Apple Interactive Concept: Game Research 1

Monday 24th October

After receiving the Apple app brief I started my research. As I wanted to create a Medieval game I chose to look at existing app games on the market.

Exitium

Title Screen

This is a hack and slash type of game, with an interesting back story about two kingdoms at war. The overall goal of the game seems to be to save your land from destruction of the other forces.

Game features include:

• Quests and side stories.
• A large number of items, armor and weapons.
• A way of trading with other players.
• 4 classes of charterers you can be.

These features enhance the game by adding a way of customizing your character by buying items in the market, choosing what quests you do as well as what combat you specialize in. Trading with other players helps increase the feeling of being part of the fantasy world, making it feel more life like and real. All these let the player choose what they want to do as well as how they play the game. I like this freedom to choose where you go in the game world as well as the items you can buy to wear and use. Premium items are also available for purchase for real money, a useful feature in any app game to generate more income.

Controls:

The player moves around by touching the arrows on the bottom left of the screen. On the bottom right of the screen is a button used to attack.

A screenshot of the interface used to move around in the game.

 While this is a simple concept it is far more interesting than a flat world with only forward and backwards movement. However it can be difficult to move when relying on pressing these buttons with one finger. A possible way to combat this is to have the character move to where you touch and hold on the screen.

Mage Gauntlet

Another game I researched was Mage Gauntlet. This was another RPG however was inspired by 1990s games for the Super Nintendo. This meant the graphics were much more pixellated and simple. This can appeal to a slightly older generation who were brought up around such games consoles and may buy the game out of nostalgia.

Screenshot of the character interface.

An in game view of the stats and controls.

Game features include:

• Pets which give bonuses when following you.
• 86 Achievements.
• A stats system to customize your character.
• Hats for your character to use.
• A leveling system.

Once again there are customizable options with types of pets, items and what stats you pick. This is a very important part of a game, to help immerse the player in the game, as well as making the player feel more empathy for the character (A dinosaur in a top hat and monocle is much cuter than just a plain old dinosaur). Achievements can be used to great effect within games to make the player collect them all, while being forced to explore all the content. This is feeding on peoples natural obsession of completing a collection of something and can be exploited to great effect (See Pokemon, "Gotta catch 'em all!").

Controls:

This game uses an attack button like Exitium, however the movement is controlled by holding your touch on where you want to go, exactly like the idea I had trying to combat the arrow buttons. After seeing how well this movement method works in the game I have decided that I will probable use this feature in my game. As it is a constant input the character does not stop then move, but smoothly moves around the landscape exactly where the player wants it to go.