Quantum Superconductor Race Track

The Cool Gadgets - Wipeout 2048 PS Vita Game: Quantum Superconductor Race Track

If only I had this technology at my fingertips!

Additional Kit

I've brought in a few more bits and pieces for my next track design iteration. I now have:

• A second (duplicate) polystyrene ball ready for some head to head Player vs Player action!
• Loo Roll tube for making a tunnel section
• Some decent tape so I can stick the board tiles together and/or to a table so it remains nice and flat
• Two cut lengths of wood which have the perfect curved bevel dimensions for the ball to use as a rail and -with player care- will travel all the way along it. I am hoping to mix up the track layout a bit more this time round by altering variables such height/size and type of obstacle/challenge I pose to the player.
• Some ready-made "Flickies" - It may be a bit of a whim but I have a hair-brained idea in mind for these little chicks. All will hopefully be revealed later on!

Evaluation

Here is a summary of my observations and findings so far: -

• The small polystyrene ball works best in terms of speed and amount of effort expended by the player to make it move.
• The raised wall buffers adequately and effectively prevent the ball from falling off the track.
• Sonic Wings appears to be accessible and appealing to different player types. It is easy to pick up and play immediately (instant entertainment) regardless of age or skill set.
• A mix of obstacles make gameplay more challenging, varied and interesting without becoming frustrating or impossible to pass.

"Most people would agree that one thing that engages them in a game is challenge. What do they really mean by challenge, though? They don’t simply mean that they want to be faced with a task that is hard to accomplish. If that were true, the challenge of games would hold little difference from the challenges of everyday life. When players talk of challenge in games, they’re speaking of tasks that are satisfying to complete, that require just the right amount of work to create a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment." (Fullerton, 2008. p86)

• Players seem to prefer (and enjoy) the physical interactivity of manipulating the ball with a straw, as it gives them better control in terms of speed and direction.
• Spectators like to gather round and watch other people play...

"In addition to thinking about categories of play and types of players, the level of engagement can also vary; not all players need to participate at the same level to find the same enjoyment. For example, spectators might find watching sports, games, or other events more satisfying than playing them. We don’t tend to think of designing games for spectators, but the truth is, many people enjoy games in this way. How many times have you sat and watched a friend make their way through the level of a console game, waiting for your turn at the controls? Is there a way as a designer to take this spectator mode into account when designing the play?" (Fullerton, 2008. p93)

• The game requires concentration - players appear to automatically 'get in the zone' and stay focused, eyes fixed on the ball.
• Sonic Wings does work as a Single Player game. However, the experience is totally different without an audience - it lacks the feeling of pleasure and achievement derived from showing off in front of your friends and the banter it generates.

Track Design Notes

• Track Width

...making the road wider will make corners easier as it creates a more obtuse angle for the clipping points and also provides some forgiveness in the track design.

...each lane should be 1.6 car widths wide, allowing three cars to be side by side in two lanes with a very minimal distance separating them... This makes the player take a risk by taking this strategically powerful position -- especially around corners where the lateral force will be trying to pull the vehicle's mass against the player's will. Having a wider section of track used for a corner will allow for more margin for error. Wider corners also give experienced players more ability to apply longitudinal force as the race line can become far more smooth.

• Camber

...on-camber turns allow for impossible corner entry and exit speeds, designed to empower and reward [players] for little input.
...off-camber corners ultimately require more from the player in terms of practice and hence is not suited to an arcade environment.
Ideally, all corners will be on-camber, as this allows for some bold and empowering cornering.

• Height Variation

...a purely emotional component of both track design and level design in general. Limited line of sight will result in the player being anxious, as they are less able to plan ahead. When the player has increased line of sight, they feel empowered, as they are able to easily plan their moves several steps in advance.

From an emotional perspective, height variation makes tracks interesting.

• Needle Threading

...a needle threading corner is one which provides a very wide corner entry point, an ideal clipping point (just one) and then the perception of a very narrow corner exit.

Needle threading corners have significant emotional value, and often give the perception of mastery for the players who are able to achieve them. Just like anything in game design, it is all about making the player look better than they actually are.

In Figure 21, you can see how the corner exit becomes noticeably wider than the entry, meaning that the ideal clipping point can be much earlier in the corner designs. The addition of the barricade is the illusion that the player needs to embellish their actions and make them feel empowered.

...creating an empowering experience with a set of design heuristics, based on the five metrics of track design:

• The use of straightaways needs to be implemented in such a way that the player is never able to significantly overshoot the ideal corner entry speed.
• Corners need to be progressively tighter to ensure that players are able to have close to ideal corner entries.
• The standard deviation in speed should be quite narrow, ideally within a plus or minus 30 percent region.
• track markings are essential to creating a sense of speed.
• Needle threading corners should be used to provide a sense of awe for the player and embellish their skills.
• All corners should be on-camber.
• Height variations should always be used in track design to create emotional diversity. Rapid changes in height should be avoided though.
• Use straights to create "punctuation" for the player. Separate corners using landmarks or iconic features to aid this.

McMillan, L. (2011) A Rational Approach To Racing Game Track Design. [Online] Gamasutra: Available at:
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134845/a_rational_approach_to_racing_game_.php
(Accessed 28/02/12)

Reading Excerpts

I thought I'd post a selection of useful quotes taken from some of the module readings that were suggested to us. I am trying to keep in mind the advice given here throughout the course of the project.

"Games are always just systems waiting to be understood. Fun is in the learning, and the payoff is in our influence over these systems. But a player wields influence only through game mechanics. Anyone would agree that by adding mechanics we inevitably complicate the player's influence over their world. But while game mechanics always add complexity to player input, they rarely alter game output."

"Players simply don't enjoy a game about everything. High mechanic counts dilute a title's identity and possibility for engagement."

"It's important to settle on the game's overall feel before deciding on any game mechanics. It's not acceptable to add features and make sure the resulting play aesthetic is okay. Instead, we must engineer the correct mechanics to fit a certain feel. As long as the game has this good overall thrust, no errant mechanics can steer the vision from the goal."

"For a mechanic to be completely successful, a game should fully exhaust its possibilities for fun. Players feel clever when they learn to use one mechanic for multiple purposes. They get a better handle on the game system, and gain a better appreciation for its consistency. They'll feel satisfied only when they've exhausted several well-designed mechanics."

Rose, J. (2008) Fewer Mechanics, Better Game. [Online] Gamasutra: Available at:

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3621/fewer_mechanics_better_game.php

(Accessed 23/11/11)

"Level design is the meat and potatoes of game design, where the designer crafts
the moment-to-moment user experience. In level design, the game designer finally
starts using all of the knobs and variables they asked the programmers to build.
Tweaking these variables in different combinations, the game designer hopes to
make a fun experience with just the right amount of challenge. The game designer
must be willing to make levels with only a partial set of tools while waiting for the
game to be fleshed out. Often these levels must be trashed later as new features
become available. But constantly exploring the potential and limitations of the game
system as it is built will help keep the game on track and focused on the most
important features—those that actually make the game fun." (p.41)

"Here are some general guidelines and approaches for designing levels:

• Be empathetic 
• If you can’t beat your level, then it’s waaaaaaaay too hard 
• Design for the general audience, not the hardcore 
• Ease players into the game 
• Don’t forget to challenge players 
• Build levels around a central concept 
• Teach players to play the level 
• Give players room to explore 
• Occasionally break your own rules (carefully) 
• Create a plan 
• Vary your levels 
• Refine, play and refine 
• Playtest" (p.42)

Trefry, G. (2010) Casual Game Design: Designing Play For The Gamer In All Of Us. Burlington: Elsevier.

"If players feel that an individual game mechanic 'isn't giving them a good enough challenge,' or feel that 'the mechanic is fun at first but gets old quickly,' you need to add depth to your mechanics.

• Buzzwords to watch for: A given game mechanic is 'too shallow,' 'too easy,' or 'flat.' Often players will say the mechanic started out fun, but that it quickly got repetitive or boring.
• It's a good idea to pump up the theatrics when you get feedback like this, but while it might help players tolerate a mechanic for longer, it will only go so far. When theatrics fail, it's time to knuckle down, roll up your sleeves, and get to work on making your game mechanic deeper."

"[Depth] To me, it describes a sweet spot -- that point during a game where the player can repeatedly display his mastery of a game mechanic. Challenges never stay the same long enough to be boring and yet they also don't change so fast that the player can't enjoy his mastery over the game...In my experience, in order for a game mechanic to be deep it needs two very important things:

• It needs clear objectives, so the player knows what he has to do to succeed. Confusion and obfuscation tend to make players feel like a mechanic is LESS deep once they find themselves needing to experiment randomly to win.
• It needs a variety of Meaningful Skills that you, as a game designer, can use to create good challenges for the player and that the player in turn can use to achieve mastery over the game."

Stout, M. (2010) Evaluating Game Mechanics For Depth. [Online] Gamasutra: Available at:

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134273/evaluating_game_mechanics_for_depth.php

(Accessed 29/11/11)

"Many games are directly focused on use of tools... It can even be argued that all video games that use standard console controllers or PC keyboard and mouse are building our hand/eye coordination and tool use skills. New interface devices are expanding the possibilities even further beyond hand tools. It's interesting to note that so much of Physical Fun is tied in some way to our upright posture that freed the use of hands millions of years ago... These interface devices also make real-world interaction between players at the same console more dynamic, a factor that is very relevant to social survival skills."

"[On the appeal of a racing game] ...we can see that the basic physical appeal of learning to move as quickly as possible, the social appeal of competing with our peers and gaining status and recognition, and the mental appeal of perceiving constantly changing patterns in the midst of a race and acting on them instantly and correctly all connect back to our prehistory."

Falstein, N. (2004) Natural Funativity. [Online] Gamasutra: Available at:
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130573/natural_funativity.php?page=3
(Accessed 28/02/12)

More Playtesting

This is the last playtesting session I will conduct with the current track set-up. We just quickly tried out a couple of minor things - you will see Michael and Jack testing a heaver ball (made of compacted paper) and the effect of blowing through two straws instead of one. Neither alternative was any good...

Is it Winnable?

I needed to check that the chute worked efficiently and the difficulty level was about right. Dan and I had played numerous times before (we may have an unfair advantage or slightly improved on our ball control skill) so I wanted to bring someone else in who was completely new to the game.

Sully was happy to prove that the challenge was no match for him...

And just in case anyone doubted it...

Plugging the Gaps

Something playtesting helps to highlight is oversights you didn't even consider when developing a level or track layout. In the previous playthrough, Dan struggled when the ball rolled backwards and got stuck under the chute. To avoid this happening in future, I used a spare plastic pizza tripod and wedged it into the gap. This is only a temporary solution but the issue is now something I will keep in mind when creating the finished prototype.

More Playtesting

I rope in my trusty and loyal sidekick 'Demo Dan' to give the chute idea a shot...

Hmm. Lets see if I can do any better...

Nope. I just looks like I'm having a seizure.

I adjust the chute angle in an attempt to make it easier to beat. I've also moved the built up section so it's out the way of the main straight to get a good long run up. I try the new arrangement out myself before others have another a go...

I'm pretty sure it's not as hard as I made it look (but I was holding a camera in one hand), although there's definitely a nice sense of challenge. You can probably tell from the video that I was feeling more than a little pleased with my personal victory.

So now it's Dan's turn again...

Collaborative Brainstorming

Two second year students - Ross and Sean - help by giving me some friendly advice 

and track making tips...

Cheers guys!

Track Add-ons - Start/Finish Points

In true Blue Peter style I made use of some toilet rolls to build a prototype chute for the game's finish line. I also quickly cut out a large gold ring so - in keeping with the original Sonic the Hedgehog game - players have to 'jump' up and go through to hoop to finish the level. It's currently still only in a raw state so not very aesthetically pleasing, but at least people can hopefully associate it more easily with the original digital game even this early on.

The other component I have in the game at my disposal is the 'lollipop checkpoint'. I will use something like this to denote where the player can re-start from if the ball ever accidentally flies off the track. For the time being, I will also use this object to mark the lap starting point. It is only attached by cellotape so I can re-position the checkpoint wherever I like.

Feedback Received!

I found a nice surprise waiting for me when I came back into uni after the weekend. Not only had my prototype not been eaten (always a bonus), someone had been kind enough to leave a comment on my makeshift form!

I wasn't honestly expecting anyone to give it a try without being asked so it's nice to know the game is getting some attention. I've now printed out some proper playtest sheets so if people do walk by it again and are willing to spend just a few minutes filling one out, I'll at least have something a bit more comprehensive and detailed to take into account during iteration.

Note that I have also heeded the request to supply a basic set of instructions on how to play. Although I was initially trying to leave the set-up rule-free in an attempt to get players suggesting their own ideas, I can understand that this is too vague and not providing any guidelines at all gives the game no meaning.

Sonic Website Worth Checking Out

Everything a Sonic fan needs or wants to know is available here...

Go to soniczone0.com

And this is certainly something I will be looking into!

Playtesting - Straw or Paddle?

 Paddle Test 

 Straw Test

In Retrospect

When I returned to the games lab later that afternoon (feeling a little out of breath from all the earlier huffing and puffing), I was telling one of my classmates - Dan - how I'd been getting on and mentioned about how tiring and impractical it was to play. I was stating I'd need a square table, allowing players to run around the track more easily (as we'd been using a rectangular one previously). He immediately wanted to see it in action and give it a go himself. So I set the track up again but this time, on a small square table. Just for fun and something new to try, I added a few random bits and pieces I'd previously rummaged out of the interior design classroom bins...

Then an idea came from out of the blue...

Did we need to use straws or could there be another way of moving sonic that did not require bending down so closely to the surface in order to get decent forward momentum and control of the ball?

I immediately grabbed a piece of long card and began to flap it rapidly behind the ball in an up-down motion. It produced the effect I wanted and with much less physical contorting involved. This has opened up many more possibilities using different equipment to 'power' the ball in future iterations.

The Sonic Test Track

In the photos below you can see the finished basic track complete with side buffers.

We experimented with different 'Sonic' balls and straw sizes. First impressions were that it is rather tiring trying to run around a table whilst expelling air from your lungs as hard as you could (even the non-smokers struggled!). However, intial playtesting seemed to prove there is a solid enough concept and compelling gameplay experience here to take further.

 

Rob tries to ramp up the difficulty level by throwing in all the game equipment pieces 

(dice, counters etc.) he can find, but the balls are so light they don't make much of an obstacle for the player to overcome.

I start a touch of landscaping to see if artificial grass can do better. Sadly, Sonic lives up to his name and is not deterred.

Next I trial some more sturdy/impenetrable barriers. These work nicely! 

Sonic assesses the situation ahead...

Modularity Breeds Variety and Replayability

Before I started to fold my cardboard sections, I experimented to see how many different track layouts I could come up with and achieve (with only a small number of sections in just two different shapes) by laying them out...

Raiding the Craft Shop (and Takeaway Pizza Boxes!)

We're lucky enough to have a well-stocked craft shop in the centre of town. On my shopping list was:

• Something round and/or furry to use as Sonic (ideally in a range of different sizes and weights to experiment with)
• A straw to blow/move sonic round the track
• Gold, shiny material to build the gold rings out of
• Anything that I could use as a potential obstacle or hazard

It's amazing how you can also get inspiration and ideas from stupid little things you find at home (and which most normal people throw away!)

My first supply forage yielded the following items...

 

Variety of balls. Top left to right: Dismantled cat toy; Dismantled Weepul; Orange Pom Pom (they were out of blue sadly); Small polystyrene ball; Large polystyrene ball (x2); Small compacted paper ball

Drinking straws x 2: 1 large (courtesy of KFC Krushems); 1 small (just your average drinking straw)

Plastic pizza tripods (courtesy of Pizza Hut)

Variety of shiny materials. Left to right: Gold card (A4) ; Gold metal strip; Gold wire (4 metres)

Basic Modular Track Templates

Simple cardboard sufficed for some basic cutouts of straights and corner sections. Initially, I only want to see if the basic premise is feasible. i.e. will a ball of some description be able to roll around at reasonable speed without falling off the circuit and is it any fun? The other reason for using a low-cost yet robust material is because I am bound to make quite a lot of changes to the layout or assembly, plus it will no doubt take a bit of a beating during playtesting so I don't want to waste time and money on anything more expensive or complicated to adapt.

 Straights x 4

 Corners x 4

Concept Sketches and Notes V0.2

Initial Concept Sketches and Notes V0.1

Project Considerations

I took a few things into consideration before deciding on the existing IP I would work with and how I would go about re-imagining it in a non-digital format:

1. Familiarity - It had to be a video game I had played a lot (ideally completed) and felt very familiar with. If I already know everything it has to offer, there are fewer uncertainties or aspects of the game that need extra investigation before commencing. First-hand experience will allow me to competently evaluate the original game and relate to it honestly from a players perspective - especially in terms of aesthetics - rather than attempting to pick a game I hardly know and attempt to research/identify with it purely for the purpose of this assignment. I want to choose something I have fond memories of playing as a child - a title that has left a lasting impression - and thoughtfully consider the reasons why.
2. Simplicity - I didn't want to develop a board game with an over-complicated rule set. My last two non-digital concepts fell prey to this despite knowing that usually, the simplest ideas are usually the best. Nobody wants to read pages of instructions, they just want to get on with it and start playing. The last thing you want to do is scare people off, or worse - bore them to death before the game has even begun! 
3. Physical Play - This time round I'm going to try and make something immediately more energetic and appealing compared to the idea of sitting sedentary at a table, rolling dice and pushing counters round a board (nothing wrong with this type of game but they need a good 'hook' to be anything special or new).  Surely there are far more interesting ways for players to interact with a game space and manipulate control of their pieces (even if I can't utilise a Wii controller or Kinect)? By approaching the design challenge from this angle I hope to produce a working prototype that involves/demands active player movement, speed and dexterity - I want this aspect of the game to be fun in itself (regardless of rules, age, skill set, duration of play etc.) so it provides instant entertainment to anyone who gives it a go.
4. Object Play - During one of our lectures we had a discussion about how people naturally play with everyday objects, sometimes even without consciously realising it (tipping back and balancing on a chair, arranging a pile of paperclips in order of colour to name but a few examples) and that these activities often only need rules applied to them to turn them into a potential game. This theory stayed with me - I decided I wanted to incorporate a tangible object (or tool) that when presented to the player, they would intuitively how to use it and for what purpose. From my perspective, I also want to play with building something out of a mixture of physical components during development in true "here's one I made earlier" Blue Peter style!

Video Game Brainstorm

Below is a list of games I wrote down and considered using as the inspiration for my non-digital game adaptation. They made the list because I thought they would make an interesting concept to translate and/or I had played the game and felt familiar with it:

• Minesweeper
• Attic Attack
• Tetris
• Paperboy
• Prop Cycle
• It Came From the Desert
• Angry Birds
• L.A. Noire
• Nights
• Super Mario Sunshine
• Sonic the Hedgehog (!)

Sony Presentation: What Makes a Game?

Watch slide presentation movie

Blogging Commences!

Although we're already quite a few weeks into this assignment for the Design Masterclass module, I've decided it will be easier to log the iterations of my non-digital game using an online blog rather than having to condense everything down into ten minutes worth of PowerPoint slides at the end.

The first few posts will include the initial presentation brief provided by Sony at ARU in February. I will then quickly recap on the work I have already carried out - this includes my initial concept notes, photos of the initial prototype set up, plus a few photos and videos of playtesting so far. From here on in, I shall try to keep you regularly updated on progress as and when it happens.

I hope you enjoy following this blog. I am aiming to give you a good insight into the games design process through my first-hand experiences - including the good, the bad and the ugly! Everything should come across reasonably clear and self-explanatory but please feel free to comment and/or ask any questions you may have at any time. Thanks!