Author: Evelyn Roberts

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Evelyn: Game Tests

Don’t judge a book by its cover – Sarah’s Game

What was the most frustrating moment? I loved this game but it was sometimes frustrating getting things wrong over and over.

What was your favorite moment? Making connections with people I know. 

Was there anything you wanted to do? See below

If you had magic wand to wave what would you do? See below

What should be improved in next version? I think the game worked well but there could be progressive amounts of background (facts) we learn about people. They still could be completely irrelevant to the quotes; it’s like you’re getting to know somebody but you still may not know what they are going through. Or it could make you connect to and empathize with them more. Just thoughts.

What’s the game’s message? You never truly know what somebody is going through

The game in 3 words: unique & good art

To death do us part – Tori’s Game

What was the most frustrating moment? Nothing!

What was your favorite moment? The attention to detail was so good I loved seeing the themed elements

Was there anything you wanted to do? Have part 2! I want to solve the crime!!

If you had magic wand to wave what would you do? Part 2

What should be improved in next version? I liked your thoughts on box design. Maybe for future iterations have simple instructions (it could be just a phrase). Maybe one of those yellow confidential file folders?? Love this though.

What’s the game’s message? You are the detective. The game in 3 words: wedding murder mystery

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Evelyn: Week 5 Game Ideas

  1. Stocked – A game that teaches users about choosing merchandise specifically for a Boutique storefront. They must learn the balance between budgeting, displaying new lines of products, and investing in other areas of the business.
  2. Geared Up – A puzzle game that teaches players about vehicle mechanics. Depending on the mode, players could choose to either inspect the car to diagnose the problem, or assemble/dissemble vehicles. Players could interact with and learn about parts, their technical terms, and mechanical process.
  3. Wall Street Warriors – A stock market simulator where players are given an initial amount of (fake) money to invest into the market. Stock market trends can reflect reality. There could also be an option with time leap (based off predictions) to see how investment decisions played out in the long run. The goal of this game would be for players to learn about the stock market and gain financial literacy.
  4. Around the World in 80 days – a game intended to bring awareness to different cultures and their traditions. Players must travel to a specified number of locations around the world and collect a culture card from that destination. There are additional spaces along the way that invite players to play mini games, language competitions, or other puzzles.
  5. Diagnostic – A learning aid for medical students. Players are given a list of symptoms through a chat box and must come up with a diagnosis. They may ask the patient chat box questions to try to narrow down their solution. This could also be used for trauma patients – players see a list of symptoms and must take immediate action. quickly gather evidence to make the right call.
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Week 4 Questions

  • what learning games have you played? can you categorize them by the theory of learning types: behaviorism, constructivism, constructivism or social nature? if you played more than one which was the most effective? the most memorable was Mavis Beacon Typing and speed math tests in elementary school. Both of these were behaviorist. Essentially, the goal of both was to make you more effective and fast at a skill.
  • is gamification bullshit, what is ian bogost’s argument and do you agree? where have you encountered it outside of class and what was your experience? Bogust believes that marketing has abused the use of gamification in their business strategy. I disagree with him. I think that applying gamification to business strategy motivates workers and sets practical goals and milestones. Outside of class, I have seen gamification in some e-commerce apps – specifically temu and shein. They utilize mini games in apps to trick users to think they can earn and win free items (when in reality they need to share the app or do some outside marketing for them to win the items). They also use check-in bonuses and points systems.
  • What is a serious game and why aren’t they chocolate covered broccoli? a serious game is a game are intended for education or professional development. Matthew Farber believes chocolate-covered broccoli games are those that poorly engage users and have bad design. Perhaps they do not have game mechanics that are on par with main stream games.

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Evelyn: Game Ideas

  1. Harvesting Hope – a game bringing awareness to food insecurity. Players would choose a limited amount of occupations at the beginning that would determine income level. Players are given limited hours in the day to work and focus on other tasks such as gardening. Players must choose where to spend their money – food, rent, or medicine.
  2. Climate Change – An input game where users would choose different options (like cards against calamity or bitlife). The whole world is at their fingertips, they just have to decide how to treat it. The world gradually becomes more inhabited, challenging players with real life challenges
  3. Cycles- Players would compete to make the post profit. They would need to juggle managing resources, warehouses, distribution, and sales to successfully run their production. How will you react when the supply chain breaks?
  4. GreenDay – (alternate reality game) The earth is filled with so much waste – live at least one week without any waste. Record how you reuse, recycle, and avoid adding to the landfills. Bonus points if you repurpose!
  5. Grammy’s – Be the grandma of the family. Your responsibility is to bring the family together and avoid family drama. Guide conversation, bring the humor, and make good food. Will you hold the family together?
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Week3 Questions

  • how does mary flanagan’s definition of game differ from chris crawford’s as well as the definition crafted by katie salen and eric zimmerman?  To me, Mary Flanagan’s is the broadest definition. Mary Flanagan defines a game as “situations with guidelines and procedures.” Chris Crawford says a game is a “system in which players engage in an artificial conflict, defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable outcome.” Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman say it is “a system in which players engage in an artificial conflict, defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable outcome.” One difference between Mary Flanagan and the others is the fact that she doesn’t specify that it must be artificial.
  • what is an activist game? activist games are designed to change the players mind and promote a social message.
  • go and chess are examples of games that feature “perfect information”, what other games share that feature? checkers and tic tac toe
  • why might chance or gambling games hold spiritual or religious importance to ancient cultures? Perhaps it would be seen as symbolism of the will of the divine.
  • when was the earliest battle between government/ religious groups and games? what modern games can you think of that have been banned or demonized? perhaps in ancient greece and early Christianity. They didn’t like gambling and so games using this mechanic were frowned upon.
  • what is a fox game, and what would be a modern example? a fox game is where the opponents have unbalanced powers or rules working in their favor. Maybe pokemon is a fox game?
  • what was the purpose or intent of the game: Mansion of Happiness? players compete to be the first to reach “happiness,” or heaven, a large square in the center of the board. Progress is attained through good moral conduct in the context of the home.
  • Why do artists from the Fluxus and Surealist movements play games? Why did Surealists believe games might help everyone? They were both interested in exploring art in new ways. The Fluxus movement embraced playfulness, interactivity, and spontaneity and so gaming would be the perfect outlet. Games can be interactive art that draws people together around a social issue. Surealists believed that games would help people break out of the everyday rigidity of life.
  • Changes in what can signal profound changes in games? How were pinball games reskinned during WW2? Cultural changes can lead to game changes. As the US government cracked down on gambling, the gambling-esque features of pinball games had to be altered. (some machines were banned). Players no longer were offered cash rewards but only tokens. This changed the perception of the game from a gambling game to a skill-based game.
  • What statements did Fluxus artists make by reskinning games like monopoly and ping pong? By reskinning Monopoly, they made a critique on capitalism and demonstrated their perspective on the economy. The artists also proved how rules of play can shape our understanding of economics and success.
  • How are artists like Lilian Ball, Marcel Duchamp, Takako Saito, Yoko Ono, Gabriel Orozco and Ruth Catlowusing war games? These artists have use their craft to interactive experiences that allowed players to engage in something that combatted an issue.
  • Why is it important for players to have agency in a critical or serious game? Players must feel that their decisions impact the gameplay and storyline. As defined by Janet Murray, agency is “the satisfying power to take meaningful action and see the results of our decisions and choices.”
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Week 2 Questions

  • what advergames have you played? did they influence a purchase? I have not played any advergames (that I remember) except the ones in class. I doubt I would buy an advergame. However, if it was offered in a QR code or free WITH a purchase of a product, I would be more likely to be impacted
  • why do the advergames tooth protector and escape work? What makes chase the chuckwagon and shark bait fail? In tooth protector, it represented the actual purpose of the product and oral hygeine in general in a fun and casual way. It helps change players minds that oral care is a logical choice rather than moral. The game mechanics of chuckwagon and shark bait had nothing to do with the product. The gameplay was also supposedly forgettable.
  • what does volvo’s drive for life accomplish? It helps players actually visualize the effects (with and without) of the safety features they brag about.
  • what company used in-advergame advertising? Pepsico
  • what was one if the first home-console advergames and what beverage was it for? Pepsiman with Pepsi
  • what makes the toilet training game sophisticated and do you agree? The author believes what makes this game so sophisticated is the mechanic of urinating. I’ve never played this but based off of the description, “sophisticated” definitely isn’t the term I would use.
  • what do advergames and anti-advergames have in common, and what principles do they share? Both aim to persuade players of something and use the interaction of the games to do so. They rely on creating a engaging experience that will leave a good impression on players. Ideally, this experience forces players to think and act towards the product in ways they wouldn’t with a traditional ad. Users also become more invested (time & emotions) in games than they would with a TV ad. They rely on this emotional appeal.
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Mind-changing Game Ideas

  1. Helper’s Hand – A game to encourage volunteering. Players would gather resources and support to target a cause (hunger, elderly, homelessness). Each cause has puzzle-like requirements to tackle it. Once you have tackled the problem, you get a helpers hand badge. There is no winner based on money, resources, etc.
  2. An attention span game. It would be a mobile game that would have daily challenges that would successively challenge the users attention span. The goal of the game is to lengthen user’s attention spans and offering an alternative to doom scrolling.
  3. FOMO: a travel game that sets makes a list of destinations and experiences on your trip that are not as well known. The purpose of this game would be to encourage people experience travel genuinely and show the beauty in locations that aren’t viral or trending.
  4. Algorithm game: a game where players get to control what is on a npc’s phone. There goal is to gradually shift them from their original feed to goal product. They would do this by choosing what posts or reels the sim sees without losing their attention. If the next post is too much of a jump or has information that insults the sim, the player loses and does their product does not get onto the feed.
  5. Recycling day: a game to bring attention to the different types of toxins in everyday materials. Users would essentially “collect” toxins on their app by scanning in something they encounter (tupperware, trash can, tin foil) and the app would give them info on it and a toxin to collect.
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Game Design 2 – questions w.1

  • What are the issues Ian Bogost raises about social games with Cow Clicker? Ian Bogost doesn’t like social games for the following reasons: (1) Enframing contacts from social media is brought into gaming. Friends become resources; (2) The encouragement of compulsivity; (3) Optionalism – the fact players don’t have to play (4) they destroy the time we spend away from them.
  • How do social games like FarmVille enframe friends? Connections and friends become resources to collect and harvest.
  • How do social games destroy time outside of the game? They may punish players for not playing as much or for time away from the game.
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Final question set

  • Question Set 1
    • What is the difference between a “working” and a “display” prototype? A working prototype is for playtesting mechanics and planning iterations whereas a display prototype is for presentation and concept demonstration.
    • What is required of a working prototype, and what might cause one to fail? Working prototypes are intended to receive feedback so it must have the central mechanics that make it playable. To be playable, the rules should be as clear as possible with defined goals and actions. A prototype could fail if it hasn’t been tested enough, has unclear rules, or has mechanics that are not fully interactive.
    • What makes for a good prototype according to Dale Yu? According to Dale Yu, a good prototype should have a clear purpose and focus on key mechanics. It should not overwhelm players with complex designs, rules, or mechanics but start off with simplicity. 
    • What advice from Richard Levy will help you pitch your game? Before the pitch, one must know the audience. He also suggests starting by focusing on the core idea when pitching. Overall, aim for clarity and simplicity while also being prepared to answer challenging questions.
    • Where might you pitch your game? Conferences, kickstarters, investors, game accelerators, publishers, studios, developers, and more.
    • What do publishers look for in a game? Publishers look for a unique and engaging idea they have not seen before. They also keep in mind factors such as marketability, playability, scalability, and game maker reliability.
    • What makes a good set of Rules? Rules are the first impression of a game so they are evidently very important. It should use terminology that is consistent. It should anticipate rare scenarios while also supporting the core experience. Overall, they should be simplified as much as possible.

Question Set 2

  • Describe the best game you’ve made this semester in 200 words? Follow Michelle Nephew’s outline.

Counterfeit Couture is a competitive game about buying and selling fashion items of hidden value at high-stake auctions. The goal of the game is to end with the highest net value as you win expensive pieces and sell off less valuable pieces. From bluffing to bidding, invest in your fashion collection and watch your net worth grow! The game is intended for ages 8+, with 3-6 players, and a game experience of about 45-90 minutes. 

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Game Maker Notes of Counterfeit Couture v.2

Play Tested: Reece, Tori, Alana, Alyssa

What questions did players have? I need to edit the rules a bit to make sure it clarifies everything well. Perhaps add a quick game summary. I didn’t clearly explain value cards. They also asked which way to go around the board.

How quickly did they learn? Relatively quickly but it helped that somebody there had played before.

What kind of interactions did they have? Bluffing, selling, buying, tricking

What confused players? Value cards would’ve been confusing without a good explanation.

What excited players? Bidding and selling. They wanted more opportunities to sell their stuff. I will add another opportunity.

What did they enjoy doing? Seeing real objects for sale. Buying them just because they looked cool

What frustrated players? I think bidding in a circle may be unnecessary. It could function as a normal auction style.

Other Notes: I need to specify what happens if there is a tie in blind bids (becomes open bid between the two tied players). I previously thought private auctions needed a minimum bid. After this play test, I don’t think I do. The game should end when the first player gets back to start (or when fashion cards run out).

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Documentation of The Birds and the Beavers

We have not made any changes after this original prototype.

If I were to make further iterations of this, I would make minor mechanics tweaks and then enhance the design. First, I would add the ability to trade in useless resources for one players want at a 4:1 ratio. I would also add the ability to collect your teammates lives for them (but if they are dead they stay dead). Next, I would specify that a player does not need to roll the exact number to land in their teams home and place resources. Other than that, all changes would be cosmetic. I would flip “The Birds” and “nest” so it would be facing the birds team. I would make the board out of a thicker material and all of the spaces would be indented for the resource pieces to fit in like a puzzle. The resource pieces would be hexagonal. Perhaps the Player Icons could be little birds and beavers.

The game worked very well. Mechanics worked and the game was cute. With these minor tweaks, it would be a great game! I would be interested in taking it further.

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Dare the Deep Documentation

I changed the number you have to roll to be successful. Originally you must roll a sum of 1-6; I changed it to 1-8. I also changed the strictness of when you have to drop your treasure and keep diving. I let players choose to stop rolling but stay on their bubble.

I think this game has a fun metaphor that could be fun for a kids game but the mechanics need some work. I think their are a couple of options to do this. Perhaps players must complete 2-3 objectives from their dives. I should also clarify that objectives are not fulfilled until the treasure is brought to the surface. Something to consider could be changing the success of dives depending on the depth of the water. Example. from bubbles 1 to 3, you are successful if you roll a sum of 10. from bubbles 4-6, you are successful if you roll a 1-8… This way, we continue the metaphor and increase the feeling of productivity. I should alter the rules to let divers choose to stop on bubble and end their turn. If they lose a roll, they must swim up and NOT drop their treasure. Perhaps only the treasure from the last “checkpoint” can be brought up? Sorting out these mechanics would need further game tests.

Overall, the game would make a cute kids game that incorporates risk mechanics. However, the mechanics definitely need the most work out of all of my game prototypes.