SissyNeighbourhood

Yesterday, me and some of my sissyfight-team (which we created two weeks ago, I think) tested a new version of the game called SissyNeighbourhood. It added a lot of new cards and rules. During the beginning of the test, we felt that the new rules was utterly complicated and cluttered. Because of this, it is required to have a game master, forcing one player not to play the game and instead count all the players markers and tell the rules.

The cards was really unbalanced. One card, called "Plunder the store", is a example, as you do not know if players lose markers. There was also one card called "Menthos bomb", which causes a no-win scenario. When most the players chose the "Party" card to attack one single player, it is more of a chance than a negotiation. If one single player is not choosing the party card, then the player who is targeted can use  a redirect card, which I don't remember the name of, to fend off the party cards and steal the markers of the player who did not choose the party card.

The cards where simply too many to remember how they worked, so you always needed to check the rule list on how they work, and the description can get very confusing at times. The implementation of 20 markers for each player, and not having a maximum amount of markers, is ridiculous. All the players can use the "Plunder the store" card to get more markers, which means that the game goes on forever. And even though the players use various cards to attack/steal players and defend their markers, the game would still go on for a long time if the players use "Plunder the store" card a lot. This is painful both for the players and especially for the game master, who must erase and add new markers for all the players on the marker list.

Fortunately, one of us got the "Menthos bomb" card so that this abomination could finally end.   

SissyNeighbourhood sucks balls. 

Gaming Project 1: Tetris: The Board Game

Between monday and tuesday (22-23 sep), I was in a group of five students where we, along with the other gropus in our class, would make a board game based of a video game. We chose Tetris, because it was very easy to know what the game's aesthetics and mechanics were, and thus know how to design it. 

We began with analyzing the different components of the game, in order to construct the game we had to deconstruct it first.

We agreed on that the core experience of the game consisted of: stress, management and problem solving.

The "risk versus reward choises" was in our oppinon: the correct position, vertical acceleration, rotation/correct angle.

As for the aesthetics we decided that puzzle-solving, challenge, submission, sensation and stress was the main factor.

The mechanics consisted of horizontal movement, rotation and time.

In our case the time was the main issue. The Translation of time from a digital game, to a board game is not an easy task. We tried different versions such as involving action points, dependent on x amount of rounds. We also tried to use dice to deteremen time and space. The last method that we used was the use of timers. With other words we took use of actual time.

The use of time was our way to simulate the falling blocks in a paper form.

When it came to the blocks, for a time we discussed the use of a dice, but due to the lack of a matching dice to the amount of blocks, we decided to instead go with a deck of cards turned upside-down with the blocks represented on them. As such, each time a player took a card, the card was pseudo-random and hard to predict.

We solved the problem of removing falling blocks from the game by adding a dead zone where blocks would be removed from when completely inside. This was since in a paper game, removing an entire row at the same time is not always possible. Earlier attempts included things such as using individual pieces constructed to mirror a picked card rather than using complete blocks. However, this would be too complex for the player and take away the stress of playing the game, as too much time would be spent placing the individual blocks.

As of 6 pm, we started to print out the prototype game for testing. We continued the printing at my flat.

At around 8:30 pm, play testing started.

The play testing revealed an issue in the game that required us to change the rules of the game. From now on, blocks will not be removed. The blocks stack and the game will end when the player is unable to place a block due to space. The filled rows will at this time be counted, giving the player their final score.

At around 10pm, the work for the day was finished.

At 11 am, the group came together again and we started the final work to improve the game for public game testing. After about 30 minutes we decided to try cardboard boxes to improve the integrity of the blocks. Later, we also discussed about the point system, where one full line would equal 1 point, and four full lines would make a score multiplier, which equals to 8 points.

Between 14-16:30 am was the testing period for the class, where we all would test each other's games. The groups designed board games based on Skyrim, Terraria, Mario Kart, FTL, Guitar Hero and other video games. A total of 13 people tested our game, including our teacher. One of these even played this game 3 times! We also added a high schore list; the best test player got a total of 19 points. Most of them got the sense that the game was very (VERY) stressful. Some were also confused about the colors of the blocks and (because of the short time) couldn't put the blocks in correct order, so they would often pause the game fix that. But all of them thought that the game was fun to play, and was true to the original format. It was difficult in a good way, and the pause ability (which we added during the beginning of our testing period) was a good addition. The teacher liked the game, that it really captured the Tetris feeling and felt authentic.

So to sum it up: me and my team did a absolutely fantastic job. The feedback was positive all around, and the reaction matched with the core experience that we previously analysed. We learned much from the testers and got some intersting new ideas, like blocks made of magnet and/or wood. We gave our board game to the teacher and then we seperated to go and work on other projects.

Tuesday was a goooooooooooood day. :)

The Lectures

So now I'm two weeks and two days into this course and I must say, it's really hectic and a lot to process. These takes approximately 2-4 hours until the day's done or we go through a another lecture (during thursdays and fridays). Most of these have group assignments where we students have the chance to get to know each other and learn to cooperate. And then there are the ones where we just sit on are arses and try to concentrate as much as you can to take in everything the teacher says and understand his context. And during those lectures, some of the students pops up and ask questions and opinions about certain things. Most of them are relevant to both that which the teacher's saying and to the course itself, but then there are some who do these quite lengthy monologues about games that they've played (most games that I've never heard of before). While these may be intressting for some (like for me), I think these should instead be discussed to the teacher after the lecture so that the lecture won't take too much time when many, like me, are trying to take in and elaborate everything the teacher says.

I think we should have an assignment where we can write an essay on one or many games within a genre. Or having a group discussion about a certain game (or several ones) that we all have played before, and then gather all our thoughts and present these to the teacher. That might be nice, I think.

But then, of coruse, this is the first period of our mutual education. It might be tough, but then you will get used to it over time. And this is a new thing for many young students, like me, who never have been studying at a university or college. And if any one would need some help, the school will always stand by you.

My New Blog

Hello, and welcome to my personal blog!

My name is Alexander Nordfors, a freshman student at Uppsala university -Campus Gotland, where I study Game Analysis and Game Design (graphics). I chose this university partly because of its reputation and resources, and partly becuase i recently studied Game Design (graphics) at Fryshuset gymnasium in southern Stockholm, within the Social Science Programme, which gave my basic knowledge about the game-industry, which programs to use and how to work as a game develoupment team.

I have now moved to Visby Gotland, with the purpose to expand my knowledge on Game Design in a academic level and learn new ways and programs to create a game. I also want to get new friends here and explore this new home.  

I was born in Stockholm in 1994 and grew up on the island of Ekerö, west of the city. I've been playing video games since I was 4, and am a huge Playstation fan though I've also played a lot of other consoles. Today I own a PS3, a PS4 and a Gaming PC. I also like to watch movies and TV-series, reading about history and video games, edit movies on Sony Vegas, paint in Photoshop, traveling and go out with firends.