Video Game Lab
Playing video games in the class with my peers was a fun experience. We played some of the popular browser games and some of the games made by former students for the class. Below are three of the games I played.
This is the Only Level
This is a platformer game that basically consists of the same layout for each level but has different mechanics for each stage involved. Every stage has the challenge of taking the elephant from the initial tunnel to the final tunnel without dying in the process. The game also involved the mechanics of pattern recognition and strategic planning. It has the dynamics of time pressure involved as well and the aesthetic is that of challenge.
Interview with a Cat!
This game was made in Twine by Anna Anthropy for the class in Spring ’19. It is an interactive game that consists of interviewing a cat named Encyclopedia Frown, who is an investigator. The player can ask the cat a bunch of questions from a list of questions that lead to amusing and funny answers. The game ends when the player selects that they do not have any more questions, at which point the cat goes to take a nap. The aesthetic of the game felt relaxed.
QWOP
QWOP is a platformer game developed by Bennett Foddy. It consists of moving an athlete across the racing track using Q and W to move his right and left thigh muscles, and using O and P to move his left and right calf muscles. It is an extremely challenging game with a simple objective to finish a 100m track race as fast as possible. The aesthetic of the game is that of challenge.
A Critical Connection
A critical connection between both This is the Only Level and QWOP is that both of them are platformer games that consist of a simple objective to move the player to the finishing line. Another similar aspect about the two is that both of them have the aesthetic of challenge.
Differences between observing and playing
One of the biggest differences that I realized between observing and playing is that you tend to make better decisions while observing a player, which is also called backseat gaming. It is also one of the reasons why E-sports has such massive popularity. It is completely different being in the gaming seat yourself making decisions in a split second and advising another playing doing the same. This is what I observed during the game lab as well.
