Blog 22 - Independent Component 2

Some examples, interface and in-game, of what RPG Maker looks like and can create. 

(Game pictured is not of my creation.)

Play my Independent Component 2, Ad Infinitum, here!

LITERAL

(a) I, Clerisse Cornejo, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 33.5 hours of work.”
(b) Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component.

• Isbister, Katherine. Better Game Characters By Design: A Psychological Approach. San Francisco: Elsevier Inc., 2006.
• Schell, Jesse. The Art of Game Design. Burlington: Elsevier Inc., 2008. Print.
• "Tutorials." RPG Maker MV, RPG Maker, n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2016. 

(c) Update your Independent Component 2 Log (which should be under your Senior Project Hours link)

Updated the log. My hours can be found here. 

(d) Explain what you completed. 

Over the course of 33.5 hours, I created what I consider my first lengthy digital game. Throughout the process of crafting this game, I dabbled heavily in both the creative side of game design, as well as the technical side. I created the storyline(s), characters, settings, dialogue, character-relations, and more; on the other hand, I also created a great deal of "events", or key occurrences, that activate throughout the game, all of which serve to keep the game pushing forward towards its conclusion. 

(e) Defend your work and explain the component's significance and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.   Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.   

What I've learned from multiple interviews and my mentorship at USC is that the best way to learn how to make games is through doing-- simply start making games, of any given variety. Game design is a very experimental subject of study-- as it is a creative art form, there is never typically a right or wrong way to about doing things-- it's all very subjective and up to the minds and decisions of the designers. 

My component is vital to my beginnings as a budding game designer. The best thing I can do for myself as an aspiring designer is to start working now-- start designing games now, even if they are far from artistic masterpieces, even if they're far from reaching the ultimate player experience goals I want my future games to reach. My games that I make today, including my Independent Component 2, don't necessarily reach those standards. I've yet to form and hone the skills and abilities necessary to create more advanced games-- games with more potential to become the meaningful, personal experiences I want them to for players.

In my second Independent Component, I very much focused on telling a story. As a writer, I'm a bit self-conscious, so I can't say if my story is ground-breaking or amazing-- because I don't think it is. Rather, I think it's a story that is interesting; maybe not unique or fresh, but definitely not boring. The process of creating a game takes many hours of creative thought, of course, but takes much more time actually digitally crafting. Scripting, coding, and more take time-- it's easy to make mistakes when creating a game, so I had to be very careful in my work. 

Regardless, I like my end result. It isn't perfect (far from it), but I'm satisfied at the point I'm at for now.

Title screen of the game. 

Opening screen, where the player first dives into the game. 

Example of the interface I was working with to create the game. 

RPG Maker MV simultaneously looks both simple and difficult, but is 

quite manageable once you get the hang of it. It's quite the powerful tool. 

An example of a map in-game. 

The interface through which I enter any actions I want to have happen

within my game, at any given space on a map I choose. Each black circle indicates a new

action of sorts, ranging from dialogue, character animation, choice indicators, and more.

A close-up example of some of the coding/scripting I do to make sure

the game works the way I want it to. 

In-game interaction between the main character, Ezra, and his mother. 

In-game interaction between main character, Ezra, and his friend Leo. 

Multiple signs can be found throughout the game, but not all

are quite as meaningful as this one. 

One of the mazes I built for the game. This one functions quite simply. 

One of the mazes I built for the game. This one is more complicated than the others,

but is rather simple overall. 

An in-game event that occurs as soon as a player steps near a specified

square on the map. 

(f)How did the component help you answer your EQ? Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped. 

One of my three answers to my EQ, "How can a video game be designed to enhance the player's experience?" is rules. 

Rules are not typically outlined in digital games explicitly-- in fact, most rules within digital games are considered to be implicit, as they're not usually mentioned at all. Rules within digital games are finicky, because it's all within the programming. Rules in digital games aren't spelled out for you, but they have to be placed somewhere; therefore, they get placed in the coding of games. Rules are the limitations and affordances of a digital game-- things you can and cannot do as your character. 

For example, I can't tell my players in my game that they can't engage in battle with just any other character-- the only way for battles to occur is if I program the battle to happen at a specific point in the game. The player's inability to engage in battle with any character at any moment is but one of many limitations of my game-- it's an implicit rule that I utilized to have my game focus more on narrative, and less on combat. 

Blog 16 - Independent Component 2 Approval

Video game programming is a lengthy process. I'm sure it'll be a learning experience for me.

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

For thirty hours of my second Independent Component, I plan on focusing on the creation of a digital video game. This game will be based off of the pre-production work I completed in my first Independent Component. This game will be PC-compatible, and have a focus on its narrative and messages conveyed to players. Throughout this process, I'm sure details regarding the game's plot or mechanics will fluctuate, but the medium remains certain: I am making a video game. I don't expect to have a perfect video game at the end of my Independent Component, but I expect to have a finished, playable game. 

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

The literal creation and design in video games is a lengthy process. There is quite a bit of groundwork to be set: I must create things through a game-creating software/program such as maps, character sprites, etc. There's a heavy amount of programming involved in video game design-- this is something I know I will be dealing with regularly throughout the course of creating my game, so I'm sure I will often be spending time programming/coding different parts of the game. In doing so, I can expand the game, clear out any bugs/mistakes, and ensure that the game is playable by the end of my thirty hours. 

3.  Explain how this component will help you explore your topic in more depth.

I think researching about games and focusing on the pre-production of games are two vital things in game design, but I know that there is no better way to learn more about my topic than to create a game myself. Game design, as a field, is very experimental; like many arts, there isn't necessarily a "right" or "wrong" way of doing things. Figuring out what makes my game one that delivers a positive player experience is something that must be done through creating and testing. Game design is a very hands-on field; I believe that creating a game myself is a great way to gain a different understanding on the field and the work that occurs within it. 

4.  Post a log in your Senior Project Hours link and label it "Independent Component 2" log.

I have updated my Senior Project Hours; it now has a new section titled Independent Component 2 Hours. My hours can be accessed here, or via the link on my sidebar.

Independent Component 1

(Throughout the course of IC#1, I've learned not only a great deal of information, but some valuable lessons. Maybe some that are a bit life-changing.)

Literal

(a) I, Clerisse Cornejo, affirm that I completed independent component which represents 31.5 hours of work.

(b) Works Cited: 

• Burton, Neel. "What Makes You Who You Are?" Psychology Today. Psychology Today, 5 June 2013. Web. 22 Dec. 2015.

• Fullerton, Tracy. Game Design Workshop. Burlington: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, 2008.
• Isbister, Katherine. Better Game Characters By Design: A Psychological Approach. San Francisco: Elsevier Inc., 2006.
• "Tabula rasa." Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 1 Jan. 2016.

• Nimbalkar, Namita. "John Locke on Personal Identity." US National Library of Medicine. NCBI, Jan. 2011. Web. 21 Dec. 2015. 

• Piccirillo, Ryan A. "The Lockean Memory Theory of Personal Identity: Definition, Objection, Response." Student Pulse. Student Pulse, 8 Nov. 2010. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.

• Pierce, Jeremy. "The Brain Account of Personal Identity. Parableman. Parableman, 24 May 2012. Web. 20 Dec. 2015.

• Urban, Tim. "What Makes You You?" Wait But Why. Wait But Why, n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2015.

(c) I've updated my hours in my Senior Project Hours log. That log can be found here. My IC#1 hours can be found towards the bottom of the spreadsheet.

(d) In the total 31.5 logged hours I spent on my independent component, I've focused mainly on research of the core concept(s) I want my game to focus on, as well as character design and setting design. I wanted to ensure that I understand to the best of my ability what message exactly my game is trying to convey to it's audience; since I'm dealing with human memory and its relationship with personal identity, I had to do more extensive, in-depth research on both topics. Furthermore, my game focuses on memory loss-- there was a significant amount of research done on amnesia and memory disorders, which were all very interesting to read about.

I've also decided that the general setting and "feel" of the game should be closely tied to the core concept. As I'm dealing with memory loss, I feel that the character in the game who would suffer from said memory loss may see the world around them a bit differently, or even the world within them differently. I want to portray a more dream-like, surreal landscape, with just as surreal characters.

Interpretive

Overall, learning more about memory and the relationship it shares with personal identity has been a major part in the formation of my project. It's helped to formulate not only the foundation in which I want my game built upon, but also has created the kind of story and message I want to express to my audience. I think video games are a special kind of media, an art form that best tells stories and conveys ideas through their interactive nature. I think the topic of personal identity in relation to memory will create an experience that can reach out and touch people-- I think it's something that's not only interesting to people, but potentially something that can change they way they see themselves, others, and the world around them.

As for evidence, I have a whole separate document for that, loaded with explanations and pictures. It's called a game design document, which a pretty common way of organizing your design process and decisions among video game developers.

My document containing evidence can be found here.

Applied

Working through the component definitely helped me to understand the process of game design much better. Reading about it is one thing, but actually doing it is another.

Most notably, I've found that the design process is a cycle of creating work, scrapping it, creating more work, scrapping that, and doing such over and over again. The game constantly fluctuates and changes-- it's almost like a living, breathing thing, just like how many art forms feel like.  We can't expect it to stay stagnant, so it's important to often take the time to think about if my current design really paves the path towards reaching my ultimate goal: delivering a story and message that is meaningful to players. 

In my process, I thought I had it all figured out from the beginning. Hours in, I realized I was quite wrong. I was able to adopt some of those aspects into my design, but for the most part, the design changed drastically. The story I realized that I wanted to tell and the story that I needed to tell were two different things. In game design, you can't always settle for something just because you put time and effort into it. Sometimes, you have to give up something that you worked towards in order to create something better. 

Blog 8 - Independent Component 1 Proposal

I plan on doing a significant amount of drafting and planning through my preparatory process of creating a video game, including physical prototyping of potential game mechanics. Above is an example of a physical prototype in development. 

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

Over the next thirty hours, I plan to start and delve into the lengthy preparation process of creating a video game. There's quite a bit of work that goes into this kind of project, and I'd like to take a moment to explain some of the preparatory steps my mentors have recommended that I take before actually creating my game.

For Independent Component 1, I would like to focus specifically on the preparation process of the video game. Essentially, I want to be able to focus on current concepts and ideas I have for creating a fictional world and characters, as well as creating new ones. I want to extensively go through the brainstorming process to create this world, it's inhabitants, and form the story of the game. Once the planning stages of the game world and characters are creating, I want to be able to focus on planning out a plot that'd occur over the course of the game. 

Once the world-building portion of the game is completed, I want to move onto the planning and prototyping of the game mechanics (and subsequently, potential gameplay). Essentially, I want to determine and plan out how the game plays out-- which includes the type of play (sidescrolling, first person, puzzle, etc.), game interface and controls, and detail upon the intended player experience.

For clarification: I am not directly creating the video game just yet. I am spending these thirty hours in preparation for creating the game, by taking the necessary steps I listed above. 

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

Brainstorming is a lengthy process in itself-- for the creation of concepts and ideas, I will keep detailed notes and sketches regarding said concepts/ideas. As for the world-building and plotting portions of my planning, I plan to also write out and notate throughout this process: essentially, I will write all there is to write regarding the world I will create, it's inhabitants, and the story I wish to tell throughout my game. In summary, there will be written evidence of the creation of the world-building and plotting.

As for the game mechanics, I plan to begin with brainstorming for that process, as well. The brainstorming process here will too be noted and sketched throughout. I want to determine which type of gameplay and interface will not only properly deliver the intended story and emotions I want to convey in the game, but also creates an enjoyable player experience in the finalized, digital version of my game later on.

I would also like to prototype these game mechanics; to do so, I believe a physical prototype of sorts to test how the game mechanics can work out will serve my purpose just fine. Oftentimes, it is ideal and convenient to begin designing gameplay (and therefore, working out any issues with it) with physical prototypes, as they can easily be iterated and changed within seconds to suit any new ideas for game mechanics. Digital prototypes take significantly longer to create new iterations of, and often these iterations can be scrapped if the idea they are based upon just doesn't mesh well with other aspects of the planned game. Therefore, physical prototyping is the best method of prototyping to utilize here. I will also document my experience of physical prototyping through notation and pictures, which I will keep in sequential order. In doing so, any viewers can see the creation and changes my prototype will undergo.

3.  Explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

What I'm doing for independent component essentially encompasses the entire planning processes of the creation of a video game. In doing so, I will need to do further research in the complexities of world-building and plotting for video games, as well as research different types of directions I can take my game mechanics. 

I'm of the belief that actively planning the foundation and mechanics of my game will help me not only explore my topic through further, specific research, but also help me explore it by allowing me to get a taste of what it's like to plan extensively for a video game. I think this opportunity is important for me to understand what it's like to truly delve into video game design as a project and potential career.

4.  Update your Senior Project Hours log.

Done. Thanks!