Monday, May 11, 2009

Prototyping Readings

Better late than never, as the saying goes.

I finally did the prototype readings, and was mildly suprised by what I found. Most of the stuff was either covered in class, or something I already knew via my wonderfully logicical (pfft) mind. However, when I was reading the first document with the five fun facts, I found the idea of the digital divide interesting. It's something I have yet to actually experience, but I understand it completely. Though not how to fix it. I know that the way people view things limits their ability to interact with it, but never had I really stopped to think about the fact that how someone views an item in real life vs. on the computer could be so different, even though it's the same image, shape, object, etc. with he same interactional traits. It's deffinately something I will ponder for a while.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Game Challenge 11

For my digital game, I recreated virus and called it computer Virus. I used Game maker for the game, and a lot of error checking. It was kinda crazy to make, and in the end, I deleted half of it because it just made the game annoying. But for as simple as it was, it turned out alright. And the playtest went well.

Also, as a note on Scratch I don't like it. Puzzles are cool, drag and drop code, interesting, but puzzle drag and drop not so cool.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Virus: The Next Strain


Objective: Total infestation.

How to Play:

1. Roll 1d10 to determine who goes first. Lowest roll is the winner. 10/0 on the die counts as a 0.

2. First, take turns placing a single token somewhere on the edge of the board. This is where your virus will grow from. In the case of a two player game, each player will take turns placing two tokens at two different locations on the board’s edge. Initial token placement must be at least 10 squares away from another player’s token, not counting the square the other player is on, or the square you’re placing you token on.

3. Roll 1d10, and count 10/0 as a 0. Whatever number you roll is the amount of spread your virus can do this turn.

4. Place tokens on the board equal in number to the roll you just made. Tokens must extend your current virus, they cannot be placed anywhere that does not connect to tokens already placed by you. In the case of a two player game, a player may place tokens at either starting point, or split the spread between their two tokens. Your virus must also, not cross another players virus. They may touch, but cannot pass. Diagonal token placement is aloud.

5. Once all tokens are placed the player clockwise from you goes next. In the case of a two player game, the other player goes.

How to Win:

Once players can no longer move in a way that would stop the spread of another players virus, or enter a territory begun by another virus, then the game is over, and the person with control of the most board wins. Board control includes anything you’ve boxed in.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Get A Job

This is a game about… well… getting a job. Good luck with that.

Required items:
• Two six sided dice
• Job Deck
• Hope Deck
• Game Board

How to Play:

1.
Each player will roll 1d6 to see who goes first. Highest roll wins. The person who goes first also gets to start with the Service Clerk job card.

2.
Upon their turn, each player will roll 2d6 to decide exactly how far they move this turn. A player must move the full number rolled. A player may only move forward. If you reach the end of the board, move your piece back to the first square of the board and start your trek over again.

3.
Once the move is complete, you draw a card from the Hope Deck, unless your moved landed you on an X square.

4.
If you draw a special card, you must play it immediately. If you cannot do what the card says, show it to the other players and then discard it.

5.
If you draw an Application, Phone Call, or Interview card, add this to your hand.

6.
If you have an Application, Phone Call, and Interview card in your hand for the same job you must play them. Show the other players your cards and then roll 2d6. If you roll doubles, you have had a successful interview and get to take that job card. You may only have one job card at a time, if you currently have a job, place the lowest paying job back into the job deck. Whether you roll doubles or not, you must discard the three cards used to attempt to get the job.

7.
Check your hand. You may only have 5 cards in your hand at any time. Should your turn end and you have six cards in your hand, discard one. If at any time you find that you have seven cards in your hand, you lose the game. Play continues without you.

8.
The next player now takes their turn starting with number 2.

The Decks:

Job Deck: This deck contains the highly sought after jobs. Place this deck on the board on the Job Deck spot face down. If you hold a job card, it does not matter if the other player can see it or not.

Hope Deck: This deck contains both cards needed to get a job, and special cards. Shuffle this deck and lay it face down on the hope deck spot. Discard Hope Deck cards face up on the Discard spot. If the hope deck is empty, shuffle the discard pile and place it face down on the Hope Deck spot.

Game Ends:

Players move around the board according to their rolls. Once all the players make it to the end of the board and have to move back to the beginning, this may be considered a day. Once all the players have made it around the board at least seven times, one week, the game ends.

Winning:

Once the game is over each player compares jobs. Whoever has the best paying job of the jobs currently held is the winner. Should multiple people have the same job and that job is the best job currently, the game ends in a tie. Should no one have a job by the end of the game, everyone loses.

Job: Service Clerk
Pay: $7.50 an hour
Description: Stock shelves and ring up customers. Answer phones and get in trouble when crap happens.

Job: Photo Specialist
Pay: $8.00 an hour
Description: Make photos for people. Hope you don’t see something you shouldn’t.

Job: Management
Pay: $10.00 an hour
Description: Run the store and get blamed for everything. Better watch your employees close.

Job: Store Manager
Pay: $50,000.00 a year
Description: They can’t say you didn’t earn your money as you’re always, ALWAYS at work.

Application
Type: Service Clerk

Application
Type: Photo Specialist

Application
Type: Management

Application
Type: Store Manager

Phone Call
Type: Service Clerk

Phone Call
Type: Photo Specialist

Phone Call
Type: Management

Phone Call
Type: Store Manager

Interview
Type: Service Clerk

Interview
Type: Photo Specialist

Interview
Type: Management

Interview
Type: Store Manager

Special
Type: You’re Fired
Description: You have just been fired. You put any job card you have back into the job deck. Good luck job hunting.

Special
Type: Demotion
Description: You’ve been demoted to a lower paying job. Switch job cards. Service Clerks are immune.

Special
Type: Promotion
Description: My god, you’ve moved up in the world. Take the next highest paying job card available.

Special
Type: Missed Call
Description: You missed the call to set up an interview. Discard one Phone Call card from your hand.

Special
Type: Traffic Jam
Description: Oh no, traffic forced you to miss your interview. Discard one Interview card from your hand.

Special
Type: Job Thief
Description: Trade jobs with another player, even if the other player’s job is lower paying than yours.



Well the playtest was a success, it's nearly impossible to get a job, feels realistic to me anyway. But the players agreed that the doubles to get the job was a bit over kill. If I had to redo it, I would follow what Karl said about doing, two evens or odds.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Adventure of the First

Before beginning the adventure, make a character. This won’t be hard. You have 10 points,divide those points against an attack bonus and defense bonus. If you should find yourself in combat, 10 + your defense bonus is the number the combatants must beat to hit you. You roll 1d20 + attack bonus to hit them. Your HP is 15. Make your choices now.

Now choose a weapon:

Dagger: 1d4 Damage
Flail: 1d8 Damage
Kate’s Great Axe: 1d10 Damage
Mace: 1d4 Damage
Staff: 1d6 Damage
Stick: 1 Damage
Sword: 1d6 Damage

















Page 1: The beginning

It is the morning of April first, and you find yourself home alone in your little cottage. Your mother is nowhere to be found. After a quick search of the building you find a note that reads, “We have your mother, if you ever want to see her again, you will bring 100,000 gold to the mage tower in Port Smith.” The only other distinguishing mark on the note is a little pentagram at the bottom. You can tell its blood, but not whose blood.

Well this is a predicament. You need to get your mother back, but you don’t have the money to pay. In addition, you can’t be sure who took her or why. Even if you wanted to fight your way to your mother instead of paying, you have no idea who you’d be up against.

First things first, you have to figure out what your options are going to be for this most interesting of jobs. The first thing you think of

















Page 2

is stealing the money. You know there are plenty of people in town who you could take the money from, but then with all theft, there is risk of being caught, or worse, killed.

Another option you consider, is begging. You could raise the money, but it would take a whole heck of a lot of time, time that you don’t have. But there is definitely less risk involved with asking nicely.

So, given the options, what exactly will you do?

Steal the money: Turn to Page 3

Beg for the money: Turn to Page 5

















Page 3: The heist

You’ve chosen to steal the money you scoundrel. Well whatever it takes to save your mother right? You get all the gear together that you may need for this heist. Good news is that the homes you choose to burgle should be empty since their owners should be out and about, checking on property, and making new purchases.

The first few homes you invade with no problem, stealing valuables and finding gold stashed around. You’re so desperate for money you even turn over all the cushions in the building looking for fallen money. So far you’ve managed to gather enough items and gold to gather about 73,489 gold. Thankfully, the next home will have rest of the gold you’ll need.

You enter the final home, walking around careful to not make any noise, picking up any odd ends you come across to make up

















Page 4

the last of needed money. As you round a corner, you find yourself face to face with lord of this manor. You stare at each other dumbfounded for a moment when he suddenly shouts for the guards.

You must now make a quick decision. The man very well may have been bluffing. If that’s the case, you could quickly kill the man and continue ransacking the house. However, he might not have been bluffing, in which case you might find running the best option.

The man was bluffing, kill him quick: Turn to Page 6

The guards are coming, better run: Turn to Page 7

















Page 5: Begging

You’ve chosen to beg for the money. This is probably the safest choice anyway… or most cowardly. Either way, you run around the town begging, pleading, threatening, and anything else you can think of to get the money.

After several hours, you somehow manage to make the 100,000 gold. Must have been that rich snob who fell for your sob story. Now you have the money, just need to get it to the destination without any trouble. Though you might consider trying to find out some information about the people who took your mother. Then again, maybe you just want to hurry up and get the money to them before they choose to do anything bad to her.

What can I find out: Turn to Page 8

Better get their quick: Turn to Page 9

















Page 6: Flawless Victory

You’re sure he’s bluffing, but you don’t want him to shout again, otherwise he might alert people outside of your presence. You grab the weapon off you belt and rush the man. Fortunately, he is surprised and you dispose of him quickly.

As you begin to put your weapon away and consider taking all the pretty shiny things from the body, several men come around the corner and the one in front shouts, “He’s killed the boss, get him!” They begin rushing you and another guard shouts, “No mercy for the murderer!”

Time for a quick decision, you can try to outrun them, or you can stand your ground and hope to win the fight.

Run for dear life: Turn to Page 7

Stand your ground: Turn to Page 11

















Page 7: OH GOD RUN!!!

You’ve chosen to run. This is definitely a safe bet as you never know what could happen should you stand around. Thankfully you’ve had plenty of experience with running, and manage to get away safely.

In addition, you managed to swipe just enough items to put you over the needed gold to get your mother back. Now you must choose if you want to make an attempt to find out exactly who you’re dealing with or not.

Who the hell took my mom: Turn to Page 8

Better get their quick: Turn to Page 9

















Page 8: Skill check – Gather Information

You go around town asking everyone you can find about the note, and the pentagram, but they’re just as clueless as you are. About the only thing you get from the people you talk to is the fact that you probably shouldn’t keep kidnappers waiting, especially when they threaten blood.

In the end it would seem this was a fruitless endeavor. You’ve done nothing but waste time, and now you must make a quick run to the mages tower.

Quick, to the tower: Turn to Page 9

















Page 9: Better not keep madmen waiting

It’s time now. Seeing as you happen to be in the town right next to Port Smith, you have no trouble finding your way there quickly. It’s now just a matter of going to the tower and paying the money.

You find the tower pretty easily, but no one seems to be outside to greet you when you approach. You search around the building but find no one, just a door.

You reach for the door knob and open the door carefully. It’s utterly dark inside, but you have no choice. You must save your mother. You step inside carefully and slowly, after walking as far as the outside light shines in, you hear the door behind you slam shut. Someone must have shut the door behind you, but your eyes have not yet adjusted to the light inside the building yet. You know there is someone behind you, but they have yet to speak, and you can’t see anything yet.

















Page 10

You’re nerves are on end, waiting for a moment, but nothing happens. You’ve been listening carefully for any noise from behind you, but hear nothing. You’re sure the person who shut the door is still right there but your eyes have yet to adjust. You open your mouth to say something when you hear a foot scrap against the ground behind you and feel a hand come down on your shoulder.

You quickly weigh the options. The hand might quickly turn into a choke or worse. And you still can’t see anything. It might be better to attack quickly before you lose any advantage you might have. Then again, any act of hostility might be treated badly and your mother might be killed. What to do?

Quick Attack: Turn to Page 14

Wait, mustn’t provoke them: Turn to Page 15

















Page 11: Stand and fight

Total Guards: 4
Guard AC: 14
Guard Attack Roll: 1d20 + 3
Guard Damage Roll: 1d4
Guard HP: 15

Roll your attack roll, and damage roll if appropriate. Then roll for each guard. Last man standing wins.

I win: Turn to Page 12

I died: Turn to Page 13

















Page 12: Winner and Still champion

You managed to dispatch all the guards, no small feat I might add. Now that you’re safely alone in the building, you continue to ransack the house until you are certain you’ve made enough money to pay the debt.

Now that you’ve got all the money you need, you carefully sneak out of the building, careful to make sure no one sees you exit. Now you have a choice to make, you can either try to find out as much information about the people who captured your mother as possible, or you can quickly get to the Mage Tower in order to keep from upsetting the kidnappers.

I should get some information: Turn to Page 8

Best not to keep crazy people waiting: Turn to Page 9

















Page 13: Death, sorry but Game Over

You died. Thought you could take on a mass of guards did you? Boy, were you wrong. And on top of everything else, your poor dear mother has been left defenseless in the hand of kidnappers. Some savior you are. Guess you really were the weakest link… GOODBYE!



















Page 14: Better not wait to die

You choose to be quick, attacking whoever is behind you in the dark. It’s better to not wait to die. You take your weapon from your belt, spinning around quickly striking the unseen adversary. You hear a scream and then nothing as you feel someone falling. Suddenly torches ignite all around the room. You see bright colors and signs. A barrel of wine has been placed on a table across the room. In addition, you see many people around you, and their faces are some you recognize as friends and family. At your feet you see your mother, dead from the attack you just dealt her. It would seem that you have walked into a practical joke designed as a party for you, but instead you turned it into murder. The money you gathered which was meant to be a gift for you has now gone to pay for your trial of which you are found guilty. Sucks to be you. Game over, jokes on you.

















Page 15: Mustn’t provoke them

You stand there, trying carefully to not make any moves that would seem hostile. Next thing you know, torches ignite all around the room. You see bright colors and signs. A barrel of wine has been placed on a table across the room. In addition, you see many people around you, and their faces are some you recognize as friends and family. Everyone shouts in unison, “Surprise!” Your mother is standing behind you, hand on your shoulder. She smiles at you, “Congratulations on making it here. I see you gathered up the money like requested. Thank you honey. For your kindness and coming to get me I want to reward you on this birthday of yours. Enjoy this party for you, and keep the gold as a gift.”

You’re quite taken back by all this, but at least you know your mother is fine, and you get a hefty sum of gold to spend around on whatever you like.

















Page 16: The End

Congratulations. You’ve made it safely to the end of the game and to the happily ever after ending. Enjoy your gold, until next time.

The game seemed liked by all, and my biggest issue was the choice of who you were saving and some typos. Oh, and I originally had no ax weapon.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Is it really bullshit?

Shuffle and deal the cards and play the game like a normal game of BS. The only special rule is the advent of special cards. Special cards only come into play when one player calls Bullshit on another player. If BS is never called, then none of the special cards activate. However, if Bullshit is called, you follow the rules on the Special Cards. You may or may not wish to add the special when stating the quantity of cards placed. However, you do not have to state that a special card was played unless someone calls Bullshit. There is only one special card that doesn’t require anyone to take the played cards to their hand. Player with the Begin Play card starts, and begins on the number one.

Begin Play
Whoever has this card begins the game by laying down whatever amount of cards they wish with whatever number they wish to start with.

End Play
If someone calls Bullshit on you this turn, and you have not lied about the cards you’ve placed, the game ends. The person who called Bullshit takes the played cards, and the player with the least amount of cards is the winner.

Replay
State you are playing cards with the same number as the previous player. So long as you play the same number honestly, you are not Bullshiting. Play continues on the number following what you just played.

Skip Ahead
You may play the number that would normally come after the one you are on. So long as you place that number honestly, you are not Bullshiting. Play continues on the number following the one you just played.

Bullshit
This card lets you bullshit. Place up to five cards from your hand and claim them as the cards you should be playing. So long as this card is also played, you have not lied about what you’ve placed.

True or False
If someone calls Bullshit and you told the truth, you shuffle and deal the played cards to each player but yourself. If you lied, then you take everyone’s hands, shuffle them, and deal them out to each player including yourself.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Game Challenge 7

Battlefield: The Next Dimension

Set Up:

•Before play begins, each player has two raised land masses, nine barrier stones, and three characters.

•Each player takes turns placing their raised land masses first, then each of their nine barrier stones. Each raised land mass and barrier stone may be placed anywhere on any of the planes on the board.

•Each player then takes turns placing their characters on the board. Characters may be placed anywhere there is not a barrier stone, but each of the three characters must be placed on a different plane from each other. Each character also begins play with 50 HP.

Once the board is set up, you should have three levels, eighteen barrier stones, four raised land masses, and three characters (each on a different level, or plane).

•Each player draws five cards to their hand.

•Finally, each player rolls 1d6, and whoever rolls the lower number decides who goes first.

Game Play: Game play will be described below, and each section of play will be described in more detail later on.

1. Move
2. Attack
3. Move
4. Place Traps
5. Draw

Each player follows these stages of play until someone wins the game.

Move:
•The player rolls 1d20 to decide how many squares they are allowed to move.

•A player may choose to split this move over each of their characters, or only one of their characters.

•Each character may move, and attack, and move again.

•Each character may move, and attack.

•Each character may attack, and move.

•If you move a character, and then move another character, the first character moved, may not be moved again, or attack, for the rest of this turn.

•The last character to be moved must move the rest of the available squares if possible. If completing the move becomes impossible, the rest of the move is forfeit.

•A player may choose to move their character to a new plane. This may be done by giving up five of the rolled moves. To move to a new plane, you must give up five of the rolled moves, and then place your character one plane above or below your current plane in the same location the character was located.

•A player may not move onto a square occupied by a barrier stone, or another player. There is no special rule for moving to a raised land mass. Treat a raised land mass as level ground for moving purposes.

Attack:
•A player may play one attack card or magic card per character per turn.

•A character may play any special cards at this time.

•If the character has any, they may play up to one God card at this time. However, playing a God card means forfeiting the right to play any other cards, except trap cards, this turn.

•A player may choose the character from which the attack originated from.

•Any attacking character may only attack once, unless stated by a special card.

•If a character is moved, and has not attacked, but another character has been moved, the first character may not attack this turn.

•Each attack card lists three things.

Damage: The damage done to an opponent hit by the attack.

Plane: The planes that are affected, or may be chosen when the attack is used.

Elevation: The elevations on a single plane that the attack may be used on.

+1: Can hit someone on a raised land mass from ground level only.

0: Can hit someone on ground level only.

-1: Can hit someone on ground level from a raised land mass.

Ground level is considered anything not a raised land mass.

Place Traps:
•Once all moves and attacks have been taken for your turn, you may then place any trap cards you choose.

•Choose which traps to place and state you are placing a trap. Lay the card face down on the table.

•Once a trap card has been placed on the table, it may be played any time during your opponents turn. Each trap cards effect is only good for one character, but stays active for the rest of your opponents turn.

•Once your opponents turn ends, any used or unused trap cards are discarded.

Draw:
•To finish your turn, you must draw two cards from the deck to your hand.

•You may only have five cards in your hand at a time. If drawing two cards will give you more than five cards, you may only draw the number of cards that will give you a hand less than or equal to five cards.

Extra Rules:
•Should the deck become exhausted, shuffled the discarded cards and draw from them.

•A barrier stone may not be moved except by magic. A stone may not be placed on a spot occupied by another stone, or a character.

•Attacks cannot pass through a barrier stone or raised land mass. The exception is the Bow and Arrow. A Bow and Arrow can be shot over a barrier stone. However, the Bow and Arrow can be shot from a raised land mass, not over it.

•The game is over when one player has no characters left alive.

Cards:

Magic

Black Blast: Every black square on every dimension erupts with a bolt of energy. Any character, yours or your opponents, on a black square takes damage.
Damage: 1d10
Plane: All
Elevation: Any

White Destruction: Every white square on every dimension erupts with a bold of energy. Any character, yours or your opponents, on a white square takes damage.
Damage: 1d10
Plane: All
Elevation: Any

Fire Cross: Fire blasts from the chosen character in all horizontal and vertical directions. The fire cannot pass through a barrier or raised land mass.
Damage: 1d12
Plane: Current
Elevation: 0

Hail Storm: Choose a single vertical or horizontal direction from the character. 4 squares in that direction is the front center of a 3x3 grid in which hail stones fall.
Damage: 2d6
Plane: Current
Elevation: Any

Teleport: This card lets you move one character to any square on any dimension for the cost of a single square move. You may continue moving the rest of your move once this card is used.
Damage: 0
Plane: Any
Elevation: Any Magic

Telekinesis: This allows you to pick up a single barrier stone and move it to a new location on the same dimension.
Damage: 0
Plane: Current
Elevation: Any Magic

Trap

Magic Shield: This card places a magic bubble around a character attacked with magic. That character may transfer ½ the damage they would have received to any other character on the board.
Damage: ½ rounded down
Plane: Any
Elevation: Any

Mirror: You hold a mirror in your hand. If you see a laser blast coming at you, you may use the mirror to reflect the blast back at the attacker, forcing them to take the damage.
Damage: 100%
Plane: Current
Elevation: 0

Forced Run: If the opponent rolls 11 or more on their move roll, you may force your opponent to make the entire move with any one character you choose. The other characters may not move this turn.
Damage: 0
Plane: Any
Elevation: Any Trap

Ballistic Shield: You currently have use of a ballistic shield. If the opponent uses a shotgun to attack you, you may hide behind this shield and avoid all damage.
Damage: 0
Plane: Current
Elevation: 0

Flare: You currently hold a flair gun. If you find a heat seeking missile headed your way, you may fire the flair to direct the missile away from you. However, you still suffer shrapnel damage.
Damage: ½ round down
Plane: Current
Elevation: Any

Special

All out Attack: Give up ½ of your move roll and you may use an additional attack per character this round.
Damage: 0
Plane: Any
Elevation: Any

Backstab: You sneak up on your opponent and manage to attack in stealth. Because of your cunning, you may use a knife to do extra damage.
Damage: Knife Damage × 5
Plane: Current
Elevation: 0

God

Power of Creation: You may move one raised land mass from its current location to any other location. Move anything in the chosen space to the top of the new raised land mass.
Damage: 0
Plane: Any
Elevation: Any

Power of Life: You may revive one of your fallen characters from death. They revive with ½ of their starting HP at the exact position they died.
Damage: 0
Plane: Any
Elevation: Any

Power of Death: You may drain the life of one of your opponent’s characters. This character may be anywhere on the battlefield.
Damage: 5d6
Plane: Any
Elevation: Any

Attack

Heat Seeking Missile: You launch a missile that will find the nearest opponent. It will find the opponent and explode on impact.
Damage: 1d20
Plane: Any
Elevation: Any

Laser: You fire a laser blast in any diagonal direction from your characters position. This blast will move along until it hits something. The battery on the laser is only good for one shot.
Damage: 1d8
Plane: Current
Elevation: 0

Bow and Arrow: You pull back on the string and launch an arrow any direction from your character. This arrow may travel up to 5 horizontal and vertical squares, or 4 diagonal squares. It lands where you say.
Damage: 1d8
Plane: Current
Elevation: -1, 0

Shotgun: This gun shoots a blast of pellets any horizontal or vertical direction from your character. The square in front of your character is the front center of the 3x3 grid affected by the blast.
Damage: 1d8
Plane: Current
Elevation: -1, 0

Knife: You wield the knife, an easy to conceal and quick to use weapon. You must be right next to your opponent, and can attack in any direction, quickly slashing out or stabbing.
Damage: 1d4
Plane: Current
Elevation: 0


Play Test Notes: It is a fact, Karl and Cameron cannot play games where they are the only two playing. The two set up the board so that their pieces looked utterly epic. The game began kinda poorly as neither of them read the rules completely. I will admit that the move section was complicated and hard to follow. However, as the game progressed, and certain rules were looked up or explained, the game began flowing much better, and shaped up into quite a match. First kill went to Karl, but it looked like Cameron was going to make a come back with the second kill until Karl played the Power of Life card. In the end Karl dominated, though Cameron didn't go down easy.

All in all, it could use some help but felt pretty solid and was a good play test.

If I can get pictures I'll show the world the epicness.