Week Nine and Ten

Working Title

Strangeness in games. An exploration into the two and three dimensional forms in a game space. 

 

Research Question

How can I create strangeness using the space between the two-dimensional and three-dimensional forms in a game landscape and space to create new experiences for a player?

 

Abstract/Summary

Since its conception, games have come a long way—specifically the evolution of being made in 2D to now 3D. As a game designer, I see the limits others make using 2D and 3D in a game environment, and I am interested in exploring that. I want to bring new ideas and push the boundaries of using the two dimensions to create exciting players' experiences. I aim to create strangeness utilising both 2D and 3D in a game's environment and narrative using level design and interactive narrative to bring together two different dimensional styles in a single game.

 

Literature/Past Research Review

As the aesthetics and design of games have been increasing throughout the years, there has already been an exploration in different aspects of my research. To explore how to bring 2D and 3D together in a single game space, I have researched various aspects of game design and aesthetics. 

 

C. Totten's 'Level Design : Processes and Experiences' (2017) has been a critical piece in thinking about level design within my game. The book brings together different perspectives from game developers and academics about their processes and experiences with level design from the experience, design, construction, and testing. Bringing together people with various backgrounds who have dealt with level design processes is something that I find gives me great insight into what others have done before me and shows different perspectives on what level design is. When I design and create games, my focus is always on what I can do with level design. In any video game, the level design could be considered the backbone as no matter the game; a game designer always must consider the process and design of a level. Therefore, I see this as an incredibly insightful book. It can help my game design process' vital aspect, especially when I may find myself stuck or need a new perspective. Having perspectives from industry professionals, gamers, and others involved within a games' level design process can give me a greater understanding of the knowledge I currently possess to create successful and appealing levels.

 

Understanding level design and its process has started to bring me closer to the research around the interactive narrative. I began by looking at the thesis 'The Ark Project: an investigation into interactive environmental narrative' by Christopher Andersen (2011) and how Andersen explores narrative in an environmental, interactive and explorable way. This thesis has strong connections to the ideas of my project surrounding interactive narrative and the processes they took as I will be facing similar creation methods. Andersen also included a detailed breakdown of their approach, which helped give a clear perspective on how I could create an interactive narrative

 

Previous games will always be my biggest inspiration in how I act towards the creative process in my works and how I can attempt to build upon what others have created in a new perspective. 

 

References 

Totten, Christopher W. "Level Design : Processes and Experiences". CRC Press, 2017. https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat05020a&AN=aut.b19998235&site=eds-live.

The Chinese Room. "Dear Esther". [Video Game] 2008.

 

Andersen, Christopher Graham Ivan. “The Ark Project: an investigation into interactive environmental narrative” Master’s Thesis, Auckland University of Technology, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10292/4402