Logo Design: Images

Play testing my Game with classmates: Two things i learned. Balance and how to make the game go by faster

I had two play tests with my dice game.
In both cases the players stated that the defender has a disadvantage, they say that while the defender has a 12 sided die that can cancel out the attackers roll, but they would still roll, mostly, a value under that of the attackers dice.
The players suggested that the defender get a die that has a higher value, such as a 15 sided die.

Also, players suggested that i lower the amount each player starts with, because if they start at 50, the game can go on for 3+ minutes. That doesn't seem like that long, but the players started getting bored somewhere between 1 and 2 minutes. It was described to me as " imagine if Rock Paper Scissors lasted 5 minutes, it would be boring."

Design Theory: Interpreting Man Hunt

Man Hunt as a "sandbox" game

Man Hunt is a game where players run around in an open environment, one team hiding, one team hunting.
The team that is Hiding has the goal of either A: not be found, or B: get to base. Base is an unmovable object that the hiding team goes to in order to win.
I like to consider this game as a "sand box" game because the players can alter the environment to reach their goals. The team that is searching can use different methods in order to find the other team, and the other team can be extremely creative when hiding. Also, the hiding team will also have to develop a wide array of routes to base.
A Sand box game is one were the player alters their environment in order to accomplish there goal. There is no set path. I believe that Man Hunt is the same way. Players must use the environment to hide and seek, and alter it to give them an advantage.

Game Genres: Halo CE, Portal and El Shaddai Ascension of the Metatron

Halo CE is a First Person Shooter (FPS) that was released by Bungie in 2001 excessively for the Xbox. The game has what is now considered the normal FPS features. A view of what the character sees in game, a view of the weapon the character is using, an ammo read out to tell how much ammo is left in both the gun and how much ammo the player has in total, and a system to let the player know how much health they have (in this case it is a bar in the upper right and corner of the screen.) 

The game is still vastly popular and is still pumping out sequales 

Portal is one of the only FPS puzzle games around that has done really well. Portal has some FPS elements such as a point of view of the character in game, and the view of the gun. You have a portal making device that makes two portals, a blue portal and a orange portal. The player must use the two portals to navigate thou the levels, solving problems. This is the puzzle aspect. 

How do i get to that cube to put on that switch to open that door without falling down that pit or getting shot by those turrets? 

This is the puzzle that the player must figure out in order to continue.

The last game i chose is one that most people have not heard of. El Shaddai Ascension of the Metatron is a 3D platformer in which that player controls the character from a third person perspective. The player must navigate through multiple levels, all lasting about 30+ minutes, of platforming and combat scenarios. The balance is about 60 % platforming 40% combat.  At moments, the game will change from 3D platforming to 2D platforming, but will retain some of its 3D elements such as character models. 

Everything is Rock, Paper, Scissors: Halo Wars

Halo Wars is a RTS game that was developed by Ensemble Studios. It is the first RTS in the Halo franchise.
Halo Wars has the normal RTS game play mechanics : Base building, unit training, upgrading, expanding your territory etc.. BUT, Halo Wars core combat mechanic is similar, if not the identical to the mechanics of Rock, Paper, Scissors.



In Halo Wars the player can make three types of units. Infantry, Vehicles, and Air units. The way that the combat works is :

1: Infantry have the advantage over Air
2: Air has the advantage over Vehicles
3: Vehicles have the advantage over Infantry.


They have the advantage in the sense that if 10 Air units went up against 12 Vehicle units, Air units would win with 1 man left.

This is the same mechanic as RPS.
Rock beats Scissor
Scissor beats Paper
Paper beats Rock

All units have the advantage over another, but also have the disadvantage to another unit.

However, it does differ from the mechanics of RPS.
In Halo Wars, a player may have 10 Air units, but will lose in a battle versus 15+ Vehicles.  If one group overwhelms the other, the player that has more units will always win. But when in a fair match, the player with the advantage will win.

Although there are two races in which you can play, when it comes to the RPS system, the race you play does not affect the out come. That only affects the price and available upgrades. Air will still beat Vehicles, but Human Air might beat Convent Air units ( i never really tried that out to see if that is true. It is just an example)

Also, Halo Wars you can upgrade your units, so that is also a factor that could tip the scale in the player who has the disadvantage in a battle.

Rock Paper Scissors Rules

Rules of Rock Paper Scissors 

-         Two people stand across from each other. Both players hold out one hand, palm to the sky, so that it is parallel to their chest and with the other hand, form a fist and place the fist in the palm of their other hand.

-         When both parties are ready, both players say, “1,2,3,shoot”; On each word, they raise their fists and drop them back into their pervious place. When both players both say “shoot” both players will do one of three actions with their fists on the downwards motion of their fist.

     The three actions follow:  

1: Keep it as a fist, which means that they have chosen rock.

2: Made it so that their hand is now flat, with the palm facing the ground, which means that they have chosen paper.

3:  Formed a V shape with the index finger and middle finger and are holding it sideways, which means they have chosen scissor.

-         Once both parties have chosen one of the three, the following rules apply. These rules apply for all games and cannot be negotiated.

     1: Rock beats Scissor

     2: Paper beats Rock

    3: Scissor beats Paper

Whoever wins gets a point and you continue this process in till the score limit is reached.