game maker

Game Maker

Instructor : Christy Ekroth

[email protected]

What’s Average??

Time Spent on. . .

TV—3 hoursInternet—1/2 hourVideo Games—3 ½ hours

Has this changed???

What’s your world like? (mine was cars, telephones, and finally we got a TV)

Internet E-mail FaceBook MySpace Text Messages On line . . .

– Chats– Games

Got Game?

Platforms– Consoles/Cell Phones– PC

Classifications– Core Halo, Call to Duty

– Casual Chess, Tetris

– Serious Medical, Educational, Military

Gaming Platforms

Console– Standard OS– Game Pad Interface– Licensing, Royalties

PC– Minimum Requirements– Keyboard, Mouse, Game

Pad– Freeware, Shareware,

Independent License

Gaming Genres

Action Quake, Halo

“Twitch” games often rely on eye/hand coordination. They are usually fast paced and winning is based on the player’s reflexes.

Strategy Starcraft, Age of Empires

Emphasizes logical thinking and strategic resource planning. Winning is based on critical decision making. Many are played by taking turns.

Gaming Genres

Adventure Myst, Raven

Action with a story-line and puzzle solving. Winning takes action and inventory management.

Role Playing Games (RPGS) WoWarcraft

Adventure with more reliance on character growth and development. There is Strategy because of some combat and management of reported statistics. Huge epic quests and fantasy with non-playing characters (NPC) are common.

Gaming Genres

Sports NFL, Links, Nascar

Although realism is the goal of the game, fantasy is no exception. Single or team players (networked) give instructions or direct manipulation.

Simulations Sim City

“God-games” where gamers build and manage cities, civilizations, traffic, etc. through realistic recreations of processes in the civil, animal

or mechanical world

Gaming Genres

Music/Aerobic Dance Revolution

Played using one’s feet stomping options on a dance mat.

Puzzle/Classics Solitaire, Chess, Tetris

Casual games of leisure derived mostly from board, cards, trivia

or tile games. Very profitable on cell phones.

Playing Perspectives

First Person Deer Hunter Third Person Tomb Raider Top Down Solitaire Isometric Baldur’s Gate Flat, Side View Mario, Sonic Text-based Facade

Game Development Disciplines

Programmer AI, Physics, Engine, etc. Art and Animation Character, Scene, etc. Game Design Game, Level, Writer Production Managers, Directors Quality Assurance non-tech Beta-testers Audio Engineers, Composers, Musicians Business and Legal Accountants, Lawyers

Making the Game

Pre-production– Begin with a story– Story boarding– World, Levels, Outcomes

Creating the Character Putting the Character in motion/UI Designing Scenes Code Post Production Marketing

Advice for Designing a Game. . .

Remember: Game Play, Game Play, Game Play Be a devoted gamer. Study games. Innovate. Learn to write, learn to draw, otherwise, hire

someone who does. Learn the process. Write lots of small games to start

with. No bugs!


Have fun doing it. Get excited about your work.

Get inspiration from everywhere, novels, movies, books, history, etc.

Make levels rich in possibilities. Get the player lost in the game. Try to retain ownership of your work.


Make crystal clear specs/design document. Know the limits of your platform. Never give up, patience is the key. Pay for professional voice talent. Excite everyone to your game with a 5

minute talk and a 1 page sell sheet. Work with a tight well-balanced team.

Incentives

$16.7 Billion Video Game sales for 2005 Emerging Market: Cell Phones

– 180,000,000 units sold in 2005.– Tetris and Bejeweled are in 30+% of all cell phones. Each

earns over $60,000,000 a year in royalties.– Casual 2D. – Addicting game play is the key.– Create your demo using Game Maker.

Incentives

Untapped Market: “Chick” Games– Estimated at 2x the Death and Destruction market. $32

Billion per year.

Unlimited Market: Serious Games– Custom order. Client advances capital.– Expanded definition of “gaming” in architectural, medical,

military, educational, legal, commerce, etc.

Got Game?GENRES PERSPECTIVESAction First PersonStrategy Third PersonAdventure Top DownRole Playing IsometricSports Flat, Side ViewSimulations Text BasedMusic AerobicPuzzle/Classic

History of Video Games

First Generation

Magnavox Odyssey | Pong | Coleco Telstar

The years: 1972-1977


Mr. Van’s First System:


Third Generation

NES | Master System | 7800



Fourth Generation

PC Engine/TurboGrafx 16 | Mega Drive/Genesis | SNES | Neo-Geo |

CD-i



Sixth Generation

Dreamcast | PlayStation 2 | GameCube | Xbox



Seventh Generation

Xbox 360 | PlayStation 3 | Wii

The years: 2005-

game maker

Documents