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Unit 8 - Game Development Assignment 1 Distinction
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Unit 8 - Game Development Assignment 1 Merit Grade For the first assignment in game development. Graded as a distinction.
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Computer Games Development 21-22Assessmen
t 1 Unit 8
Name Here
Name Here
, A1 Social trends in computer gaming
Social trends relevant to computer games,
including:
Popular genres
1 FPS
FPS (First Person Shooter) games are games that always have a first-person camera angle and mainly
has the player shooting enemies, hence the name FPS (first-person shooter). The graphics in FPS
games have improved significantly throughout the years, for example the first DOOM in 1993
compared to the latest title, DOOM eternal. The setting for FPS games is usually either post-
apocalyptic, futuristic or war themed, mostly having the player face other players in team-based
gunfights or against enemies such as zombies in modes more focused on a single-player experience.
Some examples of FPS games include:
Call of Duty
DOOM
Wolfenstein
Rainbow 6
2 Strategy
Strategy games focus on skilful decision making and planning. They usually involve players having
to outthink their opponents to win. They also sometimes involve economic and world-based
challenges that require the player to find solutions to realistic problems. New technology has helped
strategy games become popular because they available almost everywhere, from phones to consoles
to PCs, meaning the player-base has grown exponentially.
Some modern examples of these are:
Command and Conquer
Bloons Tower Defence
Clash Royale
StarCraft
,3 Sport
Sport games focus on simulating real world sports, such as football and basketball, in a virtual space
where players can play against each other like they would in real life. New technology has helped
sports games become more popular because inventions like the Nintendo Wii allow people to use
their whole bodies to simulate playing sports from the comfort of their homes
Some modern examples of sports games are:
FIFA
Wii Sports
PES
Golf World Tour
4 Adventure
Adventure games have the player take control of a protagonist in a story-driven journey
focused on exploration and puzzle solving. The games are usually very narrative based and have
a fairly linear path that the player must go to reach the end. Developments in technology have
helped this genre grow recently through the increase in spec on modern PCs and consoles, which
allows the developers to have much more freedom to create larger adventures with more content
for the players to interact with.
Some examples of adventure games are:
Tomb Raider
The Last of Us
The Legend of Zelda
, Sunset Overdrive
5 Fighting
Fighting games focus on usually two players in close combat until one is defeated or until the time
runs out. They usually take place in a restricted environment where the players cannot leave and
must fight to win the game. Developments in technology have helped fighting games become
popular because in the past, fighting games were only available via big expensive arcade machines
but now you can play the same, if not better, games on your phone or computer.
Some modern-day examples would be:
Street Fighter
Mortal Kombat
Tekken
Super Smash Bros
Players, e.g. age range, gender, casual gamers, immersive gamers,
themes
Age, Gender – Some games are focused on appealing to different age ranges to provide something
that is suitable for them. For example, call of duty is rated PEGI 18 because it’s too violent for
someone below the age of 18. Some games appeal to only one gender with mainly masculine or
feminine themes, but most appeal to both genders with a neutral theme that both genders can
enjoy.
Immersive gamers – Gamers that spend a lot of time playing certain games to get immersed in the
world, story and characters
Casual gamers – Gamers that play games casually just to have fun or kill time and don’t usually care
about winning or losing.
,Professional Teams (E sports) – Very skilful gamers that spend a lot of time focusing on strategies
and teamwork to win competitive games, usually participating in large tournaments for cash prizes.
Game production, e.g. mainstream publisher, indie, free-to-play
Mainstream Publishers
A mainstream publisher is a company, usually with a lot of money, that finances the development of
games by either paying game developers or by paying internal developers called studios. They are
also usually responsible for the distribution of the games. They can also produce a multitude of
different games in different genres at the same time.
Indie Games and Crowd funding
Indie games are games produced by one person or a small team of developers without the help and
funding of a mainstream publisher. The term is also used to describe games that have not been
significantly influenced by the publisher.
Free to play
Free to play games are the majority of games published currently, this is because they are quicker
and cheaper to develop and publish than big triple A games. These games can still make money
despite being free, this is through in-game purchases, ads and micro transactions. Also, free games
are sometimes used to promote brands, for example a company could make a free to play game that
heavily advertises its products.
Multiplayer Games
Artificial intelligence, e.g. search algorithms, mathematical
optimisation, logic
What is artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence is intelligence used by machines, meaning machines that can acquire and apply
knowledge and skills. This is used very often in modern games such as Assassins Creed where
enemies react to the player’s decisions with reasonable responses, such as attacking a player if they
are seen in a hostile area.
Search algorithms
Search algorithms allow NPCs with artificial intelligence to solve problems like finding the best route
to a destination or avoiding obstacles to get to a player.
Logic
Logic is used to make artificial intelligence more realistic and to allow AI to make more human like
decisions.
, Emerging technologies
VR Gaming
Virtual Reality is one of the fastest growing areas in gaming. Back when it was introduced in 1990,
computers were not powerful enough to run VR well, also headsets were very expensive. These days
the cost of a headset has been drastically reduced with the introduction of the oculus rift and the
HTC vive. Also, computers are now powerful enough to run VR games smoothly with incredible
detail.
AR Gaming
AR (augmented reality) gaming is a modern development that mixes technology with the real world.
This is done through a headset that is similar to a VR headset that displays graphics in the real world.
This is most commonly implemented in businesses instead of gaming but there are some games that
make use of its features.
Digital Distribution (Digital download game, Game pass (Netflix for games))
Digital distribution platforms such as Steam, the Xbox Store and the PlayStation Store provide a way
for users to purchase and download digital copies of games online. This method of game distribution
has grown significantly in popularity in recent years and is set to potentially overtake physical
distribution due its high demand and recurring customer base, not to mention that it is a lot more
convenient for users to be able to purchase games without leaving their homes. However, there is a
downside to this evolution in distribution; with more people preferring to buy their games online,
the stores that sell physical copies of the games will lose profits and could potentially shut down.
This means that the companies that make the consoles will have less places to sell them which could
also have a large negative effect.
Streaming (X cloud, Stadia, GeForce now etc)
Game streaming is nothing new, however in recent years technology has advanced to a stage that
makes it a viable option for people wanting to play games without the need to download them.
Services such as Xbox Cloud and PlayStation Now provide players with the option to stream games,
which is essentially playing the game on a powerful computer over the internet. For this to work, all
the player needs is; a strong internet connection and a console, computer or even a phone! This
opens up a whole new world of possibilities, allowing players to try games before downloading them
to see if they like them or even just to play games on the go.
Security of integrated services and multiplayer environments, e.g.
Steam, Google PlayTM.
Why have the security vulnerabilities of games increased as online play and game distribution
becomes more popular?
The security vulnerabilities of games have increased as online play and game distribution becomes
more popular because there is more of a requirement for users to share their personal data with the
games and services they use. Data such as their credit card details, address, date of birth etc can be
sold and/or stolen by malicious hackers who gain access to company databases with poor security.
Also, as MMO games (massively multiplayer online games) are becoming more popular, people are
becoming more susceptible to social engineering attacks where the user is tricked into giving out
their personal data.
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