Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2011 - (Page 20)

The NewMedia country, the next generation of media developers is finding ways not just to satisfy our expectations but to raise them. They’re exploring new genres, inventing new technologies, and developing new roles for media. Here, four of these grad students offer a glimpse of what they’re learning and creating. Media consumers have high expectations. We want our games and movies to be smooth, engaging, and realistic; we want sharper video and better equipment to watch it on. And increasingly, we expect digital media not only to entertain us, but also to teach us and even assist us in daily living. In graduate programs across the IN PURSUIT OF FUN by samantha vick At USC, Sam has been working on a side-scrolling RPG. The episode below brings the heroes to the swamp, where something mysterious is going on. I’ve loved playing video games since I was a little girl, but I had never imagined that making video games was something that anyone could do. I thought games were magical, made by wizards, maybe. As I got older, gazing at the long credit sequence after the final battle of a game, I began to realize that there was a whole world of smart, creative people who made these things for a living. I knew that one day, I had to become a part of it. I’m a student in the University of Southern California’s Interactive Media Division, one of the best places in the world to learn about game design. I came into the program with a bit of Japanese, a background in creative writing, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology. I had no programming experience, but to my amazement I quickly learned that I didn’t necessarily need any. The skills they teach at USC reach way beyond programming languages. One of the first things they asked me when I arrived was, “What is a game, and what makes a game fun?” I’m still trying to figure that out, and I doubt I’ll ever know the answer for sure. The designer is constantly in pursuit of Fun, that ephemeral quality that separates the great games from the mediocre. But the truth is, Fun is extremely hard to nail down. If four games came out last year that all use time travel as a main mechanic, what is it about game #2 that made it so much better than the others? The designer must always keep the players in mind: What kind of weapon will they choose to use at this part, and why? How will they react to this plot twist? What happens if we throw a bunch of enemies at them here? Will they give up in frustration, or will they relish the challenge? The designer is the voice of the player in development meetings, always advocating for a satisfying experience and trying to communicate their ideas to a whole host of different people—engineers, artists, animators, producers, business people. It’s the designer’s job to make sure that, above all else, the player is having fun. I’ve worked on lots of different projects since coming to USC. Right now I’m working on a side-scrolling action RPG (role-playing game) that uses a really cool story engine to May/Jun 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2011

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2011
Contents
Big Picture
In My Own Words
App Quest
Become a Citizen Scientist with Your Cell Phone
Media Arts and Technology at the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
The Accidental Animator
The New Media Explorers
Learning by Design
A Generation of Criminals
Digital Storytelling
Drama and Duct Tape
Selected Opportunities & Resources
Off the Shelf
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options
One Step Ahead
Planning Ahead for College
Students Review
Creative Minds Imagine
Mark Your Calendar
Knossos Games

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2011