How to Build a Game (part 2/5)

Now that you’ve decided on what type of game you want to make, it’s a good idea to ask yourself what it is you like and dislike about this type of genre. The list of likes might be elements you want to include in your game, or even expand upon. The dislikes could be a little more difficult to address, however, because they might be tenets of that genre—traditions that every game designer before you has more or less followed. If you dislike a game element enough to try and change it, be prepared to spend a lot of time trying out new things, challenging paradigms, and doing lots and lots of beta testing. Because it’s very unlikely that any innovation you developed will nicely snap into place—it will cause problems, at least at first. The problems your innovation generates might be so significant that they could destroy your enthusiasm for continuing. Or, you might like your innovation but, because it’s so different, might be too “outside of the box” for other gamers who prefer a more traditional approach. Often, people fall back to traditional design because it’s tried and true—it’s been tested, it works, and it’s easy to move forward with your game design if you stay inside the lines. Is that what you want, and is it necessarily a bad thing?

How to Build a Game (part 1/5)

Whether you are are an aspiring video game developer, a board game designer, or a tabletop RPG designer, the first question is often the hardest to answer. Where do you start? The options are overwhelming, and can cripple you as you sift through the possibilities. There are some development tools available to game designers that will help you narrow it down, such as the video game design program, Unity. As you explore Unity, you’ll see templates available for a variety of different video game genres. First Person Shooter, RTS, or RPG? 2D platformer, or 3D space shooter? The designers of the Unity program know that the first step you need to take in any type of game design is to decide what type of game you want to make. Deciding on parameters is a crucial step, because having limitations will keep you focused. Endless options are the enemy of the creative mind, though it might seem counterintuitive to suggest this. Think of it this way: if you were told to write a music composition and were given every note to use, you’ll immediately want to narrow things down a little and make some decisions. Should it be in a major key, a minor, or something else? What type of meter do you want to use? What style do you want to write in? Game designers need to make the same types of decisions before starting in order to begin producing something cohesive.

Social or Antisocial Tech? (part 5)

So, researchers, sound the alarm if you want to, and try to raise awareness of the social dangers technology will cause us. It never hurts to be wary. I do understand that sometimes sitting at the dinner table with family and everyone is looking at their phones can be a bad sign, but all it takes is a little decency to put those phones down when somebody decides they want to say something. It is natural to have a lull in conversation even among close family, and I don't think there's anything wrong with picking up a smartphone to check messages or browse online if you're bored. But like anything else--it doesn't matter what you're doing—we just need to have the common sense to prioritize others over ourselves and to look up from those phones when they want to interact with us. None of us are going to be around forever, so we shouldn't miss the opportunities we have to talk with each other. As long as we're communicating—and this depends on how we manage it--technology might actually be a bridge, not an obstacle.

Social or Antisocial Tech? (part 4)

Technology has also allowed us to connect more quickly and freelywith each other than before. Facetime, Skype, and other video chat platforms allow for people to connect and talk through a smartphone, computer, or TV screen. My daughter has performed violin music for my parents over an online chat session, which is a great way for our families to connect despite living at opposite ends of the U.S. I use videochat to conduct business as well, and have good conversations with my clients regularly as if they are right in the room with me. Texting, snapchat, and even messaging through Twitter have also connected us more, and though Elon Musk asserts that we are already cyborgs—communicating with each other through typed text more than the spoken word—it is far more efficient than making a phone call, waiting for an answer, leaving a message, and then waiting for a call back, which usually comes at the most inopportune moments. Texting can be done instantly no matter where you are or what you're doing, can be read whenever its convenient, and rarely take more than a few moments to respond quickly. I've interacted more with my teenage daughter with texting throughout the day than I'd normally be able to interact with her—sometimes I get home from work so late she's already asleep and I've barely talked with her the entire day. We have fun, sharing stories, funny emojis and memes, and just being a part of each-other's daily life.

Social or Antisocial Tech? (part 3)

Another way that technology has improved my social interaction is through online gaming. I'll admit, I'm not much of an online gamer because I enjoy the solitude of single player games after a long day at work talking with people. But, I do enjoy meeting with a few online friends to play a game together that we both enjoy, chatting about life while playing at the same time. I'd be surprised if some of you said you'd never secretly played a video game during a phone conversation with someone, so it's not much different talking during an online game session. People rarely choose to gather just to talk, but the excuse of a shared activity often brings out the best conversations. Amateur games of golf aren't usually about the sport as much as they are about the social experience of walking around together outside, so just like any other hobby, indoor or outdoor, online multiplayer games are a great reason to get together and socialize. Plus, they're a lot more affordable as hobbies than something like golf, they are unaffected by weather, and they require zero travel time. Online games are a perfect choice for someone like me who hates driving and being outdoors!

Social or Antisocial Tech? (part 2)

While it is certainly true that I make fewer phone calls from home than I used to, the fact that I can carry my smartphone with me and talk anywhere has actually improved my relationships with friends and family. Life is so busy these days, with work plus family to take care of at home, it becomes less and less practical to set aside time to sit down at home and pick up the phone to call and talk to a family member or a friend. They're often just as busy as I am, so finding a time to set aside to just talk can be difficult. For me, the best time to talk is during my long commutes to and from work, and I often call friends or family during these times. It's a great time to catch up, and I don't feel impatient or hurried with the conversations, because there's nothing else I can run off to do if I'm sitting in busy traffic. My relationship with parents and close friends has improved a lot over the years thanks to smartphones—I'll call and talk with them several times a week instead of letting weeks elapse before making the time to sit down for a landline conversation at home. I don't even have a landline anymore, either...do you?

Social or Antisocial Tech? (part 1)

Is technology making us anti-social? This question is being asked more and more lately, and researchers have been saying yes, it does. Yet in my experience, I believe the opposite is true, and I don't think my life is that different from yours. Researchers assert that with portable computers and smartphones, we are connecting more often with people in the virtual world, but we communicate much less with people in the real world. I won't argue that there are definitely some people that have an actual problem and are too invested in their devices, neglecting real-world relationships to a degree that is unhealthy. But there will always be outliers in every situation—those examples are certainly not something to panic over. As social communication through technology has advanced over the years, I've actually found it to enhance my relationships with people in the real world, rather than hurt them...