Lack of Cultural Diversity in Final Fantasy Games

Lack of Cultural Diversity in Final Fantasy Games

Being quite the fan of several Final Fantasy games, having played VIII, IX, X, X-2, XII and XIII it has come to my attention that in the soon to be released installment of the franchise the cast of protagonists is somewhat less diverse than what fans are used to. The protagonists are all seemingly Caucasian males. I'm not saying that there's an issue with this, it's merely a design choice (perhaps the climate of said protagonists home has caused fairer skin to be more prominent). surely SquareEnix wouldn't go out of their way to alienate non Caucasian players? It's strange that after previous casts featuring one or more characters of non European descent to change this almost iconic feature.

Accessibility in Games and Bodily Awareness

Accessibility in Games and Bodily Awareness

Zelda Skyward Sword has some of the best motion controls I have used in a game, though I'm sure many would disagree (I have not delved very deeply into the world of motion controlled gaming). The player is only able to control the protagonist's arm as if it were their own, but every swing of Link's sword feels truly as if it was your own. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to carve through trees and defeat enemies by utilising the accuracy of the motion control, slicing beneath a shield or stabbing through a gap in their armour.

Analysis of Ludonarrative Dissonance in Depression Quest

Analysis of Ludonarrative Dissonance in Depression Quest

Depression Quest, aptly named, is a minimal text based game about living with depression. As can be seen below the player is unable to make certain choices depending on the protagonists mental state. This adds immersion to a game almost devoid of any visual aid. Being unable to access sections of gameplay due to the protagonist's depression causes the player to become deeply invested in helping the protagonist. The player can at certain points in the game seek help with the help of friends and family. The decisions made by the player are the only thing pushing the story forward, thus there is little ludonarrative dissonance caused.

17th Mar Video Game Studies: seeing, touching and hearing

Phenomenology - How do we experience games?

**Thumper

10th Mar Mechanichs and messages notes

Intro: mechanics as messages

Brenda Romero - gaming for understanding

- games can have a profound effect on culture
- Train: play it
- games can radically change people's opinions on sensitive topics

Ludonarrative Dissonance - what the game is about

Errant Signal - The debate that never took place

- The words narratology and ludology were created for the new discipline of studying game design mechanics and narrative

TASK: 2000 work essay taking a critically and contextually aware perspective on one or two games - with all the freedom and depth which video game studies offers us.

- there is no single fixed methodology, you're going to be finding your own approach, Merlin will introduce you to examples of these
- you're going to be choosing your own essay question, and looking in depth at a game you find significant, innovative and controversial

Play: - Darkest Dungeon
          - undertale
          - papers please
          -

7th Mar Notes

QA sesh with Chris

Pillar

Fine if you don't get it textured, focus on Normal Map

Tricount - 10k max

Texture UV Albedo
1 - 2048 X 2048
4 - 1024 X 1024
When unwrapping use checkerboard to ensure even texture distribution
*Unfold UV* - (pin unselected UVs, horizontal then vertical, maximum iterations 1000)
With seams separate UVs along the selected edge
Use smooth UVs

Baking
Low poly
Inside
High poly
Inside
Cage

Edit mesh > transform > pull blue lever
Export as FBX for Xnormal

Use selection constraints to select planar surfaces quickly

Need *normal map - RG

Bonus *albedo map - colour
            *metallic map - greyscale
            *roughness map - greyscale
            *emissive map - greyscle
            *transparency / opacity
            *paralax occlusion mapping - POM
            *ambient occlusion - AO

Pivot must be at world 0
(*modify > center pivot*)

UE4

Damaged Pillar: Alien Pillar Concept Development

These were design concepts for an ambitious pillar design that I unfortunately had to abandon due to time constraints. This would have been developed into my final 'Damaged Pillar' model given the time and knowledge of the software I would have been using to create it. At the time I was not confident enough in my ability using either Maya or Zbrush and the baking process would have been extremely lengthy.