Blogging the experience of gameplayhttps://www.gamelog.cl/gamers/GamerPage.php?idgamer=429https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3121GameLog Entry #2 GAMEPLAY The second session of my experience with DKR was much more enjoyable. I got more of a handle of using the touch screen. The game later adds puzzles and other actions where the stylus is necessary, and not just using boosts and popping balloons. There is certainly a lot you can do in this game once you get through the first hour or so, adding to the enjoyment and keeping the player engaged. Things such as vehicle upgrades, custom colors for your vehicles, and hidden rewards become more accessible. However, the narrative is still dry and uninteresting, and I have still found nothing that distinguishes one character from another (except for voice and sprite). Nevertheless, the game is still fun. The multiplayer also has many features such as your basic race as well as a battle mode. While in single player, there doesn't allow for much interaction with others, as the player become so absorbed. The game really requires a lot of concentration navigating the tracks and looking for powerups and shortcuts. However, the multiplayer action allows for some decent trash talking and good clean fun. DESIGN The themed areas of the game is an interesting element for a racing game. As far as I've played, there are dinosoar, ice/snow, and water themed areas. Different courses require different kinds of vehicles. Some tracks are designed for race karts, while others (like water and ice) are designed for hovercraft. Still others, such as caves, or volcanos, make use of aircraft. Each vehicle and terrain has different levels of traction, maneuverability, and speed. The variety of level designs and the artwork of the gameworld are elements that make the game appealing and fun. The game's core mechanic, racing, has different twists, such as one-on-one battles with bosses using a combination of buttons, the stylus and/the D-pad. Levels get progressively harder, yet there is an ability to upgrade your vehicle. These options and variations make the game less repetitive, supporting longer gameplay. The game has a relatively smart AI. Your opponents can maneuver around you, fire at you, take shortcuts, use boosts, and take advantage of other things players might use to give themselves an edge. At the same time, the level of difficulty only very gradually increases to avoid steep learning curves. The reward structure is also very nice. In each race, you can go for a number of coins scattered around the track that you can later use for upgrades, and you are also rewarded each time you win a race. Also, the boss rewards are generous, but not so much that the game gets incredibly easier.Thu, 06 Mar 2008 02:28:55 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3121&iddiary=5917https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3121GameLog Entry #1 SUMMARY In Diddy Kong Racing (DKR) DS, players play as their favorite Diddy Kong family and friends character in Mario Kart fassion. Some aspects that differentiate it from Mario Kart is an Adventure Mode, where the players motive is to win races to complete the narrative. Players collect golden balloons by winning races, and these are used to access new areas and enter new races. It is almost an exact replica of DKR for the N64, but with added touchscreen features and games. GAMEPLAY The game has the great nostalgic feel of the original but in the palm of your hand. The core mechanic is great fun (though not original), but the added touch screen gameplay is a little awkward and seemed to just be thrown in to make it different. The screen can be used to spin the wheels before the start of the race for an added boost, but that feature is difficult to use. It requires you to quickly switch between the stylus and the buttons, which doesn't seem well thought out. The characters look great in 3D on the DS, and the graphics match those of the N64, yet there isn't much else to them. There is no backstory or special abilities for any one character. It seems to just be a different sprite for the same object, if you will. The narrative, while a nice idea, doesn't seem to really fit well, or even seem necessary, for a racing game. To be honest, I'm not even sure what it is, except that you are attempting to collect all the pieces of an amulet in order to access the final boss, known as Wizpig. There is not much motivation inspired by the narrative, except at the end of each race, though that isn't very interesting either. If you win the race, your friend Taj the elephant rewards you with a golden balloon, and if you don't win, Wizpig will stand over you and laugh at you.Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:08:43 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3121&iddiary=5806https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2874Gamelog Entry #2 GAMEPLAY Playing the game for the second hour was certainly more enjoyable than the first as the controls became easier and easier. Eventually, I began the appreciate the controls so much I began to wonder why other games can’t be this simple. Being able to pick up people and eventually cars and buildings certainly became a great aspect of the game. Not only does the player get the satisfaction of completing the level requirements, but the longer you play, your Katamari becomes exponentially larger. The dialogue between the prince and the king are certainly humorous before, during, and after each level, despite whether you win or not. It can make you smile, and it can hurt your pride. Yet the negative emotions it may evoke in your character are always comical and would not deter the average gamer from continuing. My opinion of the games story line is that it’s almost unnecessary. You don’t necessarily need the motivation from the story to want to play or beat your objectives. You simply experience the joy of picking things up as you collide with and roll over them. This is especially true in the multiplayer mode (which I only tried shortly). It certainly allows for a good amount of trash talking, chasing, and humiliating the other player if your able to grow your ball enough to pick up your opponents. DESIGN The control scheme is certainly one of the most innovative elements. There are rarely any games that involve only using the control sticks. The relatively intuitive (though difficult at first) controls make the gameplay fun and different. The hook of the game, rolling up random things around the gameworld, is so simple and easy to understand that any player can easily understand the goal and can get an idea on how to get there. There are a few drawbacks that make the game seem somewhat repetitive at times. There seem to be only three or four worlds in the game that gradually expand while playing through the game. However, it does seem that you’re seeing so much of the same thing in each instance. Additionally, the music can sometimes grow to be a bit annoying (but surprisingly catchy). If I had a say in the development, I’d have included a soundtrack more inline with our popular culture and more distinct levels. The gameworld certainly creates a playful tone that is perfectly in tune with the playful nature of the game. The worlds, while based on real objects and settings of our world, can be somewhat fantasy and cartoonish, which adds to the overall positive feeling of the game. It’s this sort of fantastic spin on our real world that keeps the player interested and having fun.Thu, 21 Feb 2008 02:26:59 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2874&iddiary=5407https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2874Gamelog Entry #1 SUMMARY Katamary Damacy is an innovative puzzle game for the PS2. The story begins with the King of the Universe apparently partying a little too hard and knocking all the stars out of the sky. Its up to you, the Prince, to roll up random items scattered around the levels to grow larger and larger “Katamaries” (large balls of stuff) that will be turned into stars and constellations if you grow them large enough in the allotted time. GAMEPLAY The gameplay is certainly unique. Your character controls the Katamari with only the two joysticks on the controller. You manipulate them to roll forward, backward, to the side, to turn, make quick turnarounds, and get speed boosts. There is definitely a learning curve here in the controls, and picking up momentum while navigating your oddly shaped ball around is difficult and frustrating at first. Not only are you picking up things smaller than you, but you have to avoid things larger than you. The beginning levels are more or less unexciting since your only picking up mice, tacks, erasers, and if you get pretty big, pets. However, the levels are still challenging and somewhat addicting. Not only do you want to achieve your goal, but you want to avoid being scolded and humiliated by the “King,” your dad. The blocky animation, cheesy music, and hilarious sound effects, all contribute to a more or less enjoyable experience – even if you have not quite got the rhythm down. The back story that takes place between the levels is definitely a little confusing and out of the ordinary, but that is the experience you feel playing the game as a whole.Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:57:44 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2874&iddiary=5373https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2476GameLog Entry #2 GAMEPLAY In my second demo of Majora's Mask, the game became even more open and I finished with no clear objectives. This left me a little frustrated. After about an hour of gameplay, you can get link back to his former self with a new ability to transform back into the shrub, and I imagine, into other forms and creatures. This is an integral part of gameplay, since you use the special abilities of each form to accomplish certain goals. You're also reunited with your magical ocarina that can heal and manipulate time. The play became less and less interesting as it seemed more and more like Ocarina of Time 2, but with a darker theme and more difficult to find objectives. The "flow" had slowed and I quickly got lost. Once you can become human Link, the world opens up very broadly, allowing you to travel to four expansive areas outside the town. While moving back in time to the beginning (to avoid the apocalypse) is an interesting concept, it makes some of the gameplay repetitive. Some of the objectives not only need to be completed by the shrub Link but also by human Link. Overall, my experience was mediocre. DESIGN The manipulation of time and ability to transform into different forms with different abilities is definitely an innovative element. However, that seems to be the only innovation. The time element make the storyline original, but the gameplay somewhat repetitive. Transforming into other characters and acquiring new abilities is not incredibly original but allows for more puzzle solving challenges. The world is highly reminiscent of Ocarina, with a less lighthearted twist. The town is not as brightly lit, does not sport bright colors, and there is a sense of doom felt among the characters within the town. The conflict created is a bit new. Link has not been charged to save the princess, but was first challenged to help himself. After discovering what's happening in the town he's stumbled upon, he becomes obligated into attempting to recover a mystical mask, and thus, save the town. If I had any influence on the design, I would allow for more direction for the player by either more communication from key characters or opening less areas of the world at a time. Also, the reward structure is not as pleasurable as other games in the series. The rewards do not seem to come as frequent as necessary. It's a reminder for me about the importance of making the game a "pleasurable" experience for the player through the use of significant rewards.Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:21:47 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2476&iddiary=4752https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1774GameLog Entry #1 SUMMARY In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is an RPG, where you control the classic hero, Link, from the Zelda series. The story continues from Ocarina of Time, with Link being attacked and turned into shrub! Majora's Mask takes place in a 3-D world with 2-D and limited 3-D movement. You begin in a small town, where you race against the clock to finish certain objectives before the moon crashes into the planet. Once you become close to running out of time, you can simply play the Song of Time to return to the beginning, where the simulated world begins again. GAMEPLAY The beginning of the game certainly caries a much darker tone evoking some very worrisome emotions. It's also a little depressing playing as Shrub Link and feels a little unnatural. I felt less connected to the main character. The story is certainly an intriguing one, as I yet have no idea how I'm going to recover from this "shrubbish" image, nor how I plan to stop the antagonist (Skull Kid) from making the moon plummet into the planet. The new character provides some interesting movement, such as being able to launch himself from flowers and gliding to previously unreachable areas. Instead of a sword, he uses spin attacks, and can shoot magic "bubbles." It's a little less fantastic than a hero's shield and sword, but makes for a new and interesting play experience. The game is single player which disallows for much social interaction. The characters or "bystandards" in the game have little to say (as of yet) with the exception of a few who advance the story line. It seems to have some flow but there is a lot of exploration that must be done, and the amount of agency given to the player and ambiguity in tasks somewhat stalls gameplay and gives little direction.Fri, 08 Feb 2008 22:31:48 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1774&iddiary=4684https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2240Game Log Entry #2 GAMEPLAY The second hour of play is even more entertaining. I've started a second game with a third human player, leaving us to compete with each other and only one computer opponent. There are a rich variety and number of minigames, that are still easy to learn and play. There is plenty of social interaction between and during challenges which adds to the fun of the game. A variety of emotions emerge during gameplay, including commraderie, happiness, frustration, and a sense of rivalry and betrayel, but all in good fun. DESIGN The game is very innovative in that it basically defined the "party" genre. It is trully a game designed for human interaction in virtual gaming. It provides the nostalgiac feel of a classic board game with classic Nintendo characters and new innovative mini games. The games challenges memory, tactile skills, and employs a bit of strategy. There is an obvious finite number of spaces on each board (of which there are a variety), which allows a player to focus less on exploration and more on just having fun. Very simple game layouts also allow for that. The computer chooses challenges randomly to create a fair game. However, there are some challenges that seem to give certain player unfair advantages if the game so chooses. For example, in the "Crane Game," the computer allows the player controlling the crane to have an exceedingly easier chance of winning than the other players. The reward structure is simple. If you beat the computer, it will reward you with coins, and if you beat your opponents it will take coins from them and award them to you. If you reach the target space on the board with the minimum coin requirement, you can trade coins for a star. The goal of the game is to collect more stars than all other players. The simplicity is welcome and contributes to the overall fun factor.Sat, 26 Jan 2008 02:04:58 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2240&iddiary=4295https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2240Game Log Entry #1 SUMMARY Mario Party for the N64 is a multiplayer game in the "party" genre where player controls one of Nintendo's main characters. Each player competes on a virtual board with multiple paths in an attempt to earn the most stars at the end of the game. Players compete against the computer and against each other in minigames after each round for coins. Occasionally players compete against the computer in a cooperative effort. GAMEPLAY The story begins with different Nintendo characters fighting over who is the best "Super Star," which leads into the competition between four of them. Players can be automatically attached their characters if they're able to play with their favorite character. Playing against other players rather than the computer creates great social interaction. This first time playing Mario Party, I played with another human player and against two computer players. Players can choose to play cut throat against all players, create unofficial treaties to help each other, or play strictly against the other human player(s) to make it interesting and fun. The minigames are fun and easy to learn, usually only requiring one or two buttons and the control stick to play. The games have entertaining artwork, animations, and tools. It challenges you differently for each minigame, from balancing on platforms to mastering button combinations that make your character perform the desired action.Sat, 26 Jan 2008 01:30:10 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2240&iddiary=4274https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1774Gamelog Entry #2 GAMEPLAY For the second hour playing Phantom Hourglass, the gameplay continued to be fun while the controls quickly became second nature. My completist tendencies did not drive me crazy as the game is satisfyingly expansive yet allows me to only take a few steps at a time. In other words, the game allowed me to explore to my hearts content without slowing down gameplay significantly. Many new aspects of the adventure are introduced but not at an overwhelming rate. DESIGN The most noteworthy design aspect of the game is surely the control interface. The use of the stylus and touch screen creates a very intuitive control scheme (touch here to move her, touch the person to interact with them). There's even clever uses for the built in mic! The easy control design allows for more exploration and complex puzzle solving without the mechanics getting in the way. The source of conflict however, is not the most creative. It's still a "hero saves the princess" based story line, but so is the majority of the Zelda series. There are many islands to explore, each one fairly modest in size, which is satisfying in the sense that the player will not have travel far on foot from one side of an island to the next. Instead, most of the maze like territory is found in the dungeons. The reward structure is fairly simple and gratifying. You must complete small objectives to gain things like maps and keys that will lead you on, and you are rewarded larger prizes like better weapons for completing more complex puzzles and defeating bosses. The only frustrations I've developed are in some of the controls. Performing a roll is a bit complicated in tight spaces and thus far I have still not received instruction on how to use the shield I acquired. Other than that, the game is excellent. Mon, 14 Jan 2008 02:05:50 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1774&iddiary=3509https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1774Gamelog Entry #1 SUMMARY Phantom Hourglass is an RPG that begins its story from the last adventure of the Zelda series. The introduction clearly establishes the main character, Link (or whichever name you'd like to give him), as the Hero. A ghost ship abducts Princess Zelda and the adventure begins on a quest to save her. GAMEPLAY The gameplay is easy and fun. There are step by step instructions given at the beginning of the game through normal play for controlling character movements and interaction with the environment. The game creates an almost automatic attachment between the player and character, especially for players of the previous games in the Zelda series. The legacy of this legendary RPG never disappoints with interesting story lines and memorable characters. Phantom Hourglass is fun largely because of the nostalgiac feel of its predecessors. The controls make the game easy to play with a very intuitive touch screen interface. The game. however, does not necessarily allow for social interactions between other players (at least in adventure mode) because the player can become so absorbed into the game. (This entry has been edited1 time. It was last edited on Mon, 14 Jan 2008 01:45:00.)Mon, 14 Jan 2008 01:42:57 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1774&iddiary=3495