Train model for our Game!

By Hamza El Mesfioui

Game Idea - By Ahmed Bhutta

From my observations of everyday life around me, I had an idea of a game that almost combines all my research into one taking bits and pieces from each observation. When I began to research, I was surrounded by traffic and public transport. As my research progressed, I observed and sketched other life forms, which made me think of a very memorable story of Noah’s Ark. When sketching buses and travelling on the train, it made me think about when I had to run for the bus almost everyday just to get to school on time. This led me to the following game idea:

The game begins as the playable character, (a chosen animal) is on his way to work and a bus, or overground train passes them. The game is now playable switching from a “story telling screen” to a “playable one” Each individual character has their own ability level. Ability level is measured by three bars, Agility, Speed and acceleration. The amount each character has affects how that playable character performs. These stats can’t be increased or decreased.

Whilst in game play, a playable character will have a health bar. The health bar is increased by eating food by passing shops whilst attempting to catch the mode of public transport, and is gradually decreased by a continuous sprint. If the health bar empties out, the playable character’s screen shakes and the playable character then faints. The level will be failed.

This is a concept design of the selection stage when choosing a character.

The objective of the game is to get from where the game begins, to the busstop without bumping into anyone or anything. This has to be done for several characters, and each character will have different stats and each run will get harder and more difficult. Obstacles will include elders with trollies, parents and children, school children, cars turning into roads. The next level begins when the playable character has reached the bus.

Each playable character will start off with the same budget of 10 coins. With each successful run, the player is awarded with a set amount of coins dependent on the difficulty of the level. This also depends on how many obstacles were avoided and the time limit in which the run was completed. Coins can be used to skip a level. The harder the level, the more it will cost. If a level is failed, coins are deducted – less than what is awarded though. Coins can also be used to purchase snacks from the passing shops whilst on the run, but stocking up at the start of the run might be a good idea to avoid missing the bus/train.

Each level will have a different setting and a different character; no two runs are completed by the same playable character. The game ends when all the characters have gotten onto the bus or train.

By Ahmed Bhutta

Photographs and Design Research - Ahmed Bhutta

At this point in my research stage, I had a clear focal point for a game idea. Even so, I wanted to still go around and see if I gain any further inspiration from objects I find or places I visit.

I came across a store called “Games Workshop” but unfortunately it seemed to be closed. I believe it held board games and sold some video games, it would have been interesting to see what they had, but unfortunately I could only take pictures of what I saw through the window as they were shut.

I managed to capture a castle like structure from the window and some very small action figures too. It was quite dark inside, difficult to obtain any further photos, but is a place I attempted to visit.

As stated, I knew I wanted to incorporate all parts of my research together for my game Idea.

When I realized I wanted to incorporate public transport into my game idea, I remembered when I had to catch a bus to school almost everyday, well run actually. So I decided to visit the route that I used to take to school and take photographs of positions on that route whenever I ran for the bus.

Above on the left is shown the start of where I would begin to run if the bus passed. The bus would pass where the houses can be seen. On the right is where the bus would be coming from on a typical day to school, demonstrated by the garbage truck.

Above on the left is shown the stretch of road I would have to run to catch the bus. Above on the right is show the obstacles I would face, like a turning car, the fence and pedestrians.

Above on the left is shown the hill I would have to continue to sprint up to catch the bus. On the right is the continued stretch of road before the bus stop.

Above is shown the bus stop I would have to reach before the bus arrives so I could get to school on time. I think it was significant to include my sprinting journey to catch my bus to school within my research as its part of what inspired my game Idea. Hopefully, in the next post, my game Idea becomes a lot clearer.

By Ahmed Bhutta