Transcript Unit 09 - Work To Do Home page

Unit 32 - Computer Game Design
H/502/5671
LO1 - Understand the principles
of game design
Learning Outcome (LO)
The learner will:
Pass
The assessment criteria are
the pass requirements for
this unit.
The learner can:
Merit
For merit the evidence
must show that, in
addition to the pass
criteria, the learner is
able to:
Distinction
For distinction the
evidence must show that,
in addition to the pass
and merit criteria, the
learner is able to:
1
Understand the
principles of
game design
P1
Describe visual style
and elements of
gameplay used in
game design with
some appropriate use
of subject terminology
M1 Describe the
history of computer
gaming with regard to
different genres of
game play
D1 Critically evaluate the
use of expansion packs
in game design
2
Be able to
generate ideas for
a game concept
P2
Generate outline ideas
for a game concept
working within
appropriate
conventions
M2 Generate a
detailed plan for a
game concept
D2 Generate ideas for an
expansion pack for a
game concept
3
Be able to prepare
game design
documentation
P3
Prepare design
documents for a game
with some assistance
M3 Create a project
plan for the
development of the
game concept
D3 Evaluate the
importance of creating a
high concept game
document
4
Be able to present
a game concept
to stake holders
P4
Present a game
concept to
stakeholders with
some appropriate use
of subject terminology
M4 Gain feedback
from stakeholders
about a game concept
D4 Improve a game
concept based on
feedback received from
stakeholders
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15






Assessment Criteria P1
Learners must describe the visual style and elements of game
play used in game design, using correct subject terminology.
They could produce a report or presentation, supported by screen
shots.
Assessment Criteria M1
This calls for a description of the history of computer gaming
with regard to different genres of game play. Evidence must be
supported by images and could be presented in the form of a
report or presentation.
Assessment Criteria D1
Learners should select a range (three or more) of expansion packs
and critically evaluate them The evidence could be presented as a
video of the learner giving a presentation on their evaluation
supported by copies of presentation slides or hand-outs.
Alternatively they could produce a report or an information sheet.
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



Learners must be taught about the visual styles of a game and the
elements that make up that game. This can be using video clips of games
from online screen captures (this could be from YouTube or captures that
have been performed by the centre). Learners should then play various
different games across different platforms, with the set objective of
looking at the environment of the game play and the characters within it
(this could be set as homework).
They should look at the objective of the game and should look at a variety
of games including single player and multiplayer and the genres of the
games. If possible learners may wish to play on various different consoles
and emulators can be used in order to look at old games and the graphics
and game play they used from 2D, 3D first person scrolling games and
aerial game play.
Learners should be looking at the gaming terrains that are used and the
renderings of buildings etc. They should also look at not only playing
characters but non playing characters that add to the game play and
design. Learners may be split into teams and given different games to look
at with different objectives and look at how these objectives are achieved
within the game; they may then feed back to the rest of the group.
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



If possible a visit to The Museum of Computing could be arranged
www.museumofcomputing.org.uk to look at the history of computer
games, the genres and the graphical enhancements e.g. basic scrolling
games through to present day games using 3D engines. It would also be
useful to get visiting speakers or talks from older students to talk about
how their experience of computer games has changed. Further work can
be carried out using the internet to research the history behind computer
games.
Learners can look at their own experiences in terms of the add on and
expansion packs they have bought for the games they play – this may
include buying points or paying for monthly access to games. Learners
could be split into groups and should research the cost of these in
comparison to the original game and the motivation by the games industry
to publish these.
Groups could be given a list of games with expansion packs and points
available and research using the internet or visiting game shops to obtain
this information and then present it to the class to stimulate a discussion.
(These expansions and points are used to keep the game fresh and
expand its life span through access to extra items, characters, etc., to
increase revenue over and above the original cost of the game.)

Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15




Games appeal for lots of different reasons, quality of graphics,
quality of gameplay, realism, fun, the feeling of achievement or
just to pass the time. Over the last 35 years little has changed in
terms of most of these, Galaga and Space Invaders was as
addictive in 1979 as Candy Crush is now. But something had to
change or we would still be playing Centipede.
The biggest change is the quality of the game, the quality of
sound, video, graphics, realism, the 3D effects, the cut sequences.
The appeal is still the same, more people are not playing games
now because they are better, more people are playing because
they are more available and cheaper. The death of the arcades is
an indication of this.
The expectation of modern games is the same, you either buy
something cutesy, Sims, Mario, Candy Crush etc. or something
realistic, Need for Speed, COD, Skyrim etc.
With modern technologies the making of modern looking graphics
has become less problematic, it is as easy now to create a wooden
cottage in the trees using models and programs like Maya as it
was to create a demon in Quake 25 years ago. But it will be a
lovely cottage, with wood piles, cobwebs, glass windows, smoke
coming out of the brick Chimney.
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
 Terrain – The development of games in the last 40 years
in terms of location and objects has moved once, from
static picture background or colour background to
dimensional. Dungeon Keeper and the Hobbit was the
first obvious leap when it created wireframe 3D visuals
to indicate 3D but it was not until Wolfenstein that the
3D became true rather than vector based. The floor was
tiled to show distance, walls could be viewed from
angles and had some degree of graphic enhancement.
 Now they terrain is built using programs like Vue or
Mudbox, hills, valleys, rivers, mountains, all acting as
hindrances or interactive.
 Games can be open world, seemingly limitless
landscapes, or Sandboxed, the edges sealed by some
object or un-passable mountain range.
 With platform games like Mario this started as parallax,
two landscapes drawn and moving at different speeds
on separate planes to give the effect of 3D. Things have
not changed much.
 With driving games this is again Sandbox, you cannot
everywhere you like but the visual enhancements and
style are more realistic and appealing.
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Buildings and Objects – The current levels of buildings and
Objects has reached a plateau, visually they can barely get any
better, designed in 3DS Max and Maya, saved as a .DXF file and
inserted into a game like a Lego plan. Houses, huts,
skyscrapers etc. are all designed this way, game variations
come in the form of lighting, damage, location etc.
 In a modern game you would not be surprised to walk into a
hut without a fireplace, table, cupboards, chairs etc. this has
become an expectation. These as well as buildings can be
purchased from libraries to be edited and many come presupplied as part of the game creation packages, Unity,
CryEngine and the Rage engine.
 Previous games struggled with this due to memory, capacity
and processing power. Games like the original GTA had
buildings as did Sim City but they were just boxes, non
interactive. Similarly with objects, only the pre-prepared
objects in games like Tomb Raider could be used. In Platform
games like Mario or Jazz Jackrabbit, these objects were few,
mushrooms were all the same but for colours, platforms and
pillars were similar.
P1.1 - Task 01 – In terms of Terrain, Buildings and Objects,
describe the Visual Style and Elements in previous and current
games when it comes to the appeal and expectations of the
gaming audience.

Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
 Playing and non-playing characters - Games have always
had characters and Non Playing Characters, NPC’s, to
interact with. What has changes in 40 years is the
dynamic of these NPC’s and the AI and expectation that
goes with them. The ghosts in Pacman did not have
personalities or AI, the other bat in Pong did not have
bad days, the car you just pushed off the road in Outrun
was not some Mom taking the shopping home for the
kids with the last of her widow’s benefit, but modern
expectations of games do.
 Games like Fable introduced the idea that not only did
NPC’s have character but they also had lives. Games like
Assassins creed have NPC’s that get upset when you
barge through them. We would expect every character in
Skyrim to have something to say that advances the plot
or adds to the theme.
 And now these characters are 3D, clothed in styles, have
character lines on their faces, go home at night, drink in
the pubs etc. For games like GTA they have lives, history,
the main ones add to the story, react according to how
you react, to the answers you give. With more memory
and processing power this is possible.
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Single player, Multiplayer, Massive Multiplayer – games have
changed in the number of players we now compete with. The
objectives and scenarios are the same, but after Doom became
networked, the concept of 2, 5 10, 100 people all competing
against each other or against a mission has added that extra
level of need and gameplay element.
 Multiplayer - Doom was the first true version of more than 2
players of this, followed by game on the consoles, Mario Kart
with 4 on the Snes, Golden Eye on the N64. The demand has
grown since, the idea of playing all the characters in FIFA offline rather than one character online adds that extra appeal.
 Massive Multiplayer happens purely online, games like Star Trek
Universe, Eve, WOW, allow thousands of users to enter the same
world and bring off-line personalities to their online avatars.
The appeal of one of many, the immersion, the adding to the
group philosophy has made MM and MMORPG huge in
communities.
 Single player is still there, almost all games still have that
option to appeal to a wider audience, mission based parts of
COD, Platforms games and puzzle games in particular maintain
that single line element as it has been since 1975.
P1.2 - Task 02 - In terms of Playing and NPC, Singe, Multiplayer
and MM, describe the Visual Style and Elements in previous and
current games when it comes to the appeal and expectations of the
gaming audience.

Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15




Since the first home console and home computer games have existed as
categories, genres. In the 38 years since Atari VCS dominated the market, the
genres have remained, none have disappeared but a few new have been added.
Pong in 1972 was considered a sport game, similar to air hockey or tennis,
Pacman in 1980 was considered action, Night Driver for Driving, Qwak in 1974
for Shooting, Atari Football in 1978 for Sport, Galaxian and Space Invaders in
1978 were a space shooter, Maze was a puzzle, Dungeon Keeper was an RPG,
Kong was a platformer and Zork was an adventure.
Since then new genres include RTS, FPS, MMORPG, Brain training, Simulations
and Gambling. Each of these has a history and each of these has had a cycle of
development with each new console and platform that has been released.
Crossover genres are also prevalent, action RPG’s like Tomb Raider, FPS and
driving like GTA, Puzzle and Adventure like Resident Evil and Space simulations
with RTS like the classic Elite.
And then there are the odd games that do not fall into a category like Fruit
Slice, is it action, is it cooking, online games like Sugar Sugar, is it simulation
or classed as platform or Snake, one of the most played games of all time but
not considered a game at. all. These games tend to capture a market in a small
period of time.
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Gamers like their own genres, something they keep coming back to. And it usually
come down to one of 4 things:
1. Purpose – What does the user hope to achieve, what do they have to do to get
there.
2. Development – What has changed since the last game, what is the same.
3. Considerations – What does the ingredients the company have to put in there to
keep the target audience coming back.
4. Popularity – What makes one game in the genre better than another.

This is not to say they are limited to this category. In terms of visual appeal they all
have their modern merits and previous developments, platform has become 3D,
Side scrolling has up and down, Aerial and Simulation are visually closely linked,
FPS and RPG have similar 3D designed objects and elements.

In reality we do not expect certain genres to improve visually, Mario outsells Tomb
Raider because of the lack of Visual Appeal, Puzzles should not be too realistic and
there are certain driving games that are better because they are cartoon like.
P1.3 - Task 03 - In terms of Genres, describe the Visual Style and Elements in
previous and current games when it comes to the appeal and expectations of the
gaming audience.

Scenario
Platform
Adventure
Role Playing Game
First Person Shooter
Puzzle
Side Scrolling
Sport
Driving or Aerial
Simulation
Action
Brain training and Board Games
MMORPG
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
 Goals– All games have a purpose, a goal even if they are as weak as hit the
ball back across the screen. Some like puzzle games are simple, finish the
puzzle, move on to the next one and try a little harder. Even 40 years ago
games had purpose, Jet Set Willy was to get him to bed, Marion was to
rescue the princess, Sonic to free his friends. Modern games write a
storyline into most genres, stop Yuri, conquer the world, defeat the
invaders and this is added to by cut sequences, breaks in the game that
add storyline and move the plot along.
 Challenges along the way add to the difficulty setting, force the user to
side track to make themselves stronger, better, faster. Some are plot
driven like Skyrim or Final Fantasy, some are more difficult areas to reach
for an extra prize like Tomb Raider. For puzzle games these can be time
based, difficulty based, or reward based.
 Rewards – Where would Skyrim be without better armour and bigger
swords. Rewards add incentive to play, money to improve vehicles, flying
Yoshi to get to areas not reachable otherwise. There are thousands of
sites that explain how and where and there is a demand for those sites.
 Puzzles – Where would Tomb Raider be without a puzzle to solve, Leisure
Suit Larry was one non-stop puzzle, designed to frustrate until solved,
usually leading to a reward. Puzzles again add incentive, make the player
feel better about solving things.
P1.4 - Task 04 - In terms of Objectives, describe the Visual Style and
Elements in previous and current games when it comes to the appeal and
expectations of the gaming audience.
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
The beginnings of the gaming market go back over 35 years with claims of computer
games going back further still. Some claim Space Wars as the first game or Tic-Tac-Toe.
Others claim Pong was the first introduced by Trip Hawkins to the public in the mid
seventies. This was when games were first introduced to a mass audience.
Console
Handheld
Atari VCS vs Collecovision
Game and Watch
What is commonly accepted is that games
have generations, every three to four years we
have the next generation of consoles or
handhelds that surpasses the previous and
the competition between manufacturers has
brought about change and progression. From
the list on the left there are numerous
consoles that did not make it that cannot be
discounted from the lists, Jaguar, Saturn, BBC
micro, Neo Geo, PC Engine, QL, CD32, Nomad,
Binatone, Lynx etc. Even Nintendo had games
machines that did not make it like Virtual Boy.
When the NES reached it’s peak in America,
20% of homes had one. This was considered
shocking at the time. Now it is rare for a home
not to have a console of some kind.
Sinclair ZX81 vs. Commodore Vic
20
Commodore 64 vs. ZX Spectrum
NES vs. Master System
Gameboy
SNES vs. Megadrive
Atari vs. Amiga
Playstation vs. Nintendo 64 vs.
Dreamcast
Gameboy Advance
Xbox vs. Playstation 2 vs.
Nintendo Cube
DS vs. PSP
Xbox 360 vs. Playstation 3 vs. Wii
iPhone, iPad and
Android
Xbox One vs. Playstation 4 vs.
WiiU
Vita, DSi, iPhone
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15




And along with the console wars comes the development of the games. Games are like
musicians, we believe they are the best that is around ever and then three months later we
forget who they are. When Pong came out it was revolutionary, two white lines, one white ball
and that was it. Levels meant speed. Pacman is the most quoted game to the point where
Google put a version as their banner and had to remove it because of the number of lost work
hours.
There are classics in the gaming world like there are musicians whose careers lasted longer than
an album or two. Kong, Mario, Doom, Zork, Sonic, Tetris, COD, WOW, Angry Birds, these are
games that have a history, they are quoted as milestones, blamed for problems, compared to as
golden ages, but there is always a potential for something better, something more popular. We
rave about the newest game app until something else comes along.
Along with the games, there are the gaming companies, Atari was king, until new machines
meant new game styles. In Britain Imagine because EA. Nintendo still make their own games but
Sega stopped hardware production, Squaresoft are not allowed to release a game in Japan on a
week day, and more money is spent on marketing certain games than production costs
combined.
Gone are the days when one could make a game in your bedroom in a few weeks of coding, now
games can take years to develop. But popular apps like Draw Something sold more than all 30
apps the company made before hand combined. The ability to create an App and make millions
is still here, the programs like App Inventor are free.
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Development of most video games is undertaken by a developer,
which may be a single person or a large business.
 Typically, large-scale commercial games are created by
development teams within a company specialising in computer
or console games
 A typical modern video game can cost from £750,000 to over
£15,000,000 to develop
 Development is normally funded by a publisher
 A contemporary game can take from one to three years to
develop, though there are exceptions, sometimes known as
vapourware
 One famous example is Duke Nukem Forever which has been in
development since 1996, with an original release in 1998 and
Elite, due for a remake since 1981.
M1.1 - Task 05 – Introduce the history of the Gaming industry with
examples from the various generations.
Background History
and Age of Sector
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
Hardware
Developments
3
4
5
6
7
8
Timescales past and
Present
9
10
11
12
13
14
15




For a long period of time it was the Arcades that drove the quality and
demand for gaming forward. They had three unique selling points that made
them attractive to the customer, multiplayer, atmosphere and gadgets. For
twenty years they also had the graphical quality.
Arcade machines use a technology called Jamma Boards, Mame software and
Sega, the loading speed was much quicker. re installed on processor chips
directly onto a Jamma Board and placed inside an arcade cabinet. Because the
chip was direct, like cartridges on a Nintendo. A CRT monitor was sunken
into the cabinet. The cabinets were then decorated to add appeal.
Flattened cabinets like Pong and Space Invaders came in later where the
player sat overlooking the screen against a second player at the other side.
The first public Game cabinet, Pong, created by Trip Hawkins, broke after
three hours when the coin slot and tray was so filled with money it could not
accept any more.
Throughout the late seventies and through the eighties Arcade machines had
this appeal, the quality of games improved graphically and the level of
interaction became more exaggerated. Classics such as Pacman, Centipede,
Star Wars, Operation Wolf, Street Fighter, King of the Fighters and Kong all
had their beginnings in the Arcades. Now the technology looks dated but
Arcades still exist.
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


Multiplayer – The first Multiplayer console games did not come into play
until 1977 when Arcades had them from 1971 with Galaxy or 1972 with
Pong. Games like h2Overdrive allowed 4 players in driving seats to
compete against each other. The later Street Fighter Cabinets allowed the
two users to stand in a raised ring above a crowd and fight on a big
screen. It was the new online play at the time, the equivalent of boxing
rings while parents played with slot machines, crane grabs and coin
drops.
Atmosphere – Arcades were the shopping malls of the 70’s. It was where
teenagers used to go, the smell, the crowds, the prestige of having your
name on the scoreboard for eternity, the audience participation and the
noises. They appeared in films, Terminator, War Games, Tron, they were
regulated and protected spaces and they were huge money spinners. The
art work on the machines is considered classic, pinball tables, air hockey,
whack-a-mole, these all added atmosphere. They were designed for the
short term players, 10p for three minutes play, now they cost £2 for the
same. Better players could last longer, Centipede, Pacman and Kong had
the option for hours of play for the better players, extended play for
driving games encouraged addiction and repeat performances.
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Gadgets – The Arcades had alternative controllers, something the consoles did not have until
Playstation 1. Now the Wii has controllers for everything and Kinect you become the
controller. In Arcades they had guns for Operation Wolf and MacCready, Snowboards,
Basketballs, Car driving cabinets for driving games, Motorcycle controllers for Hang On,
Hammers for Whack-a-Mole. Some of the more exaggerated Arcade machines had
gyroscopes, force feedback, devices that would be considered fitness workout machines.
These all added novelty value.

Arcades became the testing round for Console release, companies such as Taito, Bally
Midway, Sega, Bandai, Namco and Konami all made their fortunes in Arcades before
transferring over to Consoles.

Arcades became associated with holidays, Brighton, Bognor, Canvey Island, along with Candy
Floss, Ice Cream and Chips. On the downside they have been blamed for most of the
problems associated with gaming until recently, addiction, aggressive behaviour, expense,
psychological removal from society.

Hardware – As the industry grew, the need for better graphics and action grew.
Developments included Laser-disc (realistic graphics with animated overlays, see Mad Dog
McCree and Dragons Lair) Vector based games like Star wars maintained the action whereas
graphic games like Sega Rally maintained the quality.
M1.2 - Task 06 – Introduce the Arcade game market and different hardware requirements and
describe the background for the industry using game examples.
M1.1 – Task 07 – Describe how the Arcade platform type has developed over time

Background and History
Coin Operated
Vector
Laser-disc
How it has developed over time
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



Scenario
The PC games market which unlike consoles has not developed due to the
three year cycle, competition and sales figures but through advances in
partial technology. But PC games still sell well, they are still superior
graphically to consoles, they still have their genres that consoles have not
been able to breach. And all technical developments have been channelled
through PC technologies. PC’s had CD drives 4 years before the first
console, the SegaCD, they had BluRay 2 years before PS3, they had hard
drive storage for games 15 years before the Xbox360.
Until 1978 PC’s were monochrome but since the introduction of VGA
graphics, PC’s have had a higher resolution and bit depth than any console.
The first networked play games on PC was around for 18 years before
consoles could match the online capacity. Doom, Quake, WOW, Eve and a
host of others have dominated the online market with games like WOW
having up to 6m users online at any one time.
More importantly games are made on PC’s, they are constructed and coded
on PC’s using PC language. Characters and objects are predominantly made
in Maya, ZBrush and 3d Studio Max. Game Engines like Unity, Torque,
CryEngine ran on PC’s and save the code to make them compatible with
consoles and handhelds. This makes them PC compatible and in line with
console releases. Games like Skyrim are as good on either format but never
considered by the industry as popular.
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



Scenario
Offline – In terms of gaming and processing power, the consoles, including current
models would struggle to keep up with PC processing power. Consoles have the
same chips as PC’s but a step behind. In Offline terms, PC’s have the capacity for
better screen resolution, with the right money and card, better interaction (102 keys
keyboard and mouse) more storage (measures in 100’s of GB) with additional
features that consoles will possibly not have for a generation (CD burning,
duplication, removable hardware, additional upgrade capacity etc.) Good graphics
cards on the PC can cost as much or more than a whole console. In terms of offline
capacity this is why PC games are superior, but often lack the appeal of consoles.
Online – PC’s have been online for so long that it is not a unique thing any more.
Other than email, chat, internet and communications which is standard, PC gaming
has that crowd puller. 15,000 people queued at the doors of Blizzcon 2013. An
average of 6m users of WOW at a time. 68% of gamers play online almost
exclusively. Click here for information. For every online xBox game like COD there
are 3 PC games with more figures, DOTA, Starcraft, WOW, Star Trek Online, Eve,
every PC gamer has their choice.
Interactivity – unlike consoles, PC’s have that capacity for expansion. Interactivity in
terms of online play is matched by the addition of a better camera, Team Play,
expandability, long term exposure, textual and chat interaction, video play
recording that the Xbox One has just gained. This extra capacity for PC Gamers has
always set them above he console users. Add to this a whole range of hardware
additions, game chairs, different mice, USB fondue sets, 7.2 surround sound etc.
And the PC gamers world has become more exclusive.
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Where PC Games differ from consoles is the availability and the negative
issues. Until recently downloadable content kept PC gaming active,
expansion packs, bug fixes, patches and mods. The life of Doom was
extended for 2 years because of modding. New levels generated by
users.
 But Piracy, online and offline versions has plagued the PC market more
than the console market since the early days. New and better protection
methods limit this down slightly but never for long. On PirateBay the
seed and peer value of a new PC game is about 10,000. The same
cannot be said about Console of Handheld games. Yes there are ways of
copying console games but PC’s cannot be account blocked other than
through Steam.
M1.3 - Task 08 – Introduce the PC game market and describe the 3
different USP points given to PC Gamers.
M1.3 – Task 09 – Describe how the PC Platform Type has developed over
time

Offline Capacity
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
Online
Capacity
1
2
3
4
Interactivity
5
6
7
8
9
How it has developed
over time
10
11
12
13
14
15











Alongside the Arcades came the Consoles, often running one step behind with
aspirations of being better. When Arcades reached their apogee around 1990, consoles
and computers took over, the quality of the graphics and sound steadily improving with
each generation when the arcades had reached their technical peak. Every three year a
new console would push the market, doubling the bit rate, strengthening the graphics,
adding a new UPS to each product, tape became cards became cartridges, CD’S DVD’s
Blue Ray. UHF became SCART, HDMI, resolution, interactivity, screen size, all
developments that pushed the market onwards.
And with this games moved on, longer, higher quality, faster, more real. With the
newest generation it is not even about games, multimedia, home entertainment
systems, DVD players, Skype, Kinect, Wii Sports etc. Newspapers report this is the last
generation, but they said that about the others too.
Below you will find a number of links to guides about the current games consoles.
This should not and does not replace your own research but acts as a starting point.
Wikipedia is also another good website – just make sure you double check the validity
of the information.
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2008/11/afeature-guide-to-currentgeneration-gaming-consoles.ars
http://products.howstuffworks.com/video-game-console-reviews.htm
http://products.howstuffworks.com/video-game-console-reviews.htm
http://www.consumersearch.com/video-game-consoles
http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/video-game-console/
http://www.getprice.com.au/game-consoles.htm
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Despite the fact that they seem dated now, early consoles and console games had
the same impact and appeal modern console games have now. Zelda on the
Gameboy was huge, the game itself took up to 60hours to complete from
beginning to end, solution guides were published, the game was discussed in
public.
 Goldeneye was inspirational thought he graphics now seem jaded, 4 player,
chasing around, could not be more fun. Games like Golden Axe, further back,
they were as addictive as Warcraft, graphics were 8 bit, 8 colours on the screen,
4directions to move, one 2 fire buttons.
 Consoles have come a long way since then but the concept is the same. Games
like Defender on the Atari VCS , Streets of Rage on the Master System, Jet Set Willy
on the Spectrum, Super Mario Land 3 on the NES, Tetris on the Gameboy, Alex
Kidd, Golden Axe, Kong, Altered Beast, these are games that have gone down in
history as classics.
 Like all games they had goals, they had power ups, they had rewards, they had a
beginning, middle and end (except Tetris and Kong). The restriction was down to
the hardware, Joy pads had fewer buttons, graphic cards were built in, if you were
lucky the high score would be saved onto the cartridge. But we loved them.
M1.4 - Task 10 – Introduce the early console game market and using examples
describe how the Console Platform Games has developed over time.

Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



CPU - Number of Cores/Threads: 8/8
◦ Frequency: speculated to be running a base clock speed of 1.6 Ghz
on a 2.75 Ghz capable chip
◦ Shared L2 Cache: 2 x 2 MB
◦ Custom CPU for background processing such as downloading and
recording gameplay.
GPU: AMD next-generation Radeon based graphics engine
◦ Peak Shader Throughput: 69.420 TFLOPS
◦ GPU Cores: 1152
◦ GPU Clock: 800 MHz
Memory: 8GB GDDR5, Frequency: 5500 MHz, System Memory Bus: 256-bit, System Memory Bandwidth: 176.0
GB/s

Storage size: 500GB hard disk drive, user removable

External dimensions: Approximately 275 x 53 x 305 mm

Mass: Approx 2.8 kg (6.2 lb)

BD/DVD drive (read only): BD x 6 CAV, DVD x 8 CAV, Blu-ray and DVD playback, no audio CD support

Input/Output: Super-Speed USBx (USB 3.0) port x2, AUX port x1

Networking: Ethernet x1, IEEE 802.11b/g/n (2.4 GHz only), Bluetooth 2.1+EDR


AV output: HDMI out port, digital out optical port. SD output is supported for lower-resolution displays. HD
output at 720p, 1080p and 1080i.
Included Peripherals: PlayStation 4 system x1, Wireless controller (DualShock 4) x1, Mono headset x1, AC power
cord x1, HDMI cable x1, USB cable x1

Legacy Support - PlayStation 4 does not support direct backward compatibility with PlayStation 3 media.

DualShock 4 - DualShock 4 has an integrated touch pad, headset jack, share button, and LED player identifier.

PlayStation Camera - The PlayStation Camera has a 1280x800 pixel sensor capable of capturing video at 60fps.
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

















Manufacturer - Sony, Foxconn and ASUSTeK for SCEI
Product family - PlayStation
Type - Video game console
Generation - Seventh generation era
Retail availability - November 11, 2006
Units sold - 80 million (as of December 31, 2012)
Media - Blu-ray Disc, DVD, CD (all models) Super Audio CD (20 GB, 60 GB, 80 GB (CECHExx
models)
Operating system - XrossMediaBar
CPU - 3.2 GHz Cell Broadband Engine with 1 PPE & 7 SPEs
Storage capacity - 2.5" SATA hard drive
(20 GB, 40 GB, 60 GB, 80 GB, or 160 GB included) (upgradeable)
Graphics - 550 MHz NVIDIA/SCEI RSX 'Reality Synthesizer' Controller input Sixaxis, DualShock 3
Flash memory input MemoryStick/PRO/Duo* SD/MMC* CompactFlash/Microdrive*
Audio/video output - HDMI 1.3a out , S/PDIF out, AV Multi out
◦ composite video/stereo audio cable** , S-Video cable, SCART cable , component video cable
◦ D-Terminal cable
Connectivity - IEEE 802.11b/g Wi-Fi***, Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR) , 4 × USB 2.0 (2 x in 40 GB model),
Wired gigabit Ethernet
Online services PlayStation Network
Best-selling game - Metal Gear Solid 4, 4.5 million (as of December 31, 2008)
Backward compatibility PlayStation (all models) PlayStation 2 (20 GB, 60 GB and CECHExx 80 GB
models) Predecessor PlayStation 2
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15















Scenario
Manufacturer – Microsoft
Product family – Xbox
Generation - Seventh generation era
Retail availability - November 22, 2005
Units sold Worldwide: 82.9 million (as of January 14, 2012)
Media - DVD, CD
◦ Add-on: HD DVD (discontinued)
CPU 3.2 GHz PowerPC Tri-Core Xenon
Storage capacity 20, 60 or 120 GB hard drive,
◦ memory cards 64, 256 or 512 MB
Graphics 500 MHz ATI Xenos
Controller input 4 maximum (wired, wireless, or combination of either)
Connectivity 3 × USB 2.0, IR port, 100 Mbit Ethernet, Add-on: Wifi
802.11a/b/g
Online services Xbox Live
Best-selling game Halo 3, 8.1 million (as of January 3, 2008)
Backward compatibility 478 original Xbox games (requires hard drive and the
latest update)
Predecessor Xbox
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Optical Drive
Game DVR
HDCP Encryption
Blu-Ray/DVD
Yes, Upload Studio
No for games
8GB DDR3
Clock: 2133MHz Bandwidth: 68.26 GB/s+ 32MB eSRAM
Bandwidth: 204 GB/s(102 In/102 Out)
8GB Flash Memory
RAM
Flash Memory
CPU
8 Core AMD custom CPU - Frequency: 1.75 GHz
GPU
Clock Speed: 853 MHz(originally 800 MHz)
Shader Cores: 768 - Peak Throughput: 1.23 TFLOPS
Storage
500 GB Hard Drive non-replaceable, External Hard Drive support coming[n]
Second Screen
SmartGlass App on Android, iOS, Windows Phone and Windows 8
Cloud Storage
Mandatory Game Installs
Required Internet
Connection
Yes
Yes
Backwards Compatibility
None, Microsoft is exploring possibilities.
Cross Game Chat
Motion Control
Voice Commands
Skype, Party Chat [n]
Kinect 2
Yes, Kinect 2 is needed.
Xbox Live
Required for Online Play
USB 3.0
Yes, With Twitch.TV
Achievements will be ported From Xbox 360.
Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi (A/B/G/N dual-band at 2.4ghz and 5ghz) includes Wi-Fi Direct
support
HDMI input and output (4K support)
DirectX 11.1
Subscription Service
USB
Live Streaming
Reputation Preservation
Networking
A/V Hookups
API
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
After Day One patch, No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15














Manufacturer - Nintendo
Type - Video game console
Generation - Seventh generation
Retail availability - November 19, 2006
Units shipped Worldwide: 101 million
Media - 12 cm Wii Optical Disc 8 cm, Nintendo
GameCube Game Disc
CPU - IBM PowerPC-based "Broadway"
Storage capacity - 512 MB Internal flash memory, SD card, SDHC card and
Nintendo GameCube Memory Card
Graphics - ATI "Hollywood"
Controller input - Wii Remote, Wii Balance Board, Nintendo GameCube controller,
Nintendo DS/DSi
Connectivity - Wi-Fi Bluetooth, 2 × USB 2.0, LAN Adapter (via USB) Online
services Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection WiiConnect24 Wii Shop Channel
Best-selling game - Wii Sports (pack-in, except in Japan and South Korea) 40.5
million (as of December 31, 2008)
Wii Play, 20.91 million (as of December 31, 2008)
Backward compatibility - Nintendo GameCube Predecessor Nintendo GameCube
+ legacy console download.
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15










Storage - Internal flash memory: 8GB(7.2GB usable) –
Expandable memory via external USB hard drive and
SDHC memory cards.
CPU - IBM Power®-based multi-core microprocessor
GPU - AMD Radeon-based High Definition GPU
RAM - The Wii U has 2GB of RAM. 1GB of RAM is allocated to system
functions. Examples of system functions include TVii and Mii-verse. The
other 1GB is allocated for games.
INPUT/OUTPUT - Four USB 2.0 connector slots, 2 on the back, and 2 on
the front behind the cover, with support for Wii LAN adapters.
Dimensions – Height 1.8 inches – Width 6.8 inches, Length 10.5 inches,
Weight- 1.6kg (3.5 pounds)
Media - 12-centimeter proprietary optical discs holding 25 Gigabytes,
equivalent to a single layer Blu-Ray Disc, 12-centimeter Wii optical discs
Supported Resolutions - 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p, 480i
Supported Video Output Connections - HDMI 1.4, Component, S-video,
Composite
Audio Output - AV Multi Out connector, six-channel PCM linear output
through HDMI
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Console
CPU
Graphics
Memory
Nintendo
Wii
(2006)
IBM Broadway
729MHz
256KB L2
2.9 GFLOPS
1.9 GB/s Bus
ATI Hollywood
243MHz
975M Texels/Sec
3MB Buffer (27.3 GB/s)
7.9 GB/s Memory
24MB (3.9 GB/s)
64MB (4 GB/s)
512MB Flash
8.5GB Optical Discs
PS3
(2006)
Cell
3.2GHz, 1 Main Core
512KB L2
7 Auxiliary SIMD Units
1.75MB Local Memory
217.6 GFLOPS
25.6 GB/s Memory
NVIDIA RSX, 500MHz
24 Pixel Pipelines, 8 Vertex Pipelines
250M Polygons/Sec
12G Texels/Sec, 8G Samples/Sec
20.8 GB/s Memory
256MB (25.6 GB/s)
256MB (20.8 GB/s)
20-80GB HDD
2x Blu-ray (72Mbps)
Xbox 360
(2005)
IBM Xenon
3.2GHz, Three Cores
1MB Shared L2
115.2 GFLOPS
21.6 GB/s Interface
ATI Xenos
500MHz
48 Unified Pipelines, 500M Polygons/Sec
8G Texels/Sec, 16G Samples/Sec
10MB Buffer (256 GB/s)
22.4 GB/s Memory
512MB (22.4 GB/s)
20-120GB HDD
12x DVD (133Mbps)
For each of these consoles it has been the games that sold them, not the technical specifications.
Games like GTA, COD, Skyrim, Gears of War, FIFA etc. the quality of the graphics has been breath
taking with games selling in tens of millions as standard. 3D is the expectation, one step short of
VR, open world, Sandbox, few games are limited in scope and size except online MMORPG’s.
M1.5 - Task 11 – Introduce the modern Console game market and describe the USP using game
and hardware examples.
Hardware
Scenario
Criteria
USP
Tasks
1
2
3
Games
4
5
6
7
Comparisons
8
9
10
11
Additional Features
12
13
14
15
Ever since Mattel, Microvision and Nintendo introduced
the world to handheld systems people have enjoyed
gaming on the go and there have been some notable
success and failures through this journey.
Today with a plethora of different systems that can play
games, hand held gaming is both maturing and hitting
the main stream.
Today the main contenders are:
◦ Nintendo’s DS, DSi
◦ Sony’s PSP and Vita
◦ Apple’s IPOD Touch/iPhone, iPad
◦ Mobile phones - Java in nature but developing,
dominated by IOS, Android and Windows based.





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handheld_game_console
http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/03/a-brief-history-ofhandheld-video-games/
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Nintendo first introduced the DS onto the Japanese market in November 2004. It
later, in March 2006 (JAP) redesigned it with a sleeker smaller exterior and better
screens, microphone and speakers – thus retiring the original DS design.

In October 2008 (JAP), Nintendo have released the DSi with additional features
such as camera and in built MP3 (AAC) playback, faster processor, increased RAM,
internal storage capacity, an additional SD card reader, larger screens and
improved speakers BUT has lost the Gameboy Advanced cartridge slot.

The DS quickly became a phenomenon due to its innovative touch screen interface
attracting non gamers into purchases. Couple this with casual friendly game and
non game releases such as Nintendogs, Brain Training, 42 Classic Games, Mario
Kart DS and many others.

Technical specs are much lower than that of their rivals but that has not stopped
the DS from achieving global dominance of sales. The DS has in built WiFi to allow
wiresless play and access to Multiplayer games over the internet.

Nintendo’s DS uses ROM cartridges but the DSi has the added facility of the DSi
Store where software can be, for a price of course, downloaded onto the DSi’s
internal memory making digital distribution a viable part of the supply chain.

To look at the influential titles that the DS has you could try some of the links
below. Remember critical acclaim does not necessarily equal commercial sales.

Some notable games are:
◦ Brain Training Mario Kart DS
Nintendogs New Super Mario brothers
◦ Animal Crossing :Wild world
http://www.metacritic.com/games/ds/ or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bestselling_video_games

Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Sony’s first foray into the handheld market has been a reasonable success
considering the historic dominance of the Nintendo brand. Sony launched its PSP in
December 2004 (JAP), and was instantly an object of desire due to its sleek, stylish
looks and massive widescreen LCD screen.

Whereas Nintendo has chosen to stick to ROM based cartridges Sony has used a
proprietary UMD (Universal Media Disc) which is a small optical storage device like a
minidisc. This is power hungry as the disc needs to be spinning in order to be read
leading to poor battery performance.

The PSP is much more of a multimedia device, offering MP3 playback, films, photos,
internet browsing and VOIP (with later models PSP 2000 and 3000).

There have been some stand out titles such as God of War – Chains of Olympus,
Wipeout Pure and the Grand Theft Auto stories collection.

News Flash – Sony have just announced the PSP Go which removes the UMD drive http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8076573.stm

Some notable games include:
◦ Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (3 million shipped in Japan)
◦ Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2,725,507 approximately: 2 million in US,
125,507 in Japan, 600,000 in UK)
◦ Daxter (2.3m), Monster Hunter Freedom 2 (2.25m), Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
(1.96m during 2008), Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition (1.3m approximately: 1.1m in
US, 200,000 in UK), Monster Hunter Freedom (1.2m), Need for Speed Most
Wanted 5-1-0 (1,127,151 approximately: 1.1m in US, 27,151 in Japan),
◦ Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee (1m), Tekken: Dark Resurrection (1m), Wipeout Pure
(1m)


Scenario
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_video_games
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15







Scenario
Apple released the I-phone in June 2007 (USA) and the I-pod Touch in September
the same year (USA). Both feature a large multi-point touch screen and solid state
memory store, either 8, 16 or 32 gig.
Obviously both can play music, store contacts, play games controlled either through
the touch screen or tilt sensors, play video and access the internet through its
wireless functions. Through the online Apps store consumers can access a huge
variety of different programs both gaming and non-gaming.
There have been a few notable IPod/I-phone titles:
◦ Aurora Feint: The Beginning, Candy Crush, Flappy Birds, Crash Bandicoot Nitro
Kart 3D, Enigmo, Super Monkey Ball, Tap Tap Revenge, Temple Run, Labyrinth,
Sonic the Hedgehog, Tetris, Spore Origins
◦ There are many other popular Apps not covered here.
http://toucharcade.com/
The range of devices means the market share of Apple is around 60%, with the
iPhone, iPad, iTouch etc., this market is flexible, new machines being released every
two years keeps the gaming more buoyant and App development profitable.
Because of the vastness of the App community and the quick turnover of Apps,
there tends to be an initial enthusiasm, a flurry of sales and then drop off.
Expected sales of 1m are not uncommon. The compatibility with genres, iPhone to
iPad means a lucrative transfer of products and Apps making this a vibrant market.
The downside is the limitation of the device. Lovely though they look and colourful,
they have low resolution and low memory usage. The hardware limitations
compared to the handheld market makes them limited but the pricing strategy
usually matches this limitation.
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15






Mobile phones and Tablets (PDA’s) that can play games come in many different variations. The games
themselves can be free, free with a trial period or limited functionality, purchased or on a pay monthly
basis.
Most modern handsets can play games although some are designed with gaming in mind. Nokia’s
Engage released in October 2003 was one such phone that ran dedicated Engage software as well as
other compatible software including Java apps. It was for all intense purposes a failure and other
companies seemed to have learnt from this. Again the limitations of quality and memory storage is
matched by the pricing strategy.
Important considerations for each handset are: how the hardware handles 2D and 3D visuals, how the
controls, screen and sound suit gaming and, also importantly, what each handset is like to live with as
a phone. Some useful mobile sites: http://www.gameloft.co.uk/ or http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/
Android and Microsoft are contenders for this market. Both OS’s run a series of upgrades like IOS but
are more open source. This means the development of games and apps is more prevalent, spawning
varieties of the same game in different formats. For every Flappy Birds there is 5 alternatives. The
market share for Android is almost that of apple, just by different manufacturers, Samsung, Nokia,
Motorola etc.
Microsoft’s however is more restricted, not as popular and has only a small share of the market. The
benefits is the compatibility with the mass Windows market.
Some notable mobile phone titles:
◦ Block Breaker Deluxe (8m), Sonic the Hedgehog (8m), Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (3m)
◦ Brain Challenge (1.5m), Bubble Bash (1m), Coin Stack 2600 (1m in Korea)
◦ Doom RPG (1m), Guitar Hero III Mobile (1m), Super Bomberman (1m)
M1.6 - Task 12 – Introduce the Handheld and PDA Gaming market and different hardware requirements
for 4 current technologies and describe how the Console Platform Type has developed over time
Hardware
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
USP
1
Games
2
3
4
5
Comparisons
6
7
8
9
10
Additional Features
11
12
13
14
15



Back in the days gaming was stand alone. You could have 4 players, each
player a corner of the screen. Goldeneye, Mario Kart. Today games are still
stand alone but that is no longer why we buy them. We play COD until it is
done, 6 hours or so, and then we go online and spend weeks or months at
it. We play Skyrim all the way through and then go online and get more.
The solitary play and nature of games has always been there. Two player
games have been around since Pong, 4 player games came in later with
Sega Rally in the arcades and 4 way splitters on the SNES.
There is nothing like a game of FIFA with friends, controller ports have
allowed more players, the Sega Saturn was the first console to take this as
a standard followed by PS2 and Dreamcast. Now a games machine without
multiplayer is unheard of. The ports and connections changed with each
generation until USB became the standard but the 4 way option makes
gaming a group thing.
Even on handhelds it became accepted on the Gameboy Advance that two
players connected with a wire was better than one and games companies
took advantage. The player became an AI on the other screen, more
processing power to the CPU, less storage and thinking in terms of
movements.
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Network play came into place with games like Doom, Quake, ROTT, Heretic,
FPS shooters where midnight gaming in clubs became fashionable. Today the
network play is global with the Internet but before that the rise of multiplayer
games and multiplayer contests grew to the point of Blizzcon proportions.
 Game playing on the Internet as a group is the current wave of team playing
proportions. WOW with 6m user, Starcraft with 3.3, DOTA, COD, EVE,
Battlefield. Every FPS game that comes out has Internet play as its hope, the
more players the more loyalty. The communication lines that are available
allow for mass play within games, new games expect 30,000 players battling
against each other in a single conflict. The crashing of GTA online is an
indication of the amount of players who believe that online play is the only
play.
 Wireless and Bluetooth are more subtle ways of compensation for the Internet
and Network play. To link to someone close with wireless or Bluetooth like DSi
and Vita allows for private play, games like DrawIt took advantage of the
instant, private communication, the speed is acceptable for all but the higher
level of graphic games.
M1.7 – Task 13 – Using appropriate terminology and examples, describe
hardware technologies for game platforms in terms of Game Connectivity in
terms of history, purpose and benefits to gaming.

Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



Your purchased game is the first stage of the promotion and life
cycle of the product. Interest is gathered, peaks and then fades. A
year or two down the line the company can come up with a
sequel, bigger, better, more in depth with enhanced graphics but
will need to market all over again. Customers have a short
attention span, they need to be engaged in between releases to
maintain that interest.
Think about COD2, who does not know which position to stand to
be safe, what angle to throw the grenade, where the opposition
re-spawns. Users clock up hundreds of hours on each level and
get bored, who wants to join a frag with die-hards. Similarly
WOW, the average keen user will get to the end within a month of
play, a complete new version will cost a fortune and have to
reinitiate users accounts. So add-ons, more levels, new missions,
weapons, battles.
Few games are unlimited in size, Elite was deemed so large that
there were planets with odd names, Doomdark’s Revenge on the
Spectrum was rumoured to have 1million levels. Doom moved
from game to legend because of the add-ons, downloadable
maps, expansion packs, different graphic add-ons.
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15





Scenario
Generated Revenue – Look at how much money
downloadable content can generate, look at the sales of
GOTY editions, look at the statistics of downloaded content
and use examples form multiple games with such content.
Graphics – For some games it takes 2 years to make, in the
computer industry hardware gets better in that time, faster,
3D modelling programs have updates or new versions that
can do better things.
Playability – Find the problems and fix them, add more
content from feedback, listen to your customers and what
they want, read the reviews and see what you can make
better.
Longevity – Adding more levels to keep the customers
happy, putting in what there was not enough time for the
first time, tiding the customers over until the next version
comes out.
Repurposing across multiple platforms – Spreading across
formats for more sales, having a cut down version for
Mobiles, Graphically reduced versions for handhelds, touch
screen versions for tablets.
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

On most game websites for PC there are patches, add-ons, extras to download,
GOTY editions and graphic enhancements. This gives the customer more than they
paid for. 200,000 users downloaded the armour enhancement packs for Oblivion,
50,000 user downloaded the water effects for Command and Conquer and the
number of users who downloaded the packs for WOW is in the millions.
 New game areas – the easiest add on is another map, more areas, something to
keep interest alive. Think of the number of maps available for COD and Skyrim.
These can released as downloads or as purchased box sets. For an RPG they
should have 10hours at least of gameplay, for an FPS they should be better than
the original content as more time will have gone into their design.
 New weapons – these are usually patches or downloads gained from added
missions as a reward for playing. RPG’s particularly prefer this but games like
Borderlands excel at this when there is already a wealth of weapons.
 New objects – adding to the content, tables will have flowers, new animals, better
water flows. For games like WOW and Starcraft these included clothing, insignias,
customised shields etc. all purchased as a download.
 Extended storyline – keeping the user interested, add new missions, new islands
(Skyrim) sub plots (FF10) patches and add-ons for current stories to make the
reason to play more valuable.
D1.1 – Task 14 – Explain with examples the benefits of expansion packs for games
to players and companies in terms of Generated Revenue, Graphics, Playability,
Longevity and Repurposing across multiple platforms.
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
The other kind of expansion packs are those allow the user to pay for
what they get:
 Issues with Cost of Game – Some games, specifically those available as
downloads, from Google Play, Wii Shop or Apple Store, often let the user
play for a period of time or levels before asking them to pay for the
content. This way they can sell the game and make revenue base don
addiction and quality, the better the game, more revenue made. For some
games this might be the first 10 levels free, then a box will pop up to
click on to go the shop to pay for the whole thing. This way the user gets
additional content, extra levels, the full version.
 Extras that need to be purchased to continue/add to play – Games like
Candy Crush give the user options during play, usually at the end of a
level when the user has died, for more lives or extra help to get through
the level. The price is usually cheap, 69p or more, the price of a bag of
crisps to finish that frustrating level. It only takes one in 100 to make the
money back, and as it is digital content, costs the company nothing but
the admin fee for doing so.
D1.2 – Task 15 – Explain with examples the benefits of expansion packs
for games to players and companies in terms of Issues with Cost of Game
and Purchased Extras.

Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
P1.1 - Task 01 – In terms of Terrain, Buildings and Objects, describe the Visual Style and Elements in previous and
current games when it comes to the appeal and expectations of the gaming audience.
P1.2 - Task 02 - In terms of Playing, NPC Singe, Multiplayer and MM, describe the Visual Style and Elements in previous
and current games when it comes to the appeal and expectations of the gaming audience.
P1.3 - Task 03 - In terms of Genres, describe the Visual Style and Elements in previous and current games when it comes
to the appeal and expectations of the gaming audience.
P1.4 - Task 04 - In terms of Objectives, describe the Visual Style and Elements in previous and current games when it
comes to the appeal and expectations of the gaming audience.
M1.1 - Task 05 – Introduce the history of the Gaming industry with examples from the various generations.
M1.2 - Task 06 – Introduce the Arcade game market and different hardware requirements and describe the background
for the industry using game examples.
M1.1 – Task 07 – Describe how the Arcade platform type has developed over time
M1.3 - Task 08 – Introduce the PC game market and describe the 3 different USP points given to PC Gamers.
M1.3 – Task 09 – Describe how the PC Platform Type has developed over time
M1.4 - Task 10 – Introduce the early console game market and using examples describe how the Console Platform
Games has developed over time.
M1.5 - Task 11 – Introduce the modern Console game market and describe the USP using game and hardware examples.
M1.6 - Task 12 – Introduce the Handheld and PDA Gaming market and different hardware requirements for 4 current
technologies and describe how the Console Platform Type has developed over time
M1.7 – Task 13 – Using appropriate terminology and examples, describe hardware technologies for game platforms in
terms of Game Connectivity in terms of history, purpose and benefits to gaming.
D1.1 – Task 14 – Explain with examples the benefits of expansion packs for games to players and companies in terms of
Generated Revenue, Graphics, Playability, Longevity and Repurposing across multiple platforms.
D1.2 – Task 15 – Explain with examples the benefits of expansion packs for games to players and companies in terms of
Issues with Cost of Game and Purchased Extras.
Scenario
Criteria
Tasks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15