Video Game Design

FINAL POSTMORTEM & RULE SHEET

The game we, Group 4, worked on is called H.O.P.E., a CO-OP survival board game about saving the human race from getting invaded by alien invaders. Players must work together to find resources and weapons to help defeat the aliens. However it will not be easy as not only they'll find resources, but will uncover unexpected aliens as well. 

The final board game has been really great from start to finish. My partners and I were on a roll figuring out what kind of game we'd be working on and everything went well to the end. We have made a lot of changes as well along the way. At first, we thought of adding NPCs into the board game to help the layers scavenge for resources as well. But we learned that would make the game a bit too simple so we had to scratch it. The problem we kept encountering was the combat system. We always went back in forth whether or not the dice is necessary or not, but turns out in the end to be very useful.

For the final progress of our board game, the only improvement we have was simply clarifying the rule sheet more. There was also some outdated rule that we forgot to get rid of as well, which we remove immediately. But other than that, the rule sheet was fine. The combat and scavenging hunt of the game is pretty well done and the enemies are balanced as well. 

FINAL BOARD GAME RULE SHEET V1-V3

For this final board game, we get to choose what kind of game we want to create. Not only that, we need to pitch it for class and if one of our classmates likes it, they are able to be their partner. Instead however, I was in a group of three. We decided to go with one of my partner's idea which is called H.O.P.E.. The premise of this CO-OP game was that this took place during an alien invasion on Earth and it's up to two players to find machine components to build the ultimate weapon called H.O.P.E in order to destroy the alien saucers. 

We got to work once we were able to meet. Our first draft of the rule sheet, we added in six character cards for the players to choose and the rest will be the NPCs that will help you get the components as well. We also have a six sided die which has many uses. One of the uses is used to determine which building to go. Another was determining what we find in the building. Roll a 6, you obtain the machine component, but roll a one and you encounter the alien and be forced to fight it. Using the dice, you need to roll to determine who wins. If you land on 1 through 3, you'll lose -10 life points. Land on 4 through 6, you defeat the alien. For the second part of the game, once you build the machine, you will use the dice to fight against the flying saucers. Basically the dice is very important to the game which would continue later throughout the rule sheet. 

For the second version of the rule sheet, we made some significant changes. One of my partners realized using the dice alone was very boring most of the time. So we decided to create cards and be using the dice only for combat. Instead of rolling for buildings, we decided to have the players choose the buildings instead. For the cards, we have Medical cards, used to heal the players with 10 life points, Weapon cards, used to damage the alien with a more amount of damage with 15 damage, Component cards, for when you got the item you need, and Alien Scout cards, of course as obstacles. The cards will be put face down on the board in one pile. The player will take turns picking up the card to see what they got once they're in a building. We also scrapped the idea of NPCs to focus more on the players. The combat system also changed as well. This time, if the player rolls an odd number, they will miss, but if the player rolls an even number, the aliens take damage. We even added where if the player lands on a six, not only does the alien scout gets, damaged, but also gets attacked by two players instead of one. For the second part of the game, we used the same idea from the previous combat system, but tweak it a bit. If you land on a 4, you get a single hit on one of the saucers. Land on a 5, you get a double hit on them as well and you can even split the damage to two saucers. Land on a six, you get a triple hit. 

The third version of the game, we simply have to clarify on the instructions. When we playtested it to a different group, they were confused about how to play the game and always ask us questions on what to do. Because of this, we tweak the instructions to make it more understandable for others. 

BOARD GAME FINAL RULE SHEET & POSTMORTEM

Our Partner and I who are in Group 8, have finally finished the board game called MallowDramatic. In this game, two players compete with one another to eat each other marshmallow pieces by strategically moving their pieces on a chess-like board. However, land on a colored square, they'll be given a task they will regret. This game is targeted to teenagers ages 15 to 20, who loves a good risky and strategic game. 

From the first few weeks, my partner and I were able to make a workable rule sheet and only made minor changes to do so. For the final rule sheet, we decided to make some changes and few additions to the game. Since the pieces are too similar to each other, it may cause some players to be confused on who's pieces are who's. To fix that, we decided to have one player to have red and orange pieces while the second player gets to have yellow and green pieces. We also have to switch up their move sets as well. Now the yellow and green pieces have the same moves as well as the red and orange with theirs. One addition we added is choosing which player gets to go first. If a player manage to eat the marshmallow by throwing it in the air, they get to go first. But since this rule sheet are just print outs, it'll just to flip a coin. 

So everything went well, until my partner had to drop out of the class. Luckily, the rule sheet was so perfect, that it doesn't require any major changes. However, I had to do the rest of the post mortem. But other than that, those are the only problems I had to deal with for the rule sheet. 

BOARD GAME RULE SHEET V.1 & V.2

For this assignment, my partner and I worked on a game board based on the prompts that were given by the professor. The prompts are advergames and marshmallows. Much to both of our disappointments, it is not an adventure type game, but in fact they are games that are created by product companies like M&M's and Pepsi. So we decided to create a fake food company called YummyMallows. 

To design this game, we came up with an easy version of chess, where the pieces are marshmallows. Unlike the usual chess pieces, we minimized it to 8 move sets. Not only that the moves will be limited to only between 4 and 3. We also added colored squares where if a player lands on them, they would have to do a truth or dare situation. We decided to make one of the colored squares to be more thrilling and that is the teal square. If one lands on it, the opponent would get to text anyone on the player's contact list on their phones.

RULE SHEET V.3 & POSTMORTEM

Continuing the Rule Sheet assignment, we realize our rule sheet isn't as good as it should be. When playtesting with the other group who is also doing the same assignment, we found out that our rule sheet is flawed. Turns out, once they get rid of the Joker cards, the game turns into a regular game of Solitaire. So my partner and I decided to change that. So in this new and final version of the Solitaire Rule Sheet, we significantly changed the rule. This time, the Joker Cards are much involve, but more improved then what I thought before during V.1. So for this new version, the Joker Cards are used as substitute for the Tableau piles as long as its colors matches. If you found the cards you want, you can replace one of the Joker Cards and placed them in the back of the piles. However, if both Joker Cards are both faced up, the game is over. This idea really makes the game more better. We have it playtested with two people. One who knows Solitaire and who doesn't. The playtester that doesn't know how to play at first was confused on how the game works, which made me nervous and worried. However, that end up being just nothing as he was misreading the instructions. Now my partner also have their mom playtest their game as well and seems to went well as well. 

So once we got that down, we were ready to work on the Postmortem. That is pretty easy to do, especially reminiscing on what we did right and what we did wrong. Playtesting was definitely the factor of why the rule sheet went wrong because we barely have the game playtested until now. Not only that, at first we were doing find working on the rule sheet and other assignments we had to do. That was until I myself came down with the fever and really throw our momentum off which end up having us procrastinate. However despite that, we manage to finish these assignments, explaining our strength and weakness onto our Postmortem. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1j-X80uMMqjpqAD7lD85ZscuoQM84SAQRag8_RZYIex8/edit?usp=sharing

RULE SHEET V.1 & V.2

For my Video Game Design assignments, my partner and I worked on modified rule sheets on Solitaire. This game is called Solitaire: EXTREME! where it happened to be an extended version on the game. The goal of the game is to get every cards on a specific set of stack, but with a twist. There would be Joker Cards that might sabotage the game, making it more difficult or even ending the game. However there is a second chance if the player choose which card to pull first from the back of some piles. 

I had been playing Solitaire for a while so once I learned about this assignment, I got to work. Luckily, I have been modifying the rules even before this, which is to choose any card to pull from the back of the piles whenever I got stuck and thus I add this rule to the sheet. I also don't want to change too much to the game, so I decided to just add in the Joker Cards to the mix, making it challenging for the player. I had made several versions of how the Joker Cards work, but decide to choose the first version. The rests were either too complicated or unplayable. So after playtesting it, it worked. I'll have to admit, since my partner don't know much about Solitaire, I had to help come up with these ideas, which isn't too bad since they're not too complicated. But once they playtest the game, it worked out in the end for them too. 

So making the rule sheet, it was difficult for me to describe the game of Solitaire. It is more simple to show it instead of describing it, which is helpful when we added in images. My partner even write out how to play the game of normal Solitaire, in case. However, I get worried that we might get outed for plagiarism. So it was fortunate when I learned that our professors approved the sheet. The professor chose our sheet as an example for the class and I remember there was one student that appreciated the addition of Joker Cards. The only problem with our first version of the rule sheet are the way we describe the game. So of course, my partner and I got to work. We manage to merge both Solitaire: Extreme and normal Solitaire together instead of separate. Thus the second version of the rule sheet is complete. But I had to hand most of the work to my partner. During that week of working, I came down with the fever and a sore throat, which really throw me off most of the week. I'm glad that my partner managed to finished the second version of the rule sheet. In conclusion, the Solitaire: Extreme Rule Sheet was pretty good and worked well.  

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14d1zCKIWrN2VNQ-JT-5roPbbWJ6KUi7Q94dd0kFpVvA/edit?usp=sharing