Melanie Alvarado - Journal Entries

[Melanie]

Melanie Alvarado's Journal Entries for History of Games (Spring 2025)

[Melanie]

Game: Trash/Garbage
Author: Unknown
Studio: N/A


The original platforms were classic decks of cards.
The control mechanism consists of at least two decks of playing cards with numbers from 2 through 10, aces, kings, queens, and jacks of all the four classic suits. Each player is dealt ten randomly dealt cards shuffled from the deck. There is also a center deck where players can draw from or alternately a face-up card they can take after the first turn.
The only difference from the traditional game Control Mechanism is that we played to where after a player wins, the next game they are then dealt one less card than the game prior as everyone continues to play.

The gameplay requires at least two players. Players receive ten face-down, random cards arranged in two rows of five. The winner must fill their layout with the correct cards first. From the top-left card going left-to-right, the cards should read “1” through “10” in ascending order. Special cards have the following mechanics: aces act as “1”, Jacks are “Wild cards” which fit in any slot, Kings/Queens end the turn.
The first player draws a card from the deck. Each player, after the first turn, can draw from the deck or take the center face-up card. If the value matches a free space in their layout, the card is swapped with that face-down card while the player looks at the new card. The player continues swapping cards if the held card is placeable. If the value is owned or a King/Queen is found, the card becomes the new center face-up card.

One strength of the game, Trash/Garbage, is that it has both strategy and luck involved. If a player receives a jack, then they must decide which of their free spaces the jack should be placed in. If a player receives a card with a value that a jack is currently occupying, then the player has the choice to swap the card or keep the jack on the last round. A good strategy is to refrain from replacing the jack if it is the final turn, since that will hinder other players from achieving a win state. The luck randomizes the card hands so a player could have a good run or a bad one as a result, which almost guarantees a different experience every time. The game’s main weakness is that the luck/randomizing depends on the efficiency of the shuffle where shoddy shuffling could result in a straight, rigged win.

What made the game fun gameplay-wise was that it was randomized and luck filled. Since it was dependent on luck, I was wondering what cards lay in front of me. The more back-to-back useful cards created a reward system which made the lucky individual feel excited and wanting more. On the other hand, receiving a king or queen on the first card also motivated players by adding a feeling of being “left behind and needing to catch up”. Like a casino game, it was easy to get dragged in to see what kind of luck that I, or other, players had. Most of the gameplay was really waiting to see what happened and hoping for a good hand. It was both exciting yet relaxing if a player had the proper mindset.
I went into the game not expecting to win, but to have a good time with the people I played with. A large amount of the fun was from the interactions we had with each other. The game cultivated an environment that encouraged players to interact with each other and gave opportunities for conversations among the group, which would not have been as easily possible in a single-player game.

This game, Trash/Garbage, is influential because it was among one of the earliest forms of card games. Card games are considered one of the first Game Engines and have many games which can be played with a single deck. Trash is surely among the card games that built some of the most popular aspects of video games today.
Card games such as this were some of the first games with “items” or “pawns”, using Unreal Engine terms. Trash/Garbage has a layout that needs to be filled with the correct cards, which provides an early form of a point-system or collectibles. This game includes an early form of randomization like procedural generation that provides a different gameplay experience every time. It can be argued that Trash/Garbage cultivated the use of risk in games. There’s a risk when the player chooses to draw or take the center card, or even in deciding where to place a Jack card or if you should keep it as the final card.
Card games with more than one player, such as Trash/Garbage, are also some of the first multiplayer games. The competition that spawned from games such as Trash/Garbage encouraged and inspired future Player-Versus-Player video games.

I would personally rate this game a 3/5 stars. While I enjoyed the game, there is only so much to do as far as choices and after awhile it may get tedious since luck seems to be the real main player.

[Melanie]

Journal Entry #2:

Game: Badgammon
Author: Unknown
Studio: N/A

Original Platform & Control Mechanism
Badgammon is a board game that consists of a board with 12 spaces in front of each player. Both players have two dice and 15 checkers for which they can move. There is also a “doubling cube” die block with special numbers for betting.

Control Mechanism you used: Would the experience have been different using the original? How?:
We played close to the traditional way, except for the betting. The experience would be much different with betting because the game would have better motivation and influence people to keep playing. This may also drain the fun from it since stakes are present and it becomes serious.

Describe Gameplay & Mechanics (150):
Both players have a home base and outer base, which checkers move across. The goal is for a player to move their checkers, clockwise or counterclockwise depending on the player's orientation, towards their home board then bear off to safety. Each die indicates a move. At most, two checkers could be moved. If a player rolls doubles, they get an additional turn. A die’s number is how many places the checker can move where a checker could land on a space that: is empty, has their own checker(s), or has only one of the opposing checkers. A player can capture the opponent’s checker if it is alone. If a player’s piece is captured, they must move that piece out of jail and start at the furthest point in the outer board. When a player’s checkers are all in the home board, each dice roll may contribute to bearing them off.

Describe Strengths and Weaknesses of art and design (150):
A strength of the game is that it includes enough randomization to allow replay-ability, while also allowing players to strategize with skill. The skill factor rewards a player for strategic plays and encourages them to continue. Because the game requires strategy and skill, the balance between opponents is at risk of being imbalanced. For example, if an inexperienced child plays against an older sibling familiar with the game, then the balancing would be unfair. This means some games may be easier or harder than others unless a close match in skill and experience is found. Another balancing issue is the constant “back and forth” that occurs if the opponents are perfectly matched. With tables turning constantly, the game never reaches a conclusion if time is limited. While not as major issue and possibly one personal, there can also be confusion about which direction a player is supposed to head in.

What Made It Fun? (200):
What made Badgammon fun was the balance of strategy and luck. The players' options are based on luck using both dice, and it is up to the player on what to do next. This is where the strategy comes in. The player must be able to analyze the board, their checkers, and the opponent’s checkers, to determine which piece to move and where to place it. One such strategy involves moving pieces in pairs to keep them as a group, so they will not be captured. While not as randomized of a factor, who you choose to play with influences the gameplay as well. Each person has a different playing style and experience level. This provides a different feel for gameplay with each opponent whether it is casual or competitive. This social aspect to the game provided its own type of enjoyment beyond the game. Badgammon offers players the opportunity to connect and communicate with each other. With the game requiring more skill than “dumb luck,” there lays another opportunity for connection with a player teaching an inexperienced player how to play. Or in other cases, two players figuring out how to play together. This is how Badgammon is fun.

Now that you played it, why would this game be considered influential? How does it fit into the evolution of Games? (200):
Badgammon is influential because it inspired games to become more strategic and skill based. The game incorporated mechanics of the past and introduced others that remain used in today’s games, both analog and digital. This game provided the framework for future games to begin implementing the capturing of opponent’s pieces and even included the mechanic to free them. While the game still includes the aspect of chance and luck via the dice, it encourages players to consider the consequences of their moves. The contribution to evolution of games that Badgammon provides is a more complex structure as one of the first of early boardgames to contain more strategy and skill. The utilization of strategy in games has since become a staple of modern gameplay including shooters, role-playing games, and platformers. Badgammon was also among the games that introduced many new game mechanics. Capturing of opponent’s pieces is used in games such as chess, checkers, and even video games like Team Fortress 2 where you must capture the enemy team’s intelligence. Badgammon has a goal to move toward a “home base” after a near lap around the map, like how modern board games such as “Sorry!” or “Trouble” would later include.

How would you rate this game? (1-5 stars (5 stars good)):
I enjoyed this game more and would like to play it once again. It had some luck involved yet included a fair amount of strategy. 4/5

[Professor Watkins]

Graded to here.

[Melanie]

Journal Entry #3

Favorite Video Game Track of All Time - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask


Music is one of the most important story-telling tools in video games. The music in a video game is the difference between good and bad experiences when it comes to storytelling and memorability. Koji Kondo is one of the most legendary video game composers of all time, and the best soundtrack of his, in my opinion, is his work for The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. The game itself has themes of grief, regret, healing and reconciliation. Majora’s Mask, despite the colorful displays, is a story of a land about to be demolished by the moon falling from the sky above and you must save the land by expelling the evil spirit causing it. Throughout the game, you play as the hero, Link, stuck in a time loop and met with many different people as they go about their final three days. Some flee fearing death, while others accept it. We see some of the people coming to grips with grief for their loved ones and their futures. The game explores the fear of the unknown, death, and grief which is evident through the music that Kondo composes for it. Since the soundtrack consists of 112 tracks, I will only discuss a select few that shine brighter in the game.

As soon as the game is booted up, you are welcomed by the “Title Theme” of the game. It begins softly with piano and ocarina music playing as we fly through the main town of the game, Clock Town. The beginning low synths sound like a new morning while the piano is the narrator setting the scene of a peaceful, loving town. The higher ocarina tells of Link being introduced to the town, since the ocarina is Link’s designated instrument. As scene reaches the end, the music becomes slightly deeper before evolving to be more ominous and darker with shrill sounds appearing as the evil spirit, Majora’s Mask, is revealed. This theme puts into perspective the soft serene moments of the game with the beauty of the land along with the grief and evil that stains it.

“Majora’s Theme” contains a motif that represents evil and impending doom as the tune did in the “Title Theme” when we first hear it. It contains steady, off-tune notes that hold longer than what is considered comfortable. This song appears anytime Majora’s Mask is on screen and tells of the mysterious, evil, power held within. The motif also seems to appear, albeit a little less noticeable, in the areas which the mask has negatively affected by its curse. Accompanying these notes, are shrill drum-like sounds and an odd ‘bouncing’ sound. These sounds are almost anticipatory. When you finally become comfortable with the weird drum sounds, they are swapped out for the bouncing sound. They leave you on edge and evoke some discomfort. And afterwards, it swaps back again. Listeners will be able to discern danger and evil from the discomfort Kondo summons through the notes and music choices.

Another major motif throughout the game is the cure to “Majora’s Theme,” the tune of the “Song of Healing.” Unlike the previous track, the “Song of Healing” contains themes of hope, wonder, and, well, healing. The motif is first heard in the track, “Clock Tower.” Here in the story, Link had just gotten cursed by an imp wearing Majora’s Mask and wielding its power. The “Clock Tower” song uses the “Song of Healing” motif to evoke feelings of wonder, promise, and hope. Link had just been introduced to a new location and met with an individual, the Happy Mask Salesman, that could cure his curse and return him to normal. The motif is also present in the “Happy Mask Salesman’s Theme.” This version is whimsical and quirky, presenting the man as a mysterious shaman. The song that the motif belongs to, the “Song of Healing,” seems to contain magic healing properties that soothe all who hear it, whether they are cursed, troubled at heart, or an unsatisfied ghost unable to move on from life. With the composition provided by Kondo, the listener understands the hope, promise, and reconciliation associated with the tune.

At the heart of the land of Termina is the Clock Town, where the soul of the town is embodied by the themes associated with it. The Clock Town has three versions of its theme that play during the three-day time loop with one for each day. The “First Day” theme is calm and welcoming as the player is introduced to the start of the time loop. The song is bouncy, swaying, with a whistling sound that portrays the town and its people as happy, connected, and content. The “Second Day” is more upbeat, with an ocarina singing the main tune rather than a whistle. The BPM is a bit faster with this one, evoking feelings of walking fast versus the first theme’s slower ‘walking pace.’ This tells the story of the people who are beginning to get anxious about the moon looming closer than the previous day, yet not fully panicked yet. The “Third Day” theme is even more fast paced. It feels as though you are rushing through the town under a time limit. On this day, the presence of the moon is undeniable. The song has deeper, darker, ‘Jaws-like’ sounds poking through the Clock Town tune, making the player feel hunted down or chased. This is to embody the panic of the town’s people as some have fled the town, others continue to be oblivious, and fewer have decided to stay. Kondo tells the story of the town’s people effectively without ever using words.

Finally, we’ll look at the most emotional and memorable piece of the track, “Final Hours.” This song plays during the final six in-game hours on the third day as the moon is falling. This song has long, chorus-like synths that openly cry out as the world is about to end. The second singing melody, deeper synths mimicking deep strings, offer little comfort as even they feel saddened by the events. The long, drawn-out synths bring out feelings of sadness, desperation, and mourning. There is small keyboard “dinging” in the back appearing occasionally in rapid succession, which embodies the anxiety and desperation of the situation. This track pulls the listener into the world of Termina and forces them to face the situation and grapple with the meaning of it. No one can escape the moon falling, some town members understand this and accept their fate. We, the listeners, must come to terms with the grief and move forward. Personally, every time I heard this track, I felt great sadness and a need to finish things before it’s too late. But at the same time, I would be nearly too crippled with grief or regret that I would find it hard to do anything in the game, so I would often avoid having the track play as a child. This track is so beautiful that it is a gift that it exists, yet it is heartbreaking to witness it.

While Kondo understood the success of his music, he realized that his music was only part of the bigger picture and enhanced the content it was originally a part of. Kondo would play through the games he composed for before or during the process of him making the music for the game. This was to have the music aid in telling the story of the game so that people could be more emotionally connected to the piece as a whole. As a result, I find myself revisiting the soundtrack often because of its rich storytelling and I encourage anyone who is interested to take a listen. Video game music is just as capable of telling a story and leaving an impact, and Koji Kondo’s work in Majora’s Mask is some of the best video game music Nintendo has to offer.