Story Telling in Games

Task 1: My Top Ten Games

 

1. Elder Scrolls: Oblivion/Skyrim *   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGzKapvOb_M
2. The Last of Us *  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQWD5W3fpPM
3. Ratchet and Clank * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFQKi6AQ1t4
4. Fallout 3 * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYZpR51XgW0
5. Fifa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnTYVT6lwBc
6. Bioshock * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lmw78t8NgIE
7. FTL: Faster Than Light https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ4FRcu_bjs
8. Jak 2 Renegade * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl7cr8XDA1o
9. Infamous *  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-NBsSfxH30
10. Binding of Isaac: Rebirth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRXY0J2V0f8

* has great story

Task 2: Games that do not have Stories

• Fifa - You simply play football but there is still some elements of story in game modes. Such as career mode where you take control of managing a club and create your own narrative through gameplay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxQLzqpQ9GQ

• Android and IOS games such as Candy Crush, Bejewelled - These games are made to be played in short sessions with constant breaks between them. This means that if the games had an in-depth story that required long play sessions it would be very frustrating for the player. These games are also focused on puzzle gameplay with no conventional video game "characters". Many people play these games because of their ease of access and that they can be played in a person's spare time, on the go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPZ_-nKIuT0

• MineCraft - Minecraft is a game based around the survival of single player or group. There is no overriding story and the narrative is constructed by the gameplay of the players themselves. This freedom of narrative is one of the main reasons that people play Minecraft, as it allows for almost limitless possibilities and varied play sessions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuGG_-eXwXs

Task 3: Difference between video game story and other media

The main difference between video games and film is that in a video game the player actively participates in the narrative. In earlier, more primitive video games, story was told primarily through cutscenes that occurred between gameplay. Now narrative is driven forward through the gameplay, and we see this in games such as The Last of Us which is regarded as one of the greatest games created. This difference between video games and film means that the player feels more closely attached to the experience. This increases the immersion of the consumer, which is both a good thing and a bad thing. It increases the emotions felt by the player and allows them to focus solely on the video game. It also has an effect on controversy surrounding games. This is because in video games the player has an active role in what is happening so some people believe that they therefore assume some of the responsibility of their actions within the video game. This has caused people to speculate that video games can change the way we think by encouraging and us acting out certain behaviour.

 

Task 4: Linear and Non-Linear Game Line

 

Linear Game Line: This is where the story of a game follows a set path and does not allow the player to change the order that the story is experienced.

 

Non-Linear Game Line: This is a game where the player can experience the story in any order they see fit. This usually involves a lot of exploration and freedom. Some examples of these games are The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim and Minecraft.

 

This can heavily impact the story of a game. In a Non-Linear game the player will have more time to interact with the environment and world that the story is set in but it may be more difficult for them to follow a certain storyline. Because of the breaks between story elements the story may become diluted for the player and they may lose track of what has happened. On the other hand if the game is linear the player will very easily be able to follow the main storyline, but they may not be able to immerse themselves into the game world as effectively. Also the lack of freedom in a linear storyline can sometimes be off-putting and an argument could be made for that media being a film rather than a video game. Video games in their essence are interactive and so video games with high levels of freedom such as open world game often enjoy a lot of success. Games like Skyrim, Fallout, Minecraft, the Sims, e.t.c. benefit from being open-ended, so the player can choose to do experience the game as they see fit.



 

Linear and Non-Linear Story Telling

Linear Narrative - This is narrative that follows the chronological order of a classic story structure. This is from beginning, middle to end.

Non-Linear Narrative - This is when the story structure is broken up, often starting in the middle, (heart of the action) then going back to the beginning and finally on to the end. An example of this would be the game Final Fantasy X where the story starts out very near to the end of the story and then goes back and starts from the beginning.

The way a story is told can have a very big difference on the players investment in the story. Video games that start in the middle of the action often grab the attention of players more than those that start at the beginning.

Music Exercise Josh

Music Exercise

Saturn Bomberman: Boss Music

link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18OYxKhxugQ

This music is very serious and brings up a feeling of danger or challenge. It is used when the player has to fight a boss which is tense battle between the boss and the player that lasts for around 5-10 minutes. I love this music as I believe it perfectly captures the emotions and tension of a boss fight.

Fallout 3: Butcher Pete:

link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcA24RTmnF8

This music is very unusual. It is part of a number of songs that are used to create a fictional universe of a dystopian nuclear apocalypse if the cold war had resulted in nukes being dropped all over the world. It uses music called "Big Band" music that has a kind of jazz feel to it. This music is part of a group of music that plays as the player traversing the wasteland that the game is set in. The music itself is incredibly enigmatic because of its upbeat tune but unusually dark subject matter. It is not clear whether Butcher Pete is actually about a serial killer or whether it is a metaphor for a womanizing man who got on the wrong side of the law.

Crash Bandicoot: Theme Music

link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i8qAZOu5-g

This music is very upbeat and exciting. It uses a xylophone or steel drum which makes it sound playful and sets the theme for the "South Sea Island" style of the game. The genre of the game is a fun puzzle platformer and I think that the music sets the tone for the rest of the game.

Don't Starve: Theme Music
link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGO72jL7veU&index=2&list=PL-TSnrPsfhGtH3-4yw8dnYm8U8K-LfYIO
This music is quite creepy but it is also fun and upbeat. It sets the tone for the game as a weird and wonderful adventure which captures the game's style effectively. The game also has a very distinctive and unusual visual and musical style. This theme music fits into this style perfectly with it use of instruments like the xylophone and the organ which are quite unusual and they give an older time period, perhaps around the mid 1900s.

Why are music and sound fx so important to game development?

Music and sound are incredibly important for game immersion. The idea of game immersion is that a game so closely simulates real experiences, that the player is solely concentrated on the game at hand and nothing or little else. Music and sound are an important part of that, as without them the experience would not emulate real life and thus the player's immersion would be broken. This contributes to a more arcade type experience where the player can easily detach themselves from the content that they are experiencing. A prime example of this would be the difference between something like a flight simulator game, where everything is created to closely emulate real life aeroplane flight, and a mobile game such as Candy Crush where resembles more a casino slot machine.

What is waveform,(wavelength, amplitude, frequency) pitch, Hertz, decibel level dB, sound generator (loudspeaker)?

Amplitude is the size of the vibration, and this determines how loud the sound is.  We have already seen that larger vibrations make a louder sound.

Frequency is the speed of the vibration, and this determines the pitch of the sound.  It is only useful or meaningful for musical sounds, where there is a strongly regular waveform.

Wavelength In physics, wavelength is the distance between two successive identical parts of a wave It is commonly designated by the Greek letter lambda (λ).
Hertz is the unit of frequency, symbol Hz

Pitch is the subjective allocation of a sounds frequency on a scale. It relates to how high or low we perceive the sound to be. It is closely related to frequency but is not the exact same.

Decibel level is a measurement of a sounds pressure level. It is measured in relation to the typical threshold of a human ear. Decibels themselves are a measurement of a ratio between two variables.

A Sound Generator is any object that vibrates to produce sound.

What is Foley?

The definition of Foley is:

NOUN

-relating to or concerned with the addition of recorded sound effects after the shooting of a film

Foley usually refers to sound effects that are recorded to replace everyday sound such as the opening and closing of a door or a drink being poured. They are added in the post editing of a film after filming and can be used in various types of media and the best types of Foley integrate seamlessly into the final production.

What is Timbre?

The definition of Timbre is:

NOUN

noun: timbre · plural noun: timbres

-the character or quality of a musical sound or voice as distinct from its pitch and intensity

Timbre is what distinguishes different types of musical note that have the same volume and pitch. For example a guitar and a piano could play the same not at the same volume and pitch but are easily distinguished between. Some things that are different between these things are spectrum and envelope.

The Psychology of Sound

Speech: Speech is often used as a metaphor for the characters themselves. Often the male protagonist in a story will have a very deep and masculine voice. An example of this would be Bruce Willis' character in Die Hard. He has a very deep and gruff voice that exemplifies his tough, stubborn character. It also shows the characters personality with some of the dialect that he uses. His famous phrase of Yippee Ki Yay Mother***ka shows the characters personality as jovial but aggressive. In this clip it also shows the fantastic use of Alan Rickman and his voice for a stereotypical villain. His calm tone to his voice and his slow speech pattern, paint him as a cool collected villain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEOVNmSR7_c

Symbolism: the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. An example of symbolism in films is in American History X where the flashback scenes in the film are exclusively in black and white. There is a lot more symbolism in American History X and the main character Derek is compared to Jesus Christ. In his film Derek goes to prison for a violent crime and reforms his opinions on race and prejudice. This is very similar to Christ dying and being reborn and there is more evidence of this symbolism in Derek's tattoos. Derek has a tattoo saying D.O.C. (Died on Cross) and his swastika tattoo resembles a crooked cross. Sound symbolism in this film is in the climax of the film when the character Danny dies there is a chorus of angelic voices that can be heard. This is to show the Christian Symbolism of the film and to show that this story has a purpose or a moral and is not just random events.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Afx0TAyYTk

Iconography: the visual images and symbols used in a work of art or the study or interpretation of these. In films and video games iconography is often used to create an environment or a setting. For example in a western film or video game you would expect appropriate images. This would things such as saloons, tumbleweed, desert e.t.c. An example of this would be the game Red Dead Redemption that is set in the wild west. The game features wild horses, lassos, Snake oil salesmen and other wild west imagery. This is some music from Red Dead Redemption, it has a lot of stereotypically western sounds and utilizes a bell sound that inspires images of two cowboys dueling with pistols.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpXXfCzSmJQ

3D audio: 3D audio effects are a group of sound effects that manipulate the sound produced by stereo speakers, surround-sound speakers, speaker-arrays, or headphones. This frequently involves the virtual placement of sound sources anywhere in three-dimensional space, including behind, above or below the listener.

Surround Sound: A system of stereophony involving three or more speakers surrounding the listener so as to give a more realistic effect. It allows for more immersion and the illusion that the listener is in the media itself.

Interactive Adaptive Audio: An audio system that is designed to have its pre-determined sonic behavior influenced in response to real-time events, and is comprised of an Interactive Audio Engine and Interactive Audio Data. This is a very vague definition and is explained in more detail on http://www.projectbarbq.com/reports/bbq03/bbq03r5.htm

List a range of music and FX sources
-Newgrounds is an American entertainment and social media website. It primarily features Adobe Flash Animations and browser based games, but it also has pages that cater to art and music. Many users create art and music for the site that can be used copyright free, non-commercially. I personally used some music from Newgrounds in my maths maze game.

-Machinasound.com

-Audiolicense.net

-Soundbible

Using at least 3 of your favourite games explain the purposes of game. e.g. mood, action, suspense, intro sequence, closing sequence, credit sequence, plot advancement, interactive adaptive music?

The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpqSdORmCX4 this is the main theme for the Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. It creates a mood of wonder and discovery which is central to the game's open world. Most of the game is spent exploring the world and discovering new places.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqNf_QVlG6w This is the battle music from the game that plays whenever the main character is fighting someone. It creates tension and suspense, in some cases, as it often plays when the player cannot yet see the antagonist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ATIsqcYP-0 From 1:30 to 2:26 the end game music plays. This invokes a sense of accomplishment and a sense of satisfaction on completing the game.

The Last of Us
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y97u-U0nvJM
This is the main theme for The Last of Us. It is very creepy and invokes feelings of mystery. It sets the tone for a suspense thrilled, story orientated, video game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRv2KVxbeOc
This is a video of the end credits. The music is perfect for capturing the ending to a story. It invokes images of a lone cowboy walking away from whatever events he took part in.

Ratchet and Clank

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1pEl-p0Qf0
This is the sound track to Ratchet & Clank. It is upbeat and fun. The games content is that of a fun, puzzle platformer and is based around the adventure of two protagonists.

What are the legal considerations when obtaining or using music/FX\?

Copyright
-Copyright is law that protects an original work from being used by anyone other than the original creator. It grants exclusive rights to the content, usually for a limited time. This applies to music as well.

Royalties
-Is money paid to a party for the ongoing use of a copyrighted product. The original creator usually agrees on a fixed price for use of certain assets. Unlike other forms of intellectual property, music royalties have a strong linkage to individuals – composers (score), songwriters (lyrics) and writers of musical plays – in that they can own the exclusive copyright to created music and can license it for performance independent of corporates.




Platform Game Progress Week 3

By the end of this week I aim to have finished off all the animations for the enemy characters and created at least the first level of my game. The animations take a lot of time and effort to do but they have to be completed before I can start constructing my levels. Therefore I have decided to only do very simple animation sprites and try to get them done very quickly so I can focus on my level design.

I completed an animation cycle for if the main character falls into a toxic waste pit. I did this by programming the pit so that when it collides with the main character, it destroys the main character object. It then starts an animation sequence that shows the main character drowning in the toxic waste. I then used a timeline to restart the room after the animation plays through once.

This is the animation sequence for the toxic waste pit.

This is the Game Maker code for the object Sludge Pit.


















These are the sprites for the Sludge Enemy object

These are the sprites for the Radiation Crystal collectable object.

 

These are the background sprites for the game.