Excercise 1 3/18/2011

Game writers often find themselves asked to write content with very limited
information, and they have to make it up as best they can. This is an exercise about
writing dialog in such a situation. Assume the following scenario: An adventurer
arrives at an old ruin. The main entry gate is guarded by a huge stone golem that
has to be convinced to let the adventurer pass through. The player might take three
different approaches to the conversation at hand: intimidation, admiration, or subterfuge.

TASK

Write a scripted conversation for this situation in which, at each menu, the
player has a choice of three options corresponding to each of the three approaches.
Your conversation must include no fewer than four exchanges, counting introducing and parting dialog lines. If the player chooses a consistent approach
throughout the conversation, the golem opens the gate; if the player does not, the
golem refuses and the conversation ends.

Post your completed set of menus plus the conversations that stem from each as separate branches as a diagram to your blog. You may use freemind (on the applications folder of the macs in room 474) or some other tool such as google draw or photoshop or illustrator - any tool that lets you create a diagram of possible branching path options - a flowchart, basically.

Today's in class exercises - based on Chapter 5 of Ernest Adams

In class exercise number 1 - create three different kinds of hero for an imaginary videogame - e.g. RPG, MMORPG, FPS, etc. Consider scale, gender, body type for each of the three and try to vary them as much as possible.

As you build your three characters with hero builder, clearly identify and document those functional and cosmetic attributes of the avatar that the player may modify. In the case of the functional attributes, indicate how they affect the gameplay.

As you build your three games characters with hero builder, clearly identify and document those functional and cosmetic attributes of the avatar that the player may modify. In the case of the functional attributes, indicate how they affect the gameplay.

Post the pictures to your blog with a brief written description of each character and those attributes the player can modify. Explain very clearly how these modifications assist in the gameplay.

RPG

Claudio:

Abilities: As a skilled archer, Claudio

Part 2 

Think of an idea for a game that permits the player to construct something you 
have not seen in commercial games (no cities, buildings, or vehicles). Assume that 
you will constrain the player’s abilities via an economy but allow him to earn new 
tools and features for his construction over time. Design a set of elementary parts 
from which the item may be constructed, and specify a price for each part. Include 
a number of upgrades—more expensive parts that replace cheaper versions. Write a short blog entry explaining the domain in which the player will be creating, and supply your list of parts, giving them in the order in which the player will earn the ability to buy them (cheapest to most expensive). Also indicate in a general way how the player can use the item s/he constructs to earn money. 

The scope of the exercise - limit yourself to the iPhone/iPad online 'app store' type casual game for this job.

In-Class Exercise Friday March 4th 2011