Even more research....

I've been thinking alot about what to do with the central areas of my levels. i.e rest hubs, puzzle rooms and combat areas. I've wanted to keep the idea that my level becomes a twisted reality so i've looked into some of the strange/different civilizations of the past. Some of the Inca and Mayan architecture brings back memories of Tomb Raider. The designs of the buildings seem perfect for maze layouts and traps. I personally believe that these civilizations led a basic life governed by spiritual belief and physical survival. I think this could lead to some scary character designs in loin cloth.
      I'm also researching a little on buried bodies. I've stopped short of taking a shovel with me. I'm not interested in the gross stuff but in the way people have been entombed. I found some fascinating imagery on pompei in which a volcano erupted and covered the city in ash.

More Research

I have looked into more imagery for my level design inspiration. I have yet to think about the actual design of the level but I like the idea of using dark claustrophobic tunnels to connect the various sections of my level together. Now if only I could decide what to do with the main explorable areas. hmm...

Release schedule

What has happened at this time of year. All the best games are coming out two months before xmas. I can't wait that long and can't justify spending all my money on them before then. Help! Thank god its my birthday soon or I'd realy be in trouble.

On a side note Deux Ex Human Revolution is £14.99 at play.com today. Thats more like it.

Level Ideas

I'm happy with my text helping me to design a level. As my original text is from a childrens story I would like to flip it on its head and make it into a 3rd person survival horror. I think it would work out well within the context of the book I have been influenced from. I maybe getting a little ahead of myself, but here is some imagery that suits the kind of theme I would like my level to have and ideas for enemy designs. Little one's look away now!

Batman Returns

Just completed Arkham City. GOTY............. Possibly.


I'm Batman.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRWj36_VQo4

level ideas. James, Ryan, Adam, Martin

I've been thinking about the boss battle at the and of our level. Having watched I,robot recently I like the idea of the boss being an AI instead of a larger robot. It would try to defend itself from the player by sending in waves of robots. Once these have been defeated the player would be able to use the lasso to access the AI's control pannel. By keeping the lasso attached to the control panel for a set period of time (say 5 seconds) the lasso will be seen charging up and then releasing a high voltage attack into the control pannel of the AI. This could be repeated maybe 3 times or so with each defensive waves of robots triggered becoming more intense. Once the AI has been defeated the player has completed the level. The defeated AI could possibly be inherited by the character and upgrade there abilities.

Level layout

Just realised I can blog on the train home. How cool. Anyways. I think we should have some side scrolling elements to our rooms that we have designed otherwise some of the exploration will be lost if the player can see the whole route on a single screen. For some reason I didn't think of this sooner, D'oh!

Here we go again!

Grand Theft Auto 5 officially announced today. I can hear the printing presses already. Bring'em on.

GPD Done. I hope!

I think its done. I think i've finally finished it. YEEHAWW!!! I wasn't too sure about what was required for my environment explanation, so I've just put down what came to me realy. Hope it's alright.

GTA cause of murder again!!!!

SERIOUSLY!!! Who believes this rubbish! I'm gona try my best not to swear on this one but i'm not promising.

Read an article online today about a guy who murdered a crew member on board a submarine by shooting him in the head. It has apparently been published today in the press with the Front page title "I'll do a GTA style massacre". Apparently the murderer admitted to a friend that he was intending to go on a killing spree style of massacre like in GTA.

NOW. Is it me or should that not have started ringing alarm bells as loud as big bloody ben inside the head of his so called friend. Don't get me wrong I can take a joke, but really! What happerns now is the entire case is not only to prosecute the guilty, but incriminate the evidence that has been used in his defence. I feel sorry for the people of DMA Design and Rockstar games to have there Flagship title torn to shreds yet again and labeld as nothing more than a murder simulator by the press. I understand a lot of people will play the game with nothing more than murderous intent. Its exciting to be on the run from the police as an assassin or a hit and run maniac. The game allows you to do this, but also punishes you when you get caught. If the press believe we are all influenced by playing games this way then it means my drive to work in the morning may become a little more interesting atleast.

I can't believe people fall for such simple excuses. I don't believe I have become a murderer through playing games for over 25 years. There are other reasons that should be inquired about as to why what has happened. If we get GTA banned in this country because of small minded fools then I'm off to read the catcher in the rye.

Hi everybody

Umm. Not sure what to write in here for my first blog. I suppose a little more information about my-self would be a start. I am 31 and have been gaming since I was probably about seven or eight. I remember my old fella buying me a Commodore 64 for my bday, as he wanted me to learn a little about computing because he thought it was the future! The programs were written in commodore basic and to me as a little'un made no sense at all... even now i'm still stumped when I think about it. Anyways programing didn't interest me so i began playing the games that came with it. It had a box set of olympic games and i remember playing track and field till my arms hurt and the joystick broke through furious waggling. I collected lots of games some of which remain classics in my eyes. Rainbow Islands, Clumsy Colin, Kick Start, Monty Mole, Dizzy, Bruce Lee, International Karate, The Last Ninja series and many more. It makes me smile that some of these games are now available through emulators on ios. Unfortunatly they're not as graphicaly amazing as they once were but the gameplay is still there alas a little simple compared to todays efforts. And hey atleast they don't have to be loaded by tape anymore with a loading screen that probably introduced alot of people to being epoleptic.