LO4 - Game Pitch

Title of the game : Labyrinth

LO4 - Product Schedule

Pre-Production : The development would take 2-3 months in order to complete with a lot having to be taken into account like research and things in the game during playing it.

Most of the time in pre-production will be used on the art work which will take a long time to develop a lot of the different titles, characters, spells, maps and a lot more where I will need to research mythology and different Greek gods in more detail to see if there is anything else I can add into my game or any greek objects which players can obtain.

Production : The production will take just under a year which will be dedicated to actually building the game where all the designs from the pre-production are actually brought and made inside the game like different characters, maps, objects, levels and monsters. If anything needs changing or improving we can go back to the pre-production to change or improve anything which we feel needs to be changed, upgraded or deleted.

Post-Production : During the Post-production stage this is where the game will be tested, we can employ testers to play the game where we can see if there are any glitches or bugs which ruin the game for the player where we can fix them. We can also see if the tester feels like we could add something in to improve it and make the player enjoy the game more. 

LO4 - Legal and Ethical

There won’t be any legal problems as all music will be made by us or we will ask for permission to use certain material and won’t use anything which isn’t ours so that we won’t get into trouble as well as we will be designing all our own logos, characters and maps without copying them for anywhere else.

I have targeted my audience as being over the age of 18 which gives my game lenience where there will be a lot of violence which displaying it at the highest age rating you can by Pegi it means our game can contain a lot more than what it could under other ratings like any gross/ violence is allowed, bad language, fear and many others. There won’t be any swearing in our game as it is not necessary where we won’t offend any of the audience with constant swearing like some games.

LO4 - Target audience

The target audience for my game is 18-26 year olds who play Pc games which I have rated it over 18 because of the violence and gore from different fights. I say that the gender would be 80/20 for males with more male characters and a lot of violence. 

Alex, 18 years old and lives in Sheffield, he studies at Sheffield Hallam University where he is focusing on a gaming course where he is wanting to join a big gaming company to work for them with producing a variety of games. He owns a PC and Xbox but mostly uses his PC for games which he can’t get on his Xbox especially mythology games which he enjoys playing because of the different characters with abilities, monsters, levels and the different graphics. He is very competitive and finds himself playing games with an interesting story for hours where he wants to explore more and finds out what’s next.

LO4 - Requirements & Platform

I have thought about making the platform for my game on Xbox One or Playstation 4 as they’re one of the most popular consoles out but it would cost a lot of money to produce on one or either and some people don’t like Xbox or don’t like Playstation but nearly everyone has a computer which the game can easily be downloaded from places like steam or online and played within minuets.

The game will be available for PC and Mac where the mouse for windows or the touch sensor for mac will allow the user to look around whilst playing, they will be able to use the buttons W,A,S,D in order to move with the space bar allowing them to jump within the game.  Other buttons like the down arrow or a click on the mouse or touch sensor will be used to pick up different objects like keys in order for the player to move onto another level.

I have chosen these platforms because people either own a PC or Mac and a lot of people do own a PC but for people who own a Mac they aren’t likely to go out and buy another computer which is a windows PC in order to play the game which is unfair when they can’t play the game. 

LO4 - Story & Characters

Story 

The idea which me and Matt focused on is  the dungeon crawler game where I worked a lot with him on focusing to design the different maps which the players would go through where they would find treasure, battle creatures and then progress onto the next level. Four characters will be in play for the player to choose from with each one being a demi God with there parents being Greek Gods which each posses a different power.

The Target Audience

I have decided to aim the target audience would age from 18-26 with the majority of players being just over the age rate of the game which will be 18 because of a lot of violence within the game but it makes the game more exciting to play with the different graphics, monsters and fights.

The four characters we decided on:

Phaethon - This character has a certain skill set with a bow and arrow making range the priority attack for Phaethon who will have a large animated bow which is coloured in black with red arrows to make Phaethon look threatening and aggressive where her ability will be able to shoot arrows at walls and they can bounce off to hit the target

Agenos - Agenos will use spells as an attack with mage being a priory of attack with a large wooden staff which can be used to cast whirlpools that makes enemies vanish with the cast of a spell which is his ability.

Heracles - Heracles has a large sharp sword with a dragon look effect at the handle in green which makes his weapon look deadly where he will be extremely muscly to strike fear into his enemies which he will rely on in combat, his ability will be to shoot lightning through multiple enemies.

Macaria - Macaria will have dark robes on with a wizard hat to look almost like a witch with a black mask over her face so her enemies can’t see her face and are scared by the look of her dangerously looking mask. She will have the ability to throw multiple sharp daggers at multiple enemies at once.

LO4 - Game Idea

I like the aspect of dungeon crawler games with Greek Gods and different characters with different abilities which make the game more interesting then the usual games. I have decided to do this with different levels where the player can collect different items, visit different maps and squire different abilities whilst on the mission.

LO3 - Review of Grand Theft Auto V

LO2 - Review Compare

God Of War III

Review from Giantbomb game review and IGN

Genre

IGN and Giantbomb both describe God Of War III as being a third person action-adventure game which is heavily based on Greek Mythology. IGN has a brief description of the game but Giantbomb goes into a lot of detail about the story, character background and to the follow on from previous God Of War series. 

Target Audience

The target audience is viewed differently by both reviewers with Giantbomb review says the game is aimed at gamers who play mythology games and greek mythology based on the different characters, maps and what you actually have to do during the game which might not appeal to action gamers who are placed in a dungeon with different characters with abilities. 

IGN review said that the game could attract other gamers because of the different characters, violence and graphics which are very appealing with gamers wanting more of a challenge with a game which allows them to also free roam and complete missions and different bosses. 

Characters

Giantbomb focuses on each and every character is deep detailed explanation like telling us what abilities the characters have and what there role in the game is, the review gives a lot of information about the main character by telling us our character is called Kratos who is a fallen spartan general who must solve different puzzles, traverse dangerous locales and kill anything which stands in his way. IGN review doesn't really tell us much about any other character apart from the main character Kratos which tells us he's on a mission who used to be a general for Spartans and is now up against different creatures.

Narrative 

Giantbomb review talks a lot about the narrative of the game which goes onto talk about at the end of the game the main character finds out he has a wife and a daughter whilst telling us what he has to go through to get to the end. Ign's review refers back to the God of war I and God of war II which compares the story from then and now.

Gameplay

Giantbomb gives us a lot of information about the gameplay like how it is reminiscent of previous game series which consists of battling various creatures. It tells us in depth about his position, different locations and weapons which our character will get where on the page review we are also given pictures of gameplay like our character, fighting creatures and many more. 

IGN provides a different area of gameplay information to Giantbomb with the review on IGN mostly talking about boss strategies, collectables and other things rather than what our character goes through.

Platform

Giantbomb have said in there review that the game is only available on Playstation 3 however IGN have stated in there reviews that it is not only for Playstation 3 but Playstation 4 where the game has been (remastered) 

LO1 - Genre Research

I will be planning to do a greek mythology where I will keep these genres in mind: 

RPG - Rpg stands for Role-Playing Game which is where the player takes on the role of the character where they have to complete a narrative with a lot of decision making and other skills needed like in some Rpg games where you have to choose to save a certain character or decide a certain path for your character. 

Dungeon Crawler - Dungeon Crawler is a fantasy role-playing game with a sort of dungeon environment where you can battle different monsters and loot treasure. It is usually played in first person where you can discover new places and move onto different levels.

Action - The player must navigate through different levels whilst collecting objects, facing obstacles and fighting various enemies with usually a large boss at the very end of the level which they must have to defeat to get a reward or progress onto the next level.

LO1 - Game Analysis Forms

1. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

Need for Speed Most Wanted - 2

Gears of war

Just dance 

Pre - LO3

• Battlefield
  
  
  Assassins Creed black flag
  
  
  Forza 5
  
  
  GTA 5
  
  
  Need For Speed Most Wanted 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Two of your 5 initial games using each ones title as a heading underneath define
  
  
  Genre
  
  
  Target audience
  
  
  Platforms available
  
  
  
  
  Genre : Video game genres are used to categorize video games based on their gameplay interaction rather than visual or narrative differences. A video game genre is defined by a set of gameplay challenges and are classified independent of their setting or game-world content, unlike other works of fiction such as films or books.
  
  
  
  
  A target audience is the intended audience or readership of a publication, advertisement, or other message. In marketing and advertising, it is a specific group of people within the target market at which a product or the marketing message of a product is aimed 

Pre LO4 : Game Genre research

Identify 6 genres you would think of developing a game in

1. Driving
2. Crime
3. Sport
4. Action
5. Sandbox
6. FPS

Racing / Driving - All games which either driving a vehicle or participating in a race (often both) is a primary game play element.

LO1 - Business Report Sumo

 Sumo Digital Introduction

• The company was founded in 2003
• 220 Employees in Sheffield & 40 Employees in India

Location of the company

Address: Unit 32, Jessops Riverside, 

800 Brightside Ln, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S9 2RX

Higharachy of Sumo

 

What platforms do they develop games for?

• Andriod 
• Xbox 360
• Xbox One
• Playstation 3
• Playstation 4
• Nintendo
• Windows
• Mac
• IOS
• Blackberry
• Wii

The company is able to get access to consoles months before the release to the public which means that they have enough time to develop a game for when the consoles is released which means it will make more money because that game will be one of few which will be out when the console has been released.

They have produced racing games such as Forza Horizon 2, Forza Horizon 2 presents Fast and Furious, Disney infinity 3.0 toy box speedway and Sonic & all stars racing transformed they have also branched out doing different genre types like Little Big Planet 3 which is an adventure / platformer genre for Playstation 3 & Playstation 4. They have also produced other genre games like Personal Health where they created Xbox Fitness which is made for the Xbox One.

• Sega Superstars Tennis - Nintendo DS, Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Xbox 360 & Wii
• Doctor Who: The Adventure Game - Windows & Mac OS
• Outrun 2006 Coast2Coast - Playstation Portable, Playstation 2, Xbox, Windows

Regulatory body

Sumo digital's regulatory body is Pegi which is an age rating system which tells an audience about the age the game is suitable for. On the packet of the game is tells you what the game consists of like "Violence" and/or "bad Language" which is especially useful for parents to look at and decide if they want to buy it for their children or not.

Labyrinth Treatment

Labyrinth Treatment

Overall

Labyrinth is a fast pace dungeon crawler based on Greek mythology. The game allows you to play as a variety of different characters that are demigods with each character possessing different powers, which will help you, battle different monsters. The game allows you to explore a nearly endless map with hidden treasure and secret rooms where you have to find keys to unlock certain things in the game.

Game idea - Racing Idea

The best possible hardware for the game would be for it to be made on PC as there will be a lot of controls which will need to be limited for xbox and Playstation controllers because you need to operate: Filling the car up, changing tyres, operating window wipers, changing gears manually.

My game would fit into the genre of racing

Three games that it would compete with for market share : Need for Speed, GTA 5

Game Idea Mindmap

Feedforward Sheets

Game Review for Rome Total War

                                    Total War: Attila

Online review

Genre - The genre is approached very formally by the writer with it providing a lot of information and asking rhetorical questions which make the listener think about what you have asked and what is going on.

Target Audience - The writer has aimed the target audience at a more mature and older audience with the writer being very formal and almost boring at times with him going into too much context which the reader wouldn't understand fully without playing the game. 

Game ideas

Cow simulator

Hand glide&Ride - Handgliding in the air where you have people behind chasing you where you can shoot at them, can switch characters to person in boat where you are being chased where you can operate the speed of the boat with a lever and can shoot

Pigeon attack

Adventures of the chosen - Going through different places like tunnels, choose between different options of what to do and it leads you to different places where you might run into trouble or into treasure or the way out.

Games review

• He spoke fast
• Balanced response 
• Truthful reviews
• No- real game play

My Three Favourite games

1. GTA

2. Fable III

3. Battlefield

the reviewers overall impression of the game

the comparisons drawn 

the suggestions made for improvements 

the final score/ratings

The reviewer overall thoroughly enjoyed the game, picking out a lot of positives to the game with only a few negatives being pointed out. The comparisons which were made pointed out that the game had more positives then negatives with comparisons being made about the game being "bitingly funny, ambitious narrative, incredible world, and unparalleled variety". There were some negatives noted like some bugs which were found whilst playing the game and the exaggerated handling on cars whilst driving. IGN went ahead and gave GTA 5 a review of 10 calling it a "Masterpiece"

The reviewer overall enjoyed the game but did pick out quite a few negatives as well as the positives. The comparisons were most sided to be positive with them being "Original content, lot of fun to explore with big maps, lot of different voices which are all in high quality with interesting characters and it more streamlined and simplified to other fables" The negatives on the other hand showed that there were "Some bugs, voices over running each other and the game was disjointed". Overall IGN gave Fable III an 8.5 and said it was "GREAT"

Task 1

Rockstar Games - Owned by Take-Two Interactive which is owned by the CEO : Strauss Zelnick