Report: 7/18/10

These first steps I have been taking while programming are to discover ways to generate maps for players to imagine these global transactions. The technical goal is to make the maps display varying degrees of plains, mountains, forests, and an ocean coast with very random and semi realistic continental coastlines. These types of geography should also have the ability to be referenced (not merely a generated image but a selectable node of information). Conceptually the magnitude of the map should grant several illusions which can suggest that the map is large and epic, while not seeming too large to the point where the player questions where all of this land is coming from. The representations in the maps will be of a suggestive nature to make things appear above a local map, and below a world map.

Step 1: The matrix
I have been working in a matrix of squares which determine local settings on the map. For instance should I select some square, it will take me to a mountain scene, or a forest scene. This breakdown also quantifies the random elements to a much smaller number.
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<---- On the left here is the first thing I made, an array in an array which creates rows and columns of squares to represent nodes, the shades of grays are randomized, so I have control in between each creation of square, and the blue squiggle below is a creation from a mouse click and drag function, so mouse actions are linked to this grid as well. I later added more values to the creation, editing hue, saturation, and brightness. These values will later be used to represent the different land masses, to draft up a finished map.

The difference between this picture, and the one just above, is that now all of the nodes are drawing themselves several times a second, this refresh makes “erasing” possible. Before it was like drawing on a chalk board, and drawing over things making it close to impossible to undo something, where now everything is almost getting animated on the screen several times, making it more flexible. Constantly animating, even static scenes allows for elements to appear to enter and exit the scene.

For example if you look carefully at the first picture above, there is a white node about in the middle of the upper right quadrant. This white square is programed to come up when you click on that square (like a selection). I coded it so if I click somewhere else, it lights that square up, and no longer lights up the one which was previously lit up. The picture directly to the left has a white square selected in direct center, this is because it refreshed all of the squares, without randomizing all the colors.

Step 2: Boundaries
For my next step I felt adamant to be able to generate the coastline (most likely the toughest challenge). For starters I wanted to generate a limit, which makes it impossible for the ocean to creep into the land any more. At first I came up with this simple diamond generation. After some thought though I felt its rigid construction might reflect on the continent making things far too angular. So I quickly went to attempt the creation of a circle in the center.


This is harder then it seems because having constrained myself to the matrix, I cant use any of the built in circle shapes or any of the such because it doest relate to the grid (and there are no overlap functions which I know of, and to create on might slow up the program). So I racked my brain and tried to conjure up my lost learnings of High school math. After several sketches I figured out a way to use the Pythagorean theorem to determine the number of blue green squared needed to be drawn at each line in the center in order to make it seem flowing.




Math stuff: The 2 constants I had were the radius of the circle (a random number), and which row I was in. Then I just pulled off the reverse Pythagorean, B squared = C squared - A squared. This new value is the distance across the circle at any relative row. (The diagram on the bottom is something I made for me as a reference.)

MOVING FORWARD: I’m working on my approach for how to generate water, I am now thinking of ways perhaps where water is negative space, and land is positive space (meaning I program the land spreading out, as opposed to the water spreading in. I will be lucky if I can get peninsulas to form and gulfs, which are tough to form in a linear creation pattern.

Room Concept map:

This map lays out all of the building potentials for the different "classes" of structure. For instance

Upper Left - Magic - These room spaces provide research quarters for excelling in the intricate and arcane art magic would be, observetories to examine the stars, and magical chambers which can carry out tangeble actions through what can be described as spell or ritual practices.

Upper Right - Militancy - These rooms support a well established military, a animal husbandry, and improved blacksmithing and forging abilities. A society with a heavy amount of these rooms would resemble a war driven Sparta.

Lower Left - Faith - These rooms allow for warship of a demigod, a deity, an all ruling god, or the universe in general (panthiesm). These structures imply that your people are all looking towards the same goals, beleive strongly in the same things, and strive to refine a moral existence.

Lower Right - Syndicate - Syndicate structures revolve around commerce and professions using their talents in other then ordinary ways in order for the player to succeed over their adversaries. For instance a print house can provide news to its people, while controlling the perspective of a leader.


You are not allowed to build all of these structures, not only would some of them be redundant, but also their is too high a volume of rooms at that point. The player, instead of having to build to their limits, has a smaller limit, and is forced to refine their building structures, making it more about strategy and less about speed of building. 100 % is the max, investing in every structure of one tree gives you 100%.

Thesis Statement

My thesis project is a video game which allows for players to compete in a game of global competition, while granting them the ability to build the primary establishment to their empire, which determines the tools for their success and the image of their society.

Conceptual Mechanics

These are 4 of the best examples of each model which I used to flush out the spaces within a castle. Players are able to choose between 4 separate paths or trees(or sampling from each) to shape their castle, society, and tools for success. These choices in a way reflect the class structure (class in this case is what your character brings to the table in an adventure...thief, wizard). I started with 5, and then erased one. Below is in detail my thought process through coming up with new iterations of balance and vocabulary. This process has helped me to understand what kind of interactions the player will be able to execute.



Details
as a base, players are allowed to construct general buildings, which can be converted into class specific ones. This will help to reduce visible buttons and categorizing its purpose will help players make connections in function.
- for instance you can create a space called "housing", which can then be converted into a:
1. Barracks (militancy)
2. Sanctuary (Faith)
3. Dormitory (Magic)
4. Hostel (syndication)

Each of the 4 branches reflect class choices, and most classes you can see in other games could consist of these in combination.
1. Militancy room examples include a drill room (training), barracks (housing), Town watch (universal service), and War room (primary room). A militant society (or establishment) would base its values in fighting for territory, raising their children to fight as well, and usually with great pride in nation. The primary room, The War Room, indicates that the society has generals who can manipulate troops better, and can execute advanced maneuvers on the battlefield (due to the militant hierarchy).

2. Faith room examples include Meditation Cell (training), Sanctuary (housing), hospital (universal service), and Temple (primary room). A Faithful society places its values in the hands of a deity or religion. In this fantasy world the religion can actually execute a number of magical outcomes, and demigods can come to your aid if you have enough belief in them. The primary room, Temple, is the location of all contact with the divine, and it is the symbol of the societies faith.

3. Magic room examples include Academy (training), dormitory (housing), Library (universal service), and Focus Chamber (primary room). A magical society places its values in the pursuit of magical understanding to better the quality of life and because it is the social norm. The primary room, focus chamber, is where magic is focused and advanced spells can be performed. For instance opening up a portal, hurling massive fireballs, or evoking storms.

4. Syndication room examples include guilds (training), hostel (housing), Market (universal service), and Conclave (primary room). A syndicate society might have a government, however much of the deeds are done though the shady part of town, and the society as a whole profits at the expense of others. The primary room, conclave, suggests that a group of powerful rich individuals get together to conspire terrible deeds such as sending plagued meats to other towns, assassinations, or forging information.

At this point I have several buildings which fall under each class tree, and what they convert from. I will be working on turning all of my notes into a cohesive document which outlines the maximum potential for this game and what cuts can be made.

Medieval Warfare

Medieval Warfare has proven useful in understanding warfare, and the successful tactics of the day. Most of the successful tactics unfortunately hardly relate to a video game (starving an enemy is successful, cutting reinforcements.) because we all know game characters don't eat or defecate.

interesting finds:

1. The germanic tribes of the ancient world have a unique way of fighting. They assemble troops into a huge square, making them effective because they are essentially un-flankable. This thwarted the romans several times because their most successful tactic is to flank with Calvary. This formation tells a lot about the people themselves. The book describes how these tactics reflect an "All for one, one for all" mentality. These formations made it possible for those with shields could create a wall around the edges, letting the unshielded units in the middle survive a charge, but effectively strike an enemy in an entangled battle. These developments in military strategy are important to understanding the culture itself. They had a lack of supplies and advanced weaponry, so this formation played to their advantages of being strong warriors, good at close combat, and being poor at horse drawn combat. Players will be able to choose different fighting tactics (if they invest in militant structures and professions) which will enable them to adjust the formations of troops for different circumstances.

Ilustrated Anthology of Sorcery, Magic, and Alchemy

The illustrated Antholgy of Scorcery, Magic, and Alchemy is essential to my production of this game. I have been raised on a very stylistic and exported version of magic. Essentially as I see it mediums have taken what magic was and augmented to fit their own narrative schemes and molded the vocabulary into something which is completely detached from its origin. I don't find that there is anything wrong with this because magical things cant essentially be wrong (the beauty of magic). However if I were to design my game off of someone else's interpretation, its a filtering. I would rather continue research into how magic was perceived in medieval and prevues times, and figure out my own vocabulary for these interactions which are unique to my world. This allows me to repackage magic (another great thing about broad themes).

My favorite sections of this book

1. I have always had an interest in Alchemy for the lessons it teaches. Not only that a popular form of science should penetrate society so boldly, but also that it brought about a mini age of belief, symbolism, and art. The word alchemy has been disambiguated though most modern medieval fantasy games. They would usually switch alchemists with Apothecaries. Where to have an alchemical skill in games would imply your ability to make potions. I wish be accurate when it comes to these things, and be able to take the meanings of our world and transpose them within my game world, not completely misconstrue them.

2. Hearing of the role of magic in some tribal societies then. It was viewed as a healing device, a spiritual device. Magic and modern fantasy games would put it, is in charge of things incapable by us, and more broadly capable of all things awe inspiring. Its a mini portal to becoming a god. Magic back then was used to explain things unexplainable, but also it was rooted in the important things of its day. They found good health important. Where magic in modern days might involve hurling fireballs at people, so those games find that violence is important. I want the role of magic (one of the 4 paths of the society in my game) to reflect the abilities of play and to be balanced with the other paths (militancy, faith, syndication).

Understanding Architecture

Understanding architecture has some excellent insight to building material, history of architectural styles, terminology of building elements, and the relation of architectural forms to the identity of civilizations.

My favorite parts, most relevant to my project were on the topics of:

1. Materials, how they are used within architecture, and what certain materials can do and provide towards a building. For instance wood has more tinsel strength so structures can extend outwards much more then stone structures can (virtually impossible for a stone building to be suspended on its own weight). This is important because it will help present all the possible building materials for players, and make sure that they remain balanced, so that all materials are desirable under different circumstances (just like in modern architecture).

2. The illusion of architecture. Some structures displayed in this book show how some architectural feats can make a building look like it is on the brink of collapsing. Once we discovered advanced metal smithing techniques, using metal to this degree (essentially much stronger per square inch, and able to take stresses in several forms) made buildings look precarious. So some choices within a buildings construction would dictate putting an overly large column to give people an at ease feeling when using the space. Since my game will be entirely virtual or representational, the physical restraints are not there, however letting the player know some spaces are more reinforced then others is an important part for militant reinforcement and indications of spaces which can be expanded upon.