ITC108 Assignment 2 - Game Analysis Value: 30% Due date: 19 th August 2016 Return date: 9 th September 2016 Submission method options EASTS (online) Background Being up to date with the recent trends in the industry is good knowledge to have, but it s not the only thing required to be a good designer. Your new employers want to see how much knowledge you actually have about the structure and definitions of video s. They are particularly interested in your knowledge of play mechanics, formal elements, elements of engagement and system dynamics. You are tasked to write an analysis of a recent ; breaking it down and identifying these elements in detail. Remember your job is on the line; prove you really do know video s. Task You are to select a recent video title and analyse it in terms of its mechanics, formal elements, elements of engagement, and system dynamics. You can use the same from Assignment 1 if you wish and are not restricted to using a AAA. You are not allowed to choose a in Early Access or Beta as these s are incomplete and are subject to large changes. The analysis should address these headings: Part A: Game Structure (20 Marks) Game Mechanics: Core, primary, secondary and tertiary mechanics of the Game Objects: Attributes, Behaviours and Relationships Part B: Formal elements (40 Marks) Players Rules Procedures Resources Objectives Obstacles and Challenges Boundaries Outcome Part C: Elements of Engagement (20 Marks) Premise and Setting Characters Story and Dramatic Arc: How does the story influence the dramatic arc? Challenge and Flow: How is Flow created in the?
Part D: System Elements (20 Marks) Game Feedback Strategies and Balance Submit A single word processed document containing your analysis through EASTS. Further Notes Explanations of these headings can be found in the Game Design Workshop (Fullerton, 2008) Read the task and check the marking criteria on what is needed to address the assignment. The length of the assignment will vary; it is not uncommon to see submissions of 12,000 words or more for High Distinctions. Submissions of 2,000 words or less are not expected to do particularly well. Rationale This assignment has been designed to give the student an opportunity to: be able to identify and describe the fundamental characteristics, basic components and structure of s; be able to explain the notion of play and flow and explain the role of narrative in s; be able to explain the system dynamics of a ; be able to apply knowledge of the basic principles of design to analyse, discuss, and evaluate existing s. Marking Criteria Part A: Game Structure (20 marks) Game Mechanics: Correctly identifies the mechanics of the. Core Mechanic Identified and Core, primary, and secondary mechanics Primary and secondary mechanics and Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Mechanics and Primary mechanics Game Objects: Are the main object fields properly with their attributes, behaviours and relationships? All Important objects fields discuss attributes, behaviours, relationships. Diagrammed showing relationships Most of the main objects fields discusses attributes, behaviours, relationships. Main objects attributes, behaviours and relationships Basic object properties and behaviours
Part B: Formal Elements (40 marks) Players: Player interaction patters and roles are. pattern and pattern and pattern and Subsidiary interaction patterns differentiated from main pattern Subsidiary interaction patterns differentiated from main pattern Subsidiary interaction patterns differentiated from main pattern pattern and Player roles Player roles What type of relationships between players Rules: the general rules that make up the Main constitutive Main restrictive Main determining Main constitutive Main restrictive rules listed and Main determining Main constitutive rules listed Main restrictive rules listed Main determining rules listed Basic list of rules listed that effect play Impact of unwritten rules. Procedures: the difference between procedures and controls and how they relate to mechanics All main procedures relating to mechanics Complex control inputs considered. (menu navigation, item selection, combos) Procedures and relating to mechanics. Complex control inputs considered. (menu navigation, item selection, combos) Basic procedures relating to mechanics Basic procedures of difference between controls and procedures
Resources: the impact of resources on play Concise and comprehensive list of resources identifying utility and scarcity of resources Concise and comprehensive list of resources identifying utility and scarcity of resources Concise and comprehensive list of resources Basic resources Impact of resource utility and scarcity on play Objectives: Discusses s objectives and how they contribute to the progression of the Identifies main, optional and player set objectives Discussion of how objectives contribute to progression of the Identifies main, optional and player set objectives Identifies main, optional objectives Identifies main objectives of the Obstacles and Challenges: Correctly the main challenges of the. Main and subsidiary challenges Impact of challenges on objectives Main and subsidiary challenges and Impact of challenges on objectives Main and subsidiary challenges and Basic challenges and Progression of challenge and Boundaries: Understand the concept of boundaries separating reality and world Physical and conceptual boundaries Possible impact of real life experience can have on play and vice versa Physical and conceptual boundaries Physical boundaries of the Some boundaries Outcome: the main outcome of the Different outcomes Zero-sum vs non zero sum Different outcomes Zero-sum vs non zero sum Different outcomes Basic win/lose outcome End objectives
Part C: Elements of Engagement (20 marks) Premise and Time, place, Time, place, Distinction between Quotes the back of Setting: objective and objective and premise and setting the box motivating problem motivating problem clearly understood how premise clearly explained clearly explained sets the s and related to meaning play. Characters: Identifies all main characters, enemies and their attributes Main characters and enemies ; main protagonist and main antagonist Character dimensions evaluated; Flat/rounded Characters wants, needs and players hopes/fears in relation to characters Main characters and enemies ; main protagonist and main antagonist Character dimensions evaluated; Flat/rounded Main characters and enemies ; main protagonist and main antagonist Every last character and their back story exhaustively described. Or Generalized description Or Only one or two characters briefly described Story and Dramatic Arc: Discusses how the story influences the dramatic arc Detailed aspects of dramatic arc and story and diagrammed with examples Identifies how embedded and emergent narrative aspects of are delivered Detailed aspects of dramatic arc and story Identifies how embedded and emergent narrative aspects of are delivered Aspects of dramatic arc and story Every last detail of the story exhaustively described or only details of the story described. Or Story synopsis highly generalized Challenge and Flow: Discusses how Flow is created in the Identifies how the addresses the characteristics of flow Identifies how the addresses the characteristics of flow Identifies how the addresses the characteristics of flow Examples of aspects of flow in the Examples of aspects of flow in the Examples of aspects of flow in the Diagram of challenge plotted against ability for the
Part D: System Dynamics (20 marks) Feedback: Identifies how the gives feedback to the player and impact on play feedback given with in examples (more than one example). feedback given with in examples (more than one example). feedback given with in examples (more than one example). feedback given Discussion of hidden and open information structures Discussion of hidden and open information structures positive and negative system feedback provided Strategies and Balance: Identifies static and dynamic balance in the and general strategies. Obvious and nonobvious resource transforms of concepts of static and dynamic unit balance Dilemmas in resource utilization Obvious and nonobvious resource transforms of concepts of static and dynamic unit balance Identification of in economy: items of exchange, agents of exchange, methods of exchange Obvious and nonobvious resource transforms of concepts of static and dynamic unit balance Basic and obvious resource transforms Some understanding of the difference between level of difficulty and static unit balance Identification of in economy: items of exchange, agents of exchange, methods of exchange Meta-