Game Sketch-The Son of the Sea

The Son of the Sea-Backstory

In the time of Emperor Alexius Kole, the lands of Norcrest (Chaotic evil) and Silverspell (Lawful good) are at war with each other, and in the middle of these two warring nations in the land of Roseiron, the centre of the neutral territory. Up until now the land of Roseiron had been left out of the war, as per the agreement struck by the leaders of the lands and the Emperor years ago, as the land of the Roseiron holds the world’s most important landmark, the Tree of Kaedrith. The Tree of Kaedrith regulates all life in the world, and is the reason for all life in the lands. In order to keep this agreement fair, the Land of Norcrest was given the Salve of Earth, a sacred medicine that could be used to revive the tree if it was ever damaged or destroyed, a mysterious blessing from the God of the Earth. The Land of Silverspell was given the Spirits Sceptre, the only object in the world that could destroy the Tree of Kaedrith. With this, there was balance and harmony between the Lands for centuries, until one day the Land of Norcrest declared war on Silverspell out of the blue, and began laying waste to their lands, however due to the Tree of Kaedrith’s power the forces of Chaos could not do much damage. One day though, that all changed as the Spirits Sceptre was stolen from Silverspell, and was brought to the land of Roseiron to destroy the Tree of Kaedrith. With the tree destroyed and the only way to save it in the hands of the Chaos forces, they became unstoppable, and it was all the land of Silverspell could do to not be decimated. This is where your story begins. You awaken on your eighteenth birthday to your village of Aellyn, the centre of the Roseiron and the protectors of the Tree of Kaedrith, being burnt to the ground by a dark wizard, a soldier of the Chaos forces wielding the Spirits Sceptre and burning his way through the village towards the Tree of Kaedrith. Without thinking you grab a weapon from the ground and charge the man. He turns towards you and laughs, then sends a bolt of fire straight towards you. Suddenly, a blue glow envelopes you and absorbs the brunt of the impact, but still sends you flying backwards into a pile of rubble, knocking you unconscious. The last thing you hear is the demonic laughing of the wizard, who screams “I am Fevero, Destroyer of the Tree of Kaedrith”.

The game is be a 3D fantasy adventure RPG where you control your hero on an epic quest to save the world from the forces of chaos and save the Tree of Kaedrith. The choices you make along the way will affect the way people react to you and peoples attitudes to you will change. The game will allow you to play the way you want to, as the experience you gain from defeating your enemies can be used to level your character however you wish, ranging from an brave knight to a fiery sorcerer. You will meet a lot of people, some good, some bad, but you must trust in your instincts and you must prevail, else see the world you live in fall to ruin.

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Pixels and Types of Digital Graphics

BTEC Level 3 Games Design

Unit 78-Digital Graphics for Computer Games

Pixel

The term pixel comes from the words picture element, and is the smallest part of an image or display that a computer is capable of displaying. It is the most basic unit programmable colour on a computer image or display. “A pixel is a point sample. It exists only at a point. For a colour picture, a pixel might actually contain three samples, one for each primary colour contributing to the picture at the sampling point.” A quote from Alvy Ray Smith explaining that a pixel is not a square. http://alvyray.com/Memos/CG/Microsoft/6_pixel.pdf      

Picture Resolution

Resolution refers to the number of pixels in an image. Resolution is sometimes identified as the height and width of the image, as well as the total number of pixels in the image. An example of this would be having a picture that is 1080 pixels high and 1920 pixels wide, and that would contain 2073600 Pixels.

Image Resolution

Linking in with picture resolution, image resolution refers to the quality of the image. In basic terms, as the resolution goes up the quality of the image goes up, it becomes more defined and sharper due to the fact that there is more pixels in the same small space. For example, a phone has a certain number of dots in the space of the screen, and the more pixels you have in these dots on the screen, the better the quality of the image as there is more information in the dots.

Intensity

Each pixel that is in the image has a pixel value which determines how bright and/or what colour the pixel should be. In terms of binary images, the pixel has a one-bit number which determines whether it is in the foreground or the background. Continuing on, in grayscale images, the pixel value is a single number that will represent the brightness. The most common format of a pixel is the byte image, where the pixel is given an 8-bit integer ranging from 0-255, where 0 generally represents black, and 255 white, with different scales of grey in-between. In order to represent colour images separate red, green and blue components must be assigned to each pixel, so the pixel value is actually a vector of three numbers.

Types of Digital Graphics

Raster Images

Raster graphics are digital images that have been created or captured as a set of samples in a given space. A raster is a grid of x and y coordinates, and for 3D images then it will also have a z coordinate. A raster image will identify which of these coordinates that they will need to illuminate in either monochrome or colour values. A raster file can also be referred to a bitmap due to the way that the image is mapped out onto the display grid. Raster files are usually larger than vector images, and they are difficult to modify without losing a lot of information. Examples of Raster image file types are BMP, TIFF, GIF and JPEG.

Vector Images

Unlike Raster images, vector images are not made up of a grid of pixels, but are instead comprised of paths that are defined by a start point and end point, with curves, angles and other points along the way. These paths can be a line, or can make up a shape such as a triangle or a square. These paths can be used to create simple drawings or complex shapes. Due to the fact that vector images are not made up of a specific number of dots, they can be blown up to a larger side and not lose any quality. Examples of Vector image file types are AI, EPS, SVG and DRW

File Extensions

A file extension is a way of showing the type of computer file, and gives a clue about what program the file should be opened with. In general, file extensions are three letters long and come after the name of the file. An example of a file extension would be .TXT which just are just text files.

Compression

Compression is a reduction of in the number of bits               

needed to represent data. By compressing data you can save storage capacity, speed file transfer, and can decrease the costs for storage hardware and network bandwidth. Compressing data can be either a lossless or lossy process. Lossless compressions enables you to restore the file to its original state, without the loss of s ingle bit of data. This is generally done with executables, along with text and spreadsheet files as loss of words and numbers would change the information of the file. In comparison, lossy compression permanently deletes redundant data, which is useful for graphics and audio where losing some data bits has no effect on the content.

Image Capture   

There are a lot of different ways to capture images to put into games. For example, you can use cameras and phones to take photos, or you could draw something and then scan it in.

Optimising

When you optimise something you essentially increase efficiency or general performance of something. In images, you have to make sure you get the balance between the size of the image file and the quality of the image right. It is important to think of the target destination of the image; where it will end up. You also have to think about bit depth. By decreasing the bit depth your image will have a smaller file size, but the quality will go down as the volume of colour per pixel will go down, and your image may look dull. Image resolution is also a factor, as having a higher resolution of image will increase the file size, but the quality will also increase as a result. Image dimensions also factor in, changing the height and width of the image will not change the amount of pixels within the image, and they will just have a cover a larger space, making the quality of the image go down.

Storage of Image of Assets

Storage of image assets is very important as it helps with storing things like textures and graphics in order for other people to access them. Making sure they are named appropriately is important in order to help smooth the process, especially when making games as you may have two types of something so it is important that whoever may be using these assets will be able to easily differentiate between the two, even more so when working in teams who all need access to these files. For example, if you are creating a 2D platform game where you will be jumping onto different blocks, you would need to define these different blocks by calling them something like block_red or block_blue. It is important for things to run smoothly in games design as there are a lot of deadlines that have to be met, such as the release date.

Video Games Genres

Genre Name	Genre Description	Genre Example
FPS	FPS stands for first person shooter, a game that is played from the perspective of the characters eyes. In general the idea of the game is to kill enemies, usually soldiers of some kind, and this can be done either offline against AI controlled enemies, or online against other players. When playing FPS games the view is generally of you holding a type of weapon.	Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is an example of an FPS game. It uses the IW 4.0 engine designed specifically for the CoD series. The plot involves ultranationalist Russians taking control of the Russian federation, and performing acts of terrorism in Europe and the US. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_of_Duty:_Modern_Warfare_2 Although the general focus of the game is on the multiplayer aspect of the game, the campaign contains linear, fast paced missions that must be completed in order to advance the main storyline. The multiplayer has a large amount of game modes to choose from, ranging from the traditional Team Deathmatch, to games such as Search and Destroy, and Domination. In general this is a game with a great multiplayer aspect, but is mediocre with its single player campaign, a trend for the majority of shooters.
Survival Horror	The Survival Horror genre’s main focus is that of trying to create fear and tension whilst trying to stay alive in conditions where the player is made to feel less powerful than the other enemies in the game. These games tend to make use of stereotypical horror tropes such as dark mazes or surprise attacks by enemies. The fact that the player is generally under equipped or has a lack of equipment, the genre focuses more on puzzle solving and evasion, although some games incorporate combat into their games through first or third person shooter aspects.	An example of a Survival Horror game would be Resident Evil 4. The story of Resident Evil 4 follows the U.S. government special agent Leon S. Kennedy, who is sent on a mission to rescue Ashley Graham, the U.S. President's daughter who has been kidnapped by a sinister cult. Traveling to a remote rural area of Europe, Leon fights hordes of violent villagers and mutated monsters, and reunites with the mysterious spy Ada Wong. The game pioneered and popularized the "over the shoulder "third-person view perspective in video games.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resident_Evil_4
RPG	RPG stands for Role-Playing game, and involves the player taking control of a character, or characters, in a fictional land. They focus mostly on story and narrative elements and developing your character throughout the game through some kind of leveling system.	Skyrim is an example of a Role Playing game where the player takes creates and takes control of their own character, and then developments them throughout the game to make them stronger by completing quests and defeating enemies. Skyrim’s main story revolves around the player character and their effort to defeat Alduin the World-Eater, a dragon who is prophesied to destroy the world. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_V:_Skyrim .Skyrim’s gameplay gives the player access to an expansive open-world where they can do whatever they wish to do, allowing them to role-play fully in whatever role they want to play. Due to the fact that the main quest can be ignored after the first section, it allows players a lot of freedom within the game. The open world consists of dungeons, large cities and small villages and large wilderness expanses.
Puzzle	Puzzle games are exactly as they sound, they involve the player to solve puzzles, which usually allows them to move onto the next level, which is a similar puzzle, just with a small increase in difficulty. Puzzle games can test many skills when solving them, such as logic or pattern recognition.	Candy Crush Saga is a match three puzzle game where players must match three or more candies of the same colour in order to remove them, and gain points needed in order to move onto the next level of the game. When matching more than three candies in a row special candies are formed which allow the player to removes more candies when they can match the special candies in a row with regular candies of the same colour.
Strategy	The strategy video game genre focuses on planning ahead and tactical thinking in order to win the game. There is an emphasis on challenges that may be strategic, tactical or sometimes even logistical. Strategy games are generally categorized into four sub types, whether that be real time or turn based, and whether the games focus is on that on strategy or tactics.	Civilization V is an example of a strategy game, more specifically a turn-based strategy game.  In Civilization V, the player leads a civilization from prehistoric times into the future on a procedurally generated map, achieving one of a number of different victory conditions through research, exploration, diplomacy, expansion, economic development, government and military conquest. The game is based on an entirely new game engine with hexagonal tiles instead of the square tiles of earlier games in the series.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilization_V Players must manage units such as soldiers and workers, and decide which buildings to build on their turns in order to create a powerful nation capable of defeating the other players, AI or human, through the different winning conditions.
Sport	A sports game is game that allows the player to experience and simulate a real world sport without actually playing it. Some games emphasize playing the sport, whilst other games of the sport genre focus on the management side of the game.	In the game FIFA 15 you simulate playing the game of football through different modes. The most popular mode on this game is that of Ultimate team where players can build teams from players they have brought on a marketplace on gained in packs in order to create their team, which they can then take online to face off against other players teams. Other modes include the player career mode where you create your own player and control him when playing, taking him from youth prospect all the way through to the best player in the world.
Fighting	The fighting genre in video games involves the playing control an on-screen character and facing off in close combat against one other character, which could be AI based or controlled by another human. These matches usually are fought in an arena of some kind are usually several matches long. Players must use aspects of the game such as blocking, counter attacking and the use of chaining moves together in order to defeat your opponent. In the majority of fighting games the player is allowed to enter special button combinations in order to execute a powerful special attack.	Mortal Kombat X is an example of a fighting game in which two players, or one player and an AI opponent, engage in combat using a variety of different characters and character specific moves in order to defeat their opponent. Fighters are able to interact with the environment, bouncing off areas to reposition themselves or using parts of the environment as weapons. In addition, each fighter has three different variations, each featuring a different set of moves they can use during the fight: for example, the character Scorpion features a Ninjutsu variation in which he wields dual swords, a Hellfire variation which relies more on fiery special moves, and an Inferno variation which allows him to summon hell spawn minions to aid him in the fight. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortal_Kombat_X
Adventure	In the adventure genre of video games the player takes control of the main protagonist in a game which is driven by storytelling and puzzle solving. The majority of adventure games are heavily designed for single player use as encompassing heavy storytelling within a multiplayer setting can be difficult. They can come in different forms such as Graphic adventures and interactive fiction, among others.	Telltales the walking dead is an episodic interactive adventure game in which the player controls the protagonist, Lee, throughout the story, making decisions that affect the whole story. The story focuses on Lee, a university professor and convicted murderer, who rescues and the cares for a young girl named Clementine. The Walking Dead does not emphasize puzzle solving, but instead focuses on story and character development. The story is affected by both the dialogue choices of the player and their actions during quick time events, which can often lead to, for example, certain characters being killed, and an adverse change in the disposition of a certain character or characters towards Lee. The choices made by the player carry over from episode to episode. Choices were tracked by Telltale, and used to influence their writing in later episodes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Walking_Dead_(video_game)#Plot
Text-Based	A text game or text-based game is a video game that uses text characters instead of bitmap or vector graphics. Text-based games were a popular form of interactive fiction in the 1980s.	Zork is set in "the ruins of an ancient empire lying far underground". The player is a nameless adventurer "who is venturing into this dangerous land in search of wealth and adventure". The goal is to return from the "Great Underground Empire" alive with the treasures, ultimately inheriting the title of Dungeon Master. The dungeons are stocked with many novel creatures, objects and locations, among them grues, zorkmids, and Flood Control Dam #3—all of which are referenced by subsequent Infocom text adventures. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zork
Platform	A platform game is a genre of video game that involves the player guiding a character over jumps between suspended platforms or over obstacles, or sometimes both, in order to progress through the game. The player is generally able to control the character whilst they’re jumping, which allows them to complete these jumping puzzles. The element of these games which unifies them is the ability to jump, therefore games that have an automated jump feature such as the Legend of Zelda series, fall out of this category.	Super Mario 3D Land is a platform game which utilizes jumping onto platforms in order to complete the level. However, unlike previous Mario games in uses both 2D side scrolling and 3D roaming in order to create more diverse puzzles, thanks to the 3DS’ 3D mechanics. Similar to previous Mario games, the plot involves Mario trying to save Princess Peach after she has been kidnapped by Bowser again.

Computer Games Graphics

Computer Games Graphics

Pixel Art

Pixel art is the use of 2D and 3D isometric sprites which are edited on the pixel level in order to create objects and characters within the game. 2D sprites such as the retro Mario can only move side to side with limited movement and can only be seen from one side. 3D isometric sprites are sprites that can be seen as 3D images but are on a 2D plane.  


An example of pixel art is the retro Mario game where you can see the pixels within the sprite which have been used to create the character.







Concept Art

Concept art is the art that the majority of the ideas within the game are based off of. This can include the main character, enemies and environments within the game, among other things. They are usually print media, be it drawings or paintings, or it could be 3D models of early designs of characters. 
This concept art is of the Silver Knights within Dark Souls. In the image you can see the different drawings that create the whole character.









Texture Art

The texture art is the art of the surfaces within the games, taking textures from the real world and transferring them into the game. In photo realistic games, for example, the texture art has to look as real as possible in order for the game to look as real as possible. Texture art involves creating the most realistic textures in for the whole game, even the smallest surfaces. They are used to help floors and walls look correct, and help the game increase immersion and increase the visual edge of the game.  


In this image of The Last of Us you can see the wall at the back has been textured to look old and cracked and worn away.






Background Graphics

Very similar to texture art, the background graphics are used to create the most realistic background to the game as possible. This can include the clouds and the sky, or forests in the background of the games, or the walls within the game. In some games the background may not be something that is the primary focus, but in other games in is important to have a vibrant background to help to add to the games atmosphere.


Fallout New Vegas is a good example of background graphics as you can see from the image the sky in the background looks very realistic and helps to add to the immersion of the game.






In-game Interface

The in-game interface is the, for example, a heads up display. These interfaces help to show your health or lives within the game, and in games such a first-person shooters, the screen may flash red to indicate when you are taking damage. Other examples of in-game interfaces may be the mini-map within the game and the menus that you interact with whether that be to save the game, or delete the game etc. 


Within this image you can see the in-game interface on the screen of Borderlands 2. You can see the health and armour in the bottom left of the screen, the experience bar in the bottom centre, ammo in the bottom right, and in the top left you can see the mini-map.


Print Media

Print media in video games is things such as the manual or the game packaging. The print media is generally things that aren’t “in-game”, and usually come with the game. An example of Print Media would be the box art, which has to be eye-catching and interesting in order to entice people to buy the game. Box art is generally less important within well-established franchises such as CoD as they will already have a dedicated fan base who are going to buy the game, but for smaller games they have to make their print media stand out in order to draw customers. Other examples of print media in video games would be labels and posters. 

The cover of Dishonored is an example of print media within video games. It’s striking and interesting which would interest people if they saw it within a shop of online.  

Artistic Styles in Video Games

Artistic Styles

In the games industry there are a variety of different art styles used for all games. I will be researching theses artistic styles and providing examples of each. Some of these art styles include photorealism, cel shading and exaggeration, yet there are some games that cross these styles and merge together.  

Photorealism

The art style of photorealism is the act of trying to create something in a game that looks as realistic as possible, whether that be an object, character or a background within the game. This is done by taking images of real objects and then texturing to make them look as real as possible. The Photorealistic style is mainly used in games such as first person shooters such as the Call of Duty series in order to add more detail to the world that they’re creating and the objects within the game, such as the weapons etc. This helps to add to the immersion of the game, and can help draw the player into the gaming world. In general, photorealistic games take up a lot more space, which is why they can sometimes come on more than one disk.
Call of Duty is an example of a photorealistic game where everything is made to look as real as possible, as shown by the realistic looking trees and the gun in the characters hand.






Cel Shading

Cel Shading is an art style within gaming that is used to make everything look hand drawn, usually used to make a game look more cartoon like. They are in general the opposite of the photorealistic style, and use bright colours in order to make it feel more like a comic book. It helps to give a more simplistic style to the game.

An example of the Cel shading art style is Telltales the Walking Dead series. The bright colours and the bold edges of the character help to give it a cartoon, hand drawn feel.






Exaggerated 

The exaggerated art style in games in more commonly used in anime games. This art style concentrates on using over the top graphics in order to create a game that, at first glance, may not look like it should be taken very seriously. It is usually used in party games such as Mario Party or Warioware in order to create a more fun game that doesn’t have to be taken very seriously. This art style uses exaggerated proportions in characters in order to create more dramatic expressions, whether that be for humour or otherwise. This is used to make the games look very similar to anime where the proportions in that are also much exaggerated. 
Final Fantasy X is an example of exaggerated art style, mainly showcased in the hairstyles of the characters, which are slightly exaggerated and out of proportion. 







Abstraction

Abstract art often involves lots of shapes and lines which do not represent any kind of real life objects. This art style is mainly used for arcade like games, but is still used in some games today. They generally use vivid colours in order to make the game stand out, such a geometry wars which uses bright colours to help enhance the fast paced nature of the game.
Tetris is a game that uses abstraction as its art style as it uses geometric shapes to create the game.










Retro

The retro art style generally refers to games that are usually a lot older, such as the old Legend of Zelda games. These games generally use pixel art to create their characters. Although this art style was used a lot within old games, it is still used today, and games such as Terraria use this art style in order to create their game. 


The Legend of Zelda is an example of a retro game style as it uses pixel art to create its characters and enemies, as you can see by the pixelated characters in the image.












Mixtures of art styles

In some cases, some art styles mix together and cross over in order to create a game with influences from both art styles.
In this image of the Legend of Zelda Windwaker, the games art style is a mixture of both cel shading and exaggeration. In general, the game looks very cartoony, which shows the use of cel shading within the game. However, the large eyes of the character show the use of the exaggeration art style within the game.

Ethics In Video Games

Ethics in video games

Games in Society

Excess playing time-There are many negative effects that can come from playing an excessive amount of video games, with some being physical effects, whilst others being mental effects and even effects that don’t affect you but effect those around you. One physical symptom associated with excess playing of video games is carpal tunnel syndrome which occurs when the main nerve between the forearm and the hand is squeezed, which can occur when playing a lot of computer games, or holding a console for too long. An example of the hugely negative effects of excessive playing of video games is that a three-month-old South Korean girl starved to death after her parents repeatedly left her alone for 12-hour stretches to rendezvous at a local Internet cafe, where they were nurturing a virtual child through a computer game known as “Prius Online.”

Source- http://realtruth.org/news/100310-002-society.html

Social Isolation- An immediate consequence of playing video games is that it can lead to less social interaction with other people due to the fact that they’re playing video games instead. This can occur especially in children as they want to spend less time out with their friends, and would rather rush back home in order to continue playing a game that they had started. In the long term this can affect their abilities to socialize, and have a lack of social skills later in life.

Cost-On the surface of it, video gaming is already an expensive hobby to pursue, with the cost of buying a console alone can cost £100’s to buy. Add that to having to buy games to play along with that can leave people spending a huge amount of money on video gaming. However, the cost is even greater than that as just in monetary terms you also have the option to buy things within games, sometimes needed to progress through the level, not to mention monthly subscriptions in order to play certain games, and time costs put into playing video games. In South Korea, for example, they have implemented the ‘Shutdown Law’ which stops players under the age of 16 from excessing games after midnight.

Source- http://edition.cnn.com/2011/11/22/world/asia/south-korea-gaming/

Separation from reality- Due to the affects that playing video games can have on peoples social skills, especially in children, it can lead to blurring of the lines between the real world and video game worlds. The time spent on video games can really affect the scope in which these people can interact with other people, leading them to believe that the real world is more like a video game world, and therefore act and behave the way that they would normally inside a video game. An example of this is shown by the fact that younger children who have access to playing or watching games act more aggressively in the class room and act out more graphic scenes from the games that they have either seen or played.

Source- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-17600454

Benefits- Despite the amount of articles in the news that say that video games and video gamers have negative impacts on the rest of society, the truth is that there are a lot of benefits to playing video games. Playing video games can help improve people’s hand-eye coordination and reactions, and drivers have even cited that the reasons that they have managed to avoid head on collisions with other drivers due to their improved reactions from playing video games. Other benefits include perception, memory, attention and decision-making.

Source https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201502/cognitive-benefits-playing-video-games

Thinking and strategy skills- Scientists from Queen Mary University of London and University College London recruited 72 female volunteers and measured their "cognitive flexibility," described as a person's ability to adapt and switch between tasks and think about multiple ideas at a given time to solve problems.

Source- http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/playing-video-games-boost-strategic-thinking-article-1.1433812

Impact on ‘Mainstream’ application development- Games and gaming technology is constantly developing, therefore there is always a demand for more advanced hardware and gadgets in order to gain access to these new developments. An example of this is the recently announced HoloLens by Microsoft and Valve in order to allow people to play games in a virtual reality, which allows the games to come to life all around them, instead of just being on a screen. Add this to the increasing number of 3D televisions on display nowadays and it is proof that there is a mainstream impact by gaming.

Source- http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/armed-with-hololens-microsoft-goes-all-in-on-vr-with-oculus-valve/

Psychological factors

Sound- The use of sound in video games helps to create immersion within the game, making it seem more realistic, and helps to draw the player into the world. Sound is also used to help reinforce the feeling of when a gamer has done positively or negatively within the game, with upbeat music for completing a level, or sad, depressing music for a death or failure of some kind. This can help players become better at the game as it lets them know what not to do within the game, or lets them know that they’re doing something right. Sound is usual used to help increase the emotional experience of the game, and thus create a better experience for the gamer.

Source- http://www.contentedwriter.com/psychological-effects-of-computer-gaming-on-individuals-and-society/

High Score Listings- In earlier games, high scores were used to make people feel superior about their performance in a video game. However, it could also cause people to become obsessed about being the best and having the highest score. It was documented in the real-life documentary film King of Kong: A fistful of Quarters (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0923752/, http://www.gamesradar.com/the-story-behind-king-of-kong/) which highlights the emotional struggles of players competing to get the high score within the game. People always like to compare they’re results within any walk of life, and videos gaming is no different. High score listings also act as a positive thing however as they let people come up with new ways to improve themselves and their performance, which can lead to strong problem solving skills later in life.

Source- http://www.contentedwriter.com/psychological-effects-of-computer-gaming-on-individuals-and-society/

Competitive Games- Competitive gaming is positive experience for many. Due to the advances of technology it allows people to compete all the time on video games. Being able to communicate cooperate with them allows people to make friends with people they might never have met before. Furthermore, friendly competition helps to bring out the best in each other as each person is trying to outdo the other and perform better. It helps to boost social skills and help to create a group of liked minded friends and associates. However, it is worth noting that within a small number of people competitive gaming can have a negative effect on some people, leading to increased aggression due to not being able to complete certain puzzles or being outperformed by another player can lose people to lose their tempers and act aggressively or even violently. Gamers playing competitive games also showed increased heart rate during and after gameplay. This shows that they are effected by the game and it effects them both psychologically and physically.

Source- http://www.contentedwriter.com/psychological-effects-of-computer-gaming-on-individuals-and-society/

Peer Pressure- Something that is more relevant in teenage gamers than any other demographic of video gamer who need to own the latest equipment, be in the newest console or game. This is driven by peer pressure as many people will want to have the best things, else they might be seen in a negative light by their friends. This puts pressure on either the parents, or the teenager themselves to spend a lot of money on these new games and/or consoles. Furthermore, being able to afford the latest gear shows their peers that they are successful and have money available to spend, putting pressure on those who maybe aren’t as fortunate.

Source- http://www.contentedwriter.com/psychological-effects-of-computer-gaming-on-individuals-and-society/

Fun- For most people, especially the casual gamer, they play for fun and enjoyment, whether that be just completing a game, or trying to collect everything in a game. Due to the fact that fun is subjective however, people enjoy video games for a multitude of reasons, and everything that goes through a gamers head is that they just want experience fun within the game.

Source- http://www.contentedwriter.com/psychological-effects-of-computer-gaming-on-individuals-and-society/

Educational Value- Research into video games has shown that by playing them those people have experienced an increase in basic language skills, English skills, maths skills and social skills. They have also been used to help disabled or severely handicapped people be able to communicate successfully. However, education within gaming is all about how it is used and whether it is used correctly. Video games have also been used to train children with attention deficit disorder to improve their thinking skills. The impact of games within education can only improve, yet only if they are used in the correct way.

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Expectations- As technology has advanced within games, as have the expectations within the games. 3D technology allows for better and more realistic looking games, which is what people expect within games nowadays. In games like the FIFA series in which a game is released every year, players expect an increase in graphics, audio and game play every year. This shows that players expect more in terms of game play as well as advances in technology before the release of new consoles and games. The impact that this has is a positive one as this drives the industry and creates jobs on a global scale.  

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Leveling- Within games, leveling is a smart concept by games designers as it allows them to award people based on their achievements. Players become more immersed in the gameplay when they have both long and short challenges to complete in the game, whether that be collect all of a certain item with a game, or to complete a quest. These challenges allow the player to feel more immersed within the game, like they are taking to role of the main character.

Source- http://www.contentedwriter.com/psychological-effects-of-computer-gaming-on-individuals-and-society/