Progress evaluation so far and next steps for Semester 2

This week is an official Semester 2 start and on Monday I have met with my current supervisor Lynn. During this meeting we were discussing my project; all the work I have done so far as well as talked about my plans for Semester 2.


At the moment I am considering interviewing some local videogame industry professionals about the art for 2D games as well as UI design. I think I could learn some things about it that would help me with my own designs since this is one of my weak areas. Mainly because I am not a game designer and coming up with game mechanics which of course, have a major part in UI design requirements is really hard for me.

However, what this idea means is: if I do decide to seek advice from industry people I will have to reapply to the universities ethic committee for a new approval for my project as well as have to do a lot more paperwork which includes transcribing and analysing recorded interviews. So the question is: is it worth to undertake it considering the results that I’m most likely to get out of it?


I have also been toying with an idea of collaborating with other people. Possibly programmers or game designers to get help with my project as I do realise that my main weaknesses in this project are lack of knowledge about game asset implementation in to a game as well as game design and game mechanics. Last year I did not get lucky to be assigned on to a game design brief and ended up working on an animation brief instead, so the only game developing experience I have so far is from my year two Entertainment Design module which involved a group work on a small Flash game, some projects I have collaborated on as a member of Abertay Game  Developing Society and as a team 'Tartan Paint' member for last years Dare to be Digital competition entry (Can watch pitch video here.) as well as Ludum Dare entry (Can watch project video here and  read development process posts by Stewart Leadingham here.).
I think working with others would help me with the whole development process for this project as the technical or design input would be very beneficial. My supervisor also thought collaboration was a good idea if I felt it would benefit my project. I will look now for some opportunities to see if there is anyone I could collaborate with.


There have also been some changes regarding case studies for my dissertation. So far I have been given advice that Braid (2008)* may not be the most suitable choice as the art style was not the main concern of the Braid designer Jonathan Blow and perhaps Ōkami (2006)* is a much better choice. Since I have never played the game I will be borrowing a copy of it from the universities library to try it out. (Info about these two games you can find in my week 3 blog post.)

Also, this week I need to make a list of questions I would ask about game UI if I was going to interview someone working in the industry as next week I will discuss it with my supervisor to see if the information I am likely to get from it is worth the whole paperwork trouble.

Lynn has also suggested I play some games on a tablet to see how the UI and interaction differs from PC or console games. This would provide me with some information on UI and perhaps help me decide if I want my game (whatever that game will be) be for mobile device or PC or console. Also, study how interaction within games works and how interactive objects are presented on screen. In addition, I should also have a look what other, perhaps similar games to mine are already out there.

Overall, at the moment I feel really stressed and worried as I think I am still lacking knowledge in game design as well as some practical skills. On top of that, all the literature that I feel I need to go through to feel ready for my project seems to look more like a Mount Everest.

I am still making some media tests as I go along with my project as I want to try experimenting more with visual styles to help me decide what I really want my game art to look like.



* Number None, Inc. 2009. Braid. Microsoft Windows. Number None, Inc

** Clover studio. 2006. Ōkami. Play Station 2. Capcom

Literature

Apart from doing some practical work for my Crit week presentation I have been spending increasing amounts of time reading books and trying to understand not only how to structure my honours year project but also all the rest of relevant information that I need to learn/understand to be able to complete my work.


As mentioned  in my previous blog post (week 5), more than two weeks ago I have started looking in to some literature that would help me in dealing with research proposal and my project in general. Punch, K. P.  book 'Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative & Qualitative Approaches'* looked like a good start.(recommended by Robin Sloan)

Since my project is very art concerned there was not as much relevant information as I have hoped, however it was handy in finding out what are good research questions, what is a 'case study' and general advice on writing research proposal and finally dissertation.

Since I'm considering on using a case study of game 'Braid' I need to have an understanding how useful it would be and how I can structure it. At the moment however, I am not sure under which type (general overview, instrumental case or collective case) my own study will go under. It seems I would be looking to find out information that is covered  by each one of them.

* Punch, K. P. 1998. Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative & Qualitative Approaches. London: Sage.


Some of the other books that I've been looking at recently are:


Bentkowska-Kafel, A., Cashen, T. and Gardiner, H. 2009. Digital Visual Culture: Theory and Practice. Bristol: Intellect

Book contains a number of essays from different artist who create digital art. It analyses theory and practice relationship across technology and digital media and what is involved in creation of new media artworks. It also points out the impact of technological advances on new visual art and artistic practices that are developing as a result: interactive art and videogames as part of the new digital culture.

Gray, C. and Malins, J. 2004. Vizualizing Research: A Guide to the Research Process in Art and Design. Aldershot: Ashgate

I have read and used this book last year for one of my modules but decided to have a second look this year as well in a hope that it will help me to understand and structure my own honours year project. This book covers such topics as project development and implementation for art and design. Although it is primarily aimed at masters and PhD students it does have a lot of useful information even for undergraduate studies. Explanations given about research processes in general and how they can be applied and used for practice-based approaches. I think it is a really good book not only to help evaluate and ground ones project and ideas within appropriate context but also to set one on the right path on how to approach and structure/plan the whole project.



Kirkpatrick, G. 2011. Aesthetic theory and the video game. Manchester : Manchester University Press.

Author sees videogames as a part of popular cultural form and claims that they offer aesthetic experiences to the players. Similar to G. Tavinor, he employs aesthetic theories and draws parallels between videogames and painting, music and dance but at the same time acknowledges that videogames are neither of them but a combination of all. Thefore, it is one of the defining properties of the videogame and must be judged differently: as its own medium. G. Kirkpatric dedicates most of his attention in this book to the gameplay which dictates rhythms which influence players in a number of ways.

Laughey, D. 2007. Key Themes in Media Theory. Maidenhead ; New York: Open University Press

Since it was on a recommended list for this year’s read I was really expecting more out of it. It was an interesting read in general and I do not regret having read it, however there was hardly any really useful information that I could apply to my project. Chapter 8 Postmodernity and the information society provided information on the whole postmodernity movement and added some overall understanding on how my  project fits within the media theory however I feel I am already past that stage and what I am looking for now is how I can narrow down on what I want to achieve and find supporting literature.



Tavinor, G. 2009. The art of videogames. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell

In his book author talks about how videogames can be considered as being art. He takes philosophical theories of traditional art (especially cluster theory)and applies them to video games and their development. Explores how current technical and artistic sophistication affects game development and how a player perceives it. These are the questions that author addresses in his book:
'How does a videogames art sit in the respect area forms of art?
How does the digital medium of videogames have an effect on visual art?
How do videogames appealed to the player’s emotions?
What is the locus of artistic interest in games, and how does this differ from other traditional forms of art?
Finally, Is videogame genuinely art?'

Tavinor sees graphical representation in current videogames as one of the most important aesthetic achievements and having potential to make a contribution to the arts. However, other video game components like sound, gameplay and narrative play a very important role.