Gaming Game Lab 2
Created: 9/29/23
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For this last lab, we were assigned into pairs where we went through a catalogue of different games from outside and inside of class. I want to mainly focus on the games my partner Ryan and I ended up playing from the in-class made games because they are going to be the most relevant towards us.
Let's start with some of the end-of-the-semester-made games and compare and contrast mostly because they had some of the most thought-out designs and polish. The two games we ended up playing were Horai and Die in Dungeon which were two amazing games that focused on two different aspects of MDA.
Starting with Horai, we are put into a very aesthetically pleasing world with a flower in the middle and the only goal is to change through the seasons to manage the temperature of the game. Not much mechanics-wise here, but it is made up through the incredible detail put into each season along with background animals that would pop in from time to time. Between watching and playing this game, There wasn't much going on as the mechanics of the game were thin and it was mostly made to be looked at.
Comparing this to Die in Dungeon, you get a game that focuses heavily on complex and innovative mechanics for a turn-based fighter game using dice as your main form of attack that can combo with other dice to give the player better attacks, defenses, or healing based on the pattern you set them in. Even though this game doesn't have as beautiful aesthetics as Horai did, it still created a very nice art style for itself with fewer pixels needed.
There was a difference between playing and watching for this one as both Ryan and I had different play styles for how we progressed and upgraded our dice and character. Being able to watch someone else play and figure out combos to use, you can get lost very quickly as you never know what they are doing or what they are trying to accomplish.
Moving backward, I want to talk about Desert Racing Syndicate which was under one of the month-long project games that we are heading into right now. I think this game sets an example of showing that getting started with game development does not have to be about creating a breathtaking game with an amazing story and complex mechanics but can be as simple as racing around a track with your friends. Even though Desert Racing Syndicate is nowhere near the polish of Horai or Die In Dungeon, it is still a game and a good starting point for people trying to enter and learn more about the game development industry and the process of making a game in general.