Document Theme

I needed a design to follow my concept of my game story for my game document. As my game is based on a new planet and being colonised i wanted to create something that would promote a sci fi theme. I looked at space images to help me get an idea of what i could design for a background for my document. Here are some of the images i liked:


http://idowns.net/uploads/090430/1_145537_3.jpg
http://www.star.ac.za/graphics/n11lmc_noao.jpg


http://files.myopera.com/phamlythanh/albums/637848/Space%20Art%20Wallpapers%2026.jpg

I liked the idea of showing the planet on the design document to show both the theme and that the game isn't on earth because this directly makes you think of what the story might be knowing that its going to different game space than if it was based on earth.

Space Research

There are a couple of planets that scientists believe have the same qauities as earth but these can't be proven until we have the technology to send satilites to these distance planets.

My research has shown the closest planet that is earth like is 20.5 light years away a planet called Gliese 581 named after it was found orbiting the red dwarf sun Gliese. Astronomers have identified aprox 400 planets in the last 15 years of looking for earth like planets. This planet fits the habitable area of the "Goldilock zone" *

* "Goldilock zone" is the perfect habitable area of a planets distance from the sun which relates to radiation levels and head levels.

This planet has a mass greater than earth by 3 or 4 times and is locked into postion with the star so one side is light the other is dark. This would be that only one side of the planet is habitable for colozation. The orbit of star is around 37 days.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/science-technology/Astronomers-Find-Potentially-Habitable-Planet-104121519.html

Research on reasons for American war of independence

The cause of the American war of independence:
The war was based around finance and costs, this in particular was about the costs of the Anglo-French wars beforehand. The American land was largely to provide raw materials to Britain and to be consumers of the British manufactured goods. This lead to the realisation of the increasing control and restriction of American trade. Many colonists created a new society without restrictions using timber and the wilderness.

British regulation was lax until they started to exploit the American colonies, They limited expansion of colonies and they there first attempt made a boarder of colonies and Indians but this cut the colony’s of supply areas making the colonies lose a lot of money. Later direct tax from London had been placed onto colonies instead of tax from trade duties which was understandable. This was called the Stamp Act. This friction caused riots and these riots caused the fall of government of lord Grenville.

Rickard, J. (25 May 2003), American War of Independence (1775-1782), http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/wars_american_independence.html

More tax’s lead to the colonists to believe the British were trying to create a absolute authority over America. These fears and ideas had no evidence to support them but the colonists managed to link the new taxs together to raise suspicion.

Smuggling and riots and the idea of British plotting to take over was spreading in America and was even George Washington was believing in the fact. This then lead to British troops stationing themselves in Boston to control lawless conditions.

Research and Story design

My game story during the pitch project was about a post apoplectic earth and this raised some concerns to the viewers and teachers of the pitch due to the amount of post apoplectic already on the market today. My issue was i had based my game around the story and immersion element of the game. Over the last couple of days I've been thinking of ways to change my story it both improve the idea and not to change the plays, style and mechanic ideas i already have.

I got a idea that i feel would work and open up more possibilities for my game and story. My story being based around a war and wasteland has been changed to a newly colonised planet many lightyears away from earth. This gives me a new world to build upon more freely. Designing a game on based on today and earth limits us with what can be real and what is clearly overly fantasy. As i want to make my FPS as real as i can i wouldn't have much freedom to explore new landscapes and areas in my original idea but a new planet will give more change to allow players to view a new fantasy that can be realistic because they haven't experienced it before.

By going with this idea there are some areas i will need to research and understand before i can take on more depth of my story. I intend to look into realistic ideas of colonzing planets and other details of space that may influence my story and make the game seem realistic. Other areas that will help me with this research is looking at films using Avatar by james cameron as an example i can look into other peoples ideas of other planets and issues of living on new worlds. I found out that Wayne Douglas Barlowe wrote a book called 'Expedition' which is a documentary of his experience on a alien world. The book was about documenting his made up adventure but in doing so creating a realistic idea of a alien planet. I would like to try to get this book to read and see how this author has created a new world.

I also want research into the american war of independence and the british empire because i feel that my game will be based around the fall of commutation of two planets leading one to make its own rules and create a world that shouldn't of happened. This is the same idea has how the discovery of new countries by the british empire and how they communicated and the fall of the empire and how america fought to become a country of its own.

Brief

Yesterday we had our brief on what was expected of us for the game document. The brief was very similar to the creating a pitch in the last project so with this i will follow the same steps as i took to create a idea and game but in more detailed way. I also received my feedback from my pitch yesterday as well, there was some things that were mentioned about my idea that would need to be changed to work in the games market today and i understand the reasons and i understand how i can change them for the best in my game.

I will document these idea changes and reasons during my game document while keeping piratical reasons and research parallel with my idea. My first task is to create a study proposal that will indicate to the course directors to how i will go about creating my game design document so they can understand my process of ideas.