Microtransactions

Microtransactions are becoming a popular way to monetize online games. Talk about a game that, in your opinion uses microtransactions well. Then, talk about a game that doesn’t use microtransactions well and suggests ways the game could improve its methods.

A game that uses microtransactions very well is World of Warcraft. World of Warcraft allows plenty of different options to pay for your game time, the higher payments having leeway in terms of monthly payments. Blizzard allows you to pay monthly for $15, so you can unsubscribe at any time, but they also allow you to pay for 3 months at $14 dollars per month, or even pay for 6 months for $13 dollars. They also have physical games cards which can be bought for $30, which grants 2 months play time when applied. This gives plenty of options in payment, depending on whether you like knowing what you buy before you do or don't like to deal with the hassle of remembering to pay for your game every 2 months with game cards.

Recently they added the ability to receive a free copy of Diablo 3 on release if players agree to a year long commitment. This commitment basically means that you agree to pay for your World of Warcraft account for 12 months before you can get your copy of Diablo 3. However, this 12 month commitment locks you into paying for the game for the entire time. The 12 month commitment says that you plan to pay for 12 months concurrently. The player has the option to choose their payment types still, so they can choose monthly payments, quarterly payments, or semi-annual payments. Additionally, Blizzard allows for game cards to be used in the 12 months.

A few games that don't fair so well in terms of microtransactions would be a lot of games that are bought with Xbox live currency. I say this because I don't like the idea of having a virtual wallet that I have to remember to fill with appropriate cash value to buy an expansion to an existing game. Also a lot of times, with Microsoft points you can only buy a certain amount per money put into the account, and this frustrates me. For example, I bought Sonic Adventure with Xbox Live points, and they didn't have the option to get the exact amount of points I needed, so I bought extra and had to spend it on something else, which annoyed me. While a lot of games are going with this route, including Blizzard which is also adding a virtual wallet along with allowing for subscription payments as mentioned above, I feel that being able to pay directly for all of your games and expansions really allows me to have the freedom to pay exactly for what I have, not need to buy virtual currency to then buy software.

Game Comparisons

Compare two games that have the same theme. Analyze how they are alike and how they differ. Analyze the strengths and weakness of each.

 Super Mario and Spyro the Dragon have very similar qualities, even some that are done in many different ways. Where Mario relies on powerups like the Fire Flower and Super Mushroom to stay alive longer, Spyro only needs to kill passive creatures to replenish his energy, or rather his guardian Sparx's energy.  The Starman in Super Mario which gives limited invulnerability is very comparable to all limited powerups in Spyro's realm of the dragons in that they are scarce but very cleverly placed. Starman in Super Mario helps Mario traverse through very dangerous terrain with no worry on damage; in Spyro the Dragon, Spyro can run through Flight or Fire gates which give him the limited ability to Fly freely through the world and spit devastating fireballs respectively, thereby making certain sections of a world a whole lot easier.

Lives in Mario and Spyro are also very similar; both are given scarcely, in the same locations, or for completing certain tasks. Where in Mario defeating a certain number of enemies, usually 8 or more, yields a live per consecutive kill above 8, in Spyro there are glass jars containing magic butterflies which give a life. They are also sometimes given in place of regular health, or when you complete a tough task, usually yielding in a skill point which has no effect on your player other than bragging rights and the ability to see different endings in the game.

The game worlds are also very similar for these games, each has a main hub (the overworld), and several worlds inside followed by a boss level at the end of the world. While in Mario you must progress through each level completely to reach the next (or choose a branch world to go through, if it branches), in Spyro you probably don't finish every level 100% near the end, until you acquire certain abilities, like the head smash to break powerful jars, or the hyper run to break through tough walls. Also similar in each game is the secret world given after you defeat every boss in the game. Using Mario Galaxy 2 as an example, after you defeat Bowser in the final world, you are given the option to go to World-S, which is an extra world filled with the toughest worlds imaginable. In Spyro the Dragon, once you acquire 100% (both gems and orbs, dragons, eggs based on which game you play), a final world appears which tests your ability to glide, hyper run, and fly to acquire extra gems and another dragon, magic orb, or dragon egg to complete the game at 120%.

Mario's main strength and attraction to me as a player is the innovation put into each game; by that I mean no game using the same gimmick, unless those in a series. All Super Mario Bros. games are side scrollers, The Galaxy games used the same star power, and Mario Sunshine used the power of FLUDD to help you. However, aside from games in the same saga, non of the games ever overlap their gimmicks aside from the basic jump and powerup mechanics. One of its weaknesses, one may say, is that the game revolves around the same story; saving Princess Peach from Bowser. However, this "weakness" is highly overshadowed by the quality of each game. The non Super Mario Bros. games are the same collecting games, but each new gimmick helps set them apart from each other, making for a collectively fun experience.

Spyro's main strength and attraction to me is the fact that although you are an all powerful dragon, even a child at that, you don't have the entire power of a dragon. You can't simply launch fireballs to annihilate your enemies (at least until you complete the second game), and you can't just fly around every obstacle in your path. You are given whatever power up you may need at the exact moment you need it. This allows you to savor the power of a dragon for what little time you have it for, by decimating anything and everything in your path to wreak havoc like a dragon should do. One of its weaknesses is the fact that it is basically the same game reskinned in the main trilogy. In the first game, you must save crystallized dragons from Gnasty Gnorc. In the second, you must acquire power orbs through tedious tasks to go defeat Ripto from destroying the realm of the dragons. In the final game in the main trilogy, you must run around the old dragon's realm collecting baby dragon eggs to prevent them from being used to destroy the entire race of the dragons. In essence, Spyro is the same collecting game every time, but with each game you gain more experience that allows you to progress through the game solidly and is still a fun experience.

Movie to Game Idea

Talk about a movie or book that you think lends itself to being adapted into a video game and explain why you feel this way.

A movie I feel lends itself to being adapted into a video game is the Transporter series. I believe these movies are great for a video game because although it is an action game, there are plenty of down moments, where these would be the driving portions of the movie/game.  The fact that the protagonist is an expert in hand to hand combat and has a connection with the police force lends it to be a great game, where you could get your information on your own or ask the police for something. The game wouldn't be completely linear, it would be like the GTA series, or more like the True Crime series as well, with submissions within a mission you could do for extra money or reputation with certain people.

Game Analysis

Choose a game that is not a video game. Analyze the factors of the game that make that game popular with its respective audience.

Tag is a very popular game with children as young as 5 years old. The main reason that it is so popular is that it is incredibly easy to understand. In fact, most if not all kids play tag without even knowing. The main reason this game is not only popular but also healthy is the fact that kids get to use up all of their energy without their parents having to run around with them, trying to get them to stop. So, this game is also very popular for the parents to tell their kids to play, if not just for the kids to run around and use up all of their energy before naps.

Video Game via Elemental Tetrad

Analyze a video game using the Elemental Tetrad. List the game’s mechanics, story, aesthetics, and technology.

 The game I will be analyzing is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

The game's mechanics revolve not only around swordplay but also around using music itself to solve puzzles and open gateways. You use an ocarina to play certain songs which have mystical power to influence an ally to give you passageway or even to warp you across the environment to reach the next dungeon.

The story revolves around Link being chosen by fate as the Hero of Time, as he is awakened by the Great Deku Tree and must collect three Spiritual Stones and awaken Six Sages to defeat Ganon alongside Princess Zelda.

The aesthetics are very contrasting in this game. Not only does the game begin with a bright and colorful childhood era overworld, but that bright and colorful tone gets destroyed when you begin your adult journey, where Ganon has already won and turned the world into a land of ruin. Most of the bright colors are changed into dark and gloomy areas, where you can see destruction has taken out a lot of the population of Hyrule, forcing refuge into later important areas.

The technology at the time was incredibly high tech. The game was so massive, it was originally meant to be released and played alongside the Nintendo 64DD peripheral device. Because of this, the game cartridge that was used was a 256 megabit cartridge that was the most powerful that Nintendo created at the time. Ocarina of Time was in fact the biggest game ever created by Nintendo at the time.

Game Design Toolbox

Figured I wouldn't clutter anything, so here! Have a google docs link.

Game Design Toolbox

About Me

• What's your name?
• My name is Christian Bravo.
• What are three adjectives that can be used to describe you?
• There adjectives to describe me are quiet, active, and trustworthy.
  
• Why do you want to make games for a living?
• I want to make games for a living not just for myself(because I love video games) but because I know it is challenging to do and always wanted to do it for the fact that it is a challenging thing to do. It's not about the premise of making something I love to play; it is challenging to do and after setting my mind to this career I no longer want to do anything else anymore, if possible.  If life changes itself on me I will change my mind accordingly, but for now I want to do nothing but make games for my career.
• What is your favorite game of all time and why?
• My favorite game of all time has to be The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It is my favorite game of all time because it is the first game that I not only loved for the game play but also had a very intensive storyline with challenging puzzles the first go around, but also was so addicting that you wanted to play it again in the years to come, which I usually do play it over again once a year. It is simply one of those games that is good enough to be called (and it usually is) the best game ever made, so often that it makes you want to replay it so you can get that best game ever feel once again.
  
• What do you want to learn from this course?
• From this course based on what I know it's about I want to learn exactly what kind of effort it takes to do industry worthy work and get a good help on my work ethic before entering the actual workforce once I finish my studies.