So I am a game designer

I've been working on a single player title for some time, and recently TwinTornadoes from prefabgames.com posted on Twitter about how enemy structures generally flow. I liked his comments and they brought out a poignant point...

"The end-boss in GAME STRUCTURE is NOT always the same as the end-boss of your GAME STORY. SinglePlayerDevs: First think story, then game.^R"

He's right. It is extremely important for campaign and single player games to focus on story as much as or more so than mechanics. During my work on my game, I have noticed that I have really needed to flush out my story way before I actually started laying out the mechanics. Not that I don't already know primarily how my game should play and feel, but the actual structure of the experience is highly dependant upon how the story is revealed.

My thoughts after watching the History of Volition

I just watched the documentary on Volition's origins by GameInformer.

I am absolutely reinforced by the story of these guys. Seeing the company grow from their desire to succeed and make cool games makes me happy. It is very intimidating to me to think about becoming a game designer. I absolutely love the experiences and entertainment that playing games gives me, and I have always been awestruck at the abilities the developers demonstrate.

It has always seemed so distant; almost unobtainable to get to that point where I can state with complete conviction that I am a Game Designer. After watching this video I feel as though I can almost break through that wall of doubt, that seeming insurmountable wall if only I could grab some c-4 to destruct it with XD.

I believe that my efforts at Full Sail will be fruitful,  and I will remember this day when I launch my first title. Passion has always been my fuel. I can't do anything without a strong desire to do it, and I have never been so motivated, so drawn to anything as I have to Game Design. Creating a symphony of experiences that wait on the beckon call of the listener to decide his own song is what I live for!

I'm taking Usability this month

So I am taking Usability. This class focuses on items we make for other people and the process of determining if it was made well. My class at Full Sail University is taken online, so we use bulletin board style posts to discuss topics. In this particular class we were asked to pick out a loved electronic device and talk about it's functionality in an objective light.

Here's my original post:

My Microsoft USB Trackball Mouse.

I absolutely love this mouse, but unfortunately microsoft doesn't make them anymore. In fact they are practically impossible to find. The are so loved, that a person on ebay sells service work on them to keep them running, and to buy a new one can cost from $300 - $415! I bought mine for gaming, and I will be VERY sad when it dies. My mother has Degenerative Arthritis, but is able to use the mouse I bought her without as much pain. (she has a logitech trackball which is slightly different and lacks the mouse buttons 4 and 5)

First of all, the design is ergonomic as if perfectly fits into the palm of my hand. As you lay your hand on it the thumb ball, your fingers naturally fall on the left and right mouse buttons.

Operating the thumb ball that is used to move the cursor onscreen is very different than a normal mouse, but after becoming accustomed to it I pernonally feel that it is more accurate and reliable. I have extensively used this mouse type and more standard desk top ones and Really, the trackball wins in a few areas.

1: You never run out of desk trying to aim at that guy behind you.

2: You can use it anywhere. Regardless of the surface, the Mouse is not reliant upon external factors for it's use.

3: Less painful. My arm gets tired after 5 hours of MMO Warefare with a standard mouse, The Thumb Trackball is much easier to use.

On a downside, the trackball does stay in one place unless you intentionally move it. This can cause your arm to tire from staying like that for an extended time. Simple solution is to move it every 30 minutes or so to give your muscles another angle to work with.

Anyways, lets break down the functionality of the mouse.

It has 5 buttons, a scroll wheel and a trackball.

The Mouse buttons are recognised by most games and can be used in tandem with shift, alt, and ctrl commands. I used to play WoW, and as a hunter you have many different abilities. I used 90% of them with a simple mouse click. Hunting and pecking on a keyboard during a fight is not enjoyed by anyone, but having just those extra 2 buttons increases accessibility.

The scroll wheel is for scrolling up or down in certain situations. In most games it can also be used for various functions and abilities. like most mice, pressing down on the scroll wheel activates MB3.

The only downfall I have with the mouse from a usability perspective is the fact that it can only be used by right handed people. I am unsure if they made a left handed model.

If you have an old one of these mice you can't stand please contact me so I can have it. (even if it's broken for spare parts!)

Aaron Crawford