Also, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, to the people who have been play testing. I really appreciate that you’ve taken the time to try out the game, even though it is still evolving and a little unpolished at this stage. While I’ve only been given a little bit of feedback so far (nods to @kelseyhigham), I’ve seen (and judged *mwahhahaha*) the pics that a few of you have submitted when I’ve been playing the game myself. It’s been a great encouragement to keeping banging away at making GrandMasterPixel more playable as a social game. I’ve released a new version (1.0.6), and if everything is working as planned. existing users should get an update notification on their mobile device.

Next on the list is implementing ‘notifications’, so you can easily see when one of your pics has been defeated, or if you have levelled up. And then some optimization of the Arena judging interface, which I don’t think is quite snappy enough. And then more types of Rankings lists (daily, weekly, all time etc). And then … and then … and then. Lots more to do !

Related posts:

1. Unveiling my uber-secrect Android game : GrandMasterPixel
2. GrandMasterPixel now available for testing in the Android emulator

• Wii Sport Resort (a family Christmas game)
• House of the Dead II & III Returns (Wii) (Worst. Voice acting. Ever. And I love it !)
• Left4Dead (I took the plunge and bought two copies when it was on special on Stream – been playing with a friend)
• GrandMasterPixel (Android) … yeh, yeh, I know, shameless plug … it’s my own game. Well, you’ve got to actually play it to alpha test it, right ?

Related posts:

1. What I’m Playing: April – June, 2009
2. What I’m Playing – November 2009

It’s not quite the same as holding the game in the palm of your hand … but if you don’t want to wrestle with Eclipse and the Android SDK to setup your own development environment, or shell out for one of the snazzy new Android phones hitting the market, it’s the next best thing.

Download GrandMasterPixel + emulator [http://bit.ly/5DrYMr - 65 Mb zipped]

To run the emulator, unzip the archive, run the run_emulator.* script appropriate to your platform (eg, run_emulator.linux.sh, run_emulator.osx.sh or run_emulator.bat. You may need to make the script executable first on OS X and Linux).

If you give it a try, please give me some feedback on FriendFeed, tweet me @OMGWTFGAMES or send a good ol’ email to perry at omgwtfgames.com.

Related posts:

1. Unveiling my uber-secrect Android game : GrandMasterPixel

Part of that philosophy lead me to forgo the customary title screen found in many games. At most, I planned to have the title text “GrandMasterPixel” overlayed on the Drawing screen upon first load, then elegantly fade away. This way the user is thrown straight into one of the two key mechanics – drawing (other being judging). They can immediately poke the screen an start creating some simple pixelart. There isn’t any dire need for a ‘navigation screen’ on the Android version, since all navigation can be accessed in the popup menu, by pressing the Menu button on the device. This is the convention for pretty much every Android app (and is the suggested style in the Android Menu Design Guidelines published by Google).

Recently, however, I’ve have a change of heart on the front page navigation screen idea. Maybe it is required, to better lead new players into the game. Additionally, I’ve also noticed that Android games conventionally seem to have a front page navigation screen, unlike other non-game apps.

Here’s a mockup of one possible front page screen for GrandMasterPixel, made with Mockingbird:

GrandMasterPixel, possible new front page mockup

At the moment, I’m still looking for more people to play test what I have so far, before going crazy  on implementing more features. There are certainly lots of parts that need work, but I’d like to direct my efforts toward areas where players feel they are more required. You can download the alpha version of GrandMasterPixel for Android with this link. I’d appreciate any feedback you have, on FriendFeed, or via Twitter @OMGWTFGAMES or right here in the comments !

Related posts:

1. Unveiling my uber-secrect Android game : GrandMasterPixel
2. New title screen for GrandMasterPixel on Android
3. GrandMasterPixel now available for testing in the Android emulator

Introducing …. (drum roll please) … GrandMasterPixel !

GrandMasterPixel is essentially a low-res pixelart competition, with light combat RPG elements.

GrandMasterPixel Arena screenshot (Android emulator)

The basic gameplay is as follows:

• Draw a pic. Make it look good. Submit the pic to the Arena – this costs ’submission credits’.
• Judge some battles in the Arena between other artists pics by touching the one you think should win – judging one battle costs one ‘judging token’, and earns you one ’submission credit’.
• ‘Judging credits’ recharge over time, so if you run out, just come back later.
• Pics have ‘hitpoints’. Losing a battle loses the pic hitpoints – when the pics hitpoints reach zero, that pic is dead and can no longer battle.
• Artists (that’s you) begin with only limited colors in their palette. You earn more colors based on (a) the number of pics you have submitted (’leveling up’) and (b) how successful your pics have been in battle (eg, ‘achievements’ earned based on the number of wins before dying).

GrandMasterPixel drawing mode screenshot - me drawing an 8-bit Mario-like guy, with blue skin since that's all the colours I have at this level.

The idea behind this system is that players need to use all their creativity to make interesting pics, even with limited colors. Credits to submit new pics are only earned by judging, and judging is rate limited – this means players should be encouraged put some effort into each pic they submit, since submissions are a somewhat limited resource. In the current design, only half the colors are accessible based on number of submissions (eg, quantity) – the other half can only be earned by submitting pics that are successful in battle (’quality’, as subjectively judged by other players).

I think some interesting dynamics may emerge here, but I’d rather not speculate too much before letting a bunch of players loose with the game.

Check it out and give me some feedback on FriendFeed, or tweet me @OMGWTFGAMES ! Download a time-limited alpha version of GrandMasterPixel for Android with this link. Or scan the QR code below with the Barcode Scanner app using your phone. In order to install it, you will need to allow applications from “Unknown sources” under the Settings->Applications menu.

There are still lots of features left to implement to make it more game-y, and a few bugs to swat, but I’ve spent a surprising amount of time developing and polishing this little game so far already, so I thought it was time to put something out there and get some feedback.

In future posts I may detail some of the lessons I’ve learned about developing Android applications, social games on Google App Engine and some general game design issues I’ve come up against in this project.

Related posts:

1. New title screen for GrandMasterPixel on Android
2. GrandMasterPixel now available for testing in the Android emulator
3. GrandMasterPixel front page mockups

Related posts:

1. What I’m Playing – September 2009
2. What I’m Playing – January 2010

• The Gratuitous Space Battles beta – it’s currently undergoing lots of balance changes.
• Dungeon Quest. It’s a braindead grind-RPG in the simplest sense. But it’s on my Android phone, and it’s on Facebook. It’s just there … so I play it.
• Played just a little bit of Guitar Hero World Tour. I’m so out of practice now it’s pathetic

Related posts:

1. What I’m Playing: April – June, 2009
2. What I’m Playing – November 2009

Rather than working on my Game Design Concepts project, I instead decided to focus my game development time in August on getting something ready for the “Android Developer Challenge 2“. While I didn’t actually make that deadline (I decided it was not worth submitting something unpolished), it helped to push my uber-secret-Android-project into the realms of playability, and I should be able to release it before the end of the year.

Here’s a summary of my Game Design Concepts project, as it stands.

The game board “pre-prototype”:

"Commuter Hero" board design. Squares are stations, circles are points enroute between stations. Triangles are the destinations ("goals"). Lines are railroads, "roads" are bus routes, dotted lines are walking routes. The "piechart" thing represents the clock, which turns to the next colour each turn (representing 15 minute timesteps, I guess). It's been rubbed off the whiteboard now, so this photo serves as a record of the design in case I want to reproduce it and continue.

Each player is given three destination cards, which are destinations they must visit during the game, as well as sharing two “shared destination” cards with two other players, which are destinations that each pair must meet at during the game. Once a player visits their five destinations, they win. Players move around the board one step each turn, but sometimes they must wait several turns at a station for a train to arrive (indicated by the “colour clock”). While they are waiting at a station, they must roll to possibly draw an “event card”, which can initiate things like rail strikes, or provide a “taxi ticket” to get them from A to B, pronto. The game forces players to determine the optimal route between their destinations, re-route as events occur, and negotiate their routes to be compatible with the players that they must meet.

I may finish designing this game at some point, including proper playtesting, but I also feel like the basic mechanic is a little tedious and there are not enough “interesting decisions”. I may be better off just scrapping it and starting with something entirely new. Below the fold are the rules as they stand, and my working notes …

Commuter Hero

Number of players: 2 – 6 (maybe more, better with more than two)

Assets:

• Game board
• The clock spinner (may be part of the board)
• One token per player.
• Two six sided dice (2d6)
• A set of 18 destination cards (3 of each destination)
• A set of event cards.

Setup and starting the game

Shuffle the event cards and the destination cards, put them in separate piles on the the space provided on the board. Players choose their token, and place it in Central Station. The clock starts at 0 o’clock.

Before the game begins, each player takes _three_ destination cards, which are their ’solo destinations’ that they must visit during the game. The player can keep these cards secret (face down) if they like.

Players also draw a fourth card that is a ’shared destination’ card. During the game they must meet the player to their right at that spot. These cards are not kept secret, and are placed face up. This means each player will need to actually meet both the player to their left and to their right once in the game.

Gameplay

Players take turns to move (or wait at a station) in an clockwise direction around the table. The youngest player gets to choose who starts.

Traveling around town

Stations are coloured. The ‘color clock’ moves clockwise each turn, cycling through four colored times (0, 15, 30, 45). Trains or buses arrive at the station when the clock reaches the corresponding time/color (this will prevent the annoying task of moving lots of little trains each turn). Players can’t move off a station to travel along the line until the clock matches the time/color of that station or bus stop. Players can always choose to leave a station and travel by foot on a footpath. Once the player has entered a space on the train line or road they must move once space per turn along that line. They cannot change direction, but must travel in the same direction along the route until they hit a station. They can only pass a station on that line if the clock matches the time/color of that station (otherwise they must ‘change trains’ and wait until the clock matches that station before travelling on).

If a player has to wait at a station (eg, they are on a station but the clock doesn’t match the timetabled arrival at that station), they must roll both dice. If they roll a double, they can take an event card.

Certain spaces on bus lines are marked with a ‘bottleneck’. Before moving off these spaces, a player must roll one die. If they roll even then they can move, odd they are delayed in traffic and cannot move in that turn. Trains do not have bottleneck delays.

Event cards

Player draws an event card, but doesn’t disclose what it is for three turns. They place the card face down on the color clock, three segments in advance of the current segment so that everyone remembers this is when the event will be revealed. Once the clock position reaches the card, the card is revealed and the event triggers. (The drawing player hence has inside info that a strike is approaching and can act on it before anyone else). Some cards may also be ‘instants’.

Strikes can close down one form of transport. More likely for trains. Player who drew the card rolls 2d6 each time their turn comes around, as well as moving their piece as usual. If the result of both dice matches (eg, a double), the strike ends immediately (the player can also enter the re-opened transport in that turn).

Any player traveling on a bus or train when a strike is called for that mode of transport must continue traveling on that line but exit the vehicle on at the next station. They cannot re-board until the strike is over, but they can leave the station by foot or another mode of transport.

When a player is moving on a bus (but not at a station), before they move they must roll both dice. If they get a double of any number, the bus is delayed in traffic and they cannot move space in that turn.

Cards

Destination cards (three of each for a six player game ?):

• Butcher (#1)
• Baker (#2)
• Candlestick maker (#3)
• Grocer (#4)
• Hardware store (#5)
• Game shop (#6)

Event cards:

• Secret inside info – Train Strike in three moves ! Once the strike starts, roll 2d6 every turn. A double six to ends the strike.
• Instant train strike – roll 2d6 every turn. A double six to ends the strike.
• Delay at Central Station. No one can board there this turn.
• Taxi Ticket – use this at any time to move from A to B in just one step !
• All trains delayed – players on trains don’t move this turn.

Possible rules to play test

• Players have 5 destination cards, but two may be hidden ?
• Players start with two (or three) destinations, and get given one based on an event during play.
• Player keeps a drop destination secret. They must drop a token at the destination of their colour. Another player has to pick up a token of a colour, that only they know.
• Idea: Finite tickets for certain transport, others are free ?
• Taxi tickets – move to any station on the board.

Board design principles

• All destinations should be roughly equidistant in steps from central station.
• All lines and roads must terminate at a station (there can also be stations along a line)
• All stations must have two types of transport (walk, bus, train) to enter and exit (reduce the probability of getting stuck during a strike)

Related posts:

1. Game Design Concepts : My “Homeplay” Assignments
2. Game Design Concepts : Vocabulary
3. Game Design Concepts: Mindmap

Related posts:

1. Game Design Concepts : My “Homeplay” Assignments
2. Game Design Concepts : Vocabulary
3. Game Design Concepts: post-mortem (although I’m not finished)

The archetypal Griefer/Killer player type primarily derives pleasure in causing grief to others playing the game. The most pleasure for the Griefer/Killer is derived when they break ’social norms’ of the game accepted by the majority of other players, and cause annoyance to those other players who play within those ’social norms’. Note that breaking social norms is well within the rules of the game, it’s just ‘unpopular’ behaviour to most other players.

The difficulty in this task is that Griefer/Killer players generally do not exist in a vacuum, but require other players with different goals to feed off. Any game that caters to only Griefer/Killers would have difficulty finding (or at least maintaining) players of other types. I don’t believe G/Killers would derive much pleasure from simply ‘killing’ other G/Killers, if all players in the game were G/Killers with essentially the same goals – kill or be killed – since this would be the accepted behaviour in the game, and no social norms would be broken. However, I’d predict that a group of ‘real’ G/Killers, if they kept playing at all, would find a way to play that would annoy everyone, hence deriving pleasure – but this dynamic would not be the intended way to play the game (or at least not appear to be).

One strategy would be to set up dynamics such that G/Killers were griefing other G/Killers. The problem here is that if it was obvious to those players that griefing was within social norms and generally accepted as ‘part of the game’, the griefing would  no longer maintain it’s appeal.

To take Bartle’s example of a MUD overbalanced to encouraging G/Killers – he proposes that this would be an arcade-style shooter, which would preserve the ‘thrill of the chase’, but sacrifice the main motivating activity of the G/Killer – the ‘parasitic’ griefing of other players. Parasites need hosts to survive, and other parasites usually don’t make good hosts to feed off. I don’t believe that a shooter, for example a FPS like Quake, is a ‘game for griefers’ – witness how a new specific class of griefer just emerges instead, now called the ‘camper’ or ‘teamkiller’.

To put things another way – G/Killers knock down, and don’t enjoy to build anything except maybe their reputation. There needs to be someone else to build – unless the G/Killers can be ‘tricked’ into building through their own prefered actions of knocking down. Even then, the fun for the building-Griefers may only be maintain so long as they remain decieved about the actual mechanics of the game.

How can the dynamic of G/Killers killing G/Killers by made into a compelling (or ‘fun’) experience for these players ? For ‘pure’ Griefer/Killer/Troll player types, this is very tough, but most players will in reality be a mixture of player types. G/Killers that have some tendency toward the Achiever player type can be catered for – one simple way would be to make scoring equivalent to kills, with kills being reset to zero if a player is killed. Maybe also taking the killed player out of the game for a short time, and broadcasting their humiliation clearly to the other remaining players would help enhance the need to feel superior (at least for those that were winning).

Another less ethical proposal is to create the Griefer game as an ‘overlay’ or ‘meta-game’ on top of some other legitimate game or activity that does not explicitly include the G/Killers as an accepted participant. As outsiders to a larger group of players with different goals, the G/Killers would have a fresh stream of hosts to parasitize, as long as they do not become too dominant and kill the game entirely. One example may be organised groups that make a game of trolling Slashdot, such as the obscure, possibly defunct, GNAA organisation ( http://web.archive.org/web/20040805015319/http://www.gnaa.us/ , NSFW, depending where you work ). Bartle also notes that, on the whole, the game played by a G/Killer is a solo pursuit. In this proposed griefing/trolling meta-game, G/Killers with some tendency toward socialization would probably have more fun, since they can chat and brag about exploits, further fulfilling their need for feeling superior to other players.

I had a quick look at the Game Design Concepts course forums and noticed that Matthew Johnson has come up with a similar type of idea, using existing forums or social networks designed for other purposes as the backdrop for a ‘trollish’ game. A significant difference (both ethically and with respect to catering to the targeted player type) is that in his design concept all players appear to be willing participants – see his “Facebook Diplomacy“.

No related posts.