Comparative differences between games design and simulation design

This blog will be used to present my overall submission package for the module and course.  My learner agreement indicated that my end results will be the following:

• Game prototype at an alpha stage.
• Game Design Documentation (GDD)
• A guide and breakdown of how the industries utilise different skills but for different outcomes with look at various parts both in technical programs and taskings that are done during a project.

 The project was initially started early January at the end of the previous practice 2.  The idea initially was to design a prototype with the initial aim to show how difficult it is to make a prototype alpha.  After getting my new position, it came to me that although anyone can be a designer, the knowledge on multi tasking skills with other industries isn't very big or presentable.  My Practical work in semester 3 was to show both how I keep my skills up to date with a prototype and also make my skills diverse within my new job.

I then made two showcase videos for this blog with a better breakdown present it.  With that I present my game "Type Two" Prototype and the simulation environment "London".

Type 2 Prototype Video

Games Design Document - Type 2 Prototype 

Project Predator Games Design Document  

Simulation Environment "London"

Comparative differences between games design and simulation design

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Part 11

Part 12

Part 13

Part 14

Part 15

 Closing up Semester 3 and the MA

2 years of learning and research has brought me to this point and what a journey it has been.  It was strange but I learnt a lot but at the same time, I felt that i could have learnt a lot more and been more effective in what I have worked on / designed.

So what did I learn? I learnt that motion capture if done effectively is very good, I learnt that although there are cost effective motion capture suits that exsist, the issue comes with the quality and lack of long time duration effectively making the timeline to record 50 seconds long which when you're spending £2000 is pointless against the high quality gear which costs £15,000 plus.

When i learnt that, I then decided if it's difficult to do that part of the games design, what other parts are difficult.  I then went into my own prototype to try and stick to the duration of milestones.  I then went ahead, and worked on type 2 prototype and started to develop a game with a level, premise and AI.  AI development was strainious and difficult whilst making all the mechanics and specially with the tracking and issues with the movement as well as the plugin design for mic input presented the consensus that you are going to struggle working on your own and it's going to take a while to develop.

Semester 3 came with a rare opportunity which is working within a unique industry with my skillset and specifically adapting that skillset to the new environment working with engineers and not fellow designers.  That was the hardest thing to learn during my change of industry.  Through this, I learnt that there isn't much information or knowledge about people transitioning to other industries or the different skillsets.  I then went into the idea of showing the difference in those industries and how you can alter your abilities to diversify yourself more.  With that I went and showed the two sides and how they can "kinda" work together.

I wrote a lot about the differences which is a lot to read and not fully what its all about but its necessary to see it from the idea that you have to get into a lot of depth to think about those kinda things when working with different software, documentation, mentality, abilities.  I learnt as well that your phrasing needs to change which i still struggle with today as they use a lot of ackronyms and i try to explain things with games design knowledge / wordings myself which can be confusing but I can adapt that in the future.

With that, I made a badass prototype that I am very happy about, I make cool environments and projects that develop new skills that I want to progress further and a guide to show that although different industries may utlise your skillsets differently.. That's not the be all and end all.  I want to progressively push myself still and make awesome prototypes and develop my skill set with more of a VR and AR environment which relate to gamification for the future but at the same time, I learnt a lot to criticise myself with.  I need to learn to ahdere to pipelines more effectively, I need to balance workloads more efficiently as it can be so hard to work with and the prep and develop side could do with a lot more work which I will work with.

Overall, this whole MA allowed me to learn alot about who I am, what I will become and what I can do with my skills if i carry on developing it.