Pinball Gaming 101

1) What is "good gameplay" when it comes to pinball game design?

The good gameplay element when it comes to pinball is in fact the placement of the round/mushroom bumpers, how many there are and how big they are is what determines whether or not the game is worth playing. But constant feedback to the player that they should be rewarded for their efforts, for the player is shooting a ball all over the board, over and over again.  Even if the player is skilled or not, they can still make an accomplishment in making a high score, also feeling that sense of accomplishment made by them and them alone.

2) How do pinball playfield designers create exciting experiences?

 The game that the pinball playfield designer gives the player is one that has not only flair, but excitement.  This element of excitement is what keeps the player enthralled and playing over and over.  When the player meets a special condition(s) the designer should incorporate lights, sounds, and images/animations on screens or devices and little gimmick moving parts on the board.  These things need to be constantly running to add to that excitement which keeps the player flipping those flippers to get the ball in a certain part of the field or in a certain hole (e.g. launch a rocket, get into the saloon in a western town, spell out a name or the games' title by lighting up lights on the fields floor).  All of these elements are crucial and key to a good if not fantastic pinball experience.

Audcacity & GarageBand Sound Mixs' Exercises

Here are my two sample remixed tracks.  The first one is, Suspenseful Noises.  Kinda freaky and eerie huh?
The next one is, A Walk in an A Odd Forest.


I hope you all enjoy them.

Storytelling Exercise 2: Redwall Plot Points

This is my Storytelling exercise 2.  I chose the book by the late Brian Jacques.  I of course claim no rights or ownership of his awesome and fantastic novels and works. Here is my FreeMind map of what could happen in the first book, Redwall.  I apologize for the small size of the picture but it will only fit on the blog page like this.

 If you want to get a better look at it, you can take look at it as a PNG file or as a PDF file.

I hope these help.

Golem Conversation

This is the conversation with the Golem that me and Cory came up with. It has to be small to fit it in the post.  Try the link below for better viewing.

 CLICK THIS LINK TO SEE THE PDF VERSION.

Constrction Game Idea Assignment

Tap Star System

This is a game in which the player will be constructing a star/solar system in space in any part of any galaxy, in any part of the Known Universe.  This game is for the Apple iPhone & iPad.  The player will be given a set celestial objects like a sun/star, on terrestrial planet, one gas giant, and one comet.  All of which are fully customizable.  As the player builds his/her star system to their specifications, they will earn or lose money/credits based on the quality of their systems, the linked-balanced functionality, & if any of the plants can provoke and sustain life.  Of course there is a catch of sorts to this game other than losing credits, the player will only have an economy to constrain them so they can only build their star system in a varying high/low budget.  As a reward for their hard work, the player is awarded rankings (i.e. A good star system and some additions to it can earn you a single rank to a prestigious 5 ranks higher while a poor job can take away 2 ranks from you, knocking you down 2 ranks from where you were.  'Fantastic Job' = +5,  5+8=13 while 'No Effort' = -2,  23 - 2 = 21).  The higher a players ranking, the more items and parts there will be available for him/her to work with and construct different, and even more varied star systems.

Item List:

Stars

Medium: Yellow and Gold (1 Credit)

Large: Red to Orange (6 Credits)

Supergiants, Bright Giants and Giants (25 Credits)

Small: White and Black, even Brown (50 Credits)

Planets & Comets

Terrestrial Planets, Gaseous Planets and Various Kinds of Comets:

Water(1 Credit)

Rock(5 Credits)

 Various Gasses(8 Credits)

Various Metals(15 Credits)

Tirple Hero Creation Assignment

 

Name: Deimos

In the game in which the player controls Deimos, he was once a hitman but 'certain circumstances' have led him to be a vigilante of sorts.

Aesthetic Changes:  As the player advances through the game via 'jobs', or even simple/epic crime-fighting vigilante heroics, they will earn various outfits, pieces of clothing, accessories, & equipment for Deimos.  Some pieces of clothing can in fact affect the gameplay either indirectly, or directly (i.e. The player attains a jacket or cloak that while functional on a mission needed for such a clothing article will in fact be cumbersome around another character's house, frighten them, or they'll believe he's a comic book super hero for real).  Of course even the clothing or look as pictured above is optional, for the player can customize the protagonist to their liking and specifications.

Functional Changes: Certain clothing, accessories, & equipment will grant the player abilities, attributes, stat changes, items, & even moves.  These will allow the player to manipulate and even alter then environment to help them advance further, change up the combat system and even the overall gameplay (i.e. The player initially had to run through a trap-filled maze that would kill them sometimes.  But with a new item like a grapple, they can take the highroad, avoiding the trap though they would lose gaining additional experience/points).

Name: Whiteout

This time the player takes the roll of, Whiteout.  She's a silent assassin/Jack-Of-All Trades for-hire that almost NEVER, EVER talks or utters one word.  She'll take any job.  Yes, ANY job.

Aesthetic Changes: Even though her armor/accessories don't change much as does her always concealed head, her ensemble is meant to be practicality and functionality over style.  Even though her look is fully customizable, from head to toe (i.e. A helmet visor can look like 50's retro, to cloak and dagger, to pure sci-fi).

Functional Changes:  Being an assassin for-hire, Whiteout's whole ensemble and wardrobe are capable of anything.  These changes, improvements, & upgrades allow her outfit alone to carry out a job.  She still needs to find her target/mark but then the assignments become simpler, not easier (i.e. A laser beam of any power level will do more damage, but will it really be the right..."fit" for the job?).

Name: Aieda

As someone can guess, Aieda is a thief, though she can pose as a executioner.

Aesthetic Changes:  Her clothing/equipmet/accessories can help her blend into the crowd somewhat.  She needs to be able to blend is she is going to scout out a locale.  Of course her look is fully customizable from head to toe (i.e. She can wear anything from a royal servant/counselor's attire to the provocative wear of a prostitute).

Functional Changes:  Her looks aren't the only thing that change.  She can gain additional, sometimes permanent skills that allow her to adapt to her environment and any situation she finds herself in (i.e. A locket can be used as a distraction tool to fool a guard or mark, while a special dagger transforms her into a large, walking vase.  Since a vase is empty and doesn't move, the untrained eye can pass her by or miss her).

Game Mash-up Presentation

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B5jRjeihBgSQY2Q1OWRkYjQtODA0OS00ODMwLWE1NDMtNmQzMDEyMzU3NGNi&hl=en&authkey=CNS_1a0E