Week 8 Reading & Writing

So if I was to take a moment and reflect on some of the learning outcomes for this module so far I would have to say I'm impressed with the extra knowledge I've gained, especially in the area of talking about games and how to write about them in a particular manner. The reading tasks each week have been specifically helpful in upping my knowledge in these areas and I do really feel like I'm beginning to understand the mechanics of game creation on a more technical level. 

Some of my favourite research and readings have been understanding the Gaming MDA framework and what it's all about. One post in particular, (Games MDA) was one of my favourite to both research and then write about, and I feel like it was extremely helpful in helping me understand everything a little deeper and get a better perspective on Game genetics. 

Learning about and understanding things like the Mechanics, Dynamics and Aesthetics within gaming were very beneficial and will really help us to go full steam ahead with making the actual game and putting them into play. The 'rules' of the game and the constraints in which it operates, the actual gameplay itself, and even what happens when the game ends etc - are all determined by the mechanics, and it is vital to understand when we construct our own game. We even looked over the effects the dynamics will have on the players themselves - essentially, the player experience of the game or it's Aesthetics.

To date, I have been happy with the level of work involved although, it is getting increasingly difficult to keep to the weekly upload deadlines each week as other modules and their assignments reach closer. I do however appreciate how well laid out the course material is and has been since we started semester 1. I now look forward to focusing on making and completing my game in it's entirety and hopefully it will be something I can be proud of and maybe consider as a portfolio piece. My work on the finished game so far has been somewhat inconsistent - but getting there slowly none the less. I am happy with the type of game I am making and hope it will be fun to play. 

For my image, I have chosen this picture which I uploaded into my Game Design Document as an example as to the type of landscape and feeling I wanted to bring to my game and it's design. It's a screen grab from the computer game 'Resident Evil' which portrays the dark and mystical land that they explore. I thought this would best represent the eerie sense of feelings I want my game to send out when people play it and explore the world and it's surroundings while they look for the hidden items and locate the village before they are rescued. 

Looking forward, I would really like to explore more readings and how-to's about making my game look exactly as how I have envisioned in both my own head and down on paper in my GDD. I will benefit from exploring these I think, as I still have a long way to go before my game looks and plays anywhere near being finished.