We are now nearing the end of the final assignment in the Serious Games course; on monday we are going to handle the game in as well as the rules and a individual report.
This week, our group sat down and polished the numbers that we had in our game, as the game's mechanics were finished but the numbers for everything could use some polish. We also made it so that the player in the game can now discard two tool cards during a round in order to draw a new card. This was added so that the player wasn't completely screwed if he ended up getting tool cards that he would not have any use for. Other than that, we made the cards in the game look a bit more nicer, even though they doesn't have fancy graphics.
Other than that, we now have more concert explanations on the tool cards to as of why the tool cards works against diseases. The information for this was mostly gathered through Socialsyrelsen (Sweden's Social Board) and 1177.se (A site containing information about sicknesses, diseases, health and the such), as having trustworthy sources for a Serious Game is important.
But there isn't really all that much more to say about the game, it is now finished and we are going to hand it in tomorrow.
Visar inlägg med etikett Serious Games. Visa alla inlägg
Visar inlägg med etikett Serious Games. Visa alla inlägg
2013-10-20
Board game progress report (Serious Games) - 20131020
Today my group in Serious Games has a short session where we begin making a more concrete version of the ideas that we had for our game there.
After some brainstorming and discussion, we initially had a plan where we had a board that contained regions, and certain diseases cards and actions cards only had an effect on certain areas, other where omnipresent ones. This concept was scratched however, since we noticed while play-testing it that it would be to much to keep track of. So now the player is instead working entirely omnipresent.
The rules of the game was made more concrete. As before the player has a deck with diseases that could hit the area and a deck with the tools that he has available to stop them. Now however, a player begins their round by looking at the top five cards of the disease decks, then shuffles those cards and put them back on the top of the disease deck. Then the player looks at the tools he has available and plays the card he thinks will stop most of the diseases.
We still have a point system present in our game, where the player starts with a certain amount of points. Each disease that strikes the town decreases that score. The tool cards may cost points to play as well, but they make it so that the points from diseases that "hurts" the player is reduced as well. For example, a certain disease cards may decrease 40 points from the player's score. But using a specific tool available, that amount is reduced by 15; meaning that the disease now only removes 25 points from the player's pool. Even though it may have cost the player 4 points to play the card, it still makes it worth it as the total points being reduced is being decreased compare to no tool at all.
At this point, we need to work so that all numbers in our games becomes more balanced, but we have
a base to keep building our game from.
The rules of the game was made more concrete. As before the player has a deck with diseases that could hit the area and a deck with the tools that he has available to stop them. Now however, a player begins their round by looking at the top five cards of the disease decks, then shuffles those cards and put them back on the top of the disease deck. Then the player looks at the tools he has available and plays the card he thinks will stop most of the diseases.
We still have a point system present in our game, where the player starts with a certain amount of points. Each disease that strikes the town decreases that score. The tool cards may cost points to play as well, but they make it so that the points from diseases that "hurts" the player is reduced as well. For example, a certain disease cards may decrease 40 points from the player's score. But using a specific tool available, that amount is reduced by 15; meaning that the disease now only removes 25 points from the player's pool. Even though it may have cost the player 4 points to play the card, it still makes it worth it as the total points being reduced is being decreased compare to no tool at all.
At this point, we need to work so that all numbers in our games becomes more balanced, but we have
a base to keep building our game from.
2013-10-16
Board game progress report (Serious Games) - 20131016
Today, my group in serious games sat down and started working on our board game assignment that we got in that course. The main purpose of our game is to inform people about disease transmission. So we began by doing research on the subject, put together what each of us had found and worked our way from there. Note that the design below is the current rough version of what we got, it will most likely changes as we keep developing our game.
What we came up with was a strategy game and here is a rough description of what we came up with. In the game, the player has to manage a certain area where they have to work with preventing disease transmission. The player has two decks. One deck that contains card with the challenges that the player is facing and one with the actions that the player can use to prevent it. The player has to play the right tool card at the right time and prioritize what needs to be done.
The most important thing with our game is that the information on them is extremely clear. We want to teach the player to as of why something works or doesn't work against a certain kind of disease. However, we don't want to scare people with out game, we want to inform them.
What we came up with was a strategy game and here is a rough description of what we came up with. In the game, the player has to manage a certain area where they have to work with preventing disease transmission. The player has two decks. One deck that contains card with the challenges that the player is facing and one with the actions that the player can use to prevent it. The player has to play the right tool card at the right time and prioritize what needs to be done.
The most important thing with our game is that the information on them is extremely clear. We want to teach the player to as of why something works or doesn't work against a certain kind of disease. However, we don't want to scare people with out game, we want to inform them.
2013-10-14
Learning Video Game Design - Making Board Games
Time for a quick post.
Even though I'm reading two courses about video game design right now, I'm currently tasked with making a board game (in a group) in each course. Why is that? In my opinion, the reason for this is because video games and board games has more stuff in common than most people might think when it comes to the design part of the respective kind of game. For example, if you break down a strategy video games and a strategy board game, I'm pretty sure that you will notice many similarities between the games. I'm currently working on a post where I'm talking about what video games can learn from board games when it comes to randomness The post is going to be long though, so it will be a while before that post comes up.
Even though I'm reading two courses about video game design right now, I'm currently tasked with making a board game (in a group) in each course. Why is that? In my opinion, the reason for this is because video games and board games has more stuff in common than most people might think when it comes to the design part of the respective kind of game. For example, if you break down a strategy video games and a strategy board game, I'm pretty sure that you will notice many similarities between the games. I'm currently working on a post where I'm talking about what video games can learn from board games when it comes to randomness The post is going to be long though, so it will be a while before that post comes up.
2013-10-09
What are Serious Games?
In addition to my course in Advanced Game Design, I'm currently also reading a course about Serious Games. This post will explain what a Serious Game is and some examples of their usage
In an earlier lecture we had in the course, Ernest Adams brought these as possible problems that Serious Games solves
The first example is a rather cleaver one; a game that describes how tourists should walk to see as much as possible of a tourist area. Now why does this fall under the category of Serious Game, shouldn't they have another primary purpose than entertainment? That is correct, and it is also correct in this example. As Ernest Adams mentioned in a lecture, this could be used to lead tourists along a route where they walk past stores so that they can buy things there. So this example is very much a serious game, the main purpose of it is to lead tourist into the stores so they can earn more profit.
Another example of a serious game can be games that want to inform people of something. For example, you can make games about why smoking is bad for you or informing people about what happens to civilians during an armed conflict.
Serious Games
The best way to describe a Serious Game is as a game whose main purpose is not entertainment. Ben Sawyer states that “Serious games are solutions to problems. Any meaningful use of computerized games or game industry resources whose chief function is not entertainment are serious games.” (1). However, there are several different kinds of games who are not mainly made for entertainment.In an earlier lecture we had in the course, Ernest Adams brought these as possible problems that Serious Games solves
- Governmental issues
- Healing people
- Improving people's life
- Informing people
- Persuading people
- Running Business
- Teaching people
Some examples of uses of Serious Games
Here are some examples of what Serious Games can be used for in practice.The first example is a rather cleaver one; a game that describes how tourists should walk to see as much as possible of a tourist area. Now why does this fall under the category of Serious Game, shouldn't they have another primary purpose than entertainment? That is correct, and it is also correct in this example. As Ernest Adams mentioned in a lecture, this could be used to lead tourists along a route where they walk past stores so that they can buy things there. So this example is very much a serious game, the main purpose of it is to lead tourist into the stores so they can earn more profit.
Another example of a serious game can be games that want to inform people of something. For example, you can make games about why smoking is bad for you or informing people about what happens to civilians during an armed conflict.
Are Serious Games simulations?
So by this, it may sound as Serious Games are simulations. It is true that they can be simulations, but they aren't required to be. As Ernest Adams said to us, we are looking for fun in our game and we abstract or remove features that aren't fun. For example, in war games we don't have to refuel our vehicles because if we had to, the game would not be very fun.End Notes
(1) http://www.hsgrc.org/About/WhatareSeriousGames/tabid/1473/Default.aspx
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