Unit 7 Digital Games Production - 14/01/2016

Unit 7 Digital Games Production

Task 1

Consoles

Out of all the platforms the console is one of the most used of them all as the console has advantage by being able to link it’s games with a controller. Having a game use a controller is great for the players as it adds more versatility to what the player can do. For example one thing is the player is able to control the camera a lot easier and also open up certain menu screens and pause the game with one click of a button, which is really easy for a controller since the way it is designed allows you to press any button whenever is needed at your comfort. Also the majority of sales now days come from consoles so it makes a great marketing tactic as whenever kids want to play games they beg their parents to buy them the latest new game console however a big downside to game consoles is that eventually you’re forced to upgrade to the next generation console as some of the newer games that come out just don’t function as well due to the RAM size or are just simply not made for the older generation consoles.

PCs

PCs are arguably one of the best ways to play games out there. Unlike the consoles you’re not forced to upgrade to a next generation PC every few years to keep up with the newer games that come out as games that are designed are attempted to be made for every type of computer but of course the newer generation PCs might have a better chance running HD 3D graphic games compared to older PCs but overall games are designed for any type of PC. However one negative downside to a PC is your controller’s are your keyboard and your mouse which while to some gamers will be fine it can often be very uncomfortable and confusing if you’re not used to playing games as most games will have the player control the camera with the mouse and move using the arrow keys with additional combat either being the number keys (1,2,3) or even using the space bar which can over a period of time cause ache in your hand. One advantage of using a PC is you have access to millions of free to play games on the internet which also means you don’t have to invest in buying a game to have entertainment with your PC.

Handheld Devices

Handheld Devices such as the Nintendo DS series or the PSP series all have one major advantage over the PC and the Consoles and that’s that they are portable. Being portable is a huge advantage for a selling point as It means people can play the handhelds on a plane, train and even in boring long car journeys however the downside to the handheld devices is that they of course have a smaller system size so that comes with a smaller screen meaning if a game has been released on consoles and handheld devices the graphics are more likely to be less resolution and less in high definition on the handheld and also Handheld devices are limited to sim card memory meaning you do have to keep track on how much spare memory you have while the PC and Console each have enough and come with enough memory to last you years.

Mobile

Mobile devices such as the iPhone or Android for example have the advantage over the others when it comes to gaming as the mobile devices have access to using the touch screen which is used as a controller which gives it a slight advantage since a controller isn't needed for the consoles or PC's. One problem with mobile devices is that they usually have less battery life then the popular Handheld devices as the mobile's intention is for a lot of other things besides playing games while handheld devices main intention is playing games. Another advantage of mobile devices is that you're able to find games for free a lot easier meaning no money has to be paid in addition. However because these games are free the micro-transactions are more frequently needed and are more expensive. Also because the mobile's main intention was not to run games it's often found the quality of the games are below average and the battery life from the mobile can run out of battery with ease.

Tablets

Tablets are very comparable to PC's in the fact they do everything a PC can do without a few additions while at the same time the maintain the portable usage such as the mobile and with a slightly smaller battery life then the handheld devices (the next generation ones) however the downside to the tablets is that they have access to the same games as the mobile however due to having a bigger screen and a larger amount of ram and memory the games run in a higher definition and smoother in general. The tablets also can use the same touch screen movement as what the mobile devices have access to.

Platform Specifications

Screen Resolution

Screen resolution (display resolution) displays different distinct pixels for a large range of things for example computer monitor is one which is used for PC's and makes games with high definition at the point of high demand, also the display device which is what everything else uses however despite a large range of devices having the same display screen due to the overall screen size affects how great the overall quality looks. For example when it comes to a console you use the same screen for playing as you do for watching TV and as TV's now days make sure to come with high definition for your favorite shows this allows the gaming companies to have hardly any limits in terms of how the game turns out graphically. However with the smaller screens this is a lot harder and while the games will mainly still look high definition that's because the only games that look good are the games that the consoles got which has gotten imported onto other devices which for one may cause your device to lag as it's trying to play with graphics which it's not capable of or the graphics may be reduced quite large in order for the game to properly function on your device.

Polygon and Pixel Counts 

Polygon's are very popular within the gaming and even digital world as they can classed as a certain type of peculiar digital art. The polygons can import your images or even your texts in a very unique 3D style and can even be made in not only a modern style but also a retro style as some people prefer the models to be in retro. The reason why polygons are used in computer games are mainly because they are great for creating 3D models and scenes because of their overall render speed which is easily achieved by low polygonal resolution. While using polygon's a tip is to remember that the object is rendered in a base wire frame model however the reason the polygons aren't noticeable in big end game titles is because the skilful digital professional artists that are hired to make the game even learn how to avoid using the already over used polygon design.

Frames per Second

Frames per second (FPS) can also be known as "frame rate" or even "frame frequency" which means the entire frequency rate at which the certain image devices end up displaying the consecutive images which are called frames.

RAM/CPU

Ram stands for random access memory which uses operating system and current use data so that they can be quickly reached by the computer's processor. When a system is usually turned on the operating system and any other files are loaded into the ram from the hard disk. CPU stands for central processing unit, It's the brains of the computer where most of the computer calculations are taken place.

Defining the audience

Gameplay Modes

Gameplay modes are the different types of accessible ways of playing the game. These can usually be picked from the main menu of the game and most commonly will include, Story mode, Online mode. DLC ( Downloadable content ) can also be added into a video game to include a wider range of gameplay modes or expand upon existing ones.

Campaign and Story

The campaign and story are one of the main key features in a game. The story  has the user play a predetermined plot where the user must accomplish and complete a number of different stages/levels/areas of the game. As the user completes more of these the games story will become more apparent and finally conclude to the user by completing the story mode.  

Cooperative and team 

Cooperative and team play is often used in online play but can still find it's ways into a story mode. While playing Cooperative/teamplay the user has a number of allies ( CPU's or Actual players ) who will side with the user and help assist the user in completing their goal. 

Turn-based

Turn-based is a type of gameplay which has users taking it in turns in order to defeat/accomplish a target. Turn-based gameplay can usually be found to be in strategy games ( Such as the Fire Emblem  and the Etrain odyssey series and even the Pokemon franchise ) as turn-based action can allow alot  of depth and detail when deciding where to move next. However alot of RPG ( Role-playing games ) such as the Lunar series also have examples of turn-based which uses the user to decide what their party members will do while trying to predict while the enemy's turn will consist of.

Death match vs PVP

Death match and PVP are 2 examples of  hardcore game modes. Death match modes are more popular on war games such as the Call of Duty franchise where users are placed in a map ( a limited amount of space area ) and aim to achieve a large amount of kills while trying not to get killed them self. PVP stands for Player vs Player and is more popular in 1v1 or even in 5v5 combat.

Social 

Social gaining is when the user players their games online which gives them the opportunity to meet new people and expand their current list of friends and contacts.

Audience 

The audience of the game depends on the genre of game and the target age group I would like and the type of gameplay the game would offer with different modes. For example some of the more hardcore players would probably prefer alot more replay ability however when compared to the casual gamers they may prefer a less hardcore style of game where they can happily complete the games main story mode and be done with it. A Mid-core gamer would prefer a good balance which gives them the option of playing causally while leaving an option of playing hardcore open.