P5 e- legal and ethical

Legal and Ethical Issues

There will be many legal and ethical issues to considered when creating my game, the first and most important being the age rating. My game will be rated 16 due to the themes it will be exploring and the graphic content it will include, it wouldn’t be appropriate for those in the younger audience as well as the fact they would not understand the themes. Whilst my game will be including graphic scenes of murder it will not be classed as an 18 due the style of game it is, the animation style means it doesn’t look real enough to be classed as 18 also there aren’t any other factors that could possible meet the requirements to class my game as an 18.

An ethical issue surrounding my game could involve the themes it looks into, looking in mental health issues such as anxiety and depression as well as things like bullying. In order to avoid any ethical issues all of these themes are being taken very seriously and the games aims to support anyone facing these issues. Each issue will be looked into thoroughly throughout each step of creation and the game helps to get across other people’s stories and coping mechanisms so people know they aren’t alone. There will also be lots of awareness about these issues on the website as well as on the home screen of the game.

Another huge legal issue that could be faced is copyright. The first place this comes into play will be the music used, whilst most will be created specifically for the game we will need to get access for one or two songs. Therefore I will contact the music companies and ask permission as soon as possible in order to avoid any problems that could hold back my post production.  

P5d- target audience

Target audience

The target audience for my game is core gamers; it is the kind of game that will also be appealing to certain hardcore gamers however the main audience is the core gamers. The game will be packed with lots of puzzles and adventure elements which attracts this kind of audience, as well as being broken up into levels so for those who don’t have time for a full game can do each chapter one by one. The game is broken up into 6 sections including introduction and ending, therefore it has easy access and is nice to play in one go as well as being nice to play by level. At the start of each level there is the option of a recap of the previous chapters so those who can’t sit and play through won’t have to worry. It is a very story based game in order to keep players engaged and to add to the element of escapism giving the player the chance to play in a fantasy world that is very different from the one they have at home. Whilst the game is strongly story based it will get players interested and will make them want to carry on playing, but it will also have lots of strong action scenes and puzzle solving. All of this will help to engage the player and isn’t a game that can be easily put down, each chapter of the game flows like a story so it would be a case of the player going by level or playing all at once in order to get the best immersion.

It is also aimed at older gamers those who are 15+ due to certain scenes being graphic, with scenes including murder and addressing problems younger viewers wouldn’t understand it is inappropriate for those under 15 to play. The games story will bring in factors that those in our targeted age range (16-21) will understand things like; stress, anxiety, feeling like an outcast and bullying. The game aims to show a brighter side to these things and that there are ways to overcome them, meaning those of a younger age wouldn’t understand and would be therefore less engaged.

P5 c- visuals

P5 c visuals from Amber1Harrison

P5 b- competent production schedule

Release date

My game will be release February 28^th   the reasoning behind this choice is that it is right in the centre of the gaming season when most games will be released. I decided to go mid-way through as at the start of the year many people won’t have money due to Christmas, also at this point there are no other games like mine due for release so it will avoid any big competition from well-known franchises.  It will also be released the video game awards so there is a chance of getting a nomination.

Contingency plan

To make sure everything goes well for my video game we will have a plan in action to avoid any problems that could occur and slow down the production. The main part of the contingency plan is our schedule; we have set milestones and the contingency plan will be used to make sure we keep the deadlines on each milestone. We will have mandatory overtime in order to get the game completed on the shortest time scale possible, this is normal when it comes to completing games on a deadline. By doing this we are also saving money as the quicker the game is produced the quicker we can get it done and released for people to buy. We will also make sure that our final deadline is a few weeks after we think the game will be completed, this will allow for us to still make the deadline even if we do have some slip ups. To avoid the problem of people not turning up to work due illness or another reason, we will have a few people extra on our team that way we can insure that the game will not be affected by people occasionally taking time off when really necessary.

Videogame marketing

We will announce the game at least a year in advance, when making the announcement we will also release a short teaser trailer. This trailer won’t last longer then 1 minute; it will feature cut scenes from throughout the game as well clips of the gameplay.                                                                                                               

I will also be starting up a Kickstarter page in order to raise money for the game, this is becoming a more common way of funding games so I know it works and is an effective way to get funds.                                                           

Another key way of marketing my game will be through YouTube; we will upload clips from sections of the game to catch people’s attention. This is an effective way of marketing for my game due to my target audience being younger and always being online they will be able to see clips and the game will be visible for everyone who is online.                                                                                                In order to keep people up to date we will also keep a blog and post on social media. By doing this people won’t forget about the game and we can keep them interested right up until the day its released. We will set up a Facebook, Instagram and Tumblr in order to reach all possible audience we can. We will be posting things like character designs, level designs and sample puzzles from the parts of the game.                                                                                                                                                        Closed alpha tests are going to be used to test the game, these tests will only be available to a select few people who we will invite. Then we will also have beta tests at a later stage, these are available to those who donate money to the Kickstarter.                                                        

At a later stage of development once the game is close to release, we will take the game to exhibition shows/games conventions like Play Expo & London MCM. We would set up a stall with posters and sample game play so that people can all try out the final version of the game and get a good idea of the kind of game it is.                                                                                                                              Special edition copies of the game are going to be available for a limited time and must be reserved due to only having a set amount of copies. The special edition will come in a collector’s box which includes: a copy of the soundtrack, hardback artbook, special items from each of the 7 main characters.                                                                                                                                                  .The final announcement will be made a month before the games release, this will share information about the special edition, times the game will be released and pre-ordering information. As well as sorting out the free limited edition DLC for those who earned the Kickstarter rewards, those who didn’t earn the Kickstarter reward there will be a chance to buy the remaining DLC on release date. Finally a week before the game is released the last and most detailed trailer will be released.                                         

P5 a- treatment

Format:  Video Game

Working Title: Bedlam

Genre: The game will be an RPG/puzzle solving game. The games difficulty will increase throughout making puzzles more complex. It also has a strong story element to it which is prominent throughout the game with the narrative linking in each puzzle with each other.

Synopsis: The game follows Colt the protagonist of the game, who has the ability to enter other people’s nightmares. There are 4 different worlds based around 4 characters you meet at the start of the game; it will involve you solving puzzles in order to release each character from their nightmare so that you can progress. There is a butterfly effect in motion meaning whether the character lives or dies is down to you.

Style or Approach: The game will be very detailed and will be in a 2D style. The game will start off in bright colours whilst the characters are black and white, but upon entering the nightmares the colours switch and the world becomes black and white whilst the characters are colourful. The game will have text boxes and maps, each character has an 8 bit form which is used to mark their location on the map. There are several cut scenes through out the game for key moments, including the deaths of each character in their wrong end.

Audience:  The audience of my game is a mix of male and female gamers that will be between the ages of 16-21 as the game will be rated 15+. The game is specifically aimed towards the core gamers who are wanting a good narrative and game to play but don’t require lots of extras like online matches or competitions which hard core gamers would want.

Length: the game has 6 levels, which include the introduction and conclusion along with 4 nightmares. The introduction will only involve meeting the key characters of the game, so no actual puzzle solving will happen yet. After this point the 4 nightmares will contain different types of puzzles in order to keep the player engaged, and also make each level different from the last. the conclusion will vary depending on which characters are saved.

Control system & platform the game will be playable on PC, the controls for this include: Arrow keys to move, the mouse to get a 360-degree view of the world, and the whole keyboard is involved when solving puzzles. On Xbox the controls are: Triggers will be used to walk around the world and get the 360-degree view of the world. The whole controller will once again be used when puzzle solving is required.

Story/narrative The game follows Colt a young boy who lives in circus where each member has their own act, his being the capability to enter other people’s dreams. The story follows him trying to help save 4 of his friends who also perform, due nightmares that are becoming more and more vivid to the point they are real. There are 4 different nightmares based around the 4 characters you meet at the start of the game; the nightmares get darker and more difficult to overcome the further you get in. There is also the possibility of failing to save characters which adds a more emotive side to the story.

Characters There are 5 characters; Colt- the protagonist of the game he the most outgoing and friendly character. He is friends with everyone who is at the circus, always making sure to put a smile on their face when he can. This is why he uses his obscurity to try save his friends from their nightmares despite the fact they could not only kill them but him too. Ebony- has a short temper and is prone to lying but is actually just scared of others. Fleur- is very shy at first but turns into a very enthusiastic character. Rune- an adventurous character, always gets her message across loud and clear. Eli- very independent, known for being quite a loner yet once you get to known him he’s very bubbly.

Levels There are 6 levels each based around a character you meet in the introduction. Intro. 1. In this first character you meet Ebony the aim is to help her overcome her nightmare which is based around a very childlike theme of monsters under the bed or hiding in the dark. However, they are a very real threat and there is only one way out as you can’t actually kill the monsters. Bad end- if you fail to solve a puzzle it will only slow you down but fail to break the code at the end of the level and Ebony is burnt alive as you escape. 2. Second chapter follows Fleur her nightmare seems pretty calm compared to the previous as you start to get to know her however the more puzzles you get wrong the worse the nightmare becomes. For each puzzle that is wrong a new booby trap will appear and they’re set to kill.    Bad end- as you reach the last few puzzles Fleur will start to lose interest if you have failed previous ones, resulting in her being too slow to follow and therefore being cut up by piano wire that appears if you made a mistake earlier. 3. Third chapter starts of as an adventure game following Rune as you’re stuck in a forest but after a few wrong turns its not long before you’re stuck in a swamp. This is when timing becomes really important, each puzzle from there is timed and the longer you take the more you start to sink into the bog. Bad end- if you take too long it can result in your narrow escape and Rune’s demise as she is left to drown in the bog. 4. The final chapter follows Eli, whilst at first all he does is help with puzzles you can get to know him and he helps to explain the reasoning for all this happening he is very knowledgeable and wants to make sure Colt escapes. Eli’s nightmare is a giant maze filled with more extreme versions of the previous nightmares, it requires a lot more quick time running events, puzzle solving and time management. Bad end 1- if you mess up any puzzle there will be major consequences however first time round Eli takes the hit from whatever it is, leaving you to work on your own from then on. Bad end 2- at the end if you fail solve the final puzzle it means Eli will take over and do most of the work opening the gate in order to escape however once the doors open a spear appears impaling Eli resulting in his death.

D1

D1 justifying my ideas in relation to current trends in

the UK game market

one of the most recent trends in the video game market is the link between gaming and social media, players are able to communicate whilst playing games when online. They can share their experience with other players in many different ways, like a chatroom or being able to speak to each other via microphone. Destiny is one of the more well-known games with a feature like this, encouraging players to interact with each other. This links into my game as there will be the option to enter an online chatroom with people playing the same chapter as you, I’ve added this option in as the games puzzles can get very difficult so you have the option to work with others to complete the task.

DLC is a very popular trend currently, it gives people the option to get exclusive content like maps or characters either during the game or before playing. I will be using DLC in my game as there isn’t enough time in the main story to include everything so by adding the DLC players can choose if they want the extra features. The DLC will involve backstories for side characters and more information about the main characters along with the main map itself and how it came into existence. By having this as DLC it will give the game more depth but won’t take anything away from those who choose not to download it.

A new upcoming trend is developers are uploading the starter of their game and letting people play through and give feedback, this is something very popular among indie game designers. The developer will use the revenue made from the beta to carry on with their development, whilst also taking into account the reviews they have received so they can make adjustments to the game to make it more appealing. This links into my game as I will release a beta version of the introduction and half of the first level on steam early access, this way I can get opinions beforehand due to my game being very indie and the style being one that’s not often used.

P4

Love Live: School Idol Festival

Love Live: School Idol Festival is a free rhythm and adventure game for mobile devices. The English version of the game was released in May 12, 2014 and the popularity for the game has been growing ever since. Despite some bad reviews and finally trying the game myself, I can see where the craze has come from as overall it is a good game. The genre of this game is comedy and musical, following a group of high school idols it's a very lighthearted game and easy to engage in for all ages. It's an interesting twist compared to most games and stands out a lot due to its crossover of styles.

The game is free to download and has many features that are available so it is definitely worth giving it a go. For those who really get into the game there are options to get extra coins which means you can buy new songs that would normally be locked or you can unlock a certain character’s stories with the coins. But the game is just as good without so the micro charges can be avoided and most things can be unlocked later if you work towards them.

There are two kinds of gameplay involved in Love Live; live shows and story. Live shows start with practice, this involves you levelling up the characters and improving their skills and EXP points. Once you have enough practice you can start professional live shows, this involves you tapping the rhythm icons as they overlap the character’s icon you are graded based on your timing. The grades are perfect, great, good, bad or miss; the grades will then effect your score. There are over 70 songs to use in live shows, all of which are free then there are certain songs featured in the game, which are only around for a limited time.
the game play and narrative behind the game is an interesting one and i like that its very unique compared to most games that are available now. Therefore i rate the narrative 8/10
Story mode follows the story behind the characters; the members of μ's and Aqours. Each character has their own side story in which you can get to know them better and engage with them more. It is a nice feature to include as being able to get to know each character individually is more engaging and makes you feel included in the love live universe. There are 9 members in each group;
μ
Third years
Eli, Nozomi & Nico
Second years
Honaka, Umi & Kotori
First years
Maki, Rin & Hanayo
Aqours
Third years
Dia, Kanan & Mari
Second years
Chika, You & Riko
Third years
Ruby, Hanamaru & Yohane
each character has some interesting traits, however there are some very generic characters which loose your interest so for that reason i'll be rating the characters 6/10

The game is a pretty simple one to use; as soon as you start, there is a great tutorial on how to use the game that is idiot proof. Making it a simple game for everyone to play including casual and younger gamers, the aim of the game is also simple and is an easy one to pick up on. Despite the game being very simple in all of its areas, it still has a range of different difficulty levels which means you can still be challenged as you go through the game if that’s how you like to play. In addition, as it is on a mobile device the controls are easy to use as there is not a lot of buttons to use.
The way the game is made for the platform it is on is perfect and i love the style and approach they have taken so i will give this 9/10.

The target audience of this game is casual gamers, it is a game that can be easily picked up and played when on the go and does not require knowledge of the story line to enjoy. For those who want a more in depth story they can chose to play the story mode as well which means you get background and a story for the game. I think this is a great feature as while most casual gamers only want a few hours’ gameplay they are still involved in the game and have the option to play without the main story. It is also a single player game so it may not appeal to hard core gamers that much, as they aim more to battle against others. However, the game is still great without a co-op mode and for the style of the game; it fits a lot better.

The narrative of this game follows that of an anime it is based on. It was originally a Japanese anime and was first made as a Japanese phone game, but was later translated into different languages. The story follows two high school idols and their quest to become the best performers they can. The graphics for this game are very simplistic; they follow the same graphics as the anime it is inspired by. It has nice graphics that have a very cute look to it, also due to the simplicity of the graphics it makes it easier to focus on playing the actual game.

Overall, it’s a nice and easy to play game easy for any casual gamer who is on the go. The game is very easy to pick up and put down, as well as having the option for dlc if you want to make the game more interesting. 8/10

P3- understand the importance of reviews for the marketing and promotion of computer/console games

The three reviews I will be looking at are Daz Games, Metacritic and GameGrin.

a) genre- this game is very heavily based on horror and psychological themes due to the theme it is looking into. It does a very good job at showing us this with all its twist and turns.

b) target audience- Daz games takes the route of the player’s aspect, he expresses players thoughts and feelings when playing the game through. He also considers the emotions that this game brings up, as he has played through and completed the game personally he is a trustworthy reviewer.

Metacritic looks at the view of a company that has played the game through different parts of the team and then came up with a final review based on everybody’s input. It considers the more technical side of the game like how the visuals and game play can impact on the sales and popularity. The kind of review is aimed at the more hardcore gamer as it looks at the technical side of the game.

Gamegrin is a mix of the two above as it looks at both the technical side and the overall likeability. it considers the players and how they are going to feel during the playthrough often going through the emotional cycle of the player at any one given time during the gameplay. They give the game a 7 overall out of a possible 10 which means that it has a good balance between technicality and player emotions during it. it comments on the visuals but also comments on how the player can often and most likely will get attached to the character that they are playing as.

c) narrative- There are a range of different reviews for Fran Bow due to the narrative it looks into, the storyline looks into children and mental health issues. Daz Games said that “it was the most disturbing games I’ve ever played” due to the issues that were brought up and explored.

Metacritic says that “Fran Bow is a creepy adventure game that tells the story of Fran, a young girl struggling with a mental disorder and an unfair destiny.” It goes onto say “it is disturbing yet adorable, full of violence but at the same time tender.” It also comments on the story and how it very quickly turns into a deep, hard hitting story, yet it still contains some light hearted, funny moments. They have also said it does get confusing whilst playing especially towards the end.

d) characters- Daz Games says the game is mainly based around one character and her interpretations of the surrounding characters. The main character being Fran, she comes across many different monsters and demons on her way. He also loves the way the game follows the one character on her travels and gives great details so we can get to know her well. He gave the game a 9/10 for the character work saying that the player can actually become emotionally attached to the character that they are playing as.

Metacritic also said the game follows the one main character and gets the player really involve in the characters life. The story and character are both very detailed and allow for the player to become attached with Fran whilst playing. It brings up the strong link between characters used in the game, it engages the players a lot more as they are able to play through Fran’s eyes and opinions.

e) gameplay- Many reviews will agree the gameplay is outstanding; Metacritic says that the gameplay follows one character and is played from a 3rd person view. It is also a point and click adventure and so the gameplay is very intensive and focused on the player and the way that they interact with the story. Metacritic also said “the gameplay is gripping and unexpected leaving the player stuck between tough decisions based on the characters life and story”.

GameGrin, said the gameplay is compelling and that “the most important aspect of the game is how it plays in comparison with the story as there is no point having a brilliant story without good quality gameplay”. It also brings up that the game is easy to play meaning everyone can get involved. This really helps the story and means that the gameplay is simple but interesting and fun for anyone. It also commented on the good art style of the game and how the game was designed which includes many advanced features and alot of work ahs been put into making the game look very complex.

f) platforms- Fran Bow can be played on PC through steam download and on android and IOS through the app store and google play. Metacrtic point out how these are good consoles to get more casual gamers involved. It also says that the game is sold rather cheap for a PC game this is positive for the developers as it will most likely sell more copies.

g) reviewers recommendation- Gamegrin also brings up similar information saying that the game is widely distributed between platforms and since the the game is a point and click adventure it is already suited to be brought to android. But they also said it's not available on consoles like PlayStation or Xbox and this could be a a big loss of sales due to the huge market for consoles in the modern day. They rate the game a 7 overall and although it is a good all round distribution platform it can be improved in the future by bringing the game to some sort of console.

links:
metacritic- http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/fran-bow
Gamegrin- https://www.gamegrin.com/reviews/fran-bow-review/
Daz Games- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbQbiNE1xP8

P2

Life is Strange

P2A- genre

Life Is Strange is an episodic graphic adventure video game developed by Dontnod Entertainment and published by Square Enix. The game is made up of five episodes which were released throughout 2015. The plot focuses on Max Caulfield, a photography student who finds out that she can rewind time, leading her every choice to have a butterfly effect. Meaning the player's actions will adjust how everything will happen. The game involves puzzle solving as well as using branching choices for conversation.

P2B- narrative

The plot focuses on Max Caulfield, a photography student who finds out that she has the ability to rewind time, all of her choices however have a butterfly effect. After seeing a storm that will happen 5 days later, Max must take on the responsibility to prevent it from destroying her town. The player's choices will change the narrative, and how you proceed to play the game. The story is made so that the characters are the main focus that lead the game causing players to start getting an attachment to them. It is a decision adventure game which involves the player in the story directly and paints a very vivid picture of the problems of the characters.

P2C- production process

Life is Strange is Dotnod Entertainment’s second game after Remember Me. Development took place in April 2013 with a small team of 15 people it was later said they would collaborate with Square Enix. A lot of the budget went towards voice actors for the game as well as writing it. It was originally written in French and later translated into a game script by the developers and design team. Story and character development were highlighted over point and click puzzles and making choices that unravel mysteries and narrative unfolds. In July 2014, the important part of casting the voice actors started, these were recorded in Los Angeles and when needed the writer would on skype. Another important thing decided during development was the idea of using effects like double exposure and overlapping screen space each time would rewind time. The textures seen in the game were entirely hand painted, adapted to achieve what art director Michel Koch called "impressionistic rendering". They also took inspiration from games like Heavy Rain and The Walking Dead.

P2D- characters

Maxine Caulfield

Often referred to as Max, is the main protagonist of this game. She’s 18 and an aspiring photographer at Blackwell Academy. She left her mom and dad and returned to the town where she grew up; Arcadia Bay, Oregon. Not long after joining Blackwell she saves her childhood friend, Chloe Price from being killed. She soon discovers she has the ability to rewind time. After joining forces with Chloe helping her find out what happened to Rachel Amber, Max must also discover how to use her powers to save the Arcadia Bay from a devastating tornado.

Chloe Price

Chloe is the second protagonist of Life is Strange. She was best friends with Max before she moved to Seattle, leaving Chloe in their hometown of Arcadia Bay. With Max’s return their friendship grows once again throughout the game. After Max left, Chloe became best friends with Rachel Amber before she went missing, and now she is getting help from Max to finally find out what happened to her.

Mark Jefferson

Mr Jefferson is a photography teacher at Blackwell Academy and is the main antagonist. He is a famous photographer and a widely recognized artist across America, who gained popularity during the '90s. At the start of the game he is shown as the cool teacher, who is greatly admired by his students, and does his best to encourage and help them. However, it’s later revealed that it was all an act, over the course of the game Jefferson was either directly or indirectly responsible for the deaths 7 characters.

Other characters that have effect on the game include Kate, Nathan, Warren and Victoria but these aren’t as important to the main story.

P2E- gameplay

Life Is Strange is a graphic adventure game played in a third-person view. The games main feature is being able to rewind time allowing the player to redo actions. The player can examine and interact with objects, bringing in the aspect of puzzle solving in the form of fetch quests and making changes to the environment, items that are collected before time travelling will be kept in the inventory. The player can explore various locations in Arcadia Bay and communicate with other characters in the universe giving that extra immersion. Dialogue has multiple choices and can be changed using the rewind power, these choices can have huge impacts on how the game plays out from their as well.

P2F- target audience 

The target Audience for Life is Strange is more mature audience due to the themes it looks into, it can be very complicated at times and therefore not appropriate for younger audiences. This game is more aimed towards core game, it is too complex for casual gamers and it doesn’t have enough for hardcore gamers. It sits right in the middle with a deep storyline but nothing too challenging.

P2G- platform

Life is Strange was originally only digitally available on PC through Steam, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 on the PlayStation Network, and Xbox 360 and Xbox One on Xbox Live. It was released in episodes between 30 January 2015 and 20 October 2015. Later on a retail edition was released for the PC, PS4 and Xbox One in North America on 19 January 2016 and in Europe on 22 January 2016. The limited edition version of the game featured an art book, the soundtrack, score and a director's commentary.

Super Dangan Ronpa 2

P2A- genre

Super Danganronpa 2: Goodbye, Despair Academy is a visual novel, adventure video game created by Spike Chunsoft. It is the sequel to Danganronpa, it focuses on problem solving and the element of mystery. The game relies on a lot of quick time events that have a puzzle solving element involved. It is a first player game as you play through the eyes of the protagonist Hajime Hinata as he tries to solve the mystery of why he and his class mates are trapped in a mutual killing game.

P2B- story line

The story follows a group of high school students who are trapped on an island by an unusual stuffed bear by the name of Monokuma. To escape the island, a student must kill one of their fellow class mates, and not be caught in the investigation and trial the follows. However, for those who are caught they are soon executed in a brutal manor. There are 16 students and we see this story through the eyes of our protagonist Hajime Hinata, who seems to be very different to the other characters.

P2C- production process

Super Dangan Ronpa 2 was published in Japan on July 26, 2012 on PSP. A limited edition copy was also available, this came with a Monokuma case, art book, keychains, badges and a CD. The game was made as a sequel to the original Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, and included some old features but also included some more up to date ones. The game was eventually localized and made available for those across Europe and America, this was done by NIS America who also released a standard edition along side the limited edition.

P2D- characters

Hajime Hinata

Hajime Hinata is the main character and point of view for the game, he is a member of the mutual killing game. He is a member of the reserve course and has no key talents and is very generic, but after taking part in the Izuru Kamukura project (brain alteration project) his original memories were replaced and he was turned into an entirely new person. In the end he manages to come to terms with himself and he along with 5 others escape the game leaving them to attempt to save their remaining friends.

Nagito Komaeda

Nagito Komaeda is also a member of the mutual killing game, he has been given the talent of Ultimate Luck. Despite hardships throughout his life including loosing his parents and developing frontal lobe Dementia and Cancer he remains general positive. He has a strong obsession with hope and at some point in the first trial reveals his true nature, and is shown to have strong feelings towards Hinata.

Nanami Chiaki

Chiaki Nanami also known as the Ultimate Gamer is the third main character in the game and another member of the killing game. She is a generally bubbly and outgoing girl known to sleep in any circumstance, she is proven to be the 'traitor' and is executed along with Usami. But after this it is shown that the real Nanami was already dead and this one was in fact an AI version added to the game to watch over and take care of her classmates. She was created and added to the game by Chihiro Fujisaki, a participant of the original killing game in Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc.

Monokuma

Monokuma is the main antagonist and the cover for Junko Enoshima, the mastermind behind the mutual killing games. His a stuffed robotic toy and also an AI just like Nanami during the game.

P2E- game play

This is a first player game, which is played through the eyes of the protagonist Hinata. It involves many mini games which are played within the ‘class trials’ these are a part in each chapter that are used as a way of solving the murders. Most part of the game is a visual novel with interactions with other characters. However, during class trial you are a lot more involved and play mini games such as logic dive and hangman’s gambit. These involve both memory and puzzle solving abilities.

P2F- target audience

The target audience for dangan ronpa is more aimed at core gamers, this is due to the fact it’s a much longer game that can’t be picked up easily by casual gamers. Due to the nature of the game and its layout in chapters it makes it easily playable for core gamers who have a wider variety of interest in games but don’t want to dedicate as much time as those who are hard-core gamers.

P2G- platform

Super Dangan Ronpa was originally only released on PS Vita and PSP in July 26, 2012. It was a physical copy that also had a limited edition version that included the OST, an art book. However, in September 5, 2014 it was released on PC through Steam along with its first game Danganronpa Trigger Happy Havoc. Also at the start of this year April 18, 2016 it was also brought out on PS4.

That Dragon, Cancer

P2A- genre

That Dragon, Cancer is an art, adventure game. It is referred to as an interactive new media the style   throughout the game is very simple and purposely pixelated as well as containing no great detail on the characters as seen by their lack of face, this makes the game a more relatable and engages all players especially those who have been through what takes place in the game. The gameplay is very simple as not to take away from the main focus which is the plot.

P2B- storyline

The plot is based on the true story of Joel Greens, who had a 4-year long battle with cancer. We follow the life of the young boy and all the struggles and good times he and his family had. It is a walkthrough storyline and the player goes on a journey through their lives. The game involves things like child care and decision making as well as a backstory that is made to show people the reality of such a situation. It is very cleverly designed in such a way that it builds up drama and then tension adds to that to form a bond with the family who are behind the computer screen that when they finally come into trouble it really plays on the feelings of the player

P2C- production process

The production process originally had the game start as a Kickstarter, which is a service on steam for indie games looking for donation funding by the public and was intended for windows and IOS and the art style was actually formed due to the lack of funding and low budget. A total of £85,000 had to be raised to avoid a late release and if goal met, would be aided by personal funds and the Indie fund. Development was funded by Ouya in exchange for a time-limited exclusivity for the micro-console. There was a development team of 8 which did include the parents of Joel who are the main developers of the game

P2D- characters

Main Characters

Joel Green

A young boy who the story follows, he was suffering from cancer and we watch his fight throughout the game.  

Ryan and Amy Green

These are the parents of Joel and the game follows their story seeing their ups and downs of dealing with the cancer their son has, showing their emotions, feelings and how they deal with the cancer.

Narration from other family members are also involved, this makes the game feel more real for the player and allows for a more immersive and enjoyable experience where the players actually become attached to the characters

P2E- game play

The game is played out in a first and third person view with the perspectives changing throughout to give the overall enjoyable experience. The game is played as an exploration and based on real and surreal experiences following the green family in the family struggle. The game has a very unique art styles in which the faces of the individuals within the game are not rendered meaning that the characters have no faces. This means that the player is open to imagination and is symbolising that this can happen to any family within society.

P2F- target audience

The target audience for this game is casual gamers as it is a simple quick pick up game. It is a simple point and click game meaning that the player doesn’t need to have much knowledge in how to play games, if this was on the Xbox for example there would be too many buttons.

P2G- production process

The game made for PC & Mac and was distributed on website they created themselves in order to make sure all profit went to charity and find a cure for cancer. If they were to release the game on something like steam they take parts of the profit, therefore not everything would go to charity. The game costs £6.49 and was 90 minutes long. However, the game later came out on steam and cost £10.99 as well as on IPhone which cost £3.99 on the app store.

Resident evil Revelations 2

P2A- genre

This game can be seen as both a first and third player shooting game, depending on which part of the game you’re playing. The main aim is to shoot monsters however other weapons are involved but most weapons used by the main character of the game is firearms. The game is played through various characters which change throughout the game, due to the game switching between past and present events.

P2B- storyline 

The game follows 3 main characters Claire, Moira and Barry, Claire and Moira work for a biohazard company and are kidnapped then left on an island facility along with mutated monsters known as the “Afflicted”. Claire and Moira try to work with others who were also kidnapped to try and escape, however many of them die or succumb to fear which turns them into one of the “Afflicted”. They both decide to go to the overseers watch tower where they’re met by an old friend who is now mutated leaving them no choice other than to kill him. They soon find out the overseer’s real plans though and discover she is in fact Alex Wesker. Barry arrives on this island 6 months later to try and save the Claire and Moira, in the process he meets Natalia who takes him to the last place she saw the girls alive. They narrowly escape the mutated Alex, the two are separated but Natalia manages to scare Alex. But they are later greeted by Alex who has once again mutated and now they have their final battle to survive which ends one of two ways.

P2C- production process

Production for this game started around the release of Resident Evil Revelations'. Proposal art was made for the game, later they decided on calling it Revelations 2. Based on the biohazard revelations 2 Concept Guide, Sushestovanie Island didn't come into existence until after the game was greenlit, with art instead showing a large city populated by older, large buildings against a river. The Afflicted appeared in one artwork, hung to trees in a forest. In a third picture, a landfill was seen near a railway bridge, with the giant statue of an unidentified dictator dominating the skyline

P2D- characters

Moira

Moira is a new character introduced in this game, she is daughter of Barry and unlike her dad she has a fear guns and is not very well adapt for the world she’s currently in. her character has the biggest development as she over comes her fear of guns and saves her father.

Barry

Barry is a character who has been featured in previous resident evil games and is known as the gun’s expert who assists our protagonists. He is also the father of Moira and is also another important character in this game, he develops a lot in his quest to find and save his daughter.

Claire

Claire is our main protagonist and is one of the original resident evil characters, this is her first debut after the second game. She is a professional in the world of resident evil and knows exactly what she’s doing when it comes to fighting off monsters, this is clearly seen in revelations 2 as she takes care of Moira.

P2E- game play

Unlike Revelations, Revelations 2 returns to co-op in its campaign, however, it was revealed that the co-op is for local, offline play only. Also included is the return of "partner zapping", a concept that was only previously seen in Resident Evil Zero. With this, players who are playing solo will be able to freely switch between the two characters: Claire Redfield and Moira Burton. Claire has access to weapons and firearms, while Moira is the support role.

Claire is responsible for the firearms such as handguns and shotguns, as well as a knife she can use freely. Due to this, Claire is the main fighter and it will fall upon her to kill any enemies they come across, should players choose to not flee. Claire is able to heal herself with herbs found, but unlike many previous games, healing takes time.  

Moira is a support role, her main item is a flashlight. With this, Moira is able to not only provide light for Claire but also use the light to blind or stun Afflicted. The flashlight can be used like the Genesis scanner from Revelations, able to reveal hidden items and secrets that Claire otherwise cannot see. Moira also finds a crowbar which she can use to pry off boards that are blocking doors, and swing as a weapon in self-defence. With the crowbar, Moira can incapacitate an enemy if she strikes it from behind.

P2F- target audience

Resident evil’s target audience is hard core gamers; it is a game you must stick with and isn’t easy to pick up where you left off. Also with the feature of auto save in the games rather than being able to save yourself it will lose interest with casual gamers. As it is also 10^th in a franchise it shows that this game is made for those who are big fans and have played the previous games due to the linking of the stories. Due to it being a console based game it can be difficult for new players to pick up on the controls.

P2G- production process

Revelations 2 was released on February 25, 2015 in weekly episodes on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. After the release of the final episode a complete version was also released. Sony went on to create a PlayStation Vita version of the game which was released on August 18, 2015. The first episode of the game, Penal Colony, was made free to download for PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One on November 18, 2015.

P1F

Whilst Rockstar has its own ways of creating games there are other ways to make them. One of the first types is the business model which focuses on the expenses of game making today mainly those compatible with PS3 and Xbox 360.

The business model the ‘Tent Pole’ model is similar to the business model that a lot of Hollywood studios will use. The idea is that the publisher releases a game that comes with a lot of marketing and investment. The money that is made from the game could then be used for them to create new games that are more creative.  

 One example is the GTA series, which has provided a lot of income for Rockstar games. In the past this money has let them invest in some smaller hits like Canis Canem, LA Noire and Agent. EA also uses the ‘Tent Pole’ business model by having annual updates for their popular game FIFA which is used to help with development of other games. EA spent $372 million in 2008 on research and development, mainly due to PS3 and Xbox 360. It can cost up to $100 million to make a game on this platform.

However, there are problems with this model, due to the company relying on this one game to provide money huge problems will occur if the game isn’t a hit as they won’t get their money. An example is Spore, sold 1 million copies in its first 17 days, but the development costs were so big that EA only expect to make their money back with 5 years of updates and sequels.

The next model is the Hollywood model, this is when one company contracts out parts of the games design to other companies, this way they save money on development. This means rather than having a permanent in-house development team of 50+, the developers can have a much smaller team of 10-20 specialist external teams who will have a section to work on each which is all put together later. This model also includes the company working with scriptwriters, photography directors and stunt teams, meaning games are being made just like a Hollywood film would be made.

Independent game development is a newer type of model. Game development has become a lot cheaper recently, normally it would require a developer to a have a publishing contract in order to pay for the development and the license fee required to develop for a particular console. But now there is a growing market for Indie Game thanks to open source software, like Apples App Store and Xbox Live’s Marketplace small teams and even individuals are able to create games, and then use these places to distribute their games and earn money. Other than basic developmental costs of a game and console, developers are required to pay fees to license the Software Development Kits that are required from the console manufacturer. Manufacturers often enforce a strict approval process and take a percentage of the game's net profit in addition to yearly developer fees.

 The iPhone SDK is a software development kit that’s developed by Apple, its targeted at third party developers to develop applications for iPhones OS, it was released in February 2008. The SDK itself is a free download, but in order to release the software, you must enrol in the iPhone Developer Program, a step requiring payment and Apple's approval. As of January 2010, the cost of enrolment in the iPhone Developer Program was $99 per year however this cost varies from country to country. Developers who publish their applications on the App Store will receive 70% of sales revenue, and will not have to pay any distribution costs for the application. An example of iPhone games development would be Doodle Jump, it was released April 2009, and has had nearly 4 million downloads.


Xbox also released an SDK for Xbox one in March 2015 which lets any developer build an app for the console. There had been a private SDK ever since the consoles launch however it became public allowing any and all developers to use the SDK which means they can make games For Xbox and will be able to add Xbox live features. The software uses Windows 10 which spans across PC, tablets and phones too.

PS4 also have their own SDK released which costs around $2,500. The feature of self-publishing has been available on PlayStation for over 5 years so unlike Xbox this isn’t a new feature for PlayStation. They took the lead with the feature adapting to the new publishing rules so its developers have a more creative freedom. They said they will be sticking with the kit and won’t be changing as they want to allow developers to have their chance.