PAX Unplugged – Industry Event by. Andrew O.

Last weekend I attended an industry event known as PAX Unplugged hosted in the wonderful city of Philadelphia. PAX -which is more formally known as the Penny Arcade Expo, is a handle used by a number of cultural gaming festivals held across the entire country. These conventions normally consist of exhibitor booths, topic panels, gaming stations, gaming tournaments, and the like, and there are number of things to do, places to explore, and people to meet upon your visit. During my very first journey through the halls of the gaming sprawl it became abundantly apparent that the Unplugged moniker lived up to it’s very name.

Many of the games at this specific event were card or board game based which was exciting in it’s own right. It almost felt like a callback to a lesser digitally inclined age with pencil, paper, and the imagination with every step of the way. As I continued to survey every interesting booth I could find I stumbled upon one with an actual game of digital design. Sumer as it was called, was a digital board game where nobles in an ancient and mysterious Mayan like civilization attempted earn favor with the almighty goddess Inanna. Players compete to complete a set of tasks to earn a reward from this deity and much strategy and intrigue is involved in order to win. When discussing beginner accessibility with Misha Favorov -the lead programmer and designer, he emphasized the need to always simplify and symbolically visualize important information in order to properly digest information.

Breaking down the clutter of complex concepts is integral to a cohesive learning experience in his eyes and he firmly believes great artistic design and player testing can help with that. Another design director I encountered with similar sentiments was Brent Critchfield of Studio Woe. His company developed a card based battle game called Gruff where players battle with a custom team of mutated monster goats. Brent highlighted how familiar he was with renowned card games like Magic the Gathering and wanted players in Gruff to craft playable decks without worrying about the more overt technicalities of mana curve or the particulars of card synergy.

Many of the cards possesed visible symbolic iconography much like you would see in other card games but Brent expressed that many of the cards in a specific category or card type can synergize much more consistently than you would see in Magic. According to him for players to have fun playing a card game it should be simple for them to identify how to build competitive decks with the least stress possible. A lot of these insights I gathered this weekend concluded what I thought prior in my mission to developing my own educational learning module.

Disseminating information brick by brick in order to provide a bare bones understanding of complicated concepts to new users. Once fundamental understanding is garnered the user can build upon said foundation themselves. Metaphorically as a teacher you are instructing someone on the essentials of fishing only for them to later develop a number of different ways to do it you had not previously thought of. That in my personal belief is the hallmark of what quality education should always aspire to be; the blueprint of a simple house eventually built into an extensive mansion.

Prototype #3 – Pitch & Write-Up

Elevator Pitch: My project is an educational learning module designed to instruct the casual video game enthusiast on competitive aspects of a game in order to elevate their mindset to a competitive level. My desire is that users of my module will not just play on an advanced level but also think like they are on one too.

A lot of what I desire to make can be surmised in the Elevator Pitch worded above. I hope to learn the best way to instruct casual video game enthusiasts as to how to strategically approach games and elevate their comprehension of said games. Most video gamers of the casual variety are new to the concept of electronic sports, the phenomenon sweeping the globe on the level of televised Football, Basketball, and the like. As this occurs more video game developers such as Blizzard -the designers of Overwatch have created esports leagues dedicated to competitive play. With such a new age event on the horizon and catching fire I believe crafting educational tools to assist those looking to up their performance to be a helpful endeavor. Especially since gaming is not like a physical sport where one has to specifically be faster or stronger than other competitors. One simply has to be able to maximize on their decisions and hone their reflexes.

In the development of my prototype I learned that conveying information in the most digestible way is of the upmost importance. Overwhelming users with too much information can confuse a lot of people as to what is important and unimportant to consider. I also found outlining advanced terminology in a glossary to be helpful in familiarizing others in competitive jargon. The lingo of competition is not only a highlight of the culture surrounding competitive gaming but a hallmark of the players knowledge of their game. Touching upon such caveat allows the flexibility of really tackling extended concepts outside of just pulling the right trigger to shoot or clicking the left mouse button. All in all I think most of what I want to expand on for a final project can be done given that I do more research on professional play, acquire more knowledge on the software that I am utilizing, and schedule my time appropriately. Ultimately I am happy with what little I have accomplished thus far.

Prototype Plan

Software: Adobe Captivate

Prototype #1 – [Module Organization]

A cycle through of each slide in it’s most beta form will be available for viewing. It might not have all the information or video footage but it will be a viable blueprint in the making. The most bare pictures, labels, and graphs will be abundantly apparent for display.

Prototype #2 – [Module Information]

I will then determine the best way to convey the information in order to foster a cohesive learning experience. Much of the module may already videos available for viewing as one cycles through each slide or demonstration. Having the most seamless union between the information provided and the viewing experience of the videos will be imperative to breakdown the most technical concepts to the average player.

Prototype #3 – [Module Footage]

I plan to film and collect more intensive footage for the training module. I may need to layout what shots to depict in what way to really hone in and focus on central concepts. I may even need to retrieve video clips from the most intensive tournament events. In the end the user should be able to cycle slide by slide in order to trigger aspects of the training simulation.

Research Update: #3

Controllers – are hand held devices used in gaming to maneuver the characters or subjects you control. There exist many different types of controllers with particular specialties from complimenting unique playstyles to improving input accuracy. The more standard controllers compared to the ones professional esports players use differ in a number of technical ways. For instance some come with larger directional pads, more pronounced buttons, replaceable peripherals, and a whole host of other tools. Some of them differ in size, shape, color, name and are associated with big brand names (ie Razer, Nacon -Below).

Gaming on a PC utilizes a keyboard and mouse respectively. On such platforms there also exists personalized tools of the trade to up your game. PC gaming is often versatile enough for handheld controllers to be an option given that certain games provide it. But most are very fond of using one or the other depending on the game of choice they are playing and the benefits garnered. Mouse play offers extreme precision while controller pads offer great comfort.

Fun Fact: Fighting game players are famously known for still using retro arcade joysticks to this very day. They prove to be very helpful for accurate inputs in a genre dependent on executing a sequence of button presses in a limited time frame.

Research Update 2

Characters – in any game characters are a definitive aspect that distinguishes distinctive playstyles. From the weapons they use, to the abilities they perform, and to the way they simply move. In certain video games characters have very specific roles that illustrate what they specialize in; certain exact circumstances that they shine in among all others. For instance, in a game like Overwatch the character Reaper is regarded as a damage dealing character who focuses on eliminating foes with his dual shotguns up close. Other characters like Widowmaker do the very same thing but with a Sniper Rifle at further range. Considering what characters you need in any given match could be tactically crucial to achieving victory.

(Reaper)

(Widowmaker)

Extra: Character Archetypes (Community Categories)

Stage/Map Awareness – Is often overlooked as something that takes precedence after choosing the right character or team composition. Older games used to be incredibly oriented around an arena style map design where actual weapons were placed in specific areas of a given stage. Depending on the power of the weapon you might of had to delegate some members of your team to secure the zone or risk being at an armament disadvantage. Other titles like the fighting game Injustice for example possess stage interactables that when utilized grant the player access to throw-able objects or movement options. Winning is not only about how you use your character but how you also use your environment too.

Research Update #1

Research Update

Informative Insight

–Lingo & Terminology is a hallmark aspect of most competitive gaming culture. They are used to call to attention or highlight important facets of gameplay sometimes unknown to the average player.

Ex. “You can shoot Ryu’s Hadouken using down right fierce WS.”

Translation: In sequence use the down & right button on the directional pad with heavy punch while simply standing.

–Frame Data allows the most technical of players to take advantage of a games fundamental design structure to secure a methodical advantage. Such information can educate the average player on things such as active, startup, and recovery timing on a characters strongest moves. With such knowledge the best competitors can develop an answer to the most devastating attacks in a game.

–Tier Lists are demographics designed to show which characters in a game are considered more viable than others in the most arduous of circumstances. Often times tier lists are highly debated topics as statistical averages are not -and should not, be considered absolutes.

Finalized Concept

Competitive Gaming Module

I have been playing video games for as long as I can remember. I believe my very first video game was Super Mario on the Super Nintendo and I think I was so young at the time I had no idea how to play the game properly, let alone win at it. And when you play a game by no means do you play to lose, I mean you might play to have fun -but the very idea is to accomplish a particular objective as cleanly and efficiently as possible. Winning becomes the central goal or idea for the player but how effectively one wins is just as important to ponder as the achievement in and of itself. An idea I wish to tackle in my current endeavor as I seek to create an interactive medium in which to improve the average players capacity in not only how they execute their play-style but how they think and analyze situations.

As I grew up gaming evolved not just graphically but conceptually and competitively in ways a 16-bit plumber could never even imagine. No longer was I jumping over platforms or saving the princess in another castle but fighting back the terrifying Locust swarm in Gears of War and the tenacious Covenant in Halo 3 . Hallmark titles with modern on-going sequels to this very day. At the time there was a popular website in the gaming scene called Gamebattles that was affiliated with the renowned esports organization Major League Gaming (aka. MLG for short) and I participated in several seasonal online ladders on their website. With my close school mates as my team we accomplished little to nothing, with a constant loss streak with one to two minor victories here and there. And as we continued on we lost more and more matches and my hopes at fame, fun, and fortune in my all time favorite hobby were considerably dashed.

As I reflect years later on my ambitions to achieve a modicum of success in a competitive gaming circuit much of what I know now in comparison to what knew prior made me realize my hopes were always built on a false premise to begin with. Nothing in competition is achieved just by simply playing and winning but analyzing and correcting the mistakes you and your teammates make. It is almost a necessity to question every move you make, what weapons you use, what characters you pick, what map you play on, and etc. to the point of greasing yourself into a well oiled machine of efficiency. Contextualization and discipline is key. Having an answer to give when most questions arise in a match, and not getting cold feet when the other team gets too creative.

For my thesis project I wish to develop an interactive esports module centered around a popular title that teaches people how to think differently about their game-play actions in an online setting. A module that will entail recorded video simulations with point values that provide insight into how to act and react. Slides with highlight markers detailing important numerical statistics. And clips of the most competitive tournament matches explaining how and why professionals players utilize certain techniques and methodologies. Competitive development has always been a slight interest of mine as probing what makes other players more lethal that than their competition was like observing a game of Pokemon. Saying things like “this player fundamentally plays like a water type -they go with the flow,” or “that player plays like a fire type -constantly on the offensive and aggressive”. I personally think much of why I want to do this is to identify and harness the potential people have inside them in the hobby I am most passionate about. Because somewhere deep down inside I firmly do believe everyone has potential to be a winner. They just need the secret cheat codes to unlock it.

Research Plan

Research Plan – Tutorial Esports Module

History

The very first recorded Esports event, or competitive gaming competition was in a game called Space Wars at Stamford College in the year of 1972. Some time later the most notable tournament was for the retro classic Space Invaders, for the Space Invaders Championship in the 1980s. It was not too long after that event where organizations were formed to record high score counts on arcade cabinet leaderboards where the most dedicated would have their names imprinted in publications. And much later the advent of the internet introduced competitive play with your neighbor next door in games like Quake through Local-Area connection or “LAN” for short. In most of these competitive gaming scenes it was obvious that the skill necessary to compete at a high level was not only in talent or execution but in-game analysis, community inclusion, and time investment.

Current State

In today’s modern gaming atmosphere esports competitions are something that draws hundreds of thousands in viewership on a multitude of streaming platforms such as youtube and twitch.tv. As of noted this year there are approximately 320 million fans of competitive gaming functions, and it is steadily climbing to become almost as relevant on a global stage as any other legacy sport like football, baseball, and basketball. The question of whether or not gaming has a prominent future on the horizon is not a question but a patient guarantee. As time goes on gaming as a phenomenon will without a doubt slowly expand into places once unforeseen much like it has in South Korea, which is noted as being the modern technological epicenter of gaming competition.

Noteworthy Brief

As gaming as a competitive sport rises up the incline more and more players are going to show an interest in competing.
Gaming has proven to be extremely accessible avenue for people to play and openly compete in with little physical necessity.
Established sports like Basketball or Hockey have school teams that provide a resource of professional coaching and development that gaming does not.
The goal of providing quality accessible developmental methods for newer players without making professional connections is lackluster.
How do we exactly create an interactive experience that improves in-game decision making outside of simply execution?

Information Acquisition

What online tools are available for me to create an interactive experience? (ie. Adobe Captivate)
What game should I focus on?
What professional resources I should seek in order create informative modules?
In what different ways can you convey information for a plethora of different learners?

Conceptual Intrigue:

AimBooster – http://www.aimbooster.com/

A website dedicated to improving finger point accuracy in first-person shooters using your mouse.

Thesis; Initial Concepts – Andrew

Thesis; Initial Concepts

Prof. Ault

09/27/2018

Primary Skills: Video Editing, Filming, Script Writing, and Voice Acting

Secondary Skills: Graphic Design, Music Production

Lesser Skills: Computer Coding

Idea #1 “Magic The Gathering Interactive Video RPG Series”

For my first I idea I wanted to take the popular card game Magic The Gathering and place it in a role-playing element. The card game itself often pits two players (planeswalkers) in a duel to see who can summon enough creatures and cast enough spells to reduce the others life total down to zero. It is a fun experience to challenge friends and family alike as you trade and collect an assortment of different cards to make your deck stronger than ever before. However I wanted to create a story intensive experience where you go on a journey and explore the many worlds of the game’s universe. You would be able to utilize your own custom deck as you encounter a number of wild creatures and unscrupulous characters who wish to see your downfall. I would probably need to utilize or create art to symbolically represent locales in such a world, write an immersive yet engaging script, and create house rules that fundamentally differ from the core game itself for a smooth experience.

Idea #2: “Spyhunter Interactive Scavenge”

I always enjoyed playing a game of tag while I was a kid but I wanted to take this in a much more immersive direction with an interactive Spy Scavenger Hunt. Basically a video will play on a computer almost akin to a spy in a movie receiving intelligence, only you will first start as a random civilian. Your actions will then align you with one of three agencies in which you will then receive texts from said agency you align with. There would be a number of undercover players within a space who over a length of time will also receive texted information that will either hinder or eliminate you from the game. One would need to be wary as the people you are working with cooperatively may either be friend or foe. I would probably need to film obscure footage, implement espionage esque music, work out rulings, and develop a story with coherent objectives which all take place in a limited space.

Idea #3 “Competitive Gaming Interactive Coaching Series”

I have some what been following certain competitive gaming circles for quite some time now. Something that has always bothered me and a few others is how little direction there is given for new players to up their game in an interactive, convenient, and easy way. A way in which they do not need to directly hire someone to coach them or watch a thirty minute lecture by someone far above their skill level. I was looking to create a series that determined play-styles of said viewers and judged how well they could make effective decisions at certain points of a match to maximize their effectiveness and output. Just in a modest way to get them thinking about their overall approach, how they play, and how to identify their own mistakes. There will be a heavy emphasis on simulations with character composition and playstyle being a factor in how well you score by the end of the interactive experience.