One of my favorite aspects of game design is creating characters, if the game calls for them. With our original game there were no real characters involved because it was a learning experience for the players; however, with a racing game I was able to add characters each with different abilities and personalities in order for there to be someone that anybody would want to use. Like I said, this is my favorite part of game design because I love granting powers and abilities to different persons that reflect their personalities and explain more abou them.
Drippy is the main character, and can be classified as the "young heroic male" archetype. Adventurous and optimistic, he is on his way to the factory because he has been told legend of a mystical purification system being used there. With this technology he could rid his hometown of Skyvale of any Toxins that have plagued his community.
His younger sister, Kate, (but goes by the superhero pseudonym of Precipa Kate) follows along without Drippy's permission since he thinks the task is too dangerous. Kate won't take no for an answer, so she tirelessly follows Drippy to his destination (though due to her quick speed, Drippy does most of the following). Her loud, confident and boisterous nature leads her to believe that her and her brother would be known as true heroes if they were to discover the secret on their own. Unfortunately, her loud mouth has alerted some other rather mischievous individuals of the secrets that lie within the factory.
Viskus could be seen as the main antagonist of the game, though he is a playable character just like everyone else. Born from toxified groundwater that has been dormant for hundreds of years, Viskus has finally seen sunlight for the first time - and hates it. He wants nothing more than to reach the factory on his own and shut down the purification system in order to drown the world in toxins, just like himself.
The other characters don't have any relation to these three, as they are motivated by their own goals of reaching the factory. I use this strategy when creating characters because I find it too "convenient" when every character knows each other. Who is to say that random persons from all over the sky would not hear about the factory's secret? Because of this, the rest of these characters are all strangers to one another until you reach the later stages where it is implied that they recognize each other from racing. The voice acting in this game would include more of the characters reacting to one another the further the game progresses.
Next up is Slushie, a drop of freezing rain that is from the Slush Tribe located far north. Because members of the Slush Tribe speak to one another through shivers, his speech is next to unintelligible. The gradually warming conditions of the Earth's atmosphere is causing his tribe to weaken, so he is sent off to find the secret of the factory by his elder.
Plop is a rare species of "Big Drips", one that only appears during the heaviest of rains. His big and burly nature may make him seem intimidating, but one glance at his big grin and beady eyes will be enough to put anyone's worries to rest. A rather slow individual (in both speed and thoughts), but he is well aware that his life as a Big Drip is not a long one. He makes up for this by always having fun and finding enjoyment in the little things - like rolling down hills.
Sir Seltz is the head knight of the royal L'Aqua Raining Guard, specializing in protecting the royal family. When the princess goes missing, Sir Seltz springs into action immediately, rushing to the princess's aid while following clues as to her whereabouts. Quite the ladies man, his updo and shimmering smile are enough to swoon even the grumpiest of women in the kingdom. Little does he know that the princess may have more to do with the secret of the factory than he and her royal family may realize. Still, if the princess is missing, nothing will stand in his way of finding her - even if it means risking his own life.
Princess L'Aqua XVII is the final member of the roster, but certainly not the least. Her lineage traces back to the most ancient pools of groundwater that have been untouched and pure since time began. Her royal blood allows her to deflect all toxins, which one would think would make her safe from peril. Unfortunately this just seems to lead to more problems, as villains such as Viskus (who has actually heard of her family, being groundwater himself) want to use her blood for evil and personal gain. Along the way she also meets Drippy and Precipa Kate, and becomes allies with them quickly. Drippy's new mission becomes both reaching the factory and protecting the princess while Sir Seltz searches for her. Once the four of them all meet up, they then head as a group into the factory, where Viskus is waiting. Everyone soon discovers that the secret to the factory is High Priestess L'Aqua XV, L'Aqua's grandmother. The princess learns that the eldest member of the L'Aqua family (on her mother's side) becomes the new catalyst for the factory's purification system. This is a painless process that is renowned for its importance and generosity - the members of the royal family actually use their own pure blood to purify others.
L'Aqua could serve as a potential love interest for Drippy if the player receives nothing lower than 2nd place on every race, and 1st place during the factory level. If these conditions are not met, she simply returns to her kingdom with Sir Seltz, not before thanking Drippy and his sister for their tireless efforts and help in keeping the factory secure.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Ipad Game (1) - Comm 344
In order to turn my group's game, Toxic Valley, into an iPad game, I had to go a completely different route for the play style. Our game is successful on paper, but does not really do a good job of utilizing all of the features of the iPad like tilting, touchscreen, and motion detection. This led me to brainstorm ideas for games that use motion and animation that would not be possible from a board game.
My first idea was to use as much of the original game idea as possible, making a board game where the board was animated. All of the locations would feature moving effects (like the forest fire, the machines removing mountaintops, etc.) and so would the players' characters. The questions would pop up before you and you would answer them, and move along like normal. Ideas for adding a moving die that you shake the screen to roll were also conceived. Ultimately I did not like this style since I did not want to do a trivia game on a device that offers so much more. This led me to want to create a game where the focus was movement from a first person camera.
By taking the same idea of our original game (drops of water moving downhill towards a factory), I was able to give the drops of water personalities, and goals for each wanting to reach the factory versus a "human player" controlling their fate through a game. The addition of actual characters made the game feel more personal, and made for a simple, yet effective plot as to why these individuals are all headed to their similar destination.
All of the "areas" from the original game are included in here as well. The mountain being the first and easiest stage, offers some of the fastest gameplay in order to let the player experience a fun, fast-paced race with few obstacles other than a rock or a tree here and there. The areas would gradually get harder, with the farm having more Toxic Puddles rather than clean ones, and Animals in the way. The forest has many puddles, but also more obstacles than any other zone to dodge. The city forces the players to travel near roads, and there are very few puddles in this location. "Hotspots" are present here and will slow you down considerably if passed over. Finally the factory has the players traveling across a massive lake filled with Toxic spills.
Puddles - increase stamina
Toxic Puddles/Spills - decrease stamina, but increase Toxic Attack meter
Hotspots - doesn't effect stamina, but slows you down greatly
Mud Tracks - doesn't effect stamina, but speeds up your character AND increases Toxic Attack meter.
Accelerating is achieved by swiping up repeatedly, and Toxic Attacks are performed by shaking the screen. Tilt left an right to steer in the appropriate direction.
My first idea was to use as much of the original game idea as possible, making a board game where the board was animated. All of the locations would feature moving effects (like the forest fire, the machines removing mountaintops, etc.) and so would the players' characters. The questions would pop up before you and you would answer them, and move along like normal. Ideas for adding a moving die that you shake the screen to roll were also conceived. Ultimately I did not like this style since I did not want to do a trivia game on a device that offers so much more. This led me to want to create a game where the focus was movement from a first person camera.
By taking the same idea of our original game (drops of water moving downhill towards a factory), I was able to give the drops of water personalities, and goals for each wanting to reach the factory versus a "human player" controlling their fate through a game. The addition of actual characters made the game feel more personal, and made for a simple, yet effective plot as to why these individuals are all headed to their similar destination.
All of the "areas" from the original game are included in here as well. The mountain being the first and easiest stage, offers some of the fastest gameplay in order to let the player experience a fun, fast-paced race with few obstacles other than a rock or a tree here and there. The areas would gradually get harder, with the farm having more Toxic Puddles rather than clean ones, and Animals in the way. The forest has many puddles, but also more obstacles than any other zone to dodge. The city forces the players to travel near roads, and there are very few puddles in this location. "Hotspots" are present here and will slow you down considerably if passed over. Finally the factory has the players traveling across a massive lake filled with Toxic spills.
Puddles - increase stamina
Toxic Puddles/Spills - decrease stamina, but increase Toxic Attack meter
Hotspots - doesn't effect stamina, but slows you down greatly
Mud Tracks - doesn't effect stamina, but speeds up your character AND increases Toxic Attack meter.
Accelerating is achieved by swiping up repeatedly, and Toxic Attacks are performed by shaking the screen. Tilt left an right to steer in the appropriate direction.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
The Monk
The Monk is a stoic and brave class of fighters who use little equipment and utilize hand to hand combat to get the job done. A lot of their moves rely on charging up, or switching to a particular stance in order to strike quickly and unexpectedly in many different ways. From spinning lightning roundhouses to karate chops, the Monk is a glass cannon that can deal solid damage to individuals or even large crowds of foes.
The Monk rarely uses any type of weapon. Their most important weapon are their hands and feet, and they would feel more comfortable on a battlefield brawling than with a weapon any day. Those who do utilize weapons usually wield blunt weapons like nunchuku, poles, or tonfas. All weapons that you can actually fight with very fluidly using martial arts rather than a hacking, slashing, military weapon. With or without weapons, the Monks rapid strikes requires high dexterity and concentration - witnessing a Monk in battle can almost seem like a choreographed experience.
As well as not using weapons, Monks tend to never wear more to battle than the clothes on their backs. This may seem unsuitable for battle, but Monks are diligent practicers of inner strength through meditation. By focusing their energy through their body they can endure blows in battle, though still not as effectively as someone with armor. Pendants or other accessories that increase focus, concentration, and purify the heart and mind would make great additions to the Monk's repertoire, as they would enhance their fighting abilities greatly.
This inner strength can be used in other ways to in order to be an offensive force to be reckoned with. A common theme is for Monks to have an "aura", or a visible field of energy present around an individual that represents spirit energy. By charging up this aura through meditation or the heat of battle, the monk can use it to either defend himself or unleash a devastating attack. Classic fighting games represent the projectile based attack that fighters would use if they were to unleash their aura in a burst in front of them. This "fireball" like maneuver would give a Monk a range advantage when fighting as enemy close up. A monk could also transfer this aura into the form of a kick that surrounds him with the spirit energy being released all around as he kicks wildly. This would be a great crowd control attack that would come with little cost as long as the Monk can concentrate enough to recharge his aura during battles. Monks can get creative with these attacks since they have so much control over their own actions. Their awareness of their own bodies is what helps them to chain attacks together to create long combos that can constantly deal damage. The aura energy can be used in creative ways as well, like creating duplicates of ones self to disorient the enemy, or even use the aura to heal another team mate.
The Monk is usually a quiet and calm individual who speaks when necessary. Being peaceful individuals, they understand that the fighting they do is solely to better the world, and not to create massive bloodshed through wars and weapons. The Monk is a polite, wise, and helpful individual who would have a hard time not doing the right thing in any scenario. This makes them excellent listeners and mediators for a team, and their combat abilities (along with the ability to heal themselves) makes them a solid fighter that any team could utilize.
The Monk rarely uses any type of weapon. Their most important weapon are their hands and feet, and they would feel more comfortable on a battlefield brawling than with a weapon any day. Those who do utilize weapons usually wield blunt weapons like nunchuku, poles, or tonfas. All weapons that you can actually fight with very fluidly using martial arts rather than a hacking, slashing, military weapon. With or without weapons, the Monks rapid strikes requires high dexterity and concentration - witnessing a Monk in battle can almost seem like a choreographed experience.
As well as not using weapons, Monks tend to never wear more to battle than the clothes on their backs. This may seem unsuitable for battle, but Monks are diligent practicers of inner strength through meditation. By focusing their energy through their body they can endure blows in battle, though still not as effectively as someone with armor. Pendants or other accessories that increase focus, concentration, and purify the heart and mind would make great additions to the Monk's repertoire, as they would enhance their fighting abilities greatly.
This inner strength can be used in other ways to in order to be an offensive force to be reckoned with. A common theme is for Monks to have an "aura", or a visible field of energy present around an individual that represents spirit energy. By charging up this aura through meditation or the heat of battle, the monk can use it to either defend himself or unleash a devastating attack. Classic fighting games represent the projectile based attack that fighters would use if they were to unleash their aura in a burst in front of them. This "fireball" like maneuver would give a Monk a range advantage when fighting as enemy close up. A monk could also transfer this aura into the form of a kick that surrounds him with the spirit energy being released all around as he kicks wildly. This would be a great crowd control attack that would come with little cost as long as the Monk can concentrate enough to recharge his aura during battles. Monks can get creative with these attacks since they have so much control over their own actions. Their awareness of their own bodies is what helps them to chain attacks together to create long combos that can constantly deal damage. The aura energy can be used in creative ways as well, like creating duplicates of ones self to disorient the enemy, or even use the aura to heal another team mate.
The Monk is usually a quiet and calm individual who speaks when necessary. Being peaceful individuals, they understand that the fighting they do is solely to better the world, and not to create massive bloodshed through wars and weapons. The Monk is a polite, wise, and helpful individual who would have a hard time not doing the right thing in any scenario. This makes them excellent listeners and mediators for a team, and their combat abilities (along with the ability to heal themselves) makes them a solid fighter that any team could utilize.
The Red Mage
The Red Mage at its simplest is a combination of a Black Mage and a White Mage. By utilizing both of these magic types, a team of adventurers could reduce their numbers by having a Red Mage on the team. Not only can they heal and deal elemental damage, but their choice of equipment is much broader as well. Unfortunately these mages cannot truly excel in either field of magic like their "pure" counterparts, but as far as being a "jack of all trades" sort of character, the Red Mage is a solid choice.
Red Mages choice of weaponry ranges from staves and rods to basic military equipment like swords, rapiers especially. This would allude to the idea that Red Mages are very dexterous beings, sharing some qualities with a thief as well. While their weapon choice is better than that of the White or Black Mages, again, they can never truly excel at weapon wielding and must usually stick to the basics,
Red Mages can also equip heavier armor than the other mages, another nod to their more active fighter role. This does not mean that they have the level of defense that a warrior or paladin might have, but as far as mages go it can be very effective for them to be able to take more hits than the average spellcaster.
Red Mages cast both white and black magic, but neither very effectively. The idea with the Red Mage is to have a character that can do both very rapidly, constantly switching from one to another. This can be effective in battles. For instance a Cleric usually tried to avoid enemies in battle an wait for the need to heal to arise. With a Red Mage, you would have a Cleric who would actually be able to output damage in the meantime, so no time goes wasted. Obviously since the Red Mage cannot heal as well as a Cleric or deal as much damage as a Mage, it should definitely be up to the team leader to decide whether or not the team feels comfortable with such a gamble of a character.
The best course of action for a Red Mage would be to try to focus on one field of magic while only learning a little of the other in order to still be well rounded. This way you could have a solid healer that still knows basic offensive spells, or an adept black mage that can still heal in a pinch. The playstyle and usefulness of the Red Mage heavily draws from the ability of the player or leader to influence the mage to fit the team's needs.
Red Mages choice of weaponry ranges from staves and rods to basic military equipment like swords, rapiers especially. This would allude to the idea that Red Mages are very dexterous beings, sharing some qualities with a thief as well. While their weapon choice is better than that of the White or Black Mages, again, they can never truly excel at weapon wielding and must usually stick to the basics,
Red Mages can also equip heavier armor than the other mages, another nod to their more active fighter role. This does not mean that they have the level of defense that a warrior or paladin might have, but as far as mages go it can be very effective for them to be able to take more hits than the average spellcaster.
Red Mages cast both white and black magic, but neither very effectively. The idea with the Red Mage is to have a character that can do both very rapidly, constantly switching from one to another. This can be effective in battles. For instance a Cleric usually tried to avoid enemies in battle an wait for the need to heal to arise. With a Red Mage, you would have a Cleric who would actually be able to output damage in the meantime, so no time goes wasted. Obviously since the Red Mage cannot heal as well as a Cleric or deal as much damage as a Mage, it should definitely be up to the team leader to decide whether or not the team feels comfortable with such a gamble of a character.
The best course of action for a Red Mage would be to try to focus on one field of magic while only learning a little of the other in order to still be well rounded. This way you could have a solid healer that still knows basic offensive spells, or an adept black mage that can still heal in a pinch. The playstyle and usefulness of the Red Mage heavily draws from the ability of the player or leader to influence the mage to fit the team's needs.
The Ranger
The Ranger is the go-to projectiles expert. Sporting a bow or sometimes even a firearm depending on the era of the world of the game, the Ranger is all about dealing consistent physical based damage from across the battlefield, which makes this a safe play style that is great for supporting close-up fighters.
The Ranger's weapons of choice are all range-based, so we see a lot of bows, guns, crossbows, and even hand bombs. Because the Ranger is usually well-versed in all ranged combat, he or she can actually choose which type of projectile to use for the situation at hand. Bows have always been an excellent sniping tool for precise, long distance kills. In a game where a Ranger is traveling by him or herself like Skyrim, the bow is usually the weapon of choice because of it's long range precision. This combined with stealthiness can make for a deadly, nearly invisible opponent. Guns are rarer, but when they are available they seem to be a consistent form of damage, while not being the best. In Final Fantasy 12, guns have the ability to never miss, but in return fire very slowly and deal damage that isn't based off of any stats. The damage may be static, but the consistent long range damage that is guaranteed to hit is sometimes worth it. Crossbows fire more rapidly than regular bows, but the damage seems to be about the same. Their lack of sniping options makes them a less suitable ranged option for smaller teams. And finally hand bombs have followed the same route as guns, providing static damage not based on any stats, but bombs can be coated with poison, stun powder, sleep powder - you name it. They can be a great way to cause splash damage to a group of enemies while adding harmful status effects to the damage as well.
The Ranger wields light armor similar to a thief, but because they are usually away from the combat they can wear slightly heavier armor as they do not need to rely on agility as much as a thief would. Equipment that increases range of sight, critical hit damage (useful for sniping), and adds additional effects to ammo are popular choices. Fire arrows or Electric crossbow bolts are obtainable as a means of dealing elemental damage that technically isn't magic based. So if an enemy is weak to fire, but resistant to magic, fire arrows could be the way to go.
The Ranger has also been known to summon familiars during battle. Familiars are animals or animal spirits that can be summoned into battle to aid the summoner and his or her allies. Since Rangers are in tune with nature and forests, a lot of their summons are creatures found in these areas: wolves, bears, birds, and sometimes even more exotic creatures like tigers or snakes. With a lot of different animals to choose from, they can choose one who's fighting style benefits their own. For example if a Ranger wanted to be a long-range sniper, he or she could summon a Dire Wolf to attack and distract enemies up close while the Ranger gets a free target.
The Ranger's personality seems to match that of a rugged loner. They are used to traveling independently, so their roles in a group of fighters may seem shadowed by a mighty knight or a flashy, thief; however, the Ranger's knowledge of terrain, flora & fauna, and advanced survival skills can actually benefit a team of fighters outside of battle than any other. These fighters are the essential long range fighter when you don't want to have to rely on conserving magic points for a spell caster, or when enemies in the area just resist magic in general.
The Ranger's weapons of choice are all range-based, so we see a lot of bows, guns, crossbows, and even hand bombs. Because the Ranger is usually well-versed in all ranged combat, he or she can actually choose which type of projectile to use for the situation at hand. Bows have always been an excellent sniping tool for precise, long distance kills. In a game where a Ranger is traveling by him or herself like Skyrim, the bow is usually the weapon of choice because of it's long range precision. This combined with stealthiness can make for a deadly, nearly invisible opponent. Guns are rarer, but when they are available they seem to be a consistent form of damage, while not being the best. In Final Fantasy 12, guns have the ability to never miss, but in return fire very slowly and deal damage that isn't based off of any stats. The damage may be static, but the consistent long range damage that is guaranteed to hit is sometimes worth it. Crossbows fire more rapidly than regular bows, but the damage seems to be about the same. Their lack of sniping options makes them a less suitable ranged option for smaller teams. And finally hand bombs have followed the same route as guns, providing static damage not based on any stats, but bombs can be coated with poison, stun powder, sleep powder - you name it. They can be a great way to cause splash damage to a group of enemies while adding harmful status effects to the damage as well.
The Ranger wields light armor similar to a thief, but because they are usually away from the combat they can wear slightly heavier armor as they do not need to rely on agility as much as a thief would. Equipment that increases range of sight, critical hit damage (useful for sniping), and adds additional effects to ammo are popular choices. Fire arrows or Electric crossbow bolts are obtainable as a means of dealing elemental damage that technically isn't magic based. So if an enemy is weak to fire, but resistant to magic, fire arrows could be the way to go.
The Ranger has also been known to summon familiars during battle. Familiars are animals or animal spirits that can be summoned into battle to aid the summoner and his or her allies. Since Rangers are in tune with nature and forests, a lot of their summons are creatures found in these areas: wolves, bears, birds, and sometimes even more exotic creatures like tigers or snakes. With a lot of different animals to choose from, they can choose one who's fighting style benefits their own. For example if a Ranger wanted to be a long-range sniper, he or she could summon a Dire Wolf to attack and distract enemies up close while the Ranger gets a free target.
The Ranger's personality seems to match that of a rugged loner. They are used to traveling independently, so their roles in a group of fighters may seem shadowed by a mighty knight or a flashy, thief; however, the Ranger's knowledge of terrain, flora & fauna, and advanced survival skills can actually benefit a team of fighters outside of battle than any other. These fighters are the essential long range fighter when you don't want to have to rely on conserving magic points for a spell caster, or when enemies in the area just resist magic in general.
Monday, December 3, 2012
The Future of Technology - Comm 352
I believe that although we have made many advances in the realm of technology, the idea of any type of device being integrated into our bodies will not be happening anytime soon. If anything our technology will continue to become more lightweight, streamlined, and include less buttons overall to have a more simple and modern look to it. The idea of having watches built into our arms or mp3 players behind our eyes is just silly when looked at from a medical perspective.
For starters, the body rejects most metal placed into it in general. Ask anyone who has had what is known as a surface piercing where the piercing is placed in the body like a hook. The body quickly rejects even this small piece of metal, and the surrounding area can easily become inflamed, swollen, and infected. If our bodies reject such a small abrasion to the dermis of the skin, how do we expect to have an entire section of our arm converted into a form of machinery? Not to mention how much skin would have to be removed for some type of operation like this to be successful. And that is the most important word: operation. Having any form of technological device placed within our bodies would be a matter of having medical surgery at a hospital. Would you pay your bill for the new device at the front desk? Will Sprint and Verizon have kiosks inside of every hospital? All of these ludicrous ideas may be insightful and even possible someday, but as of right now this would be an insanely unsafe and costly process that we aren't eve ready as a country to test let alone look forward to mass producing.
The other problem with any type of device being embedded into our bodies is the lack of testing time. Even if this were to be a successful surgery with no immediate complications, we would have to monitor the first individuals to have this procedure done their entire life before mass producing something like this. What if thirty years down the line your skin starts to decay and simply won't hold together any longer? We cannot move to quickly with this idea of technology since such a major health risk is being taken. Honestly the same could be said for the 3D craze that we are currently experiencing. What if years from now we came to find that 3D televisions and effects were incredibly stressful to the eyes? Our country's hastiness for bigger and better could eventually be our downfall if we are just blindly moving forward. We need to think practical and affordable, not "cool" and "innovative" when it comes to the future of our technology.
For starters, the body rejects most metal placed into it in general. Ask anyone who has had what is known as a surface piercing where the piercing is placed in the body like a hook. The body quickly rejects even this small piece of metal, and the surrounding area can easily become inflamed, swollen, and infected. If our bodies reject such a small abrasion to the dermis of the skin, how do we expect to have an entire section of our arm converted into a form of machinery? Not to mention how much skin would have to be removed for some type of operation like this to be successful. And that is the most important word: operation. Having any form of technological device placed within our bodies would be a matter of having medical surgery at a hospital. Would you pay your bill for the new device at the front desk? Will Sprint and Verizon have kiosks inside of every hospital? All of these ludicrous ideas may be insightful and even possible someday, but as of right now this would be an insanely unsafe and costly process that we aren't eve ready as a country to test let alone look forward to mass producing.
The other problem with any type of device being embedded into our bodies is the lack of testing time. Even if this were to be a successful surgery with no immediate complications, we would have to monitor the first individuals to have this procedure done their entire life before mass producing something like this. What if thirty years down the line your skin starts to decay and simply won't hold together any longer? We cannot move to quickly with this idea of technology since such a major health risk is being taken. Honestly the same could be said for the 3D craze that we are currently experiencing. What if years from now we came to find that 3D televisions and effects were incredibly stressful to the eyes? Our country's hastiness for bigger and better could eventually be our downfall if we are just blindly moving forward. We need to think practical and affordable, not "cool" and "innovative" when it comes to the future of our technology.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Tablets - Comm 352
As
an owner of a tablet, I can definitely attest to the idea of tablets being “convenient
but unnecessary” in today’s technological age.
Tablets have become so mainstream as of late that they have already
found a place in advertisements and electronic departments regardless of their
novelty. These gadgets offer most of
their utilities in the forms of apps, which makes these devices feel more like
oversized cell phones with no call option.
It seriously limits the usefulness of these devices as they are still
considered mobile devices when the average user is more than likely trying to use
them as a miniature laptop. When the
first article mentions that more and more individuals are trying to replace
their home computers and laptops with these devices, they probably are not
taking this into consideration.
The convenience of the size of these devices is what really sets them apart from the rest of the competition. The Kindle Fire is the size of a standard DVD case, and this is a nice size that falls between the standard cell phone and an iPad. I feel like this size is ideal because it is portable and small enough to be taken anywhere, but large enough to actually interact with the device and its apps that require the interaction. Small enough to safely fit in a small satchel or purse, but large enough to provide a touchscreen that is easily readable an navigable.
That being said, I firmly believe that tablets used for recreational purposes are highly unnecessary. I own one, and I definitely know that I merely use it as an internet device when I’m “too lazy” to just use my laptop. Tablets don’t feature any scroll options, and doing anything too “technical” like typing a document or editing a website cannot be adequately executed on one of these devices.
I am all for using these devices as a fast and easy alternative to the large and “clunky” devices we are used to, but they are in no way a permanent substitute to the technology we already have.
The convenience of the size of these devices is what really sets them apart from the rest of the competition. The Kindle Fire is the size of a standard DVD case, and this is a nice size that falls between the standard cell phone and an iPad. I feel like this size is ideal because it is portable and small enough to be taken anywhere, but large enough to actually interact with the device and its apps that require the interaction. Small enough to safely fit in a small satchel or purse, but large enough to provide a touchscreen that is easily readable an navigable.
That being said, I firmly believe that tablets used for recreational purposes are highly unnecessary. I own one, and I definitely know that I merely use it as an internet device when I’m “too lazy” to just use my laptop. Tablets don’t feature any scroll options, and doing anything too “technical” like typing a document or editing a website cannot be adequately executed on one of these devices.
I am all for using these devices as a fast and easy alternative to the large and “clunky” devices we are used to, but they are in no way a permanent substitute to the technology we already have.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Like If You Agree! - Comm 352
Facebook
has gone from a fantastic and mature social networking site to a steaming pile
of baboon’s excrement that has yet to be cleaned from the floor. What was once a site that you could go to in
order to flee the annoying layouts and instant-playing music on Mysace is now
just turning into more of the same. With
the addition of apps, games, and the dreaded instagram, Facebook is now a site
that people barely use for its
intended purpose: to keep in touch with each other.
I have all but given up on updating most aspects of my Facebook page. My phone number and e-mail are on there, and when I need to contact others I expect to see the same. Nowadays I have to trudge through miles of pictures, invitations, and rants just in order to get anything done. Facebook was once about communication, but now it has evolved into social climbing, like Myspace. What I find the most irritating is “statuses”. The idea of announcing what I am currently doing to the world on a daily basis is absolutely juvenile. In reflection, I don’t even care what people are doing every waking moment of every day. Why is there so much emphasis on this? If it were important life events (“Just got a new job! Come visit me at Burger on a Stick in the mall!”) it would be one thing, but how many pictures of food with a high contrast filter applied to it have you seen? My answer would be about two or three on a daily basis. Food! Why food?! Why do we care what each other are eating daily? And you cooked it yourself? Hooray. You successfully cooked your first grilled cheese with tomato. iCarly must be so proud of you.
It’s the fact that Facebook is being watered down to the same popularity contest that Myspace used to be. I went to Facebook to get away from this, yet it still catches on. People cannot interact socially without needing a hierarchy of “whom is doing better than whom” in their lives. Statuses and information that people display are far from their actual thoughts, and we tend to skew what we say in order for it to be well received by our peers. This falsity is what infuriates me – we simply cannot have a social networking site where people will literally “be themselves”. Because everyone is so caught up on popularity or what people think of them, sites like Facebook are doomed to social conformity that stems from everyone constantly aiming to please others instead of themselves.
I have all but given up on updating most aspects of my Facebook page. My phone number and e-mail are on there, and when I need to contact others I expect to see the same. Nowadays I have to trudge through miles of pictures, invitations, and rants just in order to get anything done. Facebook was once about communication, but now it has evolved into social climbing, like Myspace. What I find the most irritating is “statuses”. The idea of announcing what I am currently doing to the world on a daily basis is absolutely juvenile. In reflection, I don’t even care what people are doing every waking moment of every day. Why is there so much emphasis on this? If it were important life events (“Just got a new job! Come visit me at Burger on a Stick in the mall!”) it would be one thing, but how many pictures of food with a high contrast filter applied to it have you seen? My answer would be about two or three on a daily basis. Food! Why food?! Why do we care what each other are eating daily? And you cooked it yourself? Hooray. You successfully cooked your first grilled cheese with tomato. iCarly must be so proud of you.
It’s the fact that Facebook is being watered down to the same popularity contest that Myspace used to be. I went to Facebook to get away from this, yet it still catches on. People cannot interact socially without needing a hierarchy of “whom is doing better than whom” in their lives. Statuses and information that people display are far from their actual thoughts, and we tend to skew what we say in order for it to be well received by our peers. This falsity is what infuriates me – we simply cannot have a social networking site where people will literally “be themselves”. Because everyone is so caught up on popularity or what people think of them, sites like Facebook are doomed to social conformity that stems from everyone constantly aiming to please others instead of themselves.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
The Paladin - Comm 344
The
next series of classes are Hybrid Classes, or classes that are combinations of
any previous two. These combinations
take strengths and weaknesses from each class, so none of them are typically
overpowered. They also take social
elements from each of the borrowed classes, which create even more distinct
characters with different driving goals.
The first Hybrid class is the combination of the Fighter and the Cleric: The Paladin. The Paladin, or Tower Knight, is a holy warrior that uses the powers of light and the heavens to smite their enemies. They draw tough armor and heavy weaponry from the fighting class, but obtain the religious knowledge of restoration and prayer from the cleric class. This is a very stalwart and defensive class used primarily to outlast an opponent’s harsh advances.
Utilizing heavy equipment used by their fighter counterparts is part of what makes these holy knights such good defenders. By donning mighty armor sets that cause little recoil from hits, the Paladin can fight in the front lines with his fellow heavy-hitters. Although somewhat uncommon of knights to wear In general, Paladins often wear capes with depictions of the God or Goddess they worship adorned on them. This can be seen as a nod to the cleric class, which features robes and flowing garments. Colors like white and gold become common, as they represent divinity and power through holy strength. Weapons tend to have the same focus. Large, heavy weapons like greatswords and steel maces are wielded in a fearsome manner. By enchanting their weapons with holy power, the Paladin is able to use physical attacks with holy properties – something that nearly no other class can do.
Adorning their weapons with holy magic is by far the simplest spell they can cast. They can provide restorative magic in a similar manner to the Cleric, but as front line fighters Paladins would much rather heal through attacking. In Dungeons & Dragons the Paladin has attacks such as Righteous Brand that allow him or her to deal damage with their weapon and convert a portion of the damage dealt into health. This converted health can be used to heal the ally of choice, making this an effective strategy for a front line attacker. This makes it very difficult to defeat a Paladin as they can be constantly attacking and healing simultaneously. Because of their holy lineage they can also provide blessings that do more towards strengthening the party. They can place a mark on an enemy that heals any ally who is to attack the enemy that is marked. This is another example of how a Paladin can heal allies in nontraditional ways that are still quite effective.
The Paladin is a soldier of God (whatever God that might be) and therefore must also behave in a manner as such. The role of being a Paladin is a job, and one that is to be taken very seriously and respectfully. Paladins must only use their powers for good, and are required to aid any traveler they meet as a sign of good virtue to others. This is a class that must remain just as vigilant in battle as they must out of battle. The paladin’s moral alignment literally forces them to be good, or else their title of Paladin is revoked. Obviously this excludes aiding foes, but excessive behaviors such as looting or desecrating dead bodies is strictly forbidden. The Paladin embodies the nature of a priest very well in this respect. You would find it difficult to conceive a Paladin that was considered “evil”, unless he is worshipping a deity with evil intentions, the Paladin is simply following the orders of a higher power.
This unique class offers a more active holy fighter. Where the cleric must remain passive due to their low attack power, the Paladin fearlessly fights onward and illuminates a path to victory.
The first Hybrid class is the combination of the Fighter and the Cleric: The Paladin. The Paladin, or Tower Knight, is a holy warrior that uses the powers of light and the heavens to smite their enemies. They draw tough armor and heavy weaponry from the fighting class, but obtain the religious knowledge of restoration and prayer from the cleric class. This is a very stalwart and defensive class used primarily to outlast an opponent’s harsh advances.
Utilizing heavy equipment used by their fighter counterparts is part of what makes these holy knights such good defenders. By donning mighty armor sets that cause little recoil from hits, the Paladin can fight in the front lines with his fellow heavy-hitters. Although somewhat uncommon of knights to wear In general, Paladins often wear capes with depictions of the God or Goddess they worship adorned on them. This can be seen as a nod to the cleric class, which features robes and flowing garments. Colors like white and gold become common, as they represent divinity and power through holy strength. Weapons tend to have the same focus. Large, heavy weapons like greatswords and steel maces are wielded in a fearsome manner. By enchanting their weapons with holy power, the Paladin is able to use physical attacks with holy properties – something that nearly no other class can do.
Adorning their weapons with holy magic is by far the simplest spell they can cast. They can provide restorative magic in a similar manner to the Cleric, but as front line fighters Paladins would much rather heal through attacking. In Dungeons & Dragons the Paladin has attacks such as Righteous Brand that allow him or her to deal damage with their weapon and convert a portion of the damage dealt into health. This converted health can be used to heal the ally of choice, making this an effective strategy for a front line attacker. This makes it very difficult to defeat a Paladin as they can be constantly attacking and healing simultaneously. Because of their holy lineage they can also provide blessings that do more towards strengthening the party. They can place a mark on an enemy that heals any ally who is to attack the enemy that is marked. This is another example of how a Paladin can heal allies in nontraditional ways that are still quite effective.
The Paladin is a soldier of God (whatever God that might be) and therefore must also behave in a manner as such. The role of being a Paladin is a job, and one that is to be taken very seriously and respectfully. Paladins must only use their powers for good, and are required to aid any traveler they meet as a sign of good virtue to others. This is a class that must remain just as vigilant in battle as they must out of battle. The paladin’s moral alignment literally forces them to be good, or else their title of Paladin is revoked. Obviously this excludes aiding foes, but excessive behaviors such as looting or desecrating dead bodies is strictly forbidden. The Paladin embodies the nature of a priest very well in this respect. You would find it difficult to conceive a Paladin that was considered “evil”, unless he is worshipping a deity with evil intentions, the Paladin is simply following the orders of a higher power.
This unique class offers a more active holy fighter. Where the cleric must remain passive due to their low attack power, the Paladin fearlessly fights onward and illuminates a path to victory.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
The Mage - Comm 344
 |
| Vivi, from Final Fantasy 9 is a stylized version of the classic black mage comprised of dark energy with glowing eyes. |
The mage is the last member
of the original set of four archetypes.
Filling the role of a second magic caster, the mage deals damage
primarily (and almost exclusively) with offensive, powerful, elemental-based
spells. Utilizing fireballs, icicle
daggers, and lightning storms are all just the tip of the iceberg for these
spellcasters. This type of magic is
known as black magic (contrary to the white magic that is used for healing) so
this mage is also known as a black mage is certain connotations.
As far as equipment goes, we see the black mage using the same type of weapons and robes that the white mages use. The weapons can get a little more creative, though. We see the typical staff and rod type weapons used for spellcasting, a common staff user being Vivi from Final Fantasy 9, and Mia & Nash from Lunar Legend (you get two black mages in that game, both focusing on different elements). This is by far the most common weapon used by this class, but interesting alternatives have included animated dolls (Lulu, from Final Fantasy X), and books (Leon, from Star Ocean 2). Lulu sends her doll out to do her bidding, resulting in a weak poke attack that is more comedic than useful, while Leon opens his book to various pages that have different effects (such as a large demon emerging that exclusively hits flying enemies). The idea that the black mage is placing a spell upon his/her own weapon in order for it to be semi useful speaks for the fighting style of this archetype. Overall, the black mage follows the same path as the cleric in that they really should rely on their magic to be effective in combat – which is generally never a problem because these two classes have by far the most magic points of any other class in any game.
The
clothing worn by these mages also resemble that of the cleric. The biggest difference is that the black mage
may have more “witch” or wizard-like clothing like wide brimmed hats and colors
ranging from dark blues to purples and blacks.
The most generic of all black mages is stylized to be a literal black
mass of energy with two yellow eyes, most recently portrayed by Vivi in Final
Fantasy 9. It was also explained in this
game that these creatures were “created” rather than born, and therefore not
human at all. This adds to the
mysteriousness and ambiguity that is associated with this archetype. As for the humans portraying this class they
tend to be sinister, soft-spoken, and quite intelligent (traits that match a
scholar).
The black mages can be some of the most powerful allies consistently throughout the game. Because they focus on the elements, they have the easiest time exploiting an enemy’s weakness. For example, if an enemy is weak to fire, a mage could simply cast a fire-based spell whereas a fighter would have to find a weapon imbued with fire or enchant their weapon. Some black mages even have the ability to create an elemental weakness for an enemy that has none, or has a weakness to a type of element that the spellcaster does not know. This constant heavy damage dealing is separated by spells that often inflict negative status effects on their enemies, such as poison clouds, petrification, confusion, and sleep. This is a great parallel to the white mage who has spells that lift all of these negative effects. The black mages tend to revolve around the elements of fire (ranging from simple fireballs to volcanic eruptions), ice (ranging from a cold gust of wind to a howling blizzard), lightning (ranging from a single lightning bolt to a vicious storm), and earth (ranging from a smashing boulder to a lethal earthquake). At first glance, it seems that black mages should be considered demigods by the way that they can control their environment, and you wouldn’t be too far off.
Aside from elements, non-elemental spells can also be used to deal damage to any enemy without worrying about their resistance to a certain element. Spells like meteor that (surprise) summon a giant meteor from space to annihilate foes. There's also flare, an intense explosion of light, both serve as safe, powerful spells that can do an equally large amount of damage to any enemy that is weak to magic in general, not a specific type. The black mage can also be associated with doom, and the Death spell can cause instant death to an enemy. Although some enemies (and certainly all bosses) are immune to instant-death, to those that do not there is literally no way they can prevent an attack like this, making your job a whole lot easier.
The black mage is definitely one of the heaviest hitters damage-wise when in comes to archetypes. Unlike most other classes, however, this comes with the price of steep magic point costs to some of the higher level spells. Realistically speaking though, how much magic would it take to pull a meteor down from space?! I think that it scales nicely as the black mage might not be the most powerful without magic, but can consistently deal high amounts of damage with a steady flow of magic points coming their way. If you like to deal a lot of damage, exploit enemy’s weaknesses, and fight from a distance then the mage is a perfect choice for your playstyle.
As far as equipment goes, we see the black mage using the same type of weapons and robes that the white mages use. The weapons can get a little more creative, though. We see the typical staff and rod type weapons used for spellcasting, a common staff user being Vivi from Final Fantasy 9, and Mia & Nash from Lunar Legend (you get two black mages in that game, both focusing on different elements). This is by far the most common weapon used by this class, but interesting alternatives have included animated dolls (Lulu, from Final Fantasy X), and books (Leon, from Star Ocean 2). Lulu sends her doll out to do her bidding, resulting in a weak poke attack that is more comedic than useful, while Leon opens his book to various pages that have different effects (such as a large demon emerging that exclusively hits flying enemies). The idea that the black mage is placing a spell upon his/her own weapon in order for it to be semi useful speaks for the fighting style of this archetype. Overall, the black mage follows the same path as the cleric in that they really should rely on their magic to be effective in combat – which is generally never a problem because these two classes have by far the most magic points of any other class in any game.
 |
| Lulu is a beautiful yet harsh woman who is as serious as she is deadly. She animates her dolls to attack for her. |
The black mages can be some of the most powerful allies consistently throughout the game. Because they focus on the elements, they have the easiest time exploiting an enemy’s weakness. For example, if an enemy is weak to fire, a mage could simply cast a fire-based spell whereas a fighter would have to find a weapon imbued with fire or enchant their weapon. Some black mages even have the ability to create an elemental weakness for an enemy that has none, or has a weakness to a type of element that the spellcaster does not know. This constant heavy damage dealing is separated by spells that often inflict negative status effects on their enemies, such as poison clouds, petrification, confusion, and sleep. This is a great parallel to the white mage who has spells that lift all of these negative effects. The black mages tend to revolve around the elements of fire (ranging from simple fireballs to volcanic eruptions), ice (ranging from a cold gust of wind to a howling blizzard), lightning (ranging from a single lightning bolt to a vicious storm), and earth (ranging from a smashing boulder to a lethal earthquake). At first glance, it seems that black mages should be considered demigods by the way that they can control their environment, and you wouldn’t be too far off.
Aside from elements, non-elemental spells can also be used to deal damage to any enemy without worrying about their resistance to a certain element. Spells like meteor that (surprise) summon a giant meteor from space to annihilate foes. There's also flare, an intense explosion of light, both serve as safe, powerful spells that can do an equally large amount of damage to any enemy that is weak to magic in general, not a specific type. The black mage can also be associated with doom, and the Death spell can cause instant death to an enemy. Although some enemies (and certainly all bosses) are immune to instant-death, to those that do not there is literally no way they can prevent an attack like this, making your job a whole lot easier.
The black mage is definitely one of the heaviest hitters damage-wise when in comes to archetypes. Unlike most other classes, however, this comes with the price of steep magic point costs to some of the higher level spells. Realistically speaking though, how much magic would it take to pull a meteor down from space?! I think that it scales nicely as the black mage might not be the most powerful without magic, but can consistently deal high amounts of damage with a steady flow of magic points coming their way. If you like to deal a lot of damage, exploit enemy’s weaknesses, and fight from a distance then the mage is a perfect choice for your playstyle.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)