Title: Player Agency vs. System in Game Design: Sliding Agency
Abstract: This project explores the delicate balance between player agency and system in the world of game design. It is intended for anyone who is interested in game design and has access to the sliding wal screen in the IML.
Methodology: The project will be run on the sliding wall screen with a proprietary control attachment. Depending on the availability of bluetooth wireless technology in conjunction with the wall screen, the control device will connect with the wall screen with either a bluetooth wireless connection, or via a usb drive. The wall screen will be split up into 2 parts, the lower portion will contain directions on how to interact with the project, and the top portion, which will be significantly larger, will contain the playing space. In the playing space, A simple platformer game will be running. along the wall space behind the screen will be visual cues, informing the player that sliding the wall screen will change the balance between player agency and system. As the player slides the screen along the wall, the play experience in the playing space will change. As the player slides the screen toward the agency end, the player will become more and more able to effect the play space, but the system defining that play space will become more lax. As the player reaches the maximum agency, their avatar will be able to freely navigate the play space, losing rules on what they may or not do with the control, losing gravity, losing the play world itself, allowing the player to affect the avatar as he/she chooses on a blank white background. At maximum agency, the avatar itself will disappear, leaving the player with complete agency over the game, but losing any mean as would be defined by a system. As the player moves more towards the system end, the screen would push the player forwards, then the player would lose the ability to move backwards, then to move at all except to jump. As maximum system is reached, the game plays itself, resulting in a perfect system without any player agency whatsoever.
Significance: Sliding Agency will demonstrate the balance of system and agency that goes into making a game. Players will see that complete agency is not a fun thing, as their completely free actions lose all meaning. They will also see that having all system is not fun either, as a complete system also removes the importance of user input by effectively turning the game into a movie, nullifying any of the interactivity that makes a game. The players will find that the most enjoyable adn rewarding gaming experience comes from a mixture of the two.
Media Presentation and Justification: Sliding Agency will be displayed on the wall screen in the IML in addition to an attached control device. It deserves to be presented in a multimedia form because a game is inherently an interactive multimedia experience, and simply explaining the importance of agency and system in a game will not illustrate the point as effectively as making the player experience it for themselves.
Timeline: I plan to learn the ins and outs of how the wall screen works over the summer, so that I may be able to fully start implementing my game by the time fall semester starts.
During the fall semester, I hope to make a computer prototype using Torque 2D, so I can tweak the gameplay before having to transfer it to the wall screen.
During the spring semester I will move my prototype onto the wall screen and redesign the banner behind it to reflect its (then) current purpose.
Budget: A subscription to Torque 2D is provided by the school through the CTIN department, and I hope I won't need to pay for use of the wall screen.
The proprietary control device, however, might range anywhere from $20 to $200, depending on the level of technology needed. Other than that, it's just a matter of labor, which I will be providing for free
Final budget: $20-$200
Advisors: Steve Anderson from the IML and Peter Brinson(unconfirmed) from the CTIN department.
Presentation: The project will be presented on the sliding wall screen in the IML.
Resources: Torque 2D, the wall screen, control device.
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