Mini Project Complete

Our first mini project is now complete. 

My particular project consisted of me building a town where bible characters lived. I built 4 houses in the town, with no other attractions, as I concentrated on the houses themselves. There is practically no game-play within the town, and my focus was on creating an environment within an engine I had not previously used. Images of each section of the town can be seen below.

Note - I take no credit for any tilesets or characters found within the game. References can be found at the end of this post.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Town

                                                                                                                                                                   

Adam and Eve's House

Interior

Floor 1

                                                                                                                                                                   

Noah's House

Interior

Floor 1

Floor 2

                                                                                                                                                                   

David's House

Interior

                                                                                                                                                                   

Joseph's House

Interior

Floor 1

                                                                                                                                                                   

What I Learnt

From building this town, I learnt a number of things.

• Most obviously, I learnt the basics of using RPG Maker VX Ace. I found that the basic principles are practically the same as other games design software that I have used, though it still had its own stark differences.

• Bible stories are common knowledge to many people, including Non-Christians. Yet there is much more to each story than what you learn when you are a child. 

• It helped me to become more familiar with world building. Creating an in-game environment wasn't too difficult once I had decided on a tile-set. Yet I had to keep in mind the message I wanted to communicate, and the target audience for the game.

• Games can still be seen as unacceptable. Though people are open to playing games, and accept them, there is still hesitance to play a game. This I noticed from actively having to ask people to play the game. There was no-one that asked 'Can I have a go?', I had to ask them for their opinion myself. This could psychologically stem from the social statement saying that 'games are bad'.

• It emphasised things I was already aware of, showing that time and effort are needed to create games, and that play-testing games is essential.

• When people tested the game, though they are aware it is purely a visual experience, they still look out for game-play factors in the game. This shows two things.
1. People, including young people, prefer interaction and engagement in games. This shows how people are in search of a reward, for the good feeling you get from accomplishment.
2. People are unaware that games don't need to be engaging in order to portray a message. Many people see games as purely as a form of entertainment. Games can be used for much more that just fun or to pass the time.

                                                                                                                                                                   

How would I take it further?

If I was to take this game further, I would initially begin by adding a number of additional characters to the environment I have created, as the current environment feels a little empty for a town. I would also likely expand the area and turn it into an area that more resembles a town with shops and buildings, rather than just 4 houses together. Each of the character houses would likely contain a way of starting the player on a journey through the story of the character. This would incorporate teaching into the game, and could possibly be used in Sunday Schools or other educational environments to teach about bible stories.
                                                                                                                                                                   

References

Tiles

pixanna, 2015, Celianna's Tileset, [Image Online] Available at: <http://pixanna.nl/materials/celiannas-tileset/> [Accessed 30/10/2015]. 

ChwarzeNacht, 2015, Egyptian Desert Set, [Image Online] Available at: <http://schwarzenacht.deviantart.com/art/Egypt-Desert-Set-504152746> [Accessed 30/10/2015]. 

Characters

Grandmadeb, 2015, Granny's Lists - Animal Sprites, [Image Online] Available at: <http://www.rpgmakervxace.net/topic/2399-grannys-lists-animal-sprites/> [Accessed 30/10/2015]. 

Wolf. N, 2015, Animal Sprites Worth Keeping - Resurrected from the Dead Sites, [Image Online] Available at: <https://grandmadebslittlebits.wordpress.com/2015/01/17/animal-sprites-worth-keeping-resurrected-from-dead-sites/> [Accessed 30/10/2015].

flickrhivemind,n.d. RPG Maker Sprites - Pig, [Image Online] Available at: <http://flickrhivemind.net/flickr_hvmnd.cgi?method=GET&page=2&photo_number=50&tag_mode=all&search_type=Tags&originput=charactergraphic,rpgmaker&sorting=Interestingness&photo_type=250&noform=t&search_domain=Tags&sort=Interestingness&textinput=charactergraphic,rpgmaker> [Accessed 30/10/2015].

Jones. D,,n.d. RPG Maker Sprites - Tiger and Lion, [Image Online] Available at: <http://forum.rpg2000.4players.de/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=81735> [Accessed 30/10/2015].

How to do things with Video Games

A visit to the University library led me to the book 'How to do things with Videogames' by Ian Bogost. Here is what I have understood from the book.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Introduction – Microecology

From what I can gather from the introduction, it is explaining that each chapter is an in depth explanation of the different situations that games can be used for. It explains that games are not purely for entertainment purposes, but they are also a powerful media form, that can be used in many more situations.

The introduction brings up the argument that often arises, saying that video games encourage violent behaviour;

‘All-too-familiar questions arise about whether games promote violent action or whether they make us fat through inactivity. Such accusations stem partly from overly general assumptions about a medium’s content and reception (which, in the case if video-games, is assumed to be violent scenarios that induce aggression).’ (Bogost. I, 2011)¹

What Bogost is basically saying is, don’t judge a book by its cover. Many of those that say these things have not experienced games before, or have never seen the range of different game types that are available.

                                                                                                                                                                   

Art

Are games classed as an art form? Bogost quotes the following passage in his book;

‘To think that there is a single, generally agreed upon concept of art is to get it precisely backwards. Americans’ attitude towards art is profoundly divided, disjointed and confused; and my message to gamers is to simply ignore the “is-it-art” debate altogether.’ (Preston. J, 2008)²

He then goes on to say;

‘Forget games, art doesn’t have any sort of stable meaning in contemporary culture anyway.’ (Bogost. I, 2011)¹

What Bogost is saying is that what is considered to be art is down to the judgement of the individual. He also goes on to say that certain games can be considered as art, because of what they represent. He presents three examples; Passage by Jason Rohrer, Braid by Jonathan Blow and The Marriage by Rod Humble. An image and an explanation of each game can be seen below.

^ Passage - Jason Rohrer: Passage is a game that simply shows the passage of time in a person's life. The creator hasn't created a game with amazing visuals, but has created a simplistic game that shows a meaningful message. The player simply presses the right arrow button on the keyboard to move, and in the process of about 5 minutes, the character's life is lived out. The pixilated man with yellow hair is the character the player controls. At the start of the game, the character falls in love, and so his life continues. Towards the end of the game, his love passes away, which after sitting watching for so long makes you actually feel sad for the character. The man then in his old age passes away at the end of the game.

^ Braid - Jonathan Blow: Braid is a platformer game, where the player has the ability to rewind time in order to learn from their mistakes. The game poses the question 'What if?'. It attempts to explore the feeling of regret. When a player makes a mistake, they may regret their actions. In the games, players have multiple attempts, but we only have one chance at life. Certain objects in the game are not affected by the changes in time. This in a way, shows that some mistakes cannot be fixed, and you must simply continue and learn from them. The game presents an indepth story of the relationship between the main character, and the princess he is trying to rescue.

^ The Marriage - Rod Humble: The Marriage is more like a small animation than a game, yet there is interaction from the player to alter the visuals. The game consists of two squares, one pink and one blue. There are also a number of circles; green, light green and black. The player can move the mouse over these items to change the squares, whether that be by size or transparency. I believe the two squares are there to represent a man and a woman together in marriage. There are no rules or explanation of game play for this game, it is entirely open to interpretation, though Humble has written an explanation that isn't provided with the game. The game attempts to relate how a marriage feels, though this may be different for each individual case.


Humble's explanation can be found here: http://www.rodvik.com/rodgames/marriage.html

In effect, games can be classed as art, yet only when thought has been put into making the experience meaningful, or visually moving. 

                                                                                                                                                                   

Empathy

Games are commonly seen as a medium for entertainment, to play for enjoyment and for fun. There are however a number of games that attempt to help the player relate to other peoples situations. To create empathy in the player.

^ Darfur is dying - Susana Ruiz: Generally in stealth games, the objective is to hide to avoid detection, and this use of stealth gives the player an advantage over the enemy. In 'Darfur is dying' the player must hide purely to avoid detection, and does not gain an advantage. The game requires the player to forage for water, whilst the Janjaweed Militia drive by searching for anyone walking in the area. The player will then use this water to help their village survive by growing food, rebuilding structures, and improving the health of the camp. The game provides facts and information about the people that live there.

^ Hush -  Jamie Antonisse and Devon Johnson: Rhythm games generally stimulate quick reflexes to fast paces music. Hush turns this on its head.

'The game is about a Rwandan Tutsi mother trying to calm and quiet a baby to avoid discovery by Hutu soldiers' (Bogost. I, 2011)¹

The game itself requires slow and timed reactions which contrast with the quick pace of many rhythm games. Successfully completing each level reveals a word from the lullaby, and completion of the game is when the Hutu patrol passes. The games implants a touch of fear into the player, which contradicts the aim to stay calm. The player must push through the worry of losing, and calm themselves, which in turn will help to complete the game. The game attempts to relate the historical genocide, which is the 1994 slaughters of the Rwandan civil war.

My Own Examples

Though my own experiences with games, I have come across two distinctive games, that attempt to portray empathy, yet in a more abstract way.

^ Papo and Yo - Minority: Papo and Yo is a game that tells a story about a boy call Quico. It tells of his father's addiction to alcohol, in a more adventurous and friendly way, to make it appear less scary. The father is seen as a friendly Monster, with a worrying addiction to eating frogs. When the Monster eats a frog, it is thrown into an uncontrollable rage, that even Quico isn't safe from. The game is set in a reality that is effectively Quico's imagination. The true meaning behind the game, is only revealed at the end of the game. The game creates empathy for the character in the game, yet also raises awareness of a real life issue, that children still suffer with today.

^ Ether One - White Paper Games: The mind can be a fragile thing, and there are many disorders that can affect the brain, and the way it functions; dementia is one that is particularly well known. Ether One is based in a futuristic medical facility, where surgery requires the surgeon (player character) to link their mind with the patient. The player then proceeds to explore and attempts to repair the mind of the patient, who is suffering from dementia. The game portrays what it feels like to have dementia, in a way that is understandable and accessible, and creates empathy and awareness through game-play.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Reverence

Reverence in games is rarely seen, particularly when it comes to religious attributes. Games may include aspects of religion, yet they are often not included to revere the faith, or to promote its ethics.
Games can however revere faiths, even though it is not clearly obvious at first. 

^ Resistance: Fall of Man - Sony: This particular game caused quite an uproar when it was released. The game takes place in world similar to the real world, but it has been invaded by aliens which are attempting to assimilate the human population. The game is an FPS (First Person Shooter) where the player is required to eradicate many of the alien lifeforms in order to progress in the game. Yet in 2007, the Church of England threatened to sue Sony for including Manchester Cathedral into the game. 

Bogost argues that though the game requires the player to shoot aliens inside the walls of the Cathedral, it still reveres the building itself. He claims that regardless of the situation, players still enter the church knowing what it represents; sanctuary and protection, a place to feel safe from the outside world. This is what Churches provide in the real world. They seek to help the needy, as that is what Christian principles require. 

However, it appears as though the Church of England was unaware of the inclusion of the Cathedral until the game was released. The shooting and violence is not something that Christians particularly approve of, especially with a species that is believed to not be created by God.

From this I can draw my own conclusion. Though the game does revere the Cathedral in a way, it should not have been included in the game without the Church of England knowing so. The building may be an iconic place in Manchester, yet I believe it would have been obvious that its inclusion would cause a stir. Games can be used to revere faith, yet care must be taken not to offend people. 

My Own Example

^ Guardians of Ancora - Scripture Union: Guardians of Ancora is a game designed to teach young children about Bible stories, and through this, teaches them about Christian principles and ethics. Scripture Union has set out to create a game set entirely around revering the Christian faith, yet in a way that children can relate to and understand.

                                                                                                                                                                   

The Rest

Through the book I found most parts considerably interesting, yet I believe that the most relevant are the chapters on Art, Empathy and Reverence. Below I have written a small amount for each of the remaining chapters, showing how games can be used in various other ways.

Music

Games can also be used in a musical sense. There are a number of games that use music in a range of different ways. Whether this be through a game based entirely around music, or whether it's simply a game that has great music to go along with the game itself. Games like 'Guitar Hero' and 'Rock Band' allow the player to feel as though they are playing the instruments themselves, and many players have said that such games encouraged them to start playing the real instrument. Other games encourage good rhythm and well timed player input, such as 'Rhythm Paradise'. One particular game that I know of called 'Jam with the Band', does encourage rhythm and timing from the player, yet players can input their own musical pieces. This can be greatly beneficial when learning a piece of music on a real instrument, as it gives them an understanding of how to play the piece. To input the music also requires the user to input each part onto a score, thus allowing practice and understanding of written music.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Pranks

Here, Bogost talks about pranks in general and how they can often be used between Games Designers as friendly fun. Yet games can also contain pranks of their own, in the form of 'Easter Eggs'. Here the term 'Easter Egg' refers to a hidden secret that can be found within the game. These hidden secrets got their name as it is similar to the seeking and finding of eggs on an Easter egg hunt.

The section on pranks also refers to multiplayer games, where players are able to play pranks on other players. Such actions include; placing traps, sneaking away with other peoples property, or targeting them in a battle.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Transit

Bogost begins this chapter by saying that car manufacturers attempt to promote sales by saying; 

'the journey is half the fun'. (Bogost. I, 2011)¹

This can be very much the case in many games, particularly in open access games where traveling is essential. Such games can become particularly boring to have to travel between areas, so most games have quick travel features to allow fast travel between areas. Though this may seem to take some of the fun out of the game, generally, games require the player to have traveled to an area before they are able to fast travel there. This keeps the traveling aspect in the game, but allows the player to focus on the core gameplay, rather than excessive travel time.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Branding

This chapter simply talked about advertising in games. This can be for false creations to make the game feel more immersive, but it can also be real life advertisements. This can be presented in a number of ways, for example; an ingame billboard could show a real fast food advertisement. Some examples of such games include 'Monopoly: Here and Now' which uses player pieces inspired by real life objects, such as a mobile phone. Barack Obama also advertised his election campaign inside games. Sports show advertisements around the pitch, and such advertisements can be streamed directly into games to be displayed in the same way.

                                                                                                                                                                   

Electioneering

Games that are created simply to advertise a person's campaign or to demote another. Such games are rarely immersive and tend to have no replay value at all. They are games that can be entertaining to play for a short period of time, and then leave the spotlight after the campaign ends.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Promotion

Promotions are special offers, like buy one get one free. Game companies can put on such offers, yet it is rare to find companies using games as a promotion. For example, in 2006, Burger King released 3 games that could be purchased along with a meal; Pocketbike Racer, Big Bumpin' and Sneak King. Burger King used these games to encourage people, particularly those who they consider to be in their target market, to buy their food.

                                                                                                                                                                   

Snapshots

There are a large number of games design software available today, many of these can be purchased by anyone who wishes to experiment with the software. This chapter talks about how family members or friends can create games to act like a memorable photograph, allowing a memory to be more immersive than a simple picture.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Texture

Texture, in a games sense, refers to the way a model has been 'coloured in'. In relation to touch, it's how the surface feels when touched. In terms of music, it's how the notes blend or contrast with each other. Each of these variation can be used in games. Surfaces are created to mimic real life surfaces. Textures are applied to add colour, then Normals add surface details such as bumps, or streaks. Texture can also be applied to the way the game makes you feel, whether this be through the music, through gameplay, or through the storyline of the game.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Kitsch

'There's a name for this sort of art, an art urging overt sentimentality, focused on the overt application of convention, without particular originality: we call it kitsch.'

This is Bogost's definition of kitsch. These sort of games are basically games that have no particular meaning, but have a sort of liability to them, that encourages the player to play, and to play again. Some examples of such games can be seen here: www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal
                                                                                                                                                                   

Relaxation

Many people use games as a way to relax, however, most games don't help us to relax. Games generally aim to put us on the edge of our seats, to lean forwards in anticipation. A game that helps a person to relax would encourage the player to lean back, rather than lean forwards.

The entirety of a game doesn't have to be focused on relaxation, it can simply have relaxing attributes included in the game. Therapeutic actions such as gardening in 'Animal Crossing', or farming in 'Harvest Moon' can also feel relaxing to the player.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Throwaways

There are a great number of throwaway games available, particularly on the internet. These games are small, and are games that players would play for a time, then leave them and forget about them. They are there to provide temporary entertainment, and nothing more. Many of these games are built around current events, which increase the publicity of the game, but once that event has passed, the game's publicity dwindles away.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Exercise

Exercise is an important factor when it comes to staying healthy, and games are available to help us do just that, in the comfort of our own homes. 'Wii fit' ,being one of the most obvious titles, is designed to records and track a user's BMI (Body Mass Index), and also provides a number of fun and entertaining games that require the player to move around to play. 'Just dance' is also another exercise title, that simply encourages the player to dance to the music, and gain the best score they can. This becomes particularly competitive when playing with friends.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Work

Bogost talks about games that require work. The player must input something physically into the game, and in return, receive a physical output. One such game is suggested; 'Cruel 2 B Kind', a game that requires player to compliment potential targets, as a form of attacking. The game is played in a large area, and can be played with a large number of people, yet no-one knows who the other players are. This can result in complimenting passers by who are caught in the crossfire. The player physically moves around the battlefield, while also at risk of being attacked themselves.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Habituation

The actions we take in our own lives, and the tasks that we do influence the construction of games. Our understanding of sports is a particularly good example. If 'Wii Sports' was released, and knowledge of sports such as tennis, wasn't common knowledge, would we understand how to play?   An extensive explanation of rules would be needed, which would likely put us off playing. Another example is the standard mapping of controls in games, e.g. spacebar for jump. If a game were to change this it would confuse the player. The standards for controls should not be changed, unless there is a specific reason for doing so. 
                                                                                                                                                                   

Disinterest

Player interest of certain game genres often dictates which games will be popular, and which will not. Typically, serious games are not seen as fun to play. The player will generally discover that it is an educational game, and will not wish to play. Their disinterest in the game shows the common struggle of games as a medium, and not just a form of entertainment. Serious games however are gradually becoming more popular, as designers find ways to integrate education into fun and interactive gameplay.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Drill

Tutorials teach us the basics of gameplay, yet we don't receive a tutorial in real life. We get taught what to do, and what not to do by our peers and employers. A drill teaches a person all the important information they need to know for a specific task, like a fire drill in case of a fire. Games that perform a drill, teach people how to perform certain tasks. This teaching they can then apply to real life, in the same situation that the game displays.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Conclusion

Games can be used in a great number of ways, and there are likely many more ways to use video games that are not displayed in this book. Games have the opportunity to entertain and teach, they can be used to advertise and help us keep fit, they form a medium that immerses the user in a world where they can escape their own reality. Games are a brilliant resource, and we can use them in whatever way we want them to.

Bibliography

1. Bogost. I, 2011, How to do things with Videogames, Minneapolis, University of Minnesota Press

2. Preston. J, 2008, 'The Arty Party' - Gamasutra, [image online] Available at: <http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3536/the_arty_party.php> [Accessed 28/10/2015]

Church College Certificate in Christian Youth Work

I am undertaking a qualification in Christian Youth Work at the University of Chester. The induction day for the course was held on Tuesday 20th October at Church House in Warrington.

Travel to the destination was particularly time consuming due to intense traffic and closed off motorways. Most of the students made it to the induction meeting, and the event proceeded 30 minutes later than intended because of traffic problems.

The evening was a simple introduction to the course, and allowed us all to get to know each other a little. We were informed of the assignments we would have to undertake, and what the teachings of each module consisted of.

The layout of events for the course can be seen below.

Though this course may present me with another workload that I will need to complete, I feel it may complement my work in Games Design.

Hot Pot Youth Training

Having been invited to attend a youth leaders training event, I decided to go along. Registration took place from 9:00 am until 9:30 am, during which tea and coffee were served. Once everyone was present, we proceeded into the main part of the building, where we were given a talk about the main principles of youth work.

The lecturer proceeded to talk about how we all wish there was a mathematic formula to follow. He gave the following example:

(5E)^R

He then proceeded to explain the formula, saying there are 5 Es;

Enjoyment - If it isn't fun, they won't come. This is basically saying that if you don't present activities that are enjoyable to the youth audience you are aiming at, then the young people won't attend.

Education - Young people sit through various educational subjects almost every day, they aren't going to be happy to do more. Therefore, when teaching young people things, make it fun. You can be creative, find ways to teach them that they may not have experienced before.

Experience - Don't just sit in a circle and talk to them, you need to make the gathering an experience they will remember. Don't meet inside everyday, shake things up. Go on trips, go outside, go camping, do something memorable.

Empower - Give the young people tasks to do. Make them feel responsible for something. Make them feel a part of something greater, and they will be more likely to stick around.

Example - Lead through example, and act in the manner you deem they should act. Be a role model for the young people to look up to.

That explains the 5 Es, but what about the R?

RELATIONSHIP

We cannot do anything, unless we are able to communicate with the young people, and the most effective way of doing this is to build a relationship with them. Once a relationship is formed, they will feel more comfortable in your company, and may feel more confident to speak out and ask questions.

                                                                                                                                                                   

The event allowed those in a attendance to choose which seminars to attend. The list of seminars to attend is shown below. There were three workshop slots, with 5 seminars run in each slot.

Seminars Attended

1. Sticky Faith
2. Back to School
3. Games with Purpose
                                                                                                                                                                   

Sticky Faith

This seminar talked about how to build a faith that sticks in young people. It started with posing an analogy, where faith is like a jacket for young people, known as the 'Jesus Jacket'. Some young people would only show their faith when in a Christian environment, and then remove it, like a jacket when in a Non-Christian environment. A second analogy was used saying that some use Jesus like an energy drink. They will only turn to him when they feel down and need a boost to keep them going.

The question was then asked - What makes faith stick? The answers can be seen below.

1. The involvement of the young people in all forms of church worship. e.g. run services, serve refreshments, welcome people, serving.

2. Building relationships. Youth leaders must be a role model for the young people to look up to. Let them discuss about their own faith and help them to understand their journey in faith.

3. Show an interest in the young people. Go out of your way to talk to them, and make them feel welcome.

4. Doing things together. Building a family of people they know they can turn to whenever they want. Residential trips and activities to bring people together.

5. Talking with family about faith and other topics in a religious context. (In a survey taken, only 12% of people talk about faith with their Mum, and only 5% talk with their Dad. That leaves 83% that don't talk with their parents at all. Parents also tend to avoid talking about tricky and sensitive topics.)

The question was then asked -What makes faith NOT stick?

1. The feeling of being outcast. Adults don't support the young people. Young people are treated like a hazard that needs to be avoided.

Conclusion

Making young people feel like they exist and that they matter. Give them a role in the family, be a friend and a guide, not just a teacher.

What to do? - The 3 Shifts

1) Shift from a behaviour-based Gospel, to a grace-based Gospel.
2) Shift from separating children and young people from the rest of the church, to integrating them into the life of the church.
3) Shift from a dry-cleaner view of parenting to partnering with parents. (Dry cleaning - Parents sometimes hand their children over to a youth worker, like clothes at a dry cleaner, and expect them to be cleaned and pressed when they are returned.)
                                                                                                                                                                   

Back to School

This particular seminar had very few people signed up to attend. So much so that the talk was called off, and instead, an informal conversation about Christian school work took place.

The conversation discussed how to work with young people within a school environment, whether than be a primary or secondary school. It was said that the best way to work within a school was not to do assemblies at a school, as they are generally seen as dull and boring by young people. Instead find different ways to get involved. Perhaps to run an after school club for a certain length of time, and see the outcome. Approach the head of the school and see what is possible to accomplish with the pupils.

I also discussed my Games Design work, and how I plan to use Games Design in Christian youth work to help teach young people. This then led to discussion of the game 'Guardians of Ancora', a game for children created by Scripture Union. There was a representative from Scripture Union who was present at the time, who recommended who to talk to in order to gather additional information on the topic.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Food!

Then came the time for food, and as you may have guessed, we had Hot Pot for Lunch. This was followed by large slices of cake. With our bellies all filled, we filed back into the main meeting area for the next small talk.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Sport Ministry

The small talk discussed about sport ministry. The speaker spoke of how often sporting environments can be very atheist. This presents a great difficulty and pressure on young people who believe, and the faith can become shaky, or be at risk of falling apart. Sport ministry attempts to involve young people in popular sport in an environment that is accepting of faith, and there are a great many ways that people can get involved.
                                                                                                                                                                   

Games with Purpose

This particular talk was run by the Diocesan Youth Officer. She spoke about how young people learn through doing and through play, better than sitting and writing in a classroom. Games present a picture of what needs to be taught, and is more fun and interactive that a textbook.

• Games are not just a way for young people to burn of excess energy. Playing games can be an act of worship, rather than just standing around and singing. Games can be a valuable tool and can be used for worship, fun, prayer, teachings, and can likely be used for other means too.

• Games have a form of adaptability that can be used to your advantage. Take a game that already exists, and manipulate it to suit the theme you are working with.

• Notice the actions of the young people during games, and use this to help judge character and how they may be feeling. Are they joining in? If not, then why? Is there anything wrong? 

• Ensure you take just as much time to plan the games for an event, as with the time taken to plan the rest of the event.

• Get to know your group so you can be aware of what sort of games to play, in order to prevent embarrassment.

• Try to keep games relevant to the topic in question.

• Perhaps change the rules of a game to make it unfair, then ask them how they feel, or why it was not fair.

• Don't invade the personal space of a young person. 

• Build team work with games that require groups to work together to solve puzzles or complete tasks.

• Supersize games like Jenga, Connect 4, and Kerplunk will stimulate physical interaction with the game itself.

• Listen to the young people, and pay attention to their actions. Do they need help?

                                                                                                                                                                   

The End

The day was drawn to a close with another short talk. This particular talk was about how we need to listen to the young people, and pay attention to their actions. From this we can see if they need help?

LISTEN is an anagram of SILENT!

We must stay silent in order to listen properly.

The website for the event is shown here: http://hotpotinfo.wix.com/hotpot

Survey

I have created an online survey to help me decide what the most appropriate art style and layout to use in the creation of the 'Bible-town'.

The survey can be found here: Uni Project

Whilst this will most obviously present me with a solution to my problem, it will also give me a better understanding of the types of games that people of different ages tend to play. This will help me to cater my ideas towards people of various ages.

Learning PRG Maker

I have started to look at RPG maker, which is the software that I will be using to create 'Bibletown'. Having never used this software before, I must learn how to use it from scratch. I have started to watch a series of tutorial videos on Youtube, in order to assist in my learning, whilst also experimenting with the software. The first tutorial of the series can be seen here.

From what I have seen so far, I now understand the basics of the software's tools, and how tile-sets are arranged in the database.

Whats in a town?

A great number of games have some form of town that the player will find themselves returning to often, whether it's a village or a city. But what makes a town in a game?

In order for a player to want to return to a certain town, it needs to have a certain amount of significance. Whether it is the capital city of the land, or it simply contains all the best shops, the player needs some form of motivation to return. Such towns can often be referred to as a hub town, as it acts as a focal point for the game and the player.

With my idea to create a town for Bible characters, I effectively want it to act as a hub town, where the player will return to often for various reasons. Though I will likely have time to build only the town itself, if I was to continue the project, I would create a number of levels where the player would play through the story lines of each of the bible characters, returning to the town at the end of each.

I have searched for images of towns in games, particularly ones that act as a hub. Some of my findings are shown below. (References and more information: https://uk.pinterest.com/erworrall/masters-degree-games-design/)


Animal Crossing - New Leaf: Animal crossing is nothing but a town, yet though it does not have any particular story line, it still contains all the fundamental aspects that a town should include. (Wong. C, 2013)

Bastion: This area is upgraded as the player progresses through the game. Here the player can purchase items and upgrade their weapons. This area also acts as a safe area for the player, where they don't have to worry about enemy attacks. (Adamski. B, 2015)






Dragon Quest 9 - Sentinels of the Starry Skies: (Stornway) Every town in Dragon Quest generally has everything the player would need. It provides a safe haven, shops, save points, re-spawn points and areas to regenerate, as well as numerous tasks and missions to add to the story. (Laika. 2010)

Kingdom Hearts: (Traverse Town) Multiple areas of the town contain a number of enemies, yet there is one district which is safe. Here the player can find the shop, synthesis area, and save point. (drag0n2. 2015)

Dishonored: (The Hound Pits Pub) The player plays through a story set tutorial, and end up in back here multiple times. This is where the player will find out their next task, upgrade their equipment, and the like. Though this isn't specifically a town, is does act as a hub. (Fox. 2012)

Legend of Zelda - Skyward Sword: (Skyloft) This town is the area that the player starts in. It is also a place that the player returns to numerous times throughout the game, for gameplay purposes, to purchase items as well as other reasons. The island is built on multiple levels, and there are also multiple places to leave the island. (Hagopian. M, 2012)

Pokémon X/Y: (Lumiose City) This city is not where the player starts the game, but it is a central area of the land. There are multiple routes into and out of the area, and the tower in the middle is the main focal point of the circular city. (Abcboy. 2015)

Borderlands 2: (Sanctuary) 'Sanctuary is the hub town of Borderlands 2 that you'll return to often to fulfill your many needs and desires like receiving quests, getting new guns, and stocking up on ammo.' (ign.com. 2012) As the quote says, the town is a place that the player will return to multiple times. This particular town is built in a circle, which draws the player's attention to the centre of the town, the focal point. (ign.com. 2012)

From my research I have discovered that there are a number of aspects of towns that are particularly common.

Height - Most towns tend not to be on one single level. There are generally a number of height changes, with the most interesting having a range of height levels to make traversing the town more interesting.

Shop - A place to purchase weapons, armour and various other items that would be needed to play through the game.

Save Point - A place where the player can save their game. This is sometimes disguised as a hotel, church or other building of significance. This can sometimes be a place where the player respawns when they die, and can also be a place to regenerate health.

Junctions - A hub town generally has a number of different entrances/exits to the town. This is generally if it is positioned in a central area, the player can easily access other areas outside of the town.

Area of Importance - In every town there is generally an area of importance. Whether this be a castle, temple, church or other distinctive building. This is an area that the player may find themselves needing to return to quite often, in order to progress further into the game. This is also the focal point of the town.

Secrets - There are often areas that are hidden, or areas that cannot be accessed until later in the game. These areas encourage the player to return to the town once they have completed certain tasks. Secrets create curiosity in the player, and the desire to know what is hidden within.

Start - A hub town is likely to be an area that the player starts at, making the player feel at home, and desiring to return, as in real life when we long for home. The start may not necessarily be such a town. The player may reach the area later in the game, but it will likely have the same effect on the player.

Sanctuary - A town or village essentially provides a safe environment, where the player can escape from enemies, particularly in a hub type town. This is another reason why the player will return here.

A hub may not necessarily be a town. It can be a cave, a tower or a secret hideout. A hub is a place where the player desires to return to, and a place that caters to all the character's needs.