An integral part to any game design is the overall concept and the story/plot. A game can have stellar graphics and great gameplay, which may work for online competitive multiplayer games like Overwatch or Valorant, though the greatest games do not solely rely on those things. RPGs in particular require a good concept and story, and also remain my favorite type of game because they can completely emerge/immerse players into an entirely new world and as a different character, within a suspenseful storyline. Delving into entirely new worlds and playing through engrossing narratives, or playing through various missions and conquests, is far more memorable and impactful on players than merely shooting away at other players in online co-ops. In those type of games, matches become repetitive, dull, and forgettable or enraging. On the other hand, a good story in a game can teach a variety of lessons or just be a fun experience full of surprise and adventure. What makes a good story though? Every story must remain logical and avoid major holes or gaps in the story or events. However, especially with things like fantasy and sci-fi, it is okay to veer away from realism and stretch certain ideas even if they may not be scientifically plausible in our modern world. This adds a new layer to the game and makes an experience unique and different from what we are used to in real life, also making it a better escape from reality. However players may obsess on details that are not well explained or may not be believable, so things have to be integrated and conveyed in a way that does not halt the players attention and sense of immersion. A good story also involves plot twists and surprises. Audiences wont enjoy stories that are predictable and follow too many cliches or basic, two-dimensional, plotlines. There should be suspense and intrigue in what happens next, without players rolling their eyes or feeling like the story is shallow. Another important thing is developing relatable characters with flaws and shortcomings. This way the players are not overpowered or against unstackable odds, and also can feel more connected to their protagonist that they're playing as, increasing the immersion and making a more memorable/impactful experience. This is also important with villains. Villains often fall under a power-craving cliche, as I would call it, where they are shallow and just want to rule the universe or obtain some sort of power. However adding more depth to the villains motives and viewpoints can help boost the concept and storyline. Adding side characters that work well in conjunction with the main characters or storyline is also crucial. Creating balanced power systems. Especially in fantasy magic books, it is important to have a magic or power system that is not overpowered for certain characters and that makes sense with no discrepancies. This is important to the gameplay and keeping the game balanced and believable. Being unique. Overall the most important critique is to make the game stand out from others, while also to absorb some of the best elements inspired from other games, shows, or books. In a nutshell:
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In class, we have begun working in Unity Engine, and completed the Unity Essentials Pathway. Working in Unity felt like looking back at a bunch of features we have learned how to create or use previously throughout this class, and finding them all in one place to create a game. What amazed me most was the amount of overall capability and features. The engine also ran surprisingly smoothly, while I thought it would be a computer killer. Another thing I found incredible was that editing the code in the Microsoft IDE, and saving it, directly changed the unity editor and added new properties or features.
The thing I found easiest to do was making the pachinko game with the sprites. Sprites were relatively simple to use since they are 2D and there weren't many advanced properties. Working in 3D is undoubtedly more complicated, though 2D would work well for a simple game or prototyping. On the other hand, what I found hardest was working with programming. Although it didn't have us use super advanced code, and told us the basic scripts to input, I did not fully understand the reasoning or foundations of how the code worked and adding my own independent modifications was difficult, such as increment rotation to my platform. Overall, the unity engine seems a perfect place to compile and develop a game, and is loaded with features. It gave me a good first impression and I did not find any debilitating problems. The UI was relatively well organized, and easy enough to navigate, and I did not feel like any crucial elements were missing. The Inspector window made it easy to alter properties, while the project window showed all the assets such as models and materials that I had available and made using them more efficient. I also think it is cool that Unity has discussions forms and promotes community involvement through places like Reddit, to help learn off of other people. The Unity Asset Store is also very cool and makes it easier for new developers or people who cannot develop all assets on their own. Recently digital art has been trending, especially after NFT got recognition for the sale of Beeple, and it has brought up many debates as to if digital art is worth the same as traditional style art, as well as questions regarding its value. In a modern age where technology has opened up so many new opportunities with digital art, I think it is important to adapt and recognize its value, and not discredit it because it isn't made in traditional methods. Why should people continue to be confined to traditional mediums when there is so much efficiency, variety, and potential to digital art? Art is meant to express or convey certain feelings and ideas, or just look attractive, which should not be significantly affected by the means it was made. Digital art has broadened many new horizons and added tons of new potential to the art world. As to if it is worth as much as classical pieces, or is as valuable as traditional art, is up to the buyers/consumers. There is no strict standard as to how to judge art, but I do not think any art should be discriminated against because of how it was made, but rather should be judged on how it looks and makes the viewers feel. Market stigma and bragging rights do often get tied into buying art pieces, and I do not feel like, personally, any piece is realistically worth millions of dollars. Art can take a lot of time and creativity, however, and its value depends on what its worth to those who are buying it. NFT is a sort of certification of authenticity for digital pieces, similar to signatures with traditional or classical pieces. I think NFT is especially important with an art form and in a world where its so easy to copy/replicate art pieces or steal credit for someone else's work. It also helps the buyer and artist get more value out of the pieces. Overall it is awesome to see digital art get accepted and treated in a similar value as traditional/classical paintings, and having a way to certify the authenticity such as with NFT, helps promote this newfound market. Summary:
References: Khalili, Joel. “An NFT Just Sold for $69 Million, Making Beeple the 'Third Most Valuable Living Artist'.” TechRadar, TechRadar Pro, 12 Mar. 2021, www.techradar.com/news/an-nft-just-sold-for-dollar69-million-making-beeple-the-third-most-valuable-living-artist. |
AuthorMy name is Quinn Peterson! I will be reflecting about my art work in this blog! Archives
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