Bianca Lugo: Journal Entries

[bmlugo]

Journal Entry #1:

Name of Game:

Speed (card game)

Game author (If known):

There is no known creator of this card game.

Describe game play and mechanics:

I had never played this game before, so I had to watch my fellow classmates play a round of the game to understand how it works. To the best of my understanding, the way this game is played is generally between two people. First, you add two cards, placed next to each other, in the center, and on each side of the cards, you place five cards (these are used as back-ups in case both players are stuck and need to refresh the two middle cards). Each player is then handed 10 cards, five are to be placed down, and the other five are the ones each player starts the game off with. Next, each player takes one of the single cards in the center and flips them over, then the goal of the game is to place down whichever cards in your deck fit within a correct corresponding number (for example, if the flipped over card is a 5, the players need to place down either a 5, 4, or 6 and start from there) until either player has no more cards to place down. If a Joker card is placed down, then the player can choose whichever number they want to place on top of it starting a new countdown; if both players are stuck and unable to place down a card, both must agree to grab a card from the side decks and start a new countdown on the middle stack.


Describe strengths & weaknesses of art & design:

I think cards overall have always been very visually aesthetic and can possess some great artwork. When it comes to the game itself, it’s fairly simple and quick to learn, which I think makes it accessible to people of all ages. For me, as I have never played a lot of card games, the issue I found myself running into a lot was not knowing what numbers belonged to the Ace, Queen, and King cards. Even after being told the numbers for each card, the fact that it’s not explicitly printed on the card itself made it difficult for me to remember their place in the number sequence while playing the game. This is more of a personal issue though as I feel that most people wouldn’t have a problem, especially if they play cards games a lot more than I have. The game is also easy to adjust if more people want to play as the only thing that needs to be changed is having more cards available.


What made it fun?:

The game itself was a simple, but fun challenge. It gets the heart rate going when trying to swiftly place down your cards and get rid of your stack before your opponent does. I think most of the enjoyment though comes from the socialization and light competitiveness between friends. I both enjoyed watching others play this game and also being one of the players. Card games overall tend to feel more personal due to the fact that it’s a game best played in person. I also enjoyed that it’s very beginner friendly and doesn’t require much skill or prior knowledge. I tend to not have any interest in most card games like poker or black jack as those seem more difficult and serious to me, but Trash is easy going and more lighthearted in its gameplay.

Now that you’ve played it, Why would this game be considered influential? How does it fit into the evolution of games?:

I don’t necessarily know how this game would be considered influential if I’m being completely honest, I hadn’t even heard of it up until it was introduced to me in class. I do think, however, it would be a great game to play amongst friends, family, or younger kids and would be an effective tool for bringing people together; I personally would play it again if the opportunity came up. In regard to its place within game history, card games in general are one of the oldest forms of gaming we have, and it’s stood the test of time after all these years. Even with all the fancy new consoles and VR headsets we see available on the market, people still enjoy playing card games with each other. The great thing about cards as well is that there are so many gameplay options out there to choose from, both for solitary and multiplayer gaming. Many of the strategies required in card games have also inspired strategies used in 2d/3d games as well; they helped create the base fundamentals of what we understand games to be today.

How would you rate this game (1-5 Stars (5 stars good)):

I would rate this game 3 out of 5 stars

[bmlugo]

Journal Entry #2

Name of Game:

Backgammon

Game author (If known):

There is no known author or creator for this game, but it’s said to have been around since the 1600’s and there are even similar types of games being played long before it

Describe game play and mechanics:

Backgammon is a two-person game, and included inside it are two different colored sets of checkers and die for each player. Each player lays out half their checkers on each side of the board, and depending on which side you’re sitting of the game board will determine which direction you will need to move your checkers across the board. Each player rolls their own set of die which will determine how many movements they can make across the board; multiple strategies can be done while moving your checkers, the only stipulation is that it has to equal the number shown on each die. Players are also able to send their opponents checkers “to jail” if there is only a single checker in a lane, but they cannot place their checkers in any lane that has two or more checkers on it. The overall goal of the game is to get all your checkers to your home base before the other player


Describe strengths & weaknesses of art & design:

I don’t personally see any weaknesses of the overall design of a backgammon board game. I find the design and varying colors of the checkers, die, and “lanes” to be simple yet visually interesting. One of the only flaws I can say with this game is that it’s not entirely easy to figure out how to play this game from the get-go when initially opening it. The instruction booklet itself didn’t seem that easy to figure out either; it was much more useful to actually watch someone play the game in order to figure the rules and gameplay rather than reading it.


What made it fun?:

At first, the game seemed to cause a lot of frustration when it came to just trying to figure out how to actually play it; neither myself nor Trinity had an easy time reading the instruction manual. Once the rules and gameplay were visually explained to us though, it was far easier to understand and actually start playing. As odd as it sounds, actually knowing how to play the game is what really made it fun. Myself, and I’m sure many others, have seen this board game as a kid and have messed around with one, but never actually knew how to play it as it always looked so complex. Being able to finally open a backgammon board game and know how to play it brings a lot of joy to me, and while Trinity and I were playing against each other, I found the actual gameplay to be exciting and challenging. I like that the game requires a lot of thought and strategy and takes a while to complete, and it’s hard to judge who’s going to win so the stakes seem high throughout the entire round.

Now that you’ve played it, Why would this game be considered influential? How does it fit into the evolution of games?:

From what I’ve gathered, this game is considered influential due to the fact that it’s one of those games that has very ancient origins with similar types of board games being dated back to around 5000 years ago. The longevity of this game shows that it has had a significant impact on many different cultures, especially as it’s still available in stores (or even digitally) and being played to this day. It’s also one of the earliest known games to use die which are now used in a multitude of different games outside of backgammon. The strategies that are required to play this game have also played a heavy role in influencing modern video game strategies, requiring players to actually think about their next moves and how best to knock down their opponents. There is also some luck required in this game as well as players are at the mercy of their die when it comes to how many movements they can make, this function has also influenced a lot of gameplay such as D&D where players have to rely on chance to get the desired number when rolling their die.

How would you rate this game (1-5 Stars (5 stars good)):

I would rate this game 4.5 out of 5, kind of complicated to learn, but really fun once you understand how to play

[bmlugo]

Journal Entry #3



Name of Game
Pong

Game author (If known)
Nolan Bushnell

Game Studio
Atari Inc


Original Platform & control mechanism
Arcade cabinet


Control mechanism you used
Computer

Would the experience have been different using the original? How?
I believe so as arcade cabinets are just a bit more fun and nostalgic to play overall


Describe game play and mechanics
Pong is a very simple game to play as it’s basically like a digital version of tennis; the whole point is to not allow the other player’s ball get past the bar on your side of the screen. The game features two bars on each side of the screen and a ball that bounces from side to side. The way to play the game is to move your bar up and down to push the ball back to the other side and also block it from getting past you. Once either player reaches 11 points, they win the game

Describe strengths & weaknesses of art & design
Pong isn’t a game that possesses very strong artistic design, by our modern standards of video games, it’s design is pretty outdated and lacks a lot of visual intrigue. That being said, the gameplay itself is quite fun even with its simplistic design. I think the simplicity can be seen as a strength as fancy textures, models, etc. aren’t that necessary for what the game is; the gameplay itself is also very easy to learn which makes it accessible to play for people of all ages. I do think the lack of visual intrigue and story narrative could be seen as boring though for some people, and the gameplay itself always remains the same, so the consistency could also be seen as a weakness if a person likes playing games with more complex stories and mechanics


What made it fun?
I think what makes the game fun for most people is the fact that the game is very simple with understandable game mechanics and a pretty easy goal to achieve; the game doesn’t have super complex mechanics or quests that the player has to go on to win, so anyone is able to play it with ease. The game also has the ability to be played with two players making the challenge all the more exciting and a great way to socialize. There is also something very oddly satisfying about watching the ball move back and forth across the screen and hitting it with the bar as there’s a real weight to how it bounces off and moves around. Despite it’s very simple, unchanging design, the art style of Pong is very classic and nostalgic for a lot of people, and the game feels a lot less distracting when compared to a lot of modern games that have crazy visuals and a lot of things going on


Now that you’ve played it, Why would this game be considered influential? How does it fit into the evolution of games?
Pong was one of the first video games to become very mainstream and commercially successful, especially when it was first placed into arcades. It was one of the first few games that incorporated multiplayer gameplay as two people could compete against each other which helped inspired the super popular multiplayer games that are available now. Due to its popularity in arcades and its accessibility to a wide variety of players, Pong kickstarted the boom of the video game industry and made it into a profitable business; although the industry does have its ups and downs, video games are still big business to this day. Along with popularizing gaming in arcades, the game was also one of the first to create the idea of home console playability; this further made video games more widespread and popular as it was no longer required to go to an arcade to play a video game. This early concept of putting pong on smaller home consoles was an important predecessor to many of the home consoles we have today; without it, we wouldn’t have PS5s or Nintendo Switchs


How would you rate this game (1-5 Stars (5 stars good))
I personally give the game 3.5 stars

[bmlugo]

Journal Entry #5

Name of Game
Galaga

Game author (If known)
Shigeru Yokoyama

Game Studio
Namco

Original Platform & control mechanism
An arcade cabinet that featured a joystick and button for shooting

Control mechanism you used
Computer emulator

Would the experience have been different using the original? How?
I’ve played Galaga on arcade cabinets during my childhood and it’s honestly much better and far more satisfying than playing it on the computer. Since it wasn’t made for PC, the gameplay just feels awkward

Describe game play and mechanics
The gameplay is pretty straightforward and somewhat similar to other space games that came before it: you play as a starfighter, and your main objective is to shoot and destroy all the aliens at the top of the screen before they destroy you. The game does offer some varying forms of challenge though as enemies have abilities such as tractor beams that can capture your ship and have them shoot against you, more powerful shots, morph abilities, and enemies becoming faster and more difficult over time; this is what I feel made Galaga more fun and memorable to play compared to the other space themed games that came before it

Describe strengths & weaknesses of art & design
I think Galaga, even for it’s primitive pixel designs, has very strong and iconic character design with satisfying gameplay to go along with it. Though it still suffered some limitations due to the technology at the time, the starfighter ship and the aliens themselves had a more refined appearance where you could get a clearer idea of what the aliens are meant to look like; each one had it’s own unique design and color palette which made it easier to distinguish from each other. There’s also something so great and nostalgic about the logo for the game itself. The typeface, color palette, and starry sky background just scream “space game” to me and helped make it stand out amongst other arcade games. The sound design of this game is also very memorable as well and only further made the gameplay much more satisfying to play

What made it fun?
Galaga offers a variety of enemy types and progressive level difficulty that made it a bit more of a challenge than previous alien shooter games; the enemies are also very different from each other and have their own abilities which makes the gameplay more exciting and memorable. The sound design further adds to the immersion and experience of the game as well, and although the graphics are very simple and pixelated, the designs are very distinct so it’s easy for a player to distinguish different enemies from each other and also helps to further immerse a player into the game

Now that you’ve played it, Why would this game be considered influential? How does it fit into the evolution of games?


How would you rate this game (1-5 Stars (5 stars good))
I would rate this game 4.5 stars, very nostalgic and still fun to play

[Professor Watkins]

Graded to here.