Game Design! ? (◄ █ ►)

[1DVD4D2UDK]

What makes games fun, immersive & interesting to play?

I recently found this video about game design:
Jonathan Blow: How Mainstream Devs Are Getting It Wrong

I think we're doing it right!

[Shroudeye]

A more "Gamer" take on the exploration subject the above video was discussing: "Have single-player FPS gone backwards?" by TotalBiscuit, where he plays Shadow Warrior, and comments on modern vs. oldschool FPS.

Also, I've been reading this book from Jesse Schell, "The art of Game Design". I suggest it to everyone interested in game design, it is a really good read.

[1DVD4D2UDK]

I tend to agree with you, while the narrative is a bit repetitive - it does stress some very good points about new FPS games lacking the freedom and necessity of exploration - to involve the player in the games level of design and the thought put into it, for them to successfully complete the missions and not be bored while doing it!

Also, I've been reading this book from Jesse Schell, "The art of Game Design". I suggest it to everyone interested in game design, it is a really good read.

Cool!
Thanks Shroudeye, I'll have to check that out.

As mentioned before, 'I think we're doing it right' - and will hopefully inspire others to do the same!

On another note, while doing a bit of impromptu market research - I found this bit of gaming lit that should be of interest to all, not to mention exercising your facial muscles with some gaming humor.

BALANCING ACT - Read more...
In addition to their target hardware, developers also need to decide on a minimum specification or "min spec" for running their game. This presents its own challenges and headaches but is necessitated by economics.

"To a certain extent, it's a process of driving the bus over weaker and weaker bridges until one of them collapses."

"It's the slowest, most annoying system that you intend to support with your game," Georgeson said. "(You have to) figure out how far back in time you'll want to support (hardware) in order to get the biggest audience share you can get."

While I didn't read the whole article, I found it useful for gaining some incite into regular retail gaming development.

[Trent Hawkins]

This is getting very interesting. I was intrigued to buy some of the books in the UnreaL Engine series on game development, and the whole involvement becomes more of a reality for me as I progress through my career in physics. In other words that is indeed a cool reference Shroud, many thanx from me too. Will get around it ASAP.

[Shroudeye]

You are welcome, guys!

[1DVD4D2UDK]

Yeah, thanks!

An general space saving idea I had for displaying much more technical data in the terminals using far less file size than images is to use a common industrial font that includes chemical, mineral, schematic, and mathematics or symbol characters, similar to 'Segoe UI Symbol'.

Since TrueType vector fonts look good at almost any resolution or distance, the quality and crispness of the displays would be easy to implement - that is if the ScaleForm interfaces can use system fonts, but if the UDK would still need to import and convert the fonts to be used into bitmap raster fonts - then I can't say yet exactly how much space would saved or what the resulting quality would be.
I would presume we'd be importing and converting the fonts we need at the specific sizes we'll be using.


File size 15k

While not an exact structure, it is very close.
Using less than 256 characters!

Example:

Code: Select all

                         O    ONa
                         || ╱
                  O ᚔ P
              ╱          ╲
H₂C = C              O   ONa
              ╲     ╱ ← this one should be double! :|   
                   P
                   |   ╲
                 ONa   ONa


I'm hoping for this be an easily useable optimization method, if not - oh well, it never hurts to try!

[Trent Hawkins]

B... but... what for is this?

Wait, I read more carefully cool idea for schematics on visuals. However bare in mind that while truetype fonts might save space, so will any vector shape for that matter. so why don't we just draw raster svgs from scratch for that?

[1DVD4D2UDK]

B... but... what for is this?

Wait, I read more carefully cool idea for schematics on visuals. However bare in mind that while truetype fonts might save space, so will any vector shape for that matter. so why don't we just draw raster svgs from scratch for that?

It seems there are many specific trade offs to be considered while constructing Scaleform content: Bitmaps vs. Vector graphics

The basic gist is to use minimal elements & effects, while only being updated when an entry changes - instead of at every frame, which is the default setting for most content.

Animated displays are the most expensive assets, but the coolest to see - as in the awesomely cool displays sushi.ha did in his D1-Level1 for ut2004, using flat animated sprite/particle meshes similar to the vector graphics in Scaleform.

So, obviously - balance is the key to creating cool useable content with Scaleform.

Jesse Schell: http://artofgamedesign.com/

[1DVD4D2UDK]

I know this is a bit late in development for the MP version, but I had an idea that just might be worthy of inclusion - and wouldn't take much to add, the idea is simply a hexagonal shape embedded in the Pyro Shield Technology.

As a visual reference, I submit this old desktop image from DA's khaiwraith


http://khaiwraith.deviantart.com/art/My-Latest-Desktop-49494168

[sigma]

This solution - the use of honeycomb as a graphic effect is already causing too much well-defined associations with other games. Many pall already, in my opinion. I play a lot of Crysis, and on the honeycomb protective and topic I have only been associated with the Crysis.
In Descent has been his trademark shield - electrical discharges run over the surface of the sphere. This topic should have to outperform in a modern, fresh way, in my opinion. Maybe consult with professional designers ...