Embedded Files
• Analysis of brief
• Unit 2
This unit seems to be based mostly creating concept and models of a monster. Through various sketches rough drawings and models of a monster. It all culminates sculpt of the monster to be used later in the course.
• Unit 6
This unit is is mostly about gathering marketing research and gathering information based on the idea of the games concept. It is also then to use it to create a logo for the games "company", make posters to promote the game and to create some merchandise for the game.
• Unit 7
The aim of this is to create my own ideas for my game based on research of pre existing horror games and to use it to provide plans for things such as the environments the game is set in, the layout of the stages and blackouts of various assets for the game. This will accumulate in a final playable section of a game.
• Primary Research
Primary research is things you have direct involvement in and can range from creating questionnaires to creating concept art so its easier to show what the end product is supposed to look like.
Surveys and interview can be a great way to see if your product has a market and anyone that would be interested in it. It can also be a great help to find a group of people to bounce ideas of to further gather information and refine ideas to possibly make them more interesting.
Two examples of primary research are as follows:
• Creating a questionnaire based on key parts of the product and get others to fill it in to see how your product would be received and possibly improve the ideas further.
• Designing basic assets and concepts that can be used to promote the product by showing what the end result can look like.
• Secondary Research
Secondary research when you take pre-existing data others have created for similar products/ideas and incorporate it into your research, it also involves looking at other similar games and media surrounding them.
Two examples of Secondary research are as follows:
• Looking into lets players and reviews on YouTube and seeing what kind of game are currently trending, then using that information to refine you project to better suit the current market.
• Look for other games developers that are currently producing a game and see what they are focusing on, this can help focus you on what you need to do.
• Case Study
There are several game games that I have played personally or have seen gameplay of that are similar to that game I am wanting to make:
• Luigi's Mansion
Is similar to my game as its based in a mansion where you have to clear out rooms of ghosts while making your way though a mansion to save you brother.
•Eternal Darkness
Is about trying to unravel the disappearance of a family member due to occult activity without losing your sanity.
• Alan Wake
Has a lot of emphasis around light and using it to defend himself.
• Among the sleep
Is about a small child exploring a house and seeing it from their perspective.
For this case study I will be analysing both game of Luigi's Mansion and Alan wake. As both these game have very similar mechanics to my games idea
• Luigi's Mansion
• Pre-Release
Luigi's Mansion was released in 2001 for the Nintendo GameCube, but first public appearance of the game was a video during the 2000 "Spaceworld" videogame tradeshow where is appeared with the following video clip:
Insert video
The game proceeded to be revealed yet again at the 2001 E3 Games expo, there was another video revealed called The Nintendo Difference" sizzle reel that was created earlier then the one shown at E3 but was replaced with a different clip for the event, some if the differences being:
• Minor tweaks to the UI.
• Lighting changes to scenes to make them stand out better.
• Placeholders in the earlier clip had been replaced.
• Various animations had been altered or removed.
During the same E3 a demo was released to the public and it has several major differences to the final release of he game, there where various changes to both the intro and the actual gameplay as follows:
• Demo intro
The intro wasn't actually to far of the actual release only have a few key differences, this included a wider shot of the mansion then appears in the final game along with some of the following:
• The UI had several changes, so that the info displayed is easier to understand and quicker to read.
• Some changes to the environments and assets making them appear more cartoonish. They also added extra detail to the final game to show that the mansion is supposed to look old/abandoned.
• There are several animations and sound effects that have either been altered or removed entirely. There are also several smaller animations and scenes during the intro of the final game that don't exist in the demo product.
• Demo gameplay
The demos gameplay is where most of the differences can be found, from small tweaks to complete overhauls in places. The demos gameplay section:
• The title screen had a completely different audio to the final product, there where also other sections that had audio that was slightly different from what was in the final product.
• The controls in the demo where altered slightly for final release.
• Parts of the Hud where removed and placed on the pause menu.
• There were several options that where wither missing in the demo or where blocked from use, either because they didn't work properly or had not been implemented yet.
• Similar to the previous point, there was several areas to the game that where blocked of or misplaced compared to the final release.
• Some entities that exist in the demo had either been altered to better suit the feel of the game or been removed entirely.
• Some areas also has some assets removed to better match other areas and reduce the environments complexity.
• A couple features of the demo had been repurposed to be used in there places in the final release.
The games last major pre-release information available was from its appearance in the "Spaceworld" 2001, there was a build released before this like with theE3 expo. (likely for feedback) These where the differences in the demo that was released before the event:
• Several UI elements where either repurposed placing more important information on the screen alongside gameplay and regulating less immediately important to the pause menu.
• The UI visible during gameplay had several interface components moved in order to give more area to view gameplay.
• A couple unique assets where removed and swapped with assets that appear in other section of the mansion in order to keep thematic consistency.
• Most cutscenes had minor changes and tweaks from its last appearance.
There was only a few changes between the demo released at the event compared to the one released before it, here are the changes that were made to the last demo:
• Some unused assets an functionally was removed that had been left in until this point.
• Placeholder music had been replaced with there final version in the released product.
• The location of and layout of some areas had been changed to improve the flow of the game.
• Aesthetic changes to make the game more theme more apparent.
The game demo also provided a manual, this had a a placeholder logo that was replaced before the final release.
• Post-Release
After release the game had a demo kiosk available at some retailers where you could play a version of the game, this game still had differences to the actually available release, just a few examples of the differences:
• The cameras position is different in some sections.
• Some smaller details such as cobwebs, picture frames and bookcases where missing or in a different location.
• The user interface had a minor error thin the kiosk version not present in the final release.
• Reviews
Luigi's Mansion came out to mixed reviews from critics both mixed and good reviews. They had several points positives and negatives for the game the most common being:
Pros:
• Great graphics
• nice animations and environment interactions.
• Catchy Soundtrack
• Interesting game mechanics
Cons:
• Short gameplay (can be completed in 6-8 hours)
• Lack of cohesive gameplay.
• To predictable/formulaic.
• Gets Repetitive.
• Alan Wake
• Pre-Release
The game Alan wake's first known appearance was during the E3 2005 as a closed viewing that included a demo, I tried to look for info on this demo but couldn't find any solid information. It was later in 2006 was acquired by Microsoft to be later made into a Xbox and windows computer exclusive. Alan Wake ordinally started as an open world survival game based on a day night cycle, it would still have had an emphasis on the light and shadow aspects still focused on in the final product. But due to several issues including but not limited to Microsoft's involvement it was changed to and episodic level based horror game instead. The games protagonist also went through several changes during the swap from open world to level based game design, he went from the a opposite of Max Payne to more of a police officer role.
The game took inspiration from things such as Steven Kings books, the twilight zone, Twin Peaks and Norse mythology. There are also several notable Easter eggs in the fame most notable is the shining as seen bellow:
The game was to play out similar to a tv program with "episodes" based on there own thing while still focusing on the core mechanics. The "episodes" where as followed: (DLC being released at a DLC date)
Main game
•Episode 1: Nightmare
•Episode 2: Taken
•Episode 3: Ransom
•Episode 4: The truth
•Episode 5: The clicker
•Episode 6: Departure
Downloadable content
•Special 1: The signal
•Special 2: The writer
• Post-Release
Alan Wake once released wo go ahead to be nominated for several awards including bafta and game critic awards, it also was nominated for several navgtr awards that it won the award for ordinal/adapted song.
• Reviews
It also received many positive review complimenting its atmosphere, story and combat as well its its soundtrack. The only negatives i could find where that some character modelling and lip sync was a little odd at times.
There was not nearly as much available info on Alan wake as there was for Luigi's mansion, so I found it kind of difficult to research without having to retrieve from several various sites and archives.
https://tcrf.net/Prerelease:Luigi%27s_Mansion_(GameCube)
https://www.metacritic.com/game/luigis-mansion/critic-reviews/?platform=gamecube
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/remedy-fixin-up-new-game-for-e3/1100-6122709/
https://www.gamesradar.com/the-making-of-alan-wake/
https://www.gamesradar.com/the-making-of-alan-wake/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0466662/awards/
https://uk.pcmag.com/editors-choice/22400/alan-wake
https://goldplatedgames.com/2017/08/01/review-alan-wake/
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