ColecoVision to iPhone Games ? Part 18

In this ongoing look at significant moments in the history of video game design, we have already taken a look at Bungie’s Halo & Halo 2, Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls series, Nintendo’s Kid Icarus and several others. The goal of this series is to go beyond simple gaming magazines and iPhone Apps reviews, and take a closer look at what defines memorability and quality in game design. In this seventeenth part of the series we will examine some more of those classic moments where video game designers undoubtedly got it right and delivered a memorable, enduring and progressive gaming experience.

– It wasn’t the first rhythm game, not even close. Games like PaRappa the Rapper and Frequency had released years earlier, and the Guitar Hero and Rock Band games already had several sequels, variants and copycat titles on the market when Beatles Rock Band (BRB) was released. Nor was it the first music game devoted to a single band or artist, that distinction goes to Aerosmith, whose Guitar Hero game was released in 2008. However, BRB was a very different animal from its Aerosmith counterpart.

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It must be considered that The Beatles are perhaps the most popular group in music history. The expectations placed on their videogame debut were much higher than were perhaps fair. However, developer Harmonix, working closely with representatives of each Beatle, delivered an experience that surpassed the highest hopes of even the most ardent Beatles fan. Harmonix approach can be broken down into three elements that worked together to create this incredible game. Those three features, the dreamscapes, detail and downloadable content, are the focus of this entry in the series.

– These imaginative videos allowed the developers to showcase their design skills and Beatles knowledge while aiding the gameplay dramatically in the process. The vast majority of rhythm games had, to that point, shown the performing band in either the studio, a concert or a relevant venue as the song played and the player played along. The dreamscapes in BRB took the player on visual adventures that tied in with the music and stayed true to the spirit of the band. Among some of the hardcore fans, these dreamscapes were even more adored than the actual gameplay.

– Snippets of the Beatles tuning up and counting in preceded many of the performances in the game. Actual audio of them blowing takes was played when the player failed a song. The games 100+ achievements each have a relevant name that ties in with the Beatles canon. Still, these details are mere hints of what lies within the depths of BRB. The wind blowing during the Rooftop Concert is eerily similar to the actual wind that was blowing that day in 1969.  The boys’ facial expressions, instrument fingerings and even clothing are almost exact representations of the real thing. Even a Beatles purist with a personal vendetta against developer Harmonix would have a difficult time locating any portion of this game that was not given some TLC and gone over with a well schooled brush.

– Shipping with 45 songs, BRB was one of the more lacking titles in the history of the genre. However, the inclusion of this smaller total of songs was a purposeful act. Within 3 months of release, 3 full albums had been made available to download, each with the same quality as the included tracks. This after release support may have been a well calculated ploy to increase the game’s sales figures, but the result was an even more complete package for fans of the band and the game.

Rapper Game brings out NBA stars Michael Beasley, Demar DeRozan, Sunny Weems, Ed Davis, Joey Dorsey, Joe Smith at the Drew League Bball game. The whole team rocking the www.BWSApparel.com Red Nation tee. Get yours at www.bwsapparel.com. The official source for BWS gear! Appearances from Big Boy (Power 106) and Flava Flav.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

A Springboard for Video Game Developers

Creating video games is an art, no doubt. The problem is that it isn’t easy to come up with ideas for video games. And even when we do get an idea, it doesn’t seem as fresh or exciting as we want it to be. The following offers a few ways you can generate some creative ideas to keep your video game as fun to play from beginning to end.

7. Play the video game before it has begun development. That sounds crazy, but it can be done and it’s an excellent way to get the plot down. To make this work, relax yourself and visually imagine that you’re playing the game from start to finish. Let your mind suggest scenes, characters, plots, and strategies. Write down the game as its being played before your mind, and then repeat for each twist that you’d like to see implemented in the actual game.

8. Throw the plot into the mixer. There could probably be nothing more challenging in a video game than plot twists. As long as it’s not too confusing to the point where players complain and quit playing, rearranging its plot could lend to some fun mind-bending twists that no one would ever predict. Try putting the game’s beginning in the middle, or introduce all the subplots in the beginning of the game and have it all start to make sense toward the end (Think, “Pulp Fiction”).

9. Look at the game with someone else’s eyes. You may already know how you want your game to play, but so may everyone else. To inject some real creativity into your video game, design it as if it were presented from the eyes of a child, a lizard, or an inanimate object like a television. This exercise will not only keep the game intriguing for it’s players, it will also keep its development challenging and interesting for you! Don’t be surprised if your newfound view changes the game throughout its development. A new perspective has an interesting habit of creating new purposes and new solutions.

10. Challenge the rules. Try to remember that most advances in anything (not just video games) came about from challenging the rules. To make this work, think of the rules imposed on video game developers in the past and just break them! Do the opposite. Where they say you can’t or you shouldn’t – go on and do it. As long as your rule-breaking spree causes no harm and doesn’t jeopardize the integrity of the game, try it!

11. Don’t call your project a video game. Sometimes when you change the name of something, you start to view it differently. This is because different words move a line of thought into a different direction – a different direction that sparks new ideas.

12. Combine ideas. We’re often told to ditch the first, second, or even third idea that we come up with for a project in favor for a much stronger idea. But instead of ditching these ideas, why not combined them into one. Combining ideas is one of the easiest ways to come up with new ideas and you can do the with your game. You could combine life forms, scenery, and all kinds of things. The end result would be nothing short of amazing and all the while, your players will wonder, “How did they come up with this stuff?!”