Period 2 Blogs for Quarter 2

Chapter 2

  • 2.5 - Alone submitted by blog:
  • Can you think of a game that has no rules? If so, describe it. How about one rule? Why is this exercise difficult?
  • 2.6 - Alone, submitted by blog:
  • Name three games you found difficult and explain why they were difficult
  • 2.7 - Alone, submitted by blog
  • What are the premises for the games Risk, Clue, Pit and Guitar Hero? If you are not familiar with one of these games please chose another.

Chapter 3

  • Exercise 3.2: Create a version of Tic Tac Toe that works with 3 people. You might need to change the size of the board or other elements of the game (printed)
  • Exercise 3.3: For each Iteration Pattern, pick one of your favorite games from each pattern. (blogged)
  • Exercise 3.4: List ten of your most like games and list what you had to do for each one; the objective. Try and find similarities between these games' objectives.

Chapter 4

  • Exercise 4.2: Name 5 games that you find dramatically interesting. What do you find compelling about those games?
  • Exercise 4.5: For each of the 10 player types, list a game you know that appeals to that variety of player. What type of player do you tend to be?
  • Exercise 4.8: Pick a game that you feel successfully melds its story line with game play. Why does this game succeed? How does the plot unfold the game progresses?
  • Exercise 4.9: Plotting a Story, Part 1: Choose a game that you have played all the way through, make certain it is a game with a story involved.
  • How is the exposition handled?
  • Who is the protagonist?
  • What is the main conflict?
  • When is it introduced?
  • How does he/she resolve the conflict?
  • What causes tension to rise?
  • What happens in the resolution?
  • Exercise 4.10: Plotting a Story, Part 2: Take the same game from 4.9 and plot the gameplay against the dramatic arc...
  • What elements, if any, support each point?
  • How is the exposition handled?
  • How does gameplay cause rise of tension?
  • What deciding factor in gameplay causes climax?
  • What happens in resolution?
  • How can they improve from an emotional standpoint?

Chapter 5

  • 5.1: Choose a board game you have at home in which you are able to clearly identify the objects and their properties. Strategy board games often have objects with properties that are easy to identify. Make a list of all of the objects and their properties in the game you have chosen.
  • 5.2: Take the list of objects and properties you created in exercise 5.1 and a description of the behaviors for each object. Consider all behaviors in different game states.
  • Exercise 5.4: Hidden Information:
  • Many strategy games have open information structures that allow the players access to perfect information about the game state. Examples are chess, checkers, Go, mancala, etc. Take a game with an open information structure and change the system so that there is an element of hidden information. You might need to add new concepts to the game to accomplish this. Test your new design. How does adding hidden information change the nature of the strategy? Why do you think this is so?
  • Exercise 5.8:Describe methods of control in your favorite game,such as direct indirect or real time. (Explained further on pages 131 and 132).