Friday, October 15, 2010

In class Doom assesment

Doom:

Enhanced Weenies and encountering player movement: Throughout the first level of Doom, I assumed the control room you find and the acid pools you run into could be considered weenies. They catch your eye and make the player want to explore them or find a way across. This creates the movements towards level profession or the direction a designer thinks a player should explore.

Using lighting to encourage player movement: The game is somewhat dark but doorways are a bit lighter than the walls and the items that a player needs to collect for ammunition and power up are lit fairly well to draw your attention.

Alternative Maps: One a level is complete a large map pops up int eh background of your level scores. On it are the buildings you will need to explore or defeat to move on. The areas that have been defeated have a nice blood splatter on them.

Presented Path vs. Exploration: This game presents a few designated paths such as the stairs ascending to the next area or a doorway, or a safe path through the green acid pools. Otherwise the player is given the freedom to explore on their own, discover items and feel accomplished when they climb a set of stairs or travel up an elevator to find body armor or a shotgun.

Thematic Level Goals: The goal of this game is to kill the mutants and zombies in a group of overrun buildings. You must take them out to recover the areas.

Level Items: Items include body armor, first aid kits, various weapons, and ammo.

Warning/Foreshadowing: When the level begins there are already bloody bodies scattered through the level, lights flicker, and the place looks dark and threatening. All these add to the foreshadowing of the dangers that await the player later in the level.

Storytelling through Environment: The place you enter is high tech looking and full of death, mutants, and malfunctioning electronics. It is immediately obvious to the player that this is a scientific project gone wrong or interfered with. The levels do a good job of projecting the ideas intended. 

Implied Threats: The acid pools make the player nervous as they travel over ridges and pathways. It makes the player aware of their moments.

The Tutorial Section: This version did not have a  tutorial section. While the game waits fro you to begin the game it plays a simulation of the game to show you what you will be playing.

Building Anticipation: The sounds of the monsters and music gets you pumped and excited about the fights to come.

Juxtaposing Interior and Exterior Space: Doom does a good job of balancing space as you explore both narrow hallways leading to larger underground labs. Some levels also have portions of the game where the player may explore and hunt monsters outside as well. 

The Clear Path Out: Once the level is over you are led to the end area with a surplus of first aid kits and ammo for the next level. It creates a safe feeling and indicates you are safe and the danger is over for the time being.

No comments:

Post a Comment