P1

A) STRUCTURE

 

B) PLATFORM

C) GAME TYPES

D) GAMES ON MULTI-PLATFORMS

E) REGULATORY BODIES 

F) DEVELOPMENTAL SOFTWARE

LESSON 1

INTERNET ARCADE

After I finally figured out the controls for the game, I found the experience quite thrilling and tense especially when trying to not die halfway through a good game. In comparison to the games that I play now, the arcade games are definitely simpler in structure and I can definitely see that a lot of games that I have played in the past have taken some inspirations from these arcade games.

WHAT WAS YOUR EARLIEST VIDEO GAME EXPERIENCE?

One of the earliest experiences that I had with video games was when my cousins introduced me to Counter Strike and Grant Theft Auto: Vice City, on the PC.
 Despite the fact that those games were definitely not suitable for my age then, I was still able to find the experience thrilling and compelling to be a part of- even after being a complete noob with the game controls; dying countless times within just minutes of starting the game.

HOW HAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH VIDEO GAMES CHANGED SINCE THEN?

Ever since then, I have moved on to trying out different genres of games and using different platforms to do it. For example, one of the first 'gadgets' that was gifted to me by my parents was a GameBoy- after a few years I tried out the PSP, then the Playstation and XBOX consoles and then eventually landing back again on PC games.


STATISTICS ABOUT VIDEO GAMES

• 49% of households own a console- with the average amount being 2 consoles per household.
• The video game industry is valued at 70 billion dollars worldwide.
• The first ever gaming console to ship with an internal memory was the SEGA Saturn and it shipped with about one megabyte of memory.
• The best selling consoles of all time are the Playstation 2 and Nintendo DS, both tied with about 155 million units sold.
• The highest grossing game of all time is held by World of Warcraft- garnering 10 billion dollars over it's lifetime. 
• 48% of females and 50% of males play games.
• One of third of gamers on Youtube are 35 and up
• 47% of gamers on youtube are now parents.
• 30% of gamers on Youtube are women. 
• 60% of adults who who play video games believe that most video game players are men. 
• 63% of parents say that video games are a positive part of their child's life. 
• 91% of parents are present when games are purchased or rented.
• 90% require their children to get permission before buying or renting a video game.

LESSON 2

MY VIDEO GAME TIMELINE

Looking at this timeline, I can see that I have tried out a broad range of gadgets over the years and have stuck with brands/companies which are trustworthy (or at least around the time that I have owned them). I have slowly kept on getting the new versions of the products that I already own, this could be mainly due to the fact that I already know those companies distribute gadgets which are of high quality and are therefore worth my money and time.

Lastly, I can also see that I favour gadgets which are more portable rather than those which are harder to carry around or have in my pocket- which perhaps could be one of the reasons why there are quite a lot of phones in my timeline. 

ACHIEVERS

Acts on the world

Defined by a focus on attaining status and achieving preset goals quickly and/or completely. They are engaged by achievements.

EXPLORERS 

Interacts with the world

Explorers are defined by their focus on exploring and their drive to discover the unknown. They are engaged by obfuscated achievements. 

SOCIALISERS

Interacts with the players

Socialisers are defined by their focus on socialising and their drive to develop a network of friends and contacts. They are engaged by news feeds, friends lists and chats.

KILLERS

Acts on the players
Killers are defined by a focus on winning, rank and direct peer to peer competition. They are engaged by leaderboards and ranks.








 RESULTS FROM THE BARTLE PSYCHOLOGY TEST

I agree with the results in terms of me finding value in connecting and socialising with other players in the game, however I wouldn't count it as the most important component of the whole experience. I also disagree with the idea that achieving 'lasting relationships' is what I strive for when playing a game. I do, however agree with the statement that I find "killing as only ever to be excused if it's a futile impulsive act of revenge, perpetrated upon someone who has caused intolerable pain" - though perhaps not always "due to a dear friend" being the driving force for me to commit such acts. 

LESSON 3

A game is a system based on rules with outcomes that can vary in multiple ways. The different outcomes have it's own significance and are dependent on what the player does.  The gamer reacts to the outcome at an emotional level and the consequences of the activity could also be open to discussion and can be modified.

• "rule based system" - A system based on rules (in Pacman you can't kill/eat a ghost unless you've ate one of the fruits)

• "variable and quantifiable outcomes" -  Outcomes that can vary in multiple ways (in some games, your choices determine how the story unfolds)
• "different outcomes are assigned different values" - The different outcomes have it's own significance (Dying in a match could make it harder for your team to win given that you will not be able to help)
• "outcomes influenced by player effort" - The outcomes are dependent on what the player does (if you work together as a team, the chances of winning become greater)
• "emotional attachment to the outcome" -  The gamers react to the outcome at an emotional level (Losing a game after a whole hour of hard work sucks )
• "consequences of the activity are negotiable" - The consequences of the activity are open to discussion and can be modified (you could negotiate the consequence to winning or losing a game)

THE LAST OF US - SESSION

It's more intimidating and you get nervous, shaky and sweaty whilst playing the game- whereas when just watching the game it's less immersive - you feel more relaxed watching others play- almost like you're just watching a movie. However when watching the others play the game, I did find my eyes straining more in comparison to when being in control of the game and playing it myself. 

During the session I felt quite a lot of pity for the characters when first introduced to the game's storyline. However once I got the chance to play the game myself I was initially confused at which buttons to press, though after I got used to the mechanics of the game I began to feel thrilled and excited at exploring and experiencing it.