Game Concepts: Initial Thoughts

Below are the various thoughts, ideas, research and sketches I've compiled about the possible game concepts our professor provided us. I will continue to update this post as my brainstorming yields additional results. Some ideas are bound to be rough or implausible, but I wouldn't want to stifle the creative process by weeding out "good and bad" observations at this stage of development.

Word Games

• Types include puzzles, word finds, spelling and grammar, crossword, play on words, rhymes, music lyrics, vocabulary tests, scrabble, etc.
• One idea would have either a series of mini-games related to word games, or my preferred option, a story mode which unlocked those various mini-games from the main menu once encountered.
• Mini-game brainstorming
• Railcart game where players direct the cart's direction on different rail options, but for the purpose of spelling out the word being spoken outloud. They choose the correct rails and/or jump to "capture" the letter needed. Inspired by DKC: Diddy's Kong Quest.
• "Raining" letters are touched by a left-right moving character to spell words. This could also be modified so that players grab the punctuation (in order) missing in a sentence.
• Caterpillar, except players build words from letter options, try to unscramble a word from the letters on screen, or achieve some other similar goal.
• Storymode character then moves around with a "butterfly catcher" once the letters "grow into butterflies" and swings the net to snag words, perhaps synonyms or words that rhyme, or perhaps the answers to vocabulary questions.
• Advanced word-games seem best suited for children's educational software.
• Slight modifications could also allow mathematics skillbuilding.

Tilt Lemmings/Ant Farm

• "The basic objective of the game is to guide lemmings through a number of obstacles to a designated exit" (Wikipedia).
• Gravity-altered lemmings game where they can walk in all directions, including on "ceilings", thus changing the way you build bridges to get the characters from their original location to the end point. A time-sensitive shifting world (think a giant turning the screen in clockwise circles slowly) or a changing visual center point for each level providing the gravitational pull could provide unique difficulties and interest to the game.

Battle Lore

• According to information shared by another student, Battle Lore was a board game now out of print originally published by Days of Wonders and designed by Richard Borg. Very little is currently known about this concept foundation.

Balloon Cargo


Super Sprint Off-road

• "Super Sprint is a simple racing game. Up to three players drive simultaneously on a circuit against opponents controlled by the computer. The circuits are viewed from above and always fit on screen, so the game never scrolls. (Wikipedia)"
• The original game is too simplified for my tastes, so in creating an off-road version alterations to the layout could improve the concept. Instead of playing where you can view the entire circuit on-screen, there could be a minimap in the middle for player reference should they choose to use it. Otherwise, in their corner of the screen (note: this would allow for a two or four-player arrangement) they could have a behind-vehicle or in-vehicle perspective. 
• Obstacles added to the game would be relevant to the environment type being used for the circuit. 

Twin Stick Shooter


Battle Bots

• Traditional fighter-type video game with two players beginning on separate sides of the screen and battling. However, the characters are all robots and this changes the gameplay somewhat. Rather than using blood, it becomes more kid-friendly by adopting the "lose nuts and bolts" approach to violence. Unique features could be incorporated into each fighter option's design given the complexity robots can manage.
• When severely damaged, or through a combination of buttons preset by the designers, players can pull out the limbs of their opponent. Each robot would be assigned both two-handed and single-handed attack sets, and if missing limbs, would be unable to perform two-limb moves until obtaining their body part and reattaching it through another button combination. Limbs could also become weapons usable by both players after their removal by throwing or hitting with the pieces.
• Alternatively, the game could be a multiplayer, real-time strategy game wherein the gathering of materials allows you to upgrade your robots individually or expand your army in preparation of an assault on the opponent's base. Unlike many Command and Conquer-type alternatives, all units could regain health or improve their functions by gleaning from destroyed enemies or returning to the repair bay at home.

Rampart

• "In [the arcade game] Rampart, the player is in control of a set of castles, which they must defend, by alternatively shooting at attacking ships (or other players), and repairing damage done to them within a time limit" (Wikipedia).

Bumper Turtles


Vertical Scrolling Shooter

Innovation Project: Final Design

After the voting process was complete, my team had determined that the following would be incorporated into the final umbrella design:

• Material: Waterproof top to avoid water retention, titanium pieces to minimize breakage
• Shape: Modified star shape that used rounded edges instead of points for the skeleton
• Storage: Compacted into a tube for improved containment and aesthetic appeal
• Safety: Contains no sharp points, has no breakable parts
• Extra: Twists to open, utilized a roof-tile fold system to decrease wind resistance

Innovation Project: Sketch Update

As a group, we established a separate blog over which we could communicate about our innovation project. At first, we all compiled our ideas textually in a single place for easy decision-making. We categorized the topics for an even easier voting process and established polls through which we could identify which aspects we would like to incorporate into the design. I made efforts through email and blog posts to encourage my teammates to also post their votes to open up discourse over the combinations and to give their input in a timely manner.

After getting a majority vote on several traits, we assigned out the sketches to two people, myself included. I volunteers to redo and refine characteristics originally designed by Thad, namely the circular under-wire structure that prevents sharp edges on the umbrella, and also redrew my contribution: the hand-fitted handle. My primary challenge was creating a sketch that was clean and could maintained reliable line lengths and widths. We collaborated the images and then my teammate added digital coloring to try and provide consistency to the product. Lots of conversation occurred before arriving to the final design.

Innovation Project: Umbrella

My group of six was charged with the task of innovating the umbrella. My initial concerns with the item were as follows: while umbrellas are apt to break and have other flaws, these tend to be traded-off with positive functions of the piece (e.g. light-weight pieces make it easier to break or catch in the wind); many forms of innovation already exist for the object, such as the "umbrella hat"; and as I am not an engineer, it's difficult to consider all of the technical difficulties of performing whatever ideas might come to mind.

I had a variety of ideas involving umbrellas, as listed on the sheet, which can (for the most part) be combined with others. Included are the following:

• Mechanical pieces to the umbrella, including but not limited to a heated handle option, misting devices underneath the skeleton for beach use, and an air blower which removes the water from the umbrella's top surface instead of leaving a watery residue on the accessory while indoors.
• Solar panels on the top portion of beach umbrellas or parasols to fuel these mechanical operations, as well as charge other items such as batteries or portable music playing devices.
• Inflatable umbrella heads to be stored with a handheld air pump if desired, for highly compact containment and/or emergency use.
• Kite-shaped umbrella with edging along the sides to direct water to the corners, where flaps continue this relocation for aesthetic purposes or into tubing which leads to water bottles stored at one's belt, allowing for water conservation. This is particularly useful in areas were tap water is unsafe, but rain is common.
• Umbrella designs that allow complete customization by allowing the consumer to purchase each tier or panel, depending on preference, and attach them together in a roof tile style overlapping from the bottom via connective material (velcro, zippers, hooks, etc.) and supported by an equally-customized skeleton structure. Both handles and prongs are similar to supports used in pitching tents, where you can extend the metallic structure to be the appropriate length for your needs. Customized umbrellas are sold based partially on their basic practicality, but primarily for the "build-an-umbrella" experience for families and fashion.
• Different handle and panel shapes, among them a built-in "grip" for additional comfort.