Lab #15 Video Game Lab Group Work

In this lab exercise, our groups were given the task of playing video games, tough right?! We had to sample a game from each platform and then write evaluations on them, taking into consideration their genre, audience, features, publishers, and other games made from those publishers. Below is what we found out about the games and the networking incorporated with them.


Console Gaming
In class today, we were to also pick one console game that none of the group members were familiar with. We chose the Xbox 360 and played Kung Fu Panda. There was no networking involved in this game. Thinking this game would be for smaller children, and not considering the title, the game was very violent. Going through only level one, we had to beat off about 60 hog looking things in order to become a Dragon Warrior. Although we went into this game thinking it was for kids, it was a pretty fun game and we sped through the first level quickly. The genre of this game was Action Adventure/Comedy. Activision published this game along with all Cabela hunting games, Call of Duty 3, and the Pimp My Ride video game.



PC Gaming
The game I worked with during the lab was World of Warcraft. It is a MMORPG (Massive multiplayer online role playing game) for all PC platforms. the publisher of the game is Blizzard Entertainment which is a big name in the gaming industry. World of Warcraft has been out since 2005 and has had many expansions since then but that is not the first big name game that Blizzard has come out with. In 1997 Blizzard came out with Diablo, an RPG (Role playing game) type game that players moved in completing quests and gaining experience to beat the game. In 1998 Blizzard unveiled Starcraft which is still considered to be the best strategy game ever made with its extremely fast paced gameplay and environment setting in the far future on different planets.


Mobile Gaming
The group used all iPod for its mobile device to access the games, "Crayon Physics", "Jelly Car", and "Spore". "Crayon Physics" was made in January 2009 by Hudson Entertainment. The purpose of the game is to create different paths using the crayon tool to get to the golden star. It is a logic type game, and is classified under the genre Puzzle. Three other games published by Hudson Entertainment similat to "Caryon Physics" include: "Puzzloop Free," "nikoli SUDOKU Free," and "Aqua Forest." For the next game we played with "Jelly Car" created in 2008. The object of this game is to get to the check point by changing the form of your car to get through obstacles. This is another logic type game, but it also involves physics which classifies this under Physics Puzzles. There are no other games published by Timothy FitzRandolph, the creator of this game. The final mobile game that we played was "Spore" made in 2008 by Electronic Arts. The purpose of this game is to EAT or BE EATEN. You must evolve your Spore as you avoid bigger creatures and eat smaller ones. This game is considered to be an Action and Strategy type game. Three other games similar to "Spore" are, "Scrabble," "Skate It," "TETRIS."


Networking
Networking is supported by the PC and the three main console gaming systems right now. Almost all games have online capabilities now to keep you connected with friends. Whether it's taking each other on a head-to-head race or competing on leaderboards, most games offer some kind of online feature. As for console games, online networks have also been practically mandated as vital for new games. Both Nintendo and Playstion's networks are free for anyone who owns the system whereas Xbox's online network, Xbox Live, is around $3-4 a month.


If you'd like to learn more about each network, click on a link below:
Playstation Network
Xbox Live
Nintendo Online


As for mobile gaming, like the games we sampled for the iPod Touch, having an online community is not as developed. The games we touched on have no options for online gaming, or community interaction. There are some games that may utilize the wifi capabilities of the iPod Touch, but because being online isn't as constant as it's brother, the iPhone, the games available for it don't exercise that option.