Blogging the experience of gameplayhttps://www.gamelog.cl/gamers/GamerPage.php?idgamer=476https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3146Entry #2 Gameplay During the second hour I played, I decided to play in the two-player mode (as I do with most games because it is a lot more fun). The 2-player mode on this game is definitely more entertaining than career mode, just because there is the added challenge aspect of having competition from a friend. In the 2-player mode, there are numerous games to play such as Graffiti, King of the Hill, and High Score. Graffiti has to be my favorite game within the 2-player mode. The concept of the game is to try to “tag” as many skatable areas and perform tricks on them to “set” the score. The object of the game to tag more places than the other player. The players are able to “steal” the other players tagged areas. Design The design of this game features new areas where the players can skate around in, including the Sana Cruz Wharf. This was the first time I played this installment of the game, and when I saw that there was a level for Santa Cruz, it made me want to play the game even more. This was the first time that I knew where exactly the level was located, and I was amazed at how similar it was. The level design has increased throughout the years, including more details and more skatable areas. The levels of this game are varied through different places and each place to skate has different goals. In career mode, the challenges differ from the amount of high score that you have to achieve or by what tricks you have to do. This game, especially in 2-player mode, helps foster many social interactions. During the 2-player mode, there are many times to spark conversation, either that has to do with the game or not. This type of game is not the type that drains all mental capacity of the player, which allows other conversation to occur. The reward structure of this game is pretty simple- you gain points and finish challenges in order to unlock new levels, cheats, and increase the stats on your character.Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:43:41 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3146&iddiary=5840https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3146Entry #1 Summary Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland for GameCube is the ___ installment of the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series. The game depicts professional skaters as they skate around various levels. The object of the game in career mode is to achieve high scores and accomplish goals in order to unlock new levels and characters. Gameplay Having played numerous Tony Hawk games before, this game was very similar to the previous games, with the exception of new places as levels. Of course, any Tony Hawk game that I have played I have enjoy greatly. What’s not to love about skating like a pro and doing gravity-defying tricks? I really enjoy how they keep bringing back the original characters, such as Tony Hawk, Andrew Reynolds, Elisa Steamer, etc. There have been recent additions to the characters- the player is now able to change their clothes, board, etc. as well. The progression of the game is similar to the previous ones: unlock new levels by getting the high score, the highest combination of tricks, or challenges like grinding all of the rails. The narrative progression of this game can get old after a while, especially after having played every single installment of this game ever made. In career mode, there isn’t much interaction with other players as it focuses more on helping advance the skill level of the player rather than beating other characters in the game. This game is interesting to play, except I wish there were newer elements in the career mode, such as a contest or something to that extent. As a devoted Tony Hawk fan, I will continue to purchase every new game that series spits out, but it would be nice to have different elements to play against.Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:43:18 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3146&iddiary=5839https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2805Entry #2 Gameplay My second experience playing this game was much like the first: I got bored of the game very quickly and found that it became tiresome after a while. The game seemed very repetitive, and although games like racing games are repetitive, this one got old very quickly. Maybe I would have liked this game if I had experienced it before as a little kid, but not now. Although there are different aspects of the game, the outline of the game is very unorganized, which could be the reason why this game was not appealing to me. Even though the innovative usage of the Wii-mote was fun, the entire game as a whole proves more than what meets the eye-my point is that I only played for two hours, but if I had a chance to explore the game more, I think I would end up liking it. There are many different games available to play, and I probably got stuck playing the same type of shooting aspect of it. Design The design of this game is very simplistic-there is no real path that you have to take in order to achieve the goal, which gives this game a very high interest level, as there are many levels that you can play. The graphics on this game were very simple and childlike, which leads to my point that this game is probably made for a much younger audience than myself. The tone of the gameworld is very desolate, except for the numerous rabbids running everywhere trying to shoot at you. One thing that I liked about this game was that I had no control over the movement of Rayman. He just moved by himself and I had to control where to shoot the plungers. This is what made the game a little too easy, but it was different than say, Halo, where you control everything with your controller, thus increasing the difficulty on the game. During my play of the game, my friends would watch as I played for maybe 20-30 minutes, but then they quickly became bored of watching me shoot plungers at rabbids, and thus decreasing the appeal of the game to them. I think that if I played this game in the multiplayer mode, it would become more fun, but that option was not available at the time.Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:43:30 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2805&iddiary=5285https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2805Entry #1 Summary Rayman Raving Rabbids is a 1-4 player first-person shooter game for the Nintendo Wii console. The main of this game is to shoot the “rabbids” with plungers as they attack you with returning plungers and nun chucks. The game consists of 70 mini-games, which consists from shooting to twirling a cow over your head to see how far you are able to throw it. The main goal of this game is to complete three games and try to accumulate points in order to climb the ladder out of his cell and gain his freedom. The rabbids basically make Rayman complete all these tasks purely for their own entertainment. Gameplay The first time I played Rayman Raving Rabbids, I was expecting a more realistic type of game, but I soon found out that it was very cartoon-like, which is not a bad thing. You start out by making a character, and dressing up Rayman with various accessories. You then get to pick a level to play, and so you begin by shooting the rabbids with plungers. I found this aspect of the game very repetitive throughout the many levels, so the beginning levels were sort of boring. But then as you progress through the game, more and more rabbids start to attack you and you have to pay more attention to the game. My emotional state during the beginning of the game was bored, and I wished that the game would get more interesting. But as I progressed into the later stages, I started to understand the story more. I had started playing this game out of boredom one day and didn’t expect much of it, but it exceeded my initial expectations. At first, the usage of the Wii-mote seemed similar to most games where the type of controller didn’t matter, but after playing that game for awhile, the innovative usage of the Wii-mote became more apparent. There are mini games that consist of dancing and flying, so a lot of attention is focused on the Wii-mote than I previously thought, which adds to the replay value of the game.Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:16:54 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2805&iddiary=5254https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2546Entry #2 GAMEPLAY For my second hour of playing this game, I decided to play 2 player against my friend using the wireless mode. This was a lot more fun than playing alone because it was more of a social interaction than being just a race against the clock alone. We played various courses in game under the 100cc section, which is harder than the easy 50cc I usually play in. The level of intensity rose, but there was not any difference in the way the courses and levels were set up. DESIGN The elements of the game are typical to that of any Mario Kart game: the courses, the obstructive elements, such as gophers and snowmen, and the Item Boxes which are very helpful in achieving the main goal of the game. The levels of the game in each circuit get harder each race, with the inclusion of more moving objects (ie: cars and gophers) and also no boundaries on the sides of the road, such in the race Rainbow Road, which you can fall off of and lose your spot in the game. The different missions and battles in the game are what keeps it interesting after losing interest in the racing aspect of it. The 2-player mode is definitely more fun to play than one player, it creates competition which would make winning more desirable. The game made usage of space in the gameworld by placing bushes and adding hills in the course. The general tone of the game is whimsical, but the whimsicality of it varies by the course, such as the desert course and Peach’s garden. One thing I wish this game would have been the ability to have the karts move at a faster pace. The slow movement of the karts is the main reason why I stop playing the game after a certain amount of time. The games reward structure is made up by the top 4 racers receiving points according to what place they finish in. Overall, Mario Kart is one of my favorite games because every time I play it, I am able to have fun and play for a couple of hours without getting bored. I really hope that Nintendo releases a new version of this game with newer elements to keep it interesting.Sat, 09 Feb 2008 01:29:34 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2546&iddiary=4797https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2546Entry #1 Summary Mario Kart is a 1-8 player racing game for the Nintendo DS. The main goal of game is to basically win races against the computer or other players using the wireless multiplayer mode. During the various races, there are Item Boxes placed throughout the course which are the available way to gain an advantage over the other players depending on which item you get. There are assorted themed races and also many different types of games and battles that the play is based on time or collecting coins. GAMEPLAY I have played Mario Kart for N64 numerous times and Mario Kart for the DS was able to live up to the reputation of its parent game. You are still given a selection of characters to choose from, and also a variety of karts that vary in speed, acceleration, handling, drifting, etc. There are also different Cups to choose from, which are yielded from the Nitro Grand Prix and Retro Grand Prix groups. My emotional state during this game was the same with any other type of racing game: the want and excitement of winning by going fast. The characters during the race do not interact verbally: there is no trash talk or anything (as in the new Mario Party 8 for the Wii). This game is definitely fun to play: I have played this game for well over 2 hours at a time, and the replay of this game is very high due to the different types of classes available to race in, such as the 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, and the 150cc Mirror course. While in single player mode, I don’t really have interactions with others about the game because I am too engrossed in the game to talk about it, but I am still able to respond to questions that don’t require much thought. The flow of the game is typical to that of any other racing game, the higher class you choose, the harder the course gets. One thing I really wished that Mario Kart had was a story behind it, but I think that is why its replay value is so high, because it lacks one.Sat, 09 Feb 2008 01:28:45 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2546&iddiary=4795https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2012ENTRY #2 GAMEPLAY My second time playing Super Mario Galaxy was more enticing than the first. I was able to collect Star Bits at a faster rate and do them automatically. Playing the game is a lot of fun: there are numerous obstacles that Mario has to overcome, such as beating bosses in order to receive a star. The bosses are beaten when Mario adapts a new characteristic to help him reach his goal (ie: he is given the ability to put on a bee suit and fly around). During my second 45-min period of playtime, I noticed that the game was getting more and more difficult by each level and would need me to think outside of the box in order to defeat the enemy. Mario’s new skills such as wall-jumping and power stomping increased my engagement in the game. DESIGN I really enjoyed the fact that Super Mario Galaxy was the first single player game of the Mario series to be released on the Wii. It gave a whole new meaning to the phrase “interactive play.” Controlling Mario with the nunchuck attachment to the Wiimote was reminiscent of the old N64 console. The new aspect of the game was being able to wave the Wiimote around collect Star Bits by just touching them with the cursor shaped like a star. I also liked how Nintendo switched the controls: for example, the Z button is hit with the left hand instead of the right, etc. This didn’t really have a negative effect on the gameplay of this game, if anything, the newer controls made it more interesting to play. The design elements in the game were very impressive; the astronomical “universe” aspect of it took into account the “planets” and “meteoroids” in the game. The graphics in this game are almost near perfect for a Mario game. They consist of bright colors and the characters are very modernized. Color is also used as a depiction of space in the gameworld. The vast black sky gives the impression of more exploration being needed in order to find out what lies beyond the galaxy you are in. As for the space that Mario can physically move in, it is virtually unlimited (within the galaxy, of course). Mario is able to jump on whatever he wants, swing on branches and climb up trees and vines. Of course, he is limited by the aspects of gravity and timers (such as the one for the bee suit). One thing I would change though would be the rate that Mario moves. Sometimes on the meteoroids, I would not be able to move fast enough out of the way and I would end up getting hit and losing a life. It just seemed that at some points Mario moved a little bit slower than in other parts (both were non-water areas). I guess that’s just a factor that I’ll have to live with, but it still does not change the fact that I would continue to play the game. Overall, I really cannot say anything bad about the game Super Mario Galaxy as a whole. It seems as if Nintendo gave much attention to it to make sure that it would be a game that would have a high appeal to the general audience of gamers, and they were able to achieve that goal. Fri, 25 Jan 2008 22:58:21 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2012&iddiary=4168https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2012ENTRY #1 SUMMARY Super Mario Galaxy for the Wii is a one player game where the main goal is to save Princess Peach from the wrath of Browser, who kidnaps her. The object of the game is to go through the many different levels, which are represented by numerous galaxies, and collect stars in order to unlock different galaxies and find Princess Peach. Mario games that Nintendo has released all have the same core goal, and this one is no different. It still holds Mario as the Hero, and gives the player the feeling of accomplishment while playing, which I think is the major attraction of this game, or at least to me it is. GAMEPLAY Super Mario Galaxy not only looks like a fun game to play, it is a fun game to play. As usual, the main character is Mario, and nothing really changes about him except the way that the player can control him. The innovative usage of the Wiimote for this game was very surprising. And the fact that instructions on how to use the Wiimote to control Mario were given throughout the game, and instead of having to read a booklet or memorize all the controls at the front screen, is a plus. My emotional state while playing the game was excited and amazed. As for the characters in the game, there was an abundance of Toad in the first level, which was sort of annoying, since they didn’t really have a function except to tell me random information that I have no use for (ie: their emotional state). Other than Toad, so far, the only other characters I have come in contact with are Luma (the chubby stars that you go to for help for the galaxy you are currently in) and Rosalina (who tries to keep order and peace in the universe). Interactions with these characters helped me gain a broader understanding of the plot of the game and what my goals were and how I would be able to achieve them (like collecting as many stars as I could and going to other galaxies). The one player component of this game limits interactions with other people experiencing the game, but while I was playing, my friends were in the room doing their own things and they would often turn around to respond to my reaction of frustration (from losing a life) or joy (from gaining a star or beating the boss of that level). I would definitely have to say that this game was fun to play. It was able to keep me engaged for well over an hour, and I can't wait to play again.Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:15:23 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2012&iddiary=3903https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1690(entry #2) GAMEPLAY My second round at playing Halo 3 was just as fruitless as the first. This time, I played with my friend, so it had the element of teamwork with a person that was sitting two feet away from me. I tried to invert the controls of the character but it did not seem to help. Either, it is my lack of experience playing video games or that Halo is a tough game to understand. I still believe that it is a “point-and-shoot” game, and after talking it over with a couple of friends, they agreed with me that Halo 3 is not as appealing to people who just start playing the game, but rather, its geared more towards gamers who have played this game since the first one and are more addicted to the story of the game than the actual enjoyment of playing it. Although I enjoyed playing Halo 3, I don’t think that I would play it again for fun. Because I started at the 3rd game in the series, I lack the information and knowledge that is associated with the game that was given in the beginning, thus not interesting me as a player of the game. DESIGN Other than my lack of experience and interest in the game, I must admit, the graphics of this game was very impressive. Many of the levels have computer-generated obstacles (other than the aliens) that created another element to overcome in the game. I really liked how the competitive and cooperative aspect of this game is able to work without flukes. I think this is a big attraction for Halo fans, and just regular people such as myself, seeing that technology has come this far to connect us and allow us to play real-time games with people on the other side of the world, which is one of the reasons why I think it keeps players coming back for more. The tone of the gameworld is desolate and dreary, which is expected with the takeover of aliens. The aliens, being monstrous and ugly and huge, reflect the world as well. This was enhanced through the cut scenes, which not only helped explain the back story, but also gave insight on what was about to happen. The fluidity of the story is an indication of how popular the game and the idea of aliens are to the gaming society. Aliens are always a popular element presented in video games, and Halo 3 does not disappoint the alien-killer gamer at heart. I think if I started playing this game from the beginning, the original Halo, I would be more interested in the game and also have learned which weapons are stronger, etc. etc. Halo 3 is a quality game but only for those who have played the previous ones. (This entry has been edited1 time. It was last edited on Mon, 14 Jan 2008 23:42:03.)Mon, 14 Jan 2008 23:41:27 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1690&iddiary=3659https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1690 SUMMARY: In Halo 3, the object of the first-person shooter game is to defeat the aliens that are trying to take over the planet. The player is one of the aliens who switched over to the good side because he realized that they were being misled . The game consists mostly of shooting aliens and trying not to get killed. GAMEPLAY: Halo 3 being the first first-person shooting game I’ve ever played, I would have to say it was quite difficult to understand. I had heard a lot about Halo, but I regret to say that for my first playing experience with it, I was very disappointed and it did not live up to my expectations of how engaged I would be in the game. At first I was very frustrated because the sensitivity of the controller was very high and I would overestimate the movements of my character and end up turning too much. The object of the game was interesting enough, and the storyline was able to keep going throughout the period that I played. The characters in the game were visually complete and the interactions between my character and the other ones in the game were enhanced with the quality graphics. The game was fun to play, but I think if I reconfigured the controller commands I would be able to better control my actions. The social interactions during the game were quite interesting as well: I played using the Xbox 360 Live feature, so I was able to play with my friend from Southern California. It was the first time I had used a video game to have live interactions while playing the game, which was a bonus. I also had bystanders while playing, and it was helpful because they were just as engaged in the game as I was. I am sure that my second encounter with Halo 3 will be much better than the first, because now I know what to expect, but I don’t think that I could spend all day playing a game like this because all it is, is just point and shoot. Sun, 13 Jan 2008 18:57:41 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1690&iddiary=3407