Strategy

GDD – Espionage

During Game Design I my classmates and I were tasked with creating a game around an abstract concept. For my game I chose the concept of threat detection. While performing research on the concept I was surprised to discover the many different ways that a threat can be perceived. I decided that I wanted to make a game that would allow all players in the game to feel the pressure of danger at all times.

I started by basing my game off of other games that I thought were exciting as a child. I settled on having a core mechanic similar to dodgeball while incorporating some aspects of tag. The result was Espionage, a playground game based on the concept of threat detection. Players are either spies or agents who are in conflict over secrets. Spies want to capture all of the secrets and get all of the agents fired. Agents want to stop all of the spies and turn them into informants.

Below is the GDD for the game including a page at the end which touches on some of the rough concepts that were worked through during the design process.

Mathis_Matthew_Espionage_GDD

Game Journal – Massive Chalice

Designer/Developer: Double Fine Productions

Platforms: Linux, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One

Release Date: June 1, 2015

Game Location: www.massivechalice.com

Explanation

Massive Chalice is a tactical combat strategy game that requires the player to not only manage their units on the battlefield, but throughout their lives. There are no individual heroes in Massive Chalice. The player’s characters WILL age and die throughout the gameplay experience. Unlike most other games that take place in a small amount of time (say, a week, month, year or decade) Massive Chalice takes place over centuries. Characters routinely die after about 50 years of age and the player is constantly tasked with training new heroes, seasoning them in combat, and passing on their bloodlines in order to raise the starting level of new attuned heroes. Players have to deal with aspects like:

Genetic characteristics to pass down to future generations (trust me, you don’t want to be passing down the genetics of a character who has a maximum movement of 3)

The handling of the wills of dead heroes (passing on heirloom weapons).

Long term strategies that involve the defense of the country (protecting territory and getting success bonuses).

Individual decisions about heroes and citizens that arise during gameplay (sometimes it turns out very good, other times it turns out very bad).

Hero death (they die constantly, and permanently).

The gameplay is both methodical and fast paced at the same time. Players have all the time in the world to make their decisions on the battlefield. Even so, all it takes is a single wrong decision to ruin your day. Players can be one shot by certain enemies. The AI is smart enough to focus fire on specific targets, and they attempt to flank and pinch the heroes during combat. Decision making is paramount in Massive Chalice. Players have to research items, weapons, training all while handling combat, managing the country, managing dying and newly born heroes, and keeping their team as diverse as possible. It is entirely possible to neglect the production of new attuned heroes for a few decades only to discover that you only have a handful of heroes to choose from, all your good heroes have died, and now you have to choose from level 1 children to fight your battle. All bad.

Screenshot

Throughout gameplay the player’s territories will be attacked by the Cadence. The three monoliths with glowing red squares beneath them show where the current cadence attacks are taking place. As you can see in this image, there are currently three attacks taking place. The player is only able to defend ONE of the three territories. Each territory has three “lives” once it has been attacked three times without being defended the player loses that territory. When the player successfully defends a territory, the amount of corruption it has is increased. So if the cadence attacked a territory twice that the player chose not to defend it would only have one tick of corruption left. If the third time the player chooses to defend that territory then the territory would gain a life back putting it back to two “lives”. The game describes the “lives” as corruption. Which makes sense.

Below is an example of the research screen. As you can see things are performed in years, not days or hours. Typically this means that your current hero won’t be able to benefit from the research you recently started, they will either be old and decrepit or just plain dead by the time you complete three or four research options (dependent on what you research).

Randomly as the game progresses certain scenarios will occur. As you can see in this example the player has to make three tough decisions. Each one will have a specific outcome that will affect the progress of the game in a positive or negative manner. If the player chooses the first option they could miss out on an opportunity to learn more about the cadence. If they choose the second option they lose an attuned hero. The “Vanguard” box in the upper right tells the player that they will lose someone that they currently use to defend the cadence with. The third option could result in the citizens of the territory becoming displeased or worse. Hero’s attributes can be changed with decisions the player makes resulting in good or bad behavior in the battlefield. In this example the hero Baltazar Weald will be gone for 10 years. He will come back as an old man of 45, which in this game is close to the grave. But he may also gain a new character attribute. In another similar situation I encountered while playing I sent a character away for 10 years, only to be shipped back his weapon in a box and a message saying simply “I’m sorry”. I lost a great hero that day…

Here a hunter is shooting an arrow at a Cadence Advanced Seed. The range is just outside what an advanced seed can move in a single turn. This would be an optimal position to be in if there weren’t two seeds below the hunter that flanked in from the right.

Players maneuver their characters based on a simple grid. Below shows the area this hunter can move while still being allowed to perform a second action. The player can choose to move outside of the orange area at the cost of an action. This is useful for rapid advance or retreat but typically is less useful than taking both a movement and attack action in each turn.

Strategy

The heroes consist of three main types: Hunters, Caberjacks, and Alchemists. Hunters are effective against single targets and at range, but they are weak defensively. Caberjacks have high defense but they are a melee unit. Alchemists are somewhat of a combination of the two. They have a limited amount of ranged attacks that mainly consist of throwing bombs that deal AOE damage. After they have depleted their ranged ammunition, they become high damage melee attackers. Unfortunately, they are built like hunters, so they don’t hold up well to receiving damage.

Players of strategy games will immediately see the simple yet effective strategy of placing the caberjacks at the forefront of the battle in defensive positions while using the hunters and alchemists to deal the vast majority of the damage.

Dynamics

Hunters

Due to the two action turn system, hunters can be extremely effective if they utilize a retreat and attack method of fighting, also known as “kiting”. The player can retreat to the furthest orange area in their hero’s movement radius and then shoot an arrow at the enemy. This strategy can be compounded by the use of a special type of hunter called an enforcer. Enforcers can utilize knock-back attack which further increases the distance between the hunter and enemy at the end of each turn.

Caberjacks

Caberjacks are really useful for blocking bottlenecks on the map. If players use caberjacks to fill small holes on the map the enemies will be forced to take turns trying to kill your strongest unit. Which allows your hunters and alchemists to wreak havoc on the enemy forces. Players should combine alchemist with caberjacks so that they can breed blastcappers. Blastcappers are caberjacks who can deal AOE damage to enemies. It is devastatingly effective when combined with the bottlenecking strategy mentioned earlier. Enemies will line up just to get smashed into minuscule particles by the power of the blast cap.

Alchemists

Alchemists are mostly a utility unit. They are best kept near the center of your formation so that they can provide AOE support as needed. Players should avoid using the ranged attacks of the alchemist on single units since they are limited and AOE. Because of the ability of the alchemist to dispatch multiple units per attack, it is a wise investment to research the upgraded throwing claw early on. This will allow the alchemist to throw further. When paired with a hunter who has the advanced technique of listening to the enemy the alchemist becomes a murder machine. All other characters are limited by line of sight for their attacks but not the alchemist. Players can position hunters against a rock face or similar obstructing object to listen for the cadence soldiers on the other side. The sound markers can then be used to aid the alchemist in throwing a bomb over the obstruction, decimating all of the enemies on the other side without ever needing to be in line of sight.

Additional Notes

The manipulation of time has long been a novel theme for games but to my knowledge it has never been applied in such a massive fashion. Fast forwarding through years is so interesting and it raises questions about how important characters are in games now.

Similar Games

Heroes of Might and Magic

Final Fantasy Tactics

Fallout Tactics

Jeanne D’Arc

Design Ideas

The idea of having time progress in such a macro fashion gives me ideas for all sorts of games. I could foresee a game in which players manipulate time on the micro scale instead of the macro scale. Where this game progresses in years I could create a game where the player is manipulating milliseconds. The concept of the game could be something atomic in nature. Maybe handling and manipulating atoms in an attempt to create different elements or reactions. Another idea could be having situations where the player is faced with situations that require split second decisions but the player is limited by the speed of the current avatars thought process. The game could progress in slow motion allowing the player to make decisions each time the avatars thought cycle completes. Afterward the player could be shown the entire scene played out in real time using the decisions they made while in micro time. Situations could be things like car crashes, robberies, fights, deactivating bombs, manipulating delicate objects or even controlling packets through a computer system critical for defending a cyber attack. Anything is really possible.

Game Journal – Fallout Shelter

Title: Fallout Shelter

Designer/Developer: Bethesda

Platforms: iOS, Android

Platform Tested: Android

Release Date: August 13, 2015 – Android

Game Location: Your Local App Market

Explanation

Fallout Shelter is a widely popular mobile game in which the player takes on the role of a vault administrator from the popular Fallout series. Gameplay mainly consists of players building and maintaining their vault. Gathering resources, fighting fires, defending the vault from enemies, and exploring the wasteland are all parts of the experience. If you are looking for a mobile version of the popular console games, you have come to the wrong place. This game is mobile, thru and thru, and rightfully so.

The gameplay is not meant to be something the player actively engages, or so it seems. Periodic check backs are more than enough to keep the game flowing. As a matter of fact, if the player decides to sit and stare at the screen they will be introduced to the fine art of waiting. Unless you are attempting to achieve a Zen like state, it’s probably best to collect your resources and pocked your device for another 10 minutes. If you do decide to zone out on the screen however, Fallout Shelter does not force the player to sit idle for hours, or DAYS at a time. The longest the player will be waiting to do something is minutes at most. Many players and reviewers alike, have criticized the game for being slow, boring, and monotonous. To them I say, QQ moar, it is a mobile game. I don’t disagree that the game definitely has some pacing issues, but from a design point of view it hits the mobile game mark perfectly. The controls are simple, the pace is not hectic and allows for periodic play sessions throughout the day, the gameplay is forgiving, and it has a well thought-out monetary system. On top of that, it is MOBILE, and it’s FREE. I find it hard to complain about something that was handed to me for absolutely nothing, but that might just be me.

Screenshot

This first image shows the game as the player will typically see it. The layout of the players vault is shown and the selected room is denoted by the green brackets in the corners (as seen on the far right lower room). The top of the screen shows the player information about their vault. From left to right, the amount of Dwellers (people) they have in the vault, the dweller happiness, electricity, food, water, caps, and level up selection icon. The bottom of the screen holds most of the player interaction options. Again from left to right, the clipboard shows stats about the currently selected room, the camera allows the player to take a screenshot, the room name, SPECIAL indicator, room production rate, next production time, rush button, and the main option button.

Other screens allow the player to select individual dwellers to see their stats and their current actions. This particular dweller is out exploring the wasteland for gear and caps. The player can also opt to see all of the dwellers they have in a sort of roster list. It displays the dwellers name, level, SPECIAL, happiness, current work status, and what their job is.

Strategy

The strategies in this game are very simple and yet somewhat unintuitive at the same time. Here are a few examples of strategies that will aid you while you are playing.

Complete challenges often.
- Challenges give caps, but they can also provide the user with a lunch pail. The lunch pail can have many strong and rare items in it which can greatly benefit the player. Completing challenges eliminates them from the challenge board and allows new challenges to be drawn up. The more you complete, the higher your chances are of getting a challenge that rewards a lunch pail.

Stack characters in rooms during hazards.
- When a fire breaks out or radroaches start invading your compound don’t just let the dwellers who are in the room handle it. Max out the number of dwellers in that area to help eliminate the problem as quickly as possible. You can also cycle out low health Dwellers with others to prevent unnecessary death and resurrection cost.

Don’t rush if the risk is over 40%.
- It seems as if the percent calculations for rushing production are not completely fair. If possible avoid every using rush when the percent is over 40%. It is almost guaranteed to fail. That being said, a really good time to rush is right after a standard production cycle. The risk percent drops and the player can usually get a two for one bonus on production.

Assign dwellers to their best suited task.
- Use the SPECIAL meters to gauge the players best task. If they have more strength than any other stat, then they should be manning the power generators. Each room has a letter identifier that shows what it requires to function. Pick the best characters for each room and you will be producing more resources faster. This can greatly ease the difficult of managing the systems of the game.

Build out not down
- Before you proceed to dig your way down, you should focus on building as far horizontally as you possibly can. If you place similar rooms next to each other, they will merge into larger versions of themselves, increasing the amount of workers allowed in the room and increasing the productivity of the facility. If you caps permit, you should try merging level one facilities when placing them. Just make sure that you have the room maxed out before you expand. NOTE: In order for rooms to merge they must also be the same level. You cannot merge a level 1 kitchen with a level 2 kitchen, if they are adjacent and you make them both level 2, they will merge.

EXPLORE
- You should always have at least one person out exploring the wasteland. This is a very effective way of getting gear and caps. Just be aware, the Dweller who is exploring takes half the time they spent exploring to return. If they were out for an hour, they will take 30 minutes to return. Once they start facing enemies they can’t kill, it is typically a good idea to turn around. Otherwise you will be paying to revive them, which is never fun.

Dynamics

Due to the nature of the game there are not a lot of dynamics that occur during gameplay. One dynamic that is usable though is during a raid. When a raid occurs the raiders will walk through the vault rooms sequentially. They stop in any room that is occupied. One simple tactic to ease the danger of a raider attack is to leave one person in each top level room, including the front door. The raiders will stop in every room spending time there to loot and pillage. If you move your attacking force into each room as the raiders switch rooms you can effectively force them to walk through each room twice, doubling the amount of damage you deal, which prevents them from reaching further down into the depths of your vault.

Additional Notes

This game serves its purpose as a reminder of the soon to be epic-ness of Fallout 4.

Similar Games

Tiny Tower
Tiny Tower: Vegas

Design Ideas

The gameplay itself does not inspire much in regards to design ideas but the menu system they utilized in the game does. I have thought of a small game where the player just sends units out to retrieve items like the exploration in Fallout Shelter. But with no real reasoning behind sending a person out the idea kind of flops. The 2D and 3D art mix that they used in this game is inspiring though. Additionally, the menu system they created is absolutely astounding. It gives me ideas for other similar types of menu systems. I believe that iconic loading screens and menus help provide a sense of immersion to the player. Using common assets like character faces, in game items, and other such things as button elements in a menu is a great way to subtlety introduce a character to an important aspect of the game without blatantly telling them “LOOK AT THIS”.

Game Journal – Triple Town

Designer/Developer: SpryFox

Platform: Web Browser

Release Date: October 2011

Game Location: http://www.gamefools.com/onlinegames/play/tripletown.html

Explanation

In this game, players combine groups of three shrubs to create more complex structures. Players attempt to build towns and villages using the combination of threes to upgrade structures. Additionally players have a point goal they need to reach in each stage before they can move on. Players are provided with different objects to drop on the screen that alter the way the game is played. For example players can be given a bear that moves around randomly on the screen blocking the player from dropping shrubs or upgrading certain objects. There are items like crystals that allow the player to receive a free combination bonus and there are also robot items that allow a player to clear a used spot on the game board. Between stages the player is able to purchase items and decorations from the store. These can be used to upgrade the player’s home (like Farmville).

Screenshot

The game has a lot going on within its play screen. Starting in the top left corner we see two buttons. The first is the players Capital City, next to it is the options button. Top center is the player’s current score and in the top right is the progress bar showing the percentage completed for the current level. It also shows the total amount of points needed to upgrade to the next town type. Below that is the player’s money followed by their inventory. Players can purchase items from the Item Store that will appear in the inventory slots. In the bottom left corner notice the combination formula. Depending on the spot that the player is currently highlighting and the type of tile they are holding a combination will be displayed. This is used as a player aid so that they don’t have to remember all of the combinations in the game. On to the main part of the screen; here in the left most 2/3 of the screen we see that the game consists of a 6×6 grid that has many different types of tiles on it. The tile being selected by the player is shown with the black border and darkened background.

Strategy

Players should attempt to combine more than three things at a time to decrease clutter and optimize play space.
Using a crystal in the center of a cluster of similar items can save a lot of space and give the player a decent score boost.
Destroying pesky tiles with the robot can help the player get out of a tight spot.
Fencing bears into a small path can be a useful way of eliminating them without leaving gravestones behind (requires 3 or more bears).

Dynamics

Because players are forced to match three items to create one superior item the puzzle space gets reduced quickly, which steadily increases the level difficulty as the player progresses.
Each level requires a higher score than the last; this means more moves are required which further increases the difficulty.

Additional Notes

This game makes me think of how Farmville should have been. In other words, it should have been an actual game that one can play rather than a farming simulation, which, let’s face it, is hard pressed to be called a game, since all you really do is sit around and wait for crops to ripen or spam your friends to give you gifts (That may be too harsh a representation).

Similar Games

Bejeweled

Hexic

PuzzleQuest

FarmVille

Design Ideas

This game makes me think about what other types of game combinations would be fun together? A Racing MMO – FPS Farming – who knows? It also makes me wonder what types of gameplay can be taken and turned casual or puzzle based. What about a sort of chess/FPS/puzzle hybrid where the player has to match units against enemy units that have countering abilities. Like a sniper can kill a soldier, a soldier can kill a rocketeer, and a rocketeer can kill a sniper. Paper – Rock – Scissors style but tactical, and puzzle based. It would be a puzzle because the battlefield would be set up in such a way that the player would have to clear the field with a limited number of personnel. Hey, it could be fun.

Game Journal – Train Lord

Designer: Jozef Chutka

Platform: Web Browser, Android

Date: May 7, 2014

Game Location: http://trainlord.com/

Explanation

In Train Lord the player purchases and operates trains based on real world railways as populated by MapQuest. Players purchase stations, rails, and trains and dispatch them to make money. Players can make rail sets after they have purchased train stations. A rail set allows the player to connect stations with track owned by them. After creating the sets the player can build train sets used to earn money by dispatching them on the owned rail sets. This is how players gain profit. The goal of the game is to be the richest Train Lord possible. Dispatching a train is actually calculated in real time and the player must wait for the train to arrive at its destination before they earn any money.
Screenshot

Train Lord utilizes a very simplistic UI. In the upper left corner are selector icons that represent from left to right: track, track set, stations, train sets, and dispatch accordingly. Selecting an icon causes the map on the right to highlight that selection. In this image the track option is selected and all train tracks are highlighted in black on the map. Below the selection buttons are the list of track pieces including their length and their price. The upper left hand corner of the map shows the player name and their current balance. Bottom left corner has a small chat window and the upper right corner has shortcuts and visualization options for the map which can assist in navigation.

Strategy

A good strategy employed by many of the players in the game is to buy up prime track in the center of most major cities. This forces other players to pay the track owner for use of the track. Getting a head start at the beginning of a play season is critical to success in this game. When the ownership of the tracks resets it is very smart to purchase those tracks that are utilized the most as quick as possible. Players can also purchase small lengths of track to constantly send their trains on short runs in order to maintain a steady income. This can help offset the longer tracks a player may own that require more time to complete a successful run. Additionally building your tracks in large triangles or circles can aid immensely in avoiding collisions on your track. By always sending trains in a single direction the chances of a collision drop to almost zero, saving the player time and money.

Dynamics

Because the player is limited to real tracks it can be difficult to find a station that has not already been purchased.
Playing early in a game season is important so that you can have the opportunity to purchase stations and tracks strategically.
Purchasing track prevents other players from owning that track; it can be useful to purchase small segments of track in populated areas to increase your use profits.
Since all players are allowed to run trains in any direction, avoiding collisions can be an issue.

Similar Games: Railroad Tycoon Series – This should be obvious but both games are very similar in concept and play. The only true differences are that in the Tycoon series you get to choose where to place track and the game is single-player.

Design Ideas

Utilizing something like tracks in a game is an interesting concept. If the game were based on trails (hiking, biking, climbing) there could be a game in which the player must actually go out and physically play against the system. It could involve traveling a certain distance over a certain time on a certain path or it could even provide virtual scenarios while traveling down the path. Expanding a bit further, using a D&D style game that auto narrates as a player progresses down a set path could be a very interesting use of real life data/events applied to a game.

Game Journal – Corrypt

Designer: Michael Brough

Platform: Web Browser

Date: May 8, 2014

Game Location: http://mightyvision.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/corrypt.html

Explanation

Corrypt is a Sokoban (warehouse keeper) style puzzle game in which the players must retrieve mushrooms and solve box puzzles in order to progress. Initially players must simply solve movement puzzles that involve pushing or pulling boxes with the goal of reaching mushrooms. Throughout the game NPCs warn you about magic and ask for your help. After successfully saving one of the NPCs children you are introduced to a magician. He begins casting spells that affect the world around you. The spells the magician casts either remove or add tiles on the screen. Your character is also able to use magic at a price. As the game progresses the magic begins overrunning the world and eventually leads to what I would describe as a calamity. The game ends when the player has collected all 7 score gems as the magic finally overruns the world, causing more changes than the player can keep up with and it fades into nothingness.

Screenshot

The purple headed figure in the center of the screen is the player character. Notice the mushroom near the top of the screen, these are collected and used for various reasons like purchasing magic (mostly) and helping other characters in the game (somewhat). The orange box next to the character are the puzzle elements that often block your path, in this image the box needs to be placed on the small blue circle adjacent of it. This will cause the blue blocks in the upper right to “disappear” or open would be a better term. This image is of an older build of the game. In the current build there is a counter on the right side of the screen (in the grey area) that shows the amount of mushrooms you have collected, your magic, and your point tiles if you have any. The bottom right shows the map of the area you are in and the two icons at the top right represent the backspace (undo) and escape (menu) options available to the character.

Strategy

Trial and Error
- While this may not be a valid strategy in the typical sense it is in Corrypt. Players can undo changes they made by hitting Backspace (Delete on Mac). This resets the room they are currently in to its default position. Allowing players to reset the screen provides them with a clean slate to begin from, thus allowing new movement combination to be used with the hope of successfully completing the puzzle.
Build Up
- Players are provided more and more complex puzzles throughout the game. By adapting the lessons learned from previous puzzles players should be able to determine the correct solution to the current problem.
Use Magic
- If a player is truly stuck they can resort to using magic to make a cheap hole in the area they desire. This can aid players by allowing them to circumvent areas they are struggling with.
Watch a Walkthrough
- Here is a walkthrough of the first half of the game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3er0gB2SmvM
- Here is a speed run of the entire game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BAVUc_2SEc

Dynamics

Because magic costs three mushrooms to purchase if a player uses it unwisely they can find themselves unable to proceed. Using magic can also be a double edged sword. While it may make a specific puzzle simpler, it can also unexpectedly increase the difficulty of another puzzle.
Because the “magic effect” can occur anytime you enter a room that is new, contains a new item, or has a magician in it the game can become extremely frustrating in a short amount of time.
The character pushes and pulls boxes adjacent to it. This can cause problems when a player only wants to walk away from the boxes and increases the complexity of what looks to be a simple puzzle.
Collecting score gems destabilizes the world as evident in the screen and in the music. This provides the player with the sensation that they may have just done something they shouldn’t have.

Additional Notes

For me the way the world ends after using magic had significance to it. It made if feel like the designer was trying to convey the concept of life itself. If we continually alter everything around us eventually there will be nothing left. I also liked the idea of having a game world become more or less explore able depending on user based decisions as well as scripted events. This is an interesting concept that I applied in my final project game in Programming Fundamentals, the player was able to destroy certain walls so that they could progress, but radiation would leak out sometimes blocking a path requiring the player to walk through it to go back, this would lower your health. Players had to think about their next move carefully in order to make it to the exit successfully.

Similar Games

Yellow Out – Move vehicles in a parking area to provide a way for the yellow car to drive out.

Sokoban – The original warehouse keeper. Push boxes onto the designated positions in order to progress. Playable at: http://sokoban.info/

Design Ideas

I have actually used the idea of this style of game to produce some similar box pushing games myself. Though they are nothing in comparison to the polish and complexity of the games presented here I was proud of it. Relating it to other games though may prove to be an interesting concept. Imagine a board game, maybe a dungeon crawler in which you have to find a key to exit the dungeon. The key could be behind a box puzzle and the player would need to solve the box puzzle while fighting monsters (and survive) in order to exit the dungeon.

Game Journal – Hollywood Stock Exchange (HSX)

Designer/Developer: Max Keiser and Michael Burns / HSX

Platform: Web Browser

Original Entry Date: May 6, 2014 – May 7, 2014

Game Location: http://www.hsx.com/

Explanation

The Hollywood Stock Exchange is a multiplayer online virtual stock market in which players buy and trade stocks in actors, movies, TV shows, and other entertainment based stocks. Players use virtual money called Hollywood Dollars (H$) to trade their stock with. Players start with 2 million H$ and can buy stocks in whatever they desire. Purchasing a stock occurs when a player chooses either the trade button next to a stock or the buy button within the stock detail screen. Purchasing a stock requires players to select an amount they wish to purchase and the value of the purchased stocks is removed from the player’s cash total. This places the stock in the player’s portfolio for quick and easy monitoring. Selling is the same. The rules for the game are simple: Buy and Sell whatever pleases you. The point of the game is simple too; make as much money as possible.

Screenshot

This screenshot as seen from a multiple monitor point of view shows the basic game screen available to the player. The left side shows the players Portfolio which contains all of the purchase and sale information that the player has performed. It also shows the daily gain and loss of value for any of the purchased stocks. On this screen players can check their trade history, orders, virtual banking history, leaderboards, net worth history, and their personal profile. If a player selects a stock from the list they are sent to a page similar to the one on the right, which is for the top MOVIESTOCK security named ECHO. On this screen the player can see a chart representing the current trading value of the stock for that particular security. Below the graph is a chart that shows the High and Low trading values for week, month, season, and year. It also contains information about the movie like the distributor, director, cast, and even the trailer for the movie if it is yet to be released like in the example above.

Strategy

Strategy in this game is extremely complex. It mirrors the difficulty of the real stock market. But there are still strategies that can be used to affect gain and profit for the player.

Buying
- Buying stock on movies that are hyped is a good way to earn cash. The further out (lower the stock costs) the better. Purchasing stock at a lower cost is almost always a better idea than waiting for it to inflate exponentially just to crash on opening weekend.
Selling
- This takes practice but simply put selling is where you make your profit. If a stock has risen in value since you purchased it selling will gain you your money back plus that additional revenue. That being said, waiting to sell is usually a good idea while stock price is climbing, but can also break you if everyone else sells out beneath you.
Short
- Taking a short is similar to profiting on somebody’s failure. If you believe a movie is overhyped or destined to fail then taking a short out on it is a good idea. You will profit from the crash of the film.
Cover
- Covering, simply put is selling your shorts after they have earned you money.
Arman Khodaei has more tips on when to sell and how to earn H$ in the article located here: http://www.ehow.com/how_6196472_play-hsx.html

Dynamics

Because the game data is populated by the players, anticipating what a stock will do is near to impossible.
Scoring is based on the amount earned over the players starting 2 million H$. Therefore, getting on the scoreboard requires players to really understand what they are doing and earn H$. This can be frustrating for beginning players.
Because the stock market updates and resets between midnight and 2 AM, there is a lot of time to do research, but not much else. There seems to be a lot of down time in this game.

Similar Games

Virtual Stock Exchange (VSG), the Stock Market Game (SMG), the World of Warcraft Auction House. Both VSG and SMG are clones of the stock market. They allow players to dabble in economics without putting real money up while learning, similar to HSX. HSX reminds me of the auction house in World of Warcraft because it is a system of supply and demand run by the players. People can flood the market with an item which drives down the price of it much like flooding a stock will lead to many people selling the stock, thus driving the price of it down eventually. Both games require the player to know when to buy and when to sell in order to affect profit.

Design Ideas

It may be interesting to apply a stock market type of situation to an MMO style game along with the standard auction house mechanics. This could really lead to an interesting economy within a virtual world by allowing players greater choice in their method of play and mode of earning income.

Game Journal – A Force More Powerful

Designer: Ivan Morovic

Platform: PC

Date: May 8, 2014

Explanation

A Force More Powerful is a simulation about nonviolent conflict. The player attempts to solve 10 different real world scenarios by using nonviolent tactics in an attempt to sway the government or political parties of the local government into affecting positive change. The goal of the game is to win civil liberties for the people, things like earning human rights, removing corrupt regimes/dictators, and earning rights for minorities and women. Almost the entire game takes place within a notebook in which the player makes strategies with which to affect change. Each scenario has specific goals that the player must achieve to complete the scenario successfully. The strategies that a player uses can either work successfully, rallying people to your cause or they can backfire which can have adverse effects on the mission.

Screenshot

The notebook in the picture is where a player selects the tactic they wish to use. Notice that the options available to the player range from attacking to communicating. The right side of the page shows a detailed description of the action that has been selected. The tactics available depend on the tactician selected which is shown at the bottom of the screen. In this example the tactician is Nadia and one of her tactics is to organize a concert to increase awareness of the issue at hand. Notice that the tactic may cost money and time.

This affects the conflict and the actions taken significantly as players cannot take action if they have to little of either. The second image shows a small cut scene of the action that was selected. This shows the people rallying at the concert but also shows that the support is relatively low as the amount of people is fairly sparse. Cut scenes are important in this game as they progress the situation by providing the player with a sense of achievement for all of their planning. But they can also go wrong. Some cut scenes will show the organizers being attacked or worse going wild and starting riots of their own volition. Here the concert is small, but peaceful.

Strategy

Timing is Everything
- Using the right tactic at the right time is important in this game. If the population is already on alert using the wrong tactic can result in riots or military presence. Staging a concert for example while emotions are running high is likely to result in a violent conflict, which the player it attempting to avoid if at all possible.
Choosing the right activist
- Players have a range of organizers (activists) to choose from. But not all activists are created equal. Some are overly passive and rely on Kum-Ba-Ya tactics resulting in no significant progress. Others are overly aggressive attempting to attack the delivery of supplies to the government in attempt to slow their progression. Choosing the activist that utilizes right amount of force without being violent is critical.

Dynamics

Players are restricted to the strategies of their selected activists. This can turn a peaceful organization into a full on riot.
Tactics are limited by the cash a resistance organization has, making every decision a critical one.

Additional Notes

I really appreciate the way that this game takes a Sim-City/Sims approach to broach the topic of oppression and non-violent conflict. The concept is well laid out and the message it sends is very clear. Players can learn how to be active and aggressive with their actions without becoming violent. Seeing the results your decisions produce has a strong lasting impact on the player and reiterates the struggle that real people go through in similar situations around the globe.

Similar Games

People Power – This game forces the player into position as the leader of a popular movement. Players use nonviolent strategies as they battle the police, armies, bureaucracy, and the media. It is an evolution of A Force More Powerful and was created using feedback from the prior game.

Design Ideas

This game raises interesting ideas about developing more games based on real world conflict and adverse situations ideas would be games involving the survival of the holocaust for instance, living through the battle of Normandy, living with prejudice, or just surviving with nothing. Though some games like this exist, I believe making an example of the past so that players can learn for the future is an important concept and should be utilized more often. I don’t believe that obscuring the past and draping it with a cover is conducive to the evolution of people. With the increased attention games are receiving in today’s society it may one day become the medium of choice to teach difficult to grasp concepts to those who would otherwise never be exposed to them.

Game Journal – StarCraft 2

Designer/Developer: Blizzard Entertainment

Platform: PC

Date: May 29, 2014 (Diary published on June 8, 2015)

Explanation

StarCraft II is a real-time strategy game in which players compete against each other for control over resources and attempt to eliminate the enemy player’s forces. In the game players must create and manage armies by gathering minerals and building supply depots. A player’s army maxes out at 200 supply and each unit takes a different amount of supply to place on the battlefield. In addition each unit has a build time that must be completed, with enough supply available, before the unit will be available for use. Players start the game with workers that simply gather resources and construct buildings. Once a specific type of building is completed players can begin developing their military force. For example: If a player builds a barracks then after it is complete they will have the ability to train marines from the barracks. This applies to every unit in the game. Each unit has a corresponding building that must be completed before they can be built. Players can expand their force by gathering additional resources from nearby nodes but the nodes on each map are limited. Players face the difficult decision of expanding and increasing their forces or attacking in hopes of winning. The tradeoff comes when you realize that the longer you wait the stronger the enemy is becoming as well. Players must also make game changing decisions in regards as to which units to create. Each unit in the game has a counter unit and if a player does not see it coming they will be out of the match before it has even begun. Additionally certain units have special abilities that the player must manage, making the overall gameplay very emergent and unpredictable. The outcome of a game can be made by a single decision or by a simple error at any point in the battle.

Screenshot

StarCraft II has a fairly simplistic interface for a game that is so complex. The majority of the screen is the play area. In the upper right corner of the screen you can see the mineral count (blue crystals) followed by the gas count (green barrel) and finally the supply (pylon). In the extreme top right corner is the social panel where players can check on friend status and communicate with others outside of the game. In the bottom right corner we see the status panel. The panel shows the options available to the player in regard to the currently selected group, unit, or building. Above and to the right of the action panel going from right to left is the menu button, used for changing settings, the friend list, and the help button. Directly to the left of the action panel is a character image that represents the currently selected unit or building. The large panel in the bottom center of the screen is the selection panel. This panel shows all units, buildings, or groups that are currently being directly controlled by the player. It also displays the unit’s health and status information. Notice the three small boxes attached to the top left corner of the selection panel. These are groups created by the user that can be toggled through for quick access. In the bottom left corner is the mini-map of the current stage. Green units on the mini-map are friendly units while red ones are enemy units. Around the map starting in the top left and moving clockwise are the quick action keys, the play clock, ping (concentric circles), terrain (mountain button), and diplomacy button (handshake symbol). These allow the player to alter the mini-map for things like color-blindness and friendly/unfriendly unit coloring.

Strategy

There are far too many strategies to name them all and they are constantly evolving because of the emergent quality of the game. Therefore I will mention the most commonly known and simplest strategies.

Rushing
- Rushing involves the player building a small amount of units in a very short amount of time. The player then attacks their opponent in hopes of getting an early kill. This is a huge tradeoff because if the enemy player defends the attack they will have a better economy usually resulting in a loss for the rusher.
Turtling
- This is the opposite of rushing. A turtling opponent barricades themselves into their own base. If the enemy can’t successfully break the opponent’s barricade they will lose units to their defenses eventually leading to a loss for the attacking player. This too can be a tradeoff strategy. If an opponent barricades themselves in too early they run the risk of letting the opponent expand throughout the map, gaining resources that will eventually allow them to win.
Harassing
- This strategy involves using small amounts of units to make tactical strikes at the enemy’s infrastructure. An example would be to use flying units to kill off all of the enemy’s workers resulting in a stale economy and eventual loss for the player. This type of strategy requires a lot of focus on the harasser’s part and can leave them blind to a counterattack.

Dynamics

Because each map has a limited amount of resources players are forced to fight at some point in the game, it is inevitable.
Because the strategies in the game are only limited by the imagination of your opponent, gameplay is constantly evolving and counter strategies are constantly being created to defeat the current “meta-play”.

Additional Notes

I used to play this game competitively; I probably should pick it up again. I forgot how much fun and how challenging it can be.

Similar Games

Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne

Clash of Clans

Evolution RTS

League of Legends

Chess

Design Ideas

This game spawns many different game ideas. Taking the emergent aspect of the gameplay and applying it to other genres would be a boon to whoever can develop something like that. For example, I would love to see an espionage game where players go head to head trying to steal information from each other. The players could take turns in a best of 3 type of situation. I don’t know if a top-down RTS style game or a full 3D game would be better for this, but it would definitely be interesting to see.

Game Journal – Gunpoint

Designer/Developer: Suspicious Developments

Platform: PC

Date: May 23, 2014

Explanation

In Gunpoint player take the role of a private investigator who has been hired to find a murderer. Players must infiltrate buildings in an attempt to retrieve secret documents, video tapes, email correspondence, and much more. As the game progresses the player is able to purchase tools to aid them in their endeavor. The player is able to perform acrobatics in the form of jumping, clinging to walls and ceilings, and tackling. Players can, and must, also rewire the electronics in certain buildings in order to proceed. This can be done in multiple ways. Players can wire light switches to devices like elevators, doors, security cameras, and even enemies weapons. As the player progresses they begin facing increasingly complex security systems. Eventually the player cannot simply hotwire anything they feel like and must bypass additional security systems to gain access to subsequent systems. The player faces the challenge of using the guards in buildings as pawns and they must also figure out how to gain access to closed circuit systems. In addition to the main objective in every mission there are also sub objectives that increase or decrease your reputation with your clients. Some clients will want you to avoid violence completely during a mission while others will want no witnesses left alive. Since Gunpoint is an espionage game the player is able to complete missions without ever being detected if they desire.

Screenshot

Explain the screenshots and all of the relevant information on them.

Figure 1. Tackling a security guard out of a 3^rd story window is pretty typical.

Figure 2. Crosslink allows players to rewire the level.

Strategy

Utilizing the crosslink can have some amusing and irritating consequences. Try linking multiple things together to create automated systems that do the work for you.
Players can turn off lights to draw a security guard’s attention. This is very useful for ambushing them and knocking them out.
Buff guards can’t be pounced on or killed with doors, try locking them in a room and removing their access to the hand scanner on the door, otherwise, they can be killed with a shorted out light switch.
Sound detectors and movement detectors can be used to link systems of different colors together, not directly, but it is possible.

Dynamics

Since players do not have an ability to attract guards other than being seen (which usually results in death) sometimes taking out a certain guard can completely break the level.

Notes

The game could benefit from some sort of attraction ability, like knocking on a wall. Sometimes it seems that the levels are designed in such a way that if the player takes out certain guards the level is unable to be completed, this can be frustrating since there is no way to restart a level unless the player dies. If all guards are dead/disabled and the player cannot progress without one alive, they have to abandon the level (which can only be done twice). Providing the player with an option in the menu to restart a level would be beneficial. I found the jumping charge-up mechanic to be clunky at first but once it was fully upgraded I found it to be significantly more useful. Maybe players should just have fully charged jumps all the time and make the distance relative to the suit upgrade only.

Similar Games

Tenchu: Stealth Assassins

Metal Gear Solid

Dishonored

Design Ideas

Matt Mathis

Matt Mathis

Strategy

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