Final Blog Entry for Sem 1:

Final Blog Entry for Sem 1:

History and theory of ideas, the purpose is for us to take note of what is going on, capture the idea on the different areas that we find it interesting and design it in our way that makes the whole original outlook look unique. The idea of looking at one picture, frame it and seeing it as a whole different picture will be one of the way to create the different types of medium as we now have see it.

The first thing that I learn is that most of the genre always shares a certain connection among one another. Because after being properly introduced to so many types of genre I realize that despite all the genre have some form of connection to one another, there are something special in each and one of the genre. One of the examples that I will use is fairy tale and fantasy, both are in common on the use of characters “acting as a function in the story”, they do not have a particular type of personality or character but rather act as a function, in the story of Rapunzel, the reason why she exist is because she (acts as a function) of stairs by dropping down her hair from the top of the tower for people to climb. Similarly in fantasy, characters behave as a certain function in the story acting out their struggle towards integration in projected landscape of mind. Despite the common similarities these two

shared, both have something special on its own which makes them stands out on their own type of genre.

Hence this goes to the second thing that I have learn throughout the HTI which is find out what makes a particular type of genre as that genre (e.g. what makes fantasy as fantasy) Despite the common similarities these two shared, both have something special on its own which makes them stands out on their own type of genre. In fantasy, characters stick to a certain archetype like in the lord of rings where there is a hero (Frodo), magician (Gandalf) and among the many rest.

And also fantasy contains more philosophical values as compare to fairytales where such elements is not necessary for fairytales to come to play.

The third which I have learned is that genres are somehow in a way hold by a control setting. To put it simply, it’s like playing a piano; how we play it will result in the different type of genres played by it. If I tune the sound a little louder, a little faster, the result could be a scary music. Therefore the horror genre comes in place. On the other hand, if I play something as little more slowly, softer, the outcome might be a peaceful music which could fits in the genre of fairytales. Similarly as to the different types of genres, there is a way to tune these form o

f genres to shape it. For piano, what you can tune or change is perhaps the speed, loudness so in similar to genres, there is a “method” or way to shape it as well.

The fourth thing that I learn, from what I discover, is that different types of genres contain a certain kind of moods, emotions in it. Just like a piano, different music contains a set of emotions, be it joy, horror or sorrow, a genre is similar to it. For sword and sorcery that an emotion that must fill the audience is wonder where the audience must be amaze by the thing they see, for a horror genre it must contain fear and for alchemy it is the need for balance.

Last but not least is that one always need to take a step forward to go in depth of each genre and then one need to take a step back again to look at the big picture again from a different point of view. As after being exposing to so much knowledge and looking through the presentations I realize how much that I still do not know about the genre and the whole thing of how people are able to make use of such ideas to create something so interesting. The reason why people are able to come up with so many special genres is perhaps people are willing to step out forward not afraid to make something new then willing to take a step back so that one will be a humble learner and able to make rela

tions and connections to the world out of the bigger picture.

Base on what I have discovered, genre are like pieces of music created by many instruments and how one plays with it. In genre, they are adjusted by the different modes. Modes is like a way of doing something, in this case there many different types of modes like mode of imitation, mode of fantasy, mode of order, mode of chaos. Perhaps to some degree, a polarity is connected between the mode order and chaos and it is up to us on where we want to place it.

The genre is just like a bottle itself making the overall outlook appearance but the taste of drink inside will be the mode, it is because of what we can choose to adjust like making the drink sweeter or sourer, the taste of the drink will eventually be different. As for the design of the outward appearance such as the shape or the look of the bottle, it is a mean as to choose who our target audience will be. When one look at the can drink of the (Carlsberg) alcohol, one will notice that the design is not very colourful and is quite plan and dull. The purpose for these is because

the drink is not cater for children to drink in the first place. Drinks that are meant for children to drink will most likely have a colourful style with cartoon to appeal to the target audience. Hence the outward appearance such as the bottle outlook actually is use to represent who its target audience for these type of drink.

Similarly as in relation to form and content, the modes, the juice inside the drink is like the content of the genre and the bottle, the genre is a representation of the form.

As for the current world today, it seems media has move forward greatly due to the advancement in technology and cultural impact. Films now days are often displayed in its fullest to reality in order to fully capture the attention of the audience. The cultural impact on pushing the people to work on its best precision and perfection has cause a great effect in many areas. In films, people often try to make the impossible looks possible in the most realistic way. One example of this is the movie on inception where it shows about the dream world, lifting and folding up the landscape, changing their location and the floating of people and such.

For many genres, it seems that th

e illogical and magical side of modes is slowly losing out as compare to the more logical way of seeing things. This could due to the reason that the world is moving towards the advancement in technology, in education it is often emphasize on the math and science area. As such people who are good in art and design are often belittled and abandon. As such taste and preference of genres had also shifted more to the logical side, as such science fiction, space opera are often more popular as compared to fairy tales and fantasy.

As when one look at the overall picture as of the current world, one will be able to see that the world is always moving towards advancement in technology, motivated by media a

nd politics it seems that the magical wonder of amazement in myth and gods where science cannot be proven is slowly losing its place.

Judging by how fast the world is heading towards technology, gaming will also follow towards that direction. As for right now, we already have consoles and motion sensor where only needs to make a hand movement to allow an action to take place in game. The purpose of technology is to allow people to better educate for machines and the sole reason for machine is to help reduce manual labour. Judging by that, then gaming too will serve under platform for players to reduce work, hence the point and click game or games which just need you to move your hand.

In the future of gaming I believe we could maybe even see games which only requires a person eyes to blink or maybe a psychic sensor where you control the games just by thinking of it.

In graphic, people often wants to works to its best graphic, meaning, making the game feel as real as possible and players often want to feel that the game is as if its real thus in future it will only be natural that games you p

lay makes you feel as though you are living inside the game.

Base on where the pace we are, the ideal futuristic in gaming will be games that require the least amount of labour and games that make you feel it’s as if it is real. However the conflicting irony would be that the definition of “playing” might be lost as there will no difference in looking at the real world thinking as compare to playing a game that is very real and the only thing you need to play is for you to think inside your mind.

Will people eventually lose their grip to the real world if the gaming world has already felt so real?

If everything is moving towards technology, then eventually people would see it as the only means to survive. Then what will the form and content of the media become?

From an individual theory, I believe that the world might shift from mimesis to fantasy. As games starts to get real, preference will change, if one were given two option, meeting a person that is very real in game or a meeting a fairy, a higher probability would be that player will want to meet a fairy reasons for these is that why meet an in game person that feels so real that it makes no difference as to meeting the people in the real world? Hence preference might shifted towards the direction of fantasy and magical from mimesis.

The idea of creativity might eventu

ally blend into these, compare to fairytale and science fiction, there will definitely be a lot of creation out of the logical, mathematical, scientific and such creation in the real world, but in creation out of the magical, illogical and creation without reason to make sense might come in need for media in order to balance out as to what they see in the futuristic technological world.

The people are already and always studying about the world, who knows if they might even come out with ways of boosting creativity of the human mind in the futuristic years.

This is a matrix template that I come out with to help in brain storming technique, the rows holds the idea which I have learned from the presentation and the columns are a scamper to change the current ideas.

Anime/Manga 10

Anime/Manga
Anime has been a popular culture especially with the teenagers for many years. Exactly what makes them so special? For one thing it is mainly due to the complexity of the cartoon, compared to the western style of cartoon, it is always drawn as something very simple in which even the younger kids could also draw. Also anime is usually targeted at a wider range of audience as compared to the western cartoon. In anime, characters are showed as to grow throughout the age as compared to the western anime where the cartoon stays throughout the same. The idea behind the works of anime as compared to the western cartoon is that anime works towards the perfection of the perfection. In anime, the drawings are usually portrayed as more complex; the characters are almost alive, filled with emotions, thinking and growth. The music, the sound are well quality music which fits in well with the atmosphere, the impact of certain scenes are well portrayed to the extend where the audience are able to fully appreciate.
How does Anime/Manga relate to game design:
One thing for sure that we can learn from anime is that wherever works that we do, we should work to its best perfection so that others are able to fully appreciate for our work. Even in games, we design to its best quality, from sound to graphics to programming; the attitude of our work determines our altitude.

Crime 9

Crime

Crime, the meaning of crime is the act of doing things which violates against one moral or laws. Anyone who violates laws will certainly be punished. Factors that could contribute to the breaking of law could include social factors, the way how the kids were brought up or due to certain reasons that they are bound to. Many believed that crime always have a direct connection with media violence. As for the current media, majority of it contains sex and killing scenes to attract to the wider audience. As result, this led to an increase into crimes. Usually people are more interested into doing this that is forbidden, since we are not able to use violence in the real world, people tend to have an interest of doing it and hence the cyber world, which appealed to the audience as they will get the chance of doing these things without anyone stopping and these as result becomes into a reality.

How can Crime relate to game design:

Since majority of the media contains blood and sex scene perhaps we could also create games to alternate this situation? One such things is perhaps giving player the role of a policeman and his objective of the game is to catch these people who are fighting in the game?

Espionage and Crime 8

Espionage and Crime

Espionage means obtaining information without the permission of the holder, in other words spying. People usually hire this sort of agent or spies to obtain certain information from the other party so that they know what precautions to take or turns things around which would particularly benefit them. However with nowadays technology, information is usually stolen through hacking into a computer. Incident of espionage are also written down in history. In Chinese writing mainly by the man of Sun Tzu who wrote about the military tactics on the art of war with one of his great wisdom “those who know well about others and themselves can bring down a hundred victories”. In Media, Espionage usually comes with technology such James Bond 007 where it usually shows him using cool gadget and technology to steal information from the others.

How does Espionage and Crime relate to game design:

In games espionage is often used in games like gathering information on when is the opponent location and find out what is the weakness of the opponent by using tactics to gain an upper hand in game. Not just in games but in many other real life areas, Espionage can be very helpful.

War Fictions/Games 7

War Fictions/Games

Introducing the game on world of war craft it began on the idea of nihilism, which means pointlessness, argues that life is without objective meaning or general mood of despair. The solution to Nihilism is through religious faith and war craft itself is a response to nihilism. When player enters the magic circle of the game they felt that the game is also a sense of nihilism however it affirms their existence within the game and one is able to appreciate the art within the game. When one plays the game, one is also able to create himself as a work of art. Just like in real world, the game itself contains many stereotypes; e.g. Samaritans and the trouble maker and also racism within the game. As there much of the different types of people playing there could results in conflicts. In world of war craft the games makes one feel like going to war is also due to the storyline, environment and having territories or can be driven by political views. Perhaps what makes player keep coming back for more is due to its relation of human nature about nihilism and contains much similarity in regards to real life conflicts.

How War Fictions/Games does relates to game design:

The idea of nihilism which it describes that life is perhaps without objective meaning and is implemented into the game perhaps does show parts of the human nature and hence the popularity of the game as in war craft players don’t really have an objective goals but are just fighting against their opponent with no certain goals but rather learning how to be a better player by forming strategy and winning the battle.

Sword and sorcery and high fantasy 6

Sword and sorcery and high fantasy
Sword and Sorcery is a sub genre of fantasy. ‘Sword’ Carries an offensive abilities and ‘Sorcery’ carries the meaning of the world setting and the magical system in the fantasy world where the event set place.

It is a genre that concentrates more on the myths and classical epics, with a mix of genres from other types to create something more interesting. In sword and sorcery, characters are known it’s commonly an individual fight against another individual, or a group.
In this genre, characters do not necessary need to carry weapons; they may be able to fight in any kind of form or even fight just by casting magic. However in this genre, there must also be a balance of mimesis (mode of imitation) so that the people are able to relate to this genre and hence there are some slices of reality into this genre as well. The protagonist also goes through a similar format of hero’s journey as well.
How does Sword and Sorcery relate to game design?
The idea of one against a thousand perhaps can be use in games such as showcasing how cool a certain skill or ability is being use when against thousand of mobs, this could give a player a new sense of playing allowing them to feel new superior in the game play.

Pseudoscience & Fringe Science 5

Pseudoscience & Fringe Science

Both sciences are a little different compare to one another. To be able to make a right comparison, another science will be introduced and that will be traditional science. Traditional science is known to be a main stream science where it talks about the main stream & laws. Pseudoscience is a little more similar to fantasy’s magic system but have something that is in the real world, like mimesis, mode of imitation. Pseudoscience is based more on personal intuition and evaluation, much like philosophy. Practices like Astrology, tarot reading. Whereas for fringe science, it leans more to the traditional science concept very much like the real world.

Psychology, Astronomy, and Astrology falls under Pseudoscience because we know how we act, but we cannot answer the question as to why we do so.

Fringe science is like a confirm science which can be proven by mathematics and science concepts. Hypnotism, Dimensions falls under fringe science.

Despite the difference in the types of science all science are about possibilities and how the possibilities are able to work. Thus for us one should not turn away of any idea because any idea may turn out to be a useful idea eventually.

How Pseudoscience & Fringe Science relate to game design:

The idea of able to see how certain things just able to work out itself may not be logical but sometimes magical yet people are able to relate and see it, perhaps in games, we could always create a game which does not necessary need to be similar to other game but a game that is completely unique and different yet is fun to play and understandable, perhaps is time to make a step out from the current genre but think of something new?

Secret Societies 4

Secret Societies

Secret Society perhaps exists as a hidden group of people whose identity in relation to the group is concealed. One of the popular culture that is well known is the ILLUMINATI. “The great strength of our Order lies in its concealment, let it never appear, in any place in its own name, but always covered by another name, and another occupation. None is fitter than the three lower degrees of Freemasonry; the public is accustomed to it, expects little from it, and therefore takes little notice of it.”

It is believed that the ILLUMINATI use mediums such as dance music to get popular and gain their support through this medium and slowly influence the mindset of the majority people in an indirect manner.

The idea that a secret society is formed speaks of concealment and hidden identity, it is believed that strongest way of influencing lies in the concealment as if kept away from anybody and spreading the influence under another name or identity is the most efficient way of indoctrinating people.

How the idea of forming Secret Societies is relate to game design:

Concealment, sometimes in our games it can indirectly change a person way of thinking through by playing games, sometimes we ourselves are influence by the outside world so much that we ourselves also end up creating a game that maybe a continuation of someone’s else of spreading certain hidden message from our game. Perhaps one should at our own game that is created really think through what reflects to our current world?

Time Travel 3

Time Travel

It is a way of travelling back to the past or a distant future. According to some people’s theory, time is just a straight line, everything that happen will happen and some believe that every time something happens, an alternate universe is created.

Some of the terms that usually come with time travelling are the butterfly effect; namely that small differences in the initial condition of a dynamical system may produce large variations in the long term behaviour of the system.(cited from Wikipedia). This effect is a common trope in fiction and with the “what if” cases where one minor events seemingly happen which can cause a two slightly different outcome.

As stated previously, every time something happens an alternate universe is created, then maybe a parallel world could also exist as well, perhaps people who are alike but have a more different personality due to a slight change of event or an alternate cause.

The fourth dimension, a relation which unifies space and time into a single continuum, or perhaps tapping to these concepts, one could perhaps find a hidden way of travelling through time?

How Time travel relates to Games Design:

Players sometimes want to go back to the same sense of enjoyment perhaps at a specific level or playing that specific game scene again perhaps we as game designers may add a control setting which allows player to set its level and play certain storyline again in the game control setting

Space Opera 2

Space Opera

Space opera is a subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in outer space, generally involving conflict between opponents possessing powerful (and sometimes quite fanciful) technologies and abilities.

Space opera usually takes its scenes in space, using high technology equipments; with most of the political, social and economical system similar to what it currently take place on earth.

It is a type of genre take place in space which also mainly revolves on character development, relating it towards heroes’ journey, and tends to have the good against the bad.

Space travel is a major part of space opera with most of the travelling speed faster than light, as such time travel and slipstream are made possible where one of these includes wrap drives and hyper drive and such.

In general, space opera is just feels like a more futuristic type of literature that is happening in the current earth. This futuristic theme perhaps acts itself as a warming or predicting of what might be happening way beyond at the future.

How Space Opera relates to Games Design:

Space Opera takes place in a more futuristic style of game play. Perhaps the idea that one can look way back beyond to the past or future could bring a new sense of enjoyment of what that could not be see or find in the present. Genres can be made interesting just by dissecting the different type of formula and add an element of time to change the setting and one such example is space Opera.

A.I/Robots 1

A.I/Robots

Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of the machine or the branch of computer science that aims to create something out from it. In A.I textbook it is defined as the study and design of intelligent agent. An intelligent agent is an “autonomous entity which observes and acts upon an environment (i.e. it is an agent) and directs its activity towards achieving goals (i.e. it is rational).”(cited from Wikipedia

).

One of the things which the AI created is the algorithms

e.g. a light bulb is spoiled, then list down what are the following actions you can do, like you can first check whether the light bulb has fuse, if not check that the wire of switch is connected and so and so, if none of the method works then your last resort will be to change the light bulb.

Simple reflex agent

In the early research, A.I researchers developed algorithm which mimesis the logical side of the human brain when they are playing board game or solving a puzzle especially when thinking up of a solution. Because human beings are so prone into using fast intuitive judgement rather than a conscious step by step of thinking most of the time therefore A.I has manage to take a new step and brought a new perspective of the idea. The idea of A.I also plays a part in robot. Robots are actually machines or force labour by Karel Capek but are more automatically guided to their own intelligence having freedom to a certain extend. To set things to order, people set up the three laws of robots.

– 1^st law.- A robot may not injure a human being, or, through in action, allow a human being to come to harm.

– 2^nd law.- A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders conflicts with the first law.

– 3^rd law.- A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not come into conflict with the first or second law.

In conclusion, as time pass; people are able to better make use of their knowledge and to make things better for their life.

How does A.I/Robots relate to game design: The idea of an algorithm is one good way of implementing it to the game design perhaps as game mechanic where players are given some choices to make and the choices that each player made gives a different outcome. It could also use it on the level design like when there is a maze and players are required to make certain pick a certain path to walk each choice they make will some effects on the later part of the game.

Alchemy and Renaissance

Alchemy and Renaissance
For a human being to progress, the people need to go back to the before to know what it is about in order to move forward. Janus, god of gates, doors the beginning and the ending. Also use for the word January where it looks back at the previous year and look ahead to the New Year. The humanist (learn about the science of building the character of a human being) took philosophy to ground their wisdom, rhetoric (art of communication), Plato (moving forward) and gaining the access of many reference they learn how to synthesize (to form by combining parts or elements) and interpreted Vitruvius, shape of the circle as the heaven man which is equivalent to the heaven. The square which represents the 4 elements of the four humors:








(Wikipedia)
When one suffers from an imbalance, that person personality and physical health will be affected.
Eventually art came as medicine and people began to ponder and think about the body.
(What is the body? how do we become heavenly, what is he really people cannot see, oculus of imagination, imagination is a plane that is between heaven and earth, when you are there you are in between human and the cosmic)
Earth layer
Moon layer
Super Celestial layer
In Renaissance period, people was obsessed with the good life, human body was an obsession. The question on what affects the body leads to the four humours and the Hippocrates uses the idea for medicine and soul was see as the important component for health. The soul merges with the body, without the soul it is like having a human body with no life force.

Kimiya-yi sa'ādat [The Alchemy of Happiness]
Aether (classical element) ‘material that fills the region of the Universe above the terrestrial sphere’
Spiritual alchemist, who free themselves from the body head to the celestial heaven world perhaps it is the sight, sound and smell, the incense they release, the alchemical could be said that it allows one to be able completely feel the imagined.
The smell also leads to the discovery of aroma therapy.
The alchemy had also strive for a balance to the body (balance of the four humours), the symmetry, the strive for beauty.





The soul, spirit and the body are seen as the trinity of the body. Medicine for the spirit and the spirit is important because it impacted imagination. The soul was like ether that spread through the earth, we have some intelligence from the star and the body. The spirit when move into the body, dark and opaque it got stuck, the spirit got a confuse state Phaedrus, unless purified, it will drag down the soul to hell or some lower incarnation.
In the super celestial level, the spirit is connected to the light, the eyes have the will to see, the eye can choose to see and register in mind such as the feng shui, ‘poisonous wind’ & by seeing the right things can help to tune back the soul.
It is believed that certain things attract different powers from different god, therefore the above affects what is below. E.g if need girl friend you need the Venus (god of love),certain plants will be drawing the energy, souls of the Venus. If form right images it can aid the power of god or heavens, design to attract celestial forces or astrological forces.
Alchemist also tried to draw new ideas from architecture, certain areas such as geometry as it reveals the entire cosmos.
How Alchemy relates to Games Design:
The idea that that giving certain objects a specific powers which draws in the power of god and by mix and combine objects together to create a new special formula power for the soul, is like finding certain items in game that is needed to used to make new epic powerful skills for the new character.
The idea of having an equation where you use it to generate new formula is seen and is mainly often using in the assets of games in the industry. Perhaps when go by form and content, where the bottle is use to represent the form and the drink is use to represent the content, the idea will be in mix into the same bottle to create the next formula.

Fairy Tale, Myth, Legends

Fairy Tale, Myth, Legends

Myth is to narrating the divine or the extra ordinary such as telling stories about gods. It is also used to help explain the Cosmos, order of reality.

Myths act as a story to help speak about the human existence. Story has a powerful form of way to relate to the human being, it creates an imagination boundary for the people to tap on. Created in forms of language and acting, it express out the divine.

Legends often narrate stories that are related to human, stories are often passed down verbally, spreading out as rumours. It usually contain strong moral values in it

Fairy Tales are stories taking in place of fantasy. It expresses the ideal, acting out the perfection of the world. Stories also promote moral values in which those even small kids can understand.

In the evolution of fairytales, presentation changes to cater the changing beliefs of the society. One very good example showing this is the story on fables. In fables, stories takes place in the reality, narrating it in the most realistic way as possible. In Fables, one of the essence that is lost is the lost of perfection in it. One very good example in it is by showing the character of prince charming. In fairy tales Cinderella, Snow white and sleeping beauty each married to a different but a very perfect prince. Whereas for Fables, the all three prince is actually the same prince and this prince has ugly side of the story where he seduces woman and lives off their fortune?

In a way, comparing reality and the fairy tales, reality has a more ugly side and tends to have darker and dirtier stories than fairy tales showcasing the imperfection of the world as oppose to fairy tales

Pervasive Games

A pervasive game is a game that has one or more salient features that expand
the contratual of the game- play

no specfic platform

no specfic genre
no specfic location

involves real life events

use of real life tools

e.g The amazing race

people around the world

participate in the game

The future of gaming

future of gaming

causal gaming

facebook, ipod (causual gaming)

easy to make, simple game mechanics portable easy to market

transformation of media, movie advertisement

future gaming

motion sensor