that is in the very distant future.

Storytelling in Games

Does a strong storyline make a better game?

I think that it is very obvious that if the game has a strong storyline then the game will be much better. If the characters have a strong and believable back story, the player gets more familiarised to them, and in some senses indentify with the emotions they feel. This pushes the motivation to actually progress in the game, as there is more gratification than merely completing it 100%. There is an element of the equilibrium being restored, such as in a classic film narrative.

As a player, does the story happen to you, or do you make the story happen?

A story is pushed by the player, but only to the limits that the game engine allows. With branching storylines, this is extended, but again is only limited to what is programmed and possible with game attributes and capabilities. In some free roaming games, much of the level can be changed in some circumstance, but the storyline isnt always affected.

what's the story in Second Life?

Second life is a virtual world that allows players to escape from reality and build their own identity to a range of other people who would normally be unfeasable to interact with. The type of game contributes to the expanding virtual communities online.

An introduction to Art Direction for Games

What does an Art Director do?

An art Director can basically be described as the person that directs the art of a game. But there job is more complicated than that as said in an article, "Art directors are generally responsible for setting the visual tone, quality, and style for the game. They are at least indirectly responsible for every object, texture, level, character, and effect that appears in a game." So the Art Director has a lot of responsibility they are the 'quality control' for the games, they need to make sure that the games environment is believable.

Do you think its a creative role?

The Art Director role is a highly artistic job because as the art director they have to be aware of different environments, which includes the textures of the different objects in that certain environment because they will then have to replicate them in the gaming world, so they will definitely have a very good understanding of different shading and art techniques to carry out a realistic visual gaming experience.

How is art direction in Games similar to or different from Film, for example?

They are very much similar, The first piece of evidence I have that leads me to think this is both of the roles involve having to make the action on the screen as real as possible, so that the audience has a better experience whilst watching or playing the finished produce. Also you are making sure that the other people that are under you are doing their jobs effectively, and everyone is working in harmony to get to the required goal.

What qualities do you think you'd need to develop if you want to become an Art Director in the future?

I think that the most important skill that a outstanding Art Director has to have is he or she must be a first-rate artist. This is important because they will have to have a good understanding of textures, shadows, sizes of different objects and much more. This skill is extremely important because if the art director does not have a good concept of art then the work that is done on the games will not be of the quality expected of games of today. Also an Art Director must have good communication skills, this is so that when they are telling the other artists to do certain tasks there will be no mix up with the instructions.

An introduction to Game Design

What is meant by Gameplay?

I understand the term gameplay as being the way that the gamer can interact with the game and the way the game handles. But it goes wider than that it involves everything to do with the game such as the graphics and the storyline. For me the better the gameplay the better the game.

Who are the leading lights in Game Design?

This question is left open to interpretation and the way that I interpret this question is that the experssion Game design is "the process of designing the content and rules of a game" and that is done by the game developers, so for me that means the leading lights in Game Design are the likes of Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Konami and Eidos to name a few.

Is it a single person's responsibility?

The game design industry is such a big business that one person on there own would not be able to handle all the responsibilities that come with the job. Maybe there will be one main overseer who manages the projects, but the team of people are responsible to keep up to date with the workload that they are given. So therefore it is not a single persons responsibility it is a collective responsibility.

What's important for you, when you play?

I am sure that in previous blog entries I have said the most important feature for me in games is the gameplay. For me if you as a gamer cannot interact with the game effectively then the game does not do what it is suppose to, which is keep the interested and for me if I am unable to interact with a game then I get bored and lose interest in the game.
Also stories in a game are also a big factor for me, a good adventure game has to have a story that keeps you wanting to go on and find out more. For instance God of War a personal favorite of mine kept me wanting to go on and find out more about the character which then in turn kept me wanting and willingly playing the game.