125 + millon people enjoyed "Call of Duty"

 

 

One of the hit games of the Activision's console FPS series, "Call of Duty" is the game which total 125 million players have enjoyed since 2010. 

Activision announced the recent detail info graphics for the game, also refering the lastest version "Call of Duty : Advanced Warfare". More than 125 million people have enjoyed the game and the number is more than the sum of population of the 300 cities.
Moreover, recent "Call of Duty : Advanced Warfare" is making a huge hit, and total 500 thousand hours were consumed via various channels in the first week of the release, equal to the number of 632 years. The recent game of the series which released with the PS4, Xbox360, and PC version in early November gains popularity now, also the users number is still rising.



Valve Corporation made up new rules for early access model

 

 

Valve Corporation made up the new rules for early access model in the game platform "Steam".

Steam's early access model was the new system released last year, which make the users play the undeveloped games with the discounted prices. Early access model is profitable for the developers too, due to early feedback from the real users.

However, the problem rised on account of 25 percents of the completion rate of the games, thus, Steam decide to enhance the rules for the completeness.  Also, Steam asks  developers to show the early access verison if they sell the product on the market, and price should be same between Steam and the market. Moreover, developers can not make any promise or reveal the plans for the game, to make the users only decide upon current status of the game itself. 

 



Art Idea

Nominees for Game Awards 2014!

 

Up coming award in December 5th in Las Vegas, "The Game Award 2014" announced the nominees for every section.

According to the media, the award announced for the game of the year, developer of the year, best indie game, best mobile game, etc, in 21 sections. The award will contemplate the presents of the game and predict the future market of the game industry.

For the game of the year, nominees are : "Dark Soul 2", "Dragon Age: Inquisition", "Hearthstone : Heroes of Warcraft", "Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor", "Bayonetta 2".

For the developer of the year, nominees are : "Blizzard Ent", "Nintendo", "Ubisoft", "Telltalegames", "Monolith Production". 

For the best mobile game : "Hearthstone", "Monument Valley", "Super Smash Brothers, Three !",  "Bravely Default".
 



Travelers

First person view point on next GTA5

The first person view point mode on the next GTA5 (Grand Theft Auto 5), only applying next version of in Play Station 4, and Xbox One.

According to the press, Rockstar games openes up the different contents of the game before releasing Play Station 4, and Xbox One, and the most remarkable trait is the addition of first person view point mode. The players can experience the action effects which is similar to FPS genre, and the first person view point does not apply to last version such as, PS3 or Xbox 360. The company says it was due to difference of hardware performance. If the player changes mode into first person, and rides on the bike or helicopter, the vision or sound of the player might be limited on account of helmet or goggles.

                          

                                     

 

Watch out for the firmware update!

 

 



It seems that the users of Sony Play Station 4 should not process the firmware update for a while. The bug was found during recent revealed firmware version 2.00 update, which is not change to play mode from suspend mode.
According to the press, the code name "Masamune", code name of version 2.00, has the functionn of uploading the game playing to YouTube or sharing whith other players via internet.
Sony says that users should try to update the console after booting with safe mode, and the company will make the alternative plans for upcoming updates.

Chinese mobile game market grows up fast

 

Chinese mobile games knock on the world market vigorously.

The perception of Chinese game was shoddy, because past Chinese mobile game was just thought as copy cats by players. For example, "Every day pang pang" is the copy of Korea hit mobile game "Any Pang", and "Coffee Lover" as "I Love Coffee". Chinese mobile game "Coffee Lover" even stole the source code of the original game in producing. 

However, with the enormous funds and Chinese government's support, the Chinese mobile games and its market grow up fast. The Chinese government make the foreign companies must release their game though only Chinese publishers exclusively, and supports funds and aids to the domestic companies especially in Beijing and Shanghai. Moreover, Chinese companies tries to attract talented game developers throughout the world. 

 

50 dollars discount on Xbox One

 

Phil Spenser, the head of Microsoft's Xbox devision and Microsoft studios, officially talks about discount sales on Xbox One.

Xbox One, temporarilly goes on sale from November 2 to January 3rd 2015, the price reduces to 349 dollars from 399 dollars, also other bundles and packages would be reduced the same 50 dollars rate.

Microsoft says previously that the purpose of  discount is to give more benefits to users, but Phil Spenser honestly reveals the company's intention to compete against mega hit console, Play Station 4 by Sony.
The discount would give Xbox One being competitive in price comparing to PS4, and huges game titles like "Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare" would be released in the end of the year, which might give synergy effect to Xbox One sales.

Blizzard's new game :Eyes of Azshara

 

Blizzard Entertainment registers new brand, according to the game communties like MMO Champion. The new tradmark is called "Eyes of Azshara", and the game includes downloading service in PC service and Moblie, Portable electronic devices. The fans assume that the new game is specialized in mobile devices, which might be the additional expansion pack of "Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft".

"Harthstone" is popular free card match-up game via PC and tablet PCs, and the Android verison of this game was postponed to next year. Also, the company is searching for new opportunities in mobile game too. Maybe it may reveal in Blizzcon 2014 on November 7th.

Nintendo decide to abolish unlock policy

 

Nintendo shows the possiblity to unlock the local of its console,  Wii U and 3DS.

On November 3rd, Nintendo in the question and answer time following by announcing last performance results, and the company revealed their thought of unlock the consoles. Iwata Satoru, CEO of Nintendo said that they plans to make possible to unlock the console regardless of areas, but the date is still unknown.

Other company like, Sony and Microsoft also had the limitation to unlock the console, but now, only Nintendo retains this policy. Users says that the policy is not suitable for current market, because global market is regared as whole, and some North American users have made a petition to company to remove the local lock.



Kinect gains favor to users

 

The Kinect, Microsoft Xbox's full-body-experience gadget, utilizes in workout and education.

Some of the schools in Korea, uses Kinect in PT classes, the game gadget does not need any extra controller and it detects user's body move or voice reflecting to the TV screen. Kinect has great work out effects because the player must move continuously to enjoy the game.

One of the game "Nike Kinect Training" is more like work out on demand, and the users can experience of personal training. In "Nike Kinect Training", the player not only follows the work out movement, but also he or she can make the goal of oneself, such as "Strong strength", "Awesome muscle", "Slim body". The game keeps checking the player's posture to work out more effectively.

Travelers: The Journey of Dragon Forest

Print and play version, please enjoy it!

Game link:
Small version
"Click this link to download and play my print and play game!"
(Game PDF should print by double side.)
Big version
"Click this link to download and play my print and play game!"

Manual link:
Rule book

Storytelling Illustration‎

Breakfast Drawing

5 Concepts

20 Thumbnails

Results for play test

After play testing my prototype of my board game "Travelers", I got the various feedbacks from my peers and friends to modify and supplement the board game. 

1. How difficult to set up?

The set up was just the average, one map board and the deck of cards. However, the dice is not usual shape (Korean traditional dice) , so some friends told me it might not be easy to get.

2. Do the rules seem clear?

The rules are not complicated (someone said it is quite easy) to try when I taught the game rules to the peers and friends for the first time.

But due to my lacking English ability, there were some of sentences which are vague in the instructions. I will revise my instructions and insert some of the example pictures to make easy to grasp the meanings.  

3. Are there any confusing parts?

First of all, one of my friends points out the dice is little bit weird to cast. Also, the direction (the path) to rotate in the map is confused at first, thus, I decide to add the points on the map.

4. What was unbalanced in this game?

The unbalance of the game exists in the map, due to the direction of the map. The tokens were bumped each other more several than I expected, so I will adjust the number of tokens into 4 to 3 or 2. And also, I will add more lines to make the map more balanced.

5. How was my dice working?

I was little worried that the dice used in my game, is consisted with 4 sticks. Some of peers said it is bit strange to cast the 4 sticks in the board game and some of them was worried that the sticks will always be flipped all the time, but it worked quite okay during the game playing.

6. Is not this game too long?

The game seemed bit longer than I expected, thus I decide to adjust the number of tokens.

7. Is it easy to use the cards?

The cards seem simple in use, however, people use the "Dragon" cards several times, so the rotation was bit fast. I will put more types of card called "Back" and "Go", and reduce the number of "Dragon" cards.

Theme and Concept

Theme and Concept Statement for Board Game

1. My game concept: Adventure, Journey, Walk ahead or Catch up!

2. My game theme is, “Two teams dispatched from the opponent families, start and compete for finishing the journey first.” In my board game “The Journey of Dragon Forest”, the players have to make two teams. There is no limitation of players, but should be an even number players make two teams. Each team has four tokens which represent the travelers, and all four travelers must finish the journey of dragon forest to win as a team. You can hinder or attack the opponent by using dragon power, or you can protect yourself from the attacks too.

3. “The Journey of Dragon Forest” is set in the middle age and it is in the fantasy dragon forest. The families who has powerful influence in the country, had long running feud between each other, and they decided to hold the journey competition once a year. Each family gathers up the team mates who were willing to join the rough journey, and make a team. The teams start life-risking journey on the dragon forest, and the winner team gets the huge prize. Let the competition begin!

4. To support my concept of the game, mostly they are the middle ages, fantasy images or sketches.

These are the rough sketches for the game. On the top, one traveler confronts the dragon, who trys to attack him or her, and other two are the card images for the game; The invisible and dragon slayer.

These are the reference images for the dragon forest, which gives unknown and myterious atmosphere, and the magical mood.

 The game concept is basically, about two families compete each other, and this reference shows what the family emblem would look like. I would like to make two simple emblems of the family.

5. The color palette, I pick the colors which might get along with the fantasy theme, and also, use the colors which are little bit vivid for good printing. Also, eventhough I was inspired by middle age concept, I was trying not to be too old-fashioned. 

Legal suits for the game characters

There are still on going legal heat between celebrites to game companies, and the result might impact to other games.

Lindsay Lohan has been accused of seeking publicity by the makers of Grand Theft Auto after the actor sued, claiming the video game breaches her image rights.

In the lawsuit, which was filed at the New York supreme court, Lohan claimed Rockstar used her voice, image and outfits from her clothing label without permission. She cited the game’s inclusion of Chateau Marmont Hotel in West Hollywood, where the actor once lived, as evidence of image rights violation and claimed unspecified damages on grounds of privacy.

Also,The ex-general, Manuel Noriega, filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard Inc. in Los Angeles County Superior Court on July, accusing the company of using his name and likeness in the best-selling game “Call of Duty: Black Ops II” .

Combine and Making Game

RISK AND STAR WARS MONOPOLY

BY: NICK MARTEN, POGI CHOW, YOUNG HAN KIM
2~4 Player Game


Main Objective: Capture Nuclear bomb for 3 turns to kill everyone
Rules: Players Play as a ruler commanding their army to go capture a Nuclear Bomb. They all start on separate parts of the board with 10 pieces representing their army. In order to capture the nuclear bomb they must get 5 of their pieces representing their army to the territory where the bomb is.  

Moving: In order to move you roll your single die and whatever the die lands on depicts the amount of spaces, or territories, a single piece of your army can move. The amount of movements is not restricted to one piece but can be shared with other pieces. So, if you rolled a 6, you can move on piece 4 spaces and another piece 2.
Gaining or losing cash: At the beginning of every single one of your turns you are required to draw a monopoly card, and whatever the card indicates, is the amount of money you gain or lose.

Killing other Players: You can kill other players by having more pieces when moving into the same territory as your opponent, but you are only left with the difference of pieces after that movement. So if you have 6 pieces and your opponent has 4 when moving into the same territory, you win this battle in that territory but are left with only 2 pieces.
Spawning more pieces: You can grow your army by buying more pieces, but the downfall is it is done through a faulty teleportation device. So you pay 300 dollars for each piece you want, and then you draw a card. Whatever territory the card indicates is where you newly bought army will spawn.
Game Ending: The game ends when a player has control of the nuclear bomb for 3 turns. The only way someone can capture the bomb from another player is by killing them, by having more players and landing in the same territory

10 Observation Drawings