Shon-Ting Fu

Prototype robotic simulation and Natural Motion Controller
Shon Fu and Joe Barnes ©2020

Overview:
This controller is designed to allow a person to use their arms to directly (or indirectly) control a character through arm motion. There are buttons for fingers on the hand portion of the controller, but the primary focus of technology in this controller is its ability to measure the motion of a person’s arm through this controller and provide feedback directly to the muscles of the user (via resistances or vibrations) which should immerse the player in the control of the game character – be it a person, athlete, or giant robot.

Particulars for the purposes of this assignment:
Our controller is designed with the Gundam in mind. Player controls a giant robot. Control of giant robots has been attempted in the past with simple controllers, which lack the true feel of controlling a giant robot. Our controller is designed to allow a player to articulate weapons targeting, ranging, and firing, as well as offer the ability to switch to a manual combat mode where user directly articulates arm movement for use with an in-game shield or plasma saber.

Other benefits:
Our controller not only allows users to use their arms to control a character, it requires a user to get exercise in order to play much like the ever popular dance games. This has potential uses in medical therapy as well as simply getting a gamer to engage in physical activity.
In the near future, the military will be using giant robots to wage wars, and our controller will effectively prepare the soldiers of the future to work together to control a giant robot and kill people – a lot like Japan has trained its teens and swarms of ninja using arcade games.
Portability. This controller system is completely portable – weighing in around only 7kg. The design allows soldiers, children, and old people to easily cart the controller around if they cannot carry it.

Details:
Controller consists of a deployable cabinet, which opens into a system offering the user a helmet with HUD, and two arm-sleeves for control. The sleeves are of a sturdy dual layer design. The system uses an internal sleeve to fit, sense articulated motion, provide the game with heart rate and arm temperature feedback, and an external sleeve to provide heavy feedback such as vibrations, resistance, and shock to the users body. The hand controls offer the user three finger-buttons and two multi-function thumb hats. This allows precise control of various systems in-game such as individual missile guidance for two missiles in every volley (Fig. 1), plasma saber activation, shield transformation, and fist missile release and guidance. Force feedback through the outer sleeve allows the user to feel explosions and impacts to their character, and optional chest pad allows the feeling to be expanded into the users primary body mass for easily simulating a mortar or high-caliber bullet impact as well as nearby heavy weapons explosions.

Posted by Shon-Ting Fu at 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Dark Age of Camelot, an MMORPG, came out around the same era as EverQuest. Unlike EverQuest, however, DAoC focuses more on the player versus player, more in depth, realm versus realm (faction based war) aspect. For those whom are interested in playing a team oriented PvP MMO, this would be a good one to start with. Coming back to the subject, though, DAoC introduced a great breakthrough of user customization during its time. In specific, player crafting and personal housing are the two categories that I will go in depth regarding its game play value as well as the social dynamics (player types) associated with them.

Player crafting in DAoC is a very specialization and dedication based mechanic. There are weapon, armor, tailor, leather crafters as well as alchemists, enchanters in which they all have to work with each other to produce the most effective product. The crafting process involves a selection of the equipment type, looks as well as a quality of the according item. Essentially, legendary level crafters as a team with the proper knowledge can create customized end game equipment just like equipment obtainable from raid bosses. This introduces a level of personal touch to the game play that allows a more immersive and engaging experience. As an example, a legendary crafter can become very famous throughout the world and gets credited for his creations.

Personal housing is another important customization breakthrough that has not been introduced in other MMORPGs for a long time. DAoC offers a housing system where players can purchase lots and build houses of their creation based on the build in engine. A vast variety of houses and interior/exterior decorations for players to create the house that they are proud of and can show to their in game folks. Moreover, housing includes setting up personal merchants and NPCs that creates the immersive player built community within the context of the game world.

Like many other games in general, but MMORPG in specific, players are categorized into four different types as Richard Bartle describes in his article, which are the achievers, explores, socialisers and killers. In DAoC, these player types are each distinctively represented in its social dynamic environment.

Achievers in this case would represent gamers that not only reach the level cap, but doing raid group events to obtain artifact level equipment. These artifacts can then be leveled up and develop into a more effective item that has abilities associated with them. Achievers takes a great amount of devotion as well as playing a good leadership role to overcome the challenging encounters. Ultimately, an achiever always has a personal house that stores a great collection of trophies and rewards for the rest of the players to look up to.

Explorers are brought in a dynamically themed based world that reveals a great variety of environments to be amused and discover. Examples such as the ancient underwater cities and temples, the pyramids of ancient Egypt and more in addition to the three realms (factions), each having their own entirely unique world.

Socialisers are often a mix of crafters and explorers in DAoC. A lot of the game play in DAoC as a socialiser comes from talking and advertising as a crafter in either cities or their personal houses. Or traveling around the game world with groups to explore the edge of the worlds. Both crafters and explorers at the end enjoy displaying their discovery or creations in their personal houses. It just so happens to be one of the greatest ways to save and show your work.

Killers, last of all, would make the soldiers of each of the three realms. PvP in DAoC is a war the three realms, Albion, Hiberia and Midgard opposing each other to conquer more of one another’s land (pvp zones). DAoC offers killer type players to engage in team based pvp action that involves field battles, sieges, and assassinations. The overall experience is very much like being a knight or a commander to help defend and expand your country.

In conclusion, Dark Age of Camelot has a very deep meaning and positive play experience for me. The customization implementations created a more user based community and attracted a higher maturity level of players. Even though the subscription based community was not ever like other popular MMOs such as World of Warcraft, Dark Age of Camelot is still an innovative game for future game designers such as myself to look upon.

Posted by Shon-Ting Fu at 09:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Lineage Franchise is made in Korea. Consequently, the gaming content is primarily aimed towards the “games-are-sports” market in Korea. Both Lineage I & II are considered as very hardcore MMOG, and that is because the game involves a significant time investment as well as a conflict-heavy originated game world. In specific, to reach the level cap in lineage 2 takes somewhere between 4000 and 6000 hours of game play. This would be considered as the “Hard fun” element of lineage 2, as Nicole Lazzaro described it.

In addition to that leveling cap, Lineage 2 is a massive conflict-based (player vs. player) game. In which the game mechanics motivates players to split into different clans and alliances that are ultimately opposing each other to achieve domination of some degree in the game world. By domination, the world consists of several different castles, along with associated towns that are controlled by these castles. Player formed clans and alliances are, at a given point, a chance to siege (challenge) other clans or NPC controlled castles. Castle owners at the end are not only famous for their proven strength, but also able to gain access to high end content as well as collecting taxes from the associated town merchants. This is a direct reflection of “The People Factor” that Nicole Lazzaro described, as part of the experience in competition, teamwork, and the opportunity for social bonding while playing with the other players.

Speaking of player vs. player content, there is another important hard core element in Lineage 2, which is the risk, involved in these confliction-based player interactions. The game world itself is an open PvP field, except for towns. Thus, any player can attack or attempt to kill another player at almost any given point. Death in Lineage 2 not only penalties your leveling experience, but also includes the chance of dropping any equipment or item on that according character. This element of risk involved in the game gives players including myself the intensive “heartbeating” effect, and is rarely found on the other MMOGs up to date.

Even in a hard core game like Lineage 2, there is still a consistent break down of player types, which are the achievers, explorers, socialisers and killers. Although with the given game mechanic that lineage 2 has to offer, the killers are more easily stood out compare to other player versus player MMOs. Achievers, in this case would certainly try to reach the level cap while gaining the best equipment in the game. Killers are usually derived from achievers when they get bored or seeking for a chance to show their superior power. Explorers and Socialisers in Lineage 2 do a pretty good job staying together, the game engine and development offers a large world with beautiful graphics and a stunning environment. Allowing more casual players to achieve the element of “Easy Fun” –by Nicole Lazzaro

I play on a faster pacing private server along with some friends. Allowing me to skip through the hard fun leveling part of the game and enjoy the end game content and player vs. player part of the game more quickly. The reason why I enjoy playing Lineage 2 is that it offers me the tension, risk, and the “heartbeating” effect along with them. It is almost too frustrating sometimes when I am in a disadvantaged position, however, facing these frustrations became the motivation for me to overcome the challenge and strengthen my mental power.

View image
-This is a picture of me attacking a group of 7 people, victory, and understanding that most players can't react fast enough to the fast paced and "heartbeating" PvP content.

Posted by Shon-Ting Fu at 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Day of Defeat is a FPS game that has its background set in World War II. Like all other half life mods, DoD is also a game where you move around and gun down your opponent. You play a soldier on either axis or allies in different battlefields (maps). The background settings of the game attract world war fan players like me, with the addition of its team based and realistic combat system, leads me to my flow experience in DoD.

The Flow chart from the reading “The Conditions of Flow” demonstrates that the flow experience requires a balanced amount of player skills and challenge throughout the game play. Day of Defeat, in my opinion, extended the experience of realism compare to the most played FPS, Counter Strike. The breathing, jumping and realistic movements give me a more engaging experience as I am able to relate myself to the character. Because of those realistic, moreover, restricted conditions, it requires more caution and teamwork. This is where the individual ability meets the challenge. The two opposite sides often change their strategies throughout the course of a battle, and those team wide strategic changes bring out the dynamic game play experience (flow).

DoD requires more team cooperation to complete the winning conditions. That, allows me to engage and position myself as the actual character in game. And through realistic character movements and damage calculations, my flow experience with DoD can last for hours during each session.

Posted by Shon-Ting Fu at 09:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Assignment 2:
Puzzle Pirates- life of a pirate in the realm of economics

Puzzle Pirates is an introductory to the realm of economics, as a pirate. Just like most massively online games, there is no winning condition. The catch of the game, however, is that player earn in game currency through a huge selection of tasks, in the form of puzzle-like games (Jobs). With experience and currency in game, players can take on more advanced jobs and earn more rewards. Ultimately, the later game play comes down to making good
investments on material gain, shipments, and purchase properties. Just like in real life, learning how to reduce risk by investing your money in various sources and making use of the investments to earn more rewards. In addition, players are able to outfit them selves with weapons and armor creating a customizable avatar representation.

Another key element of the game is the cooperative game mechanic. In most puzzle games, players are given the choice to work together and progress in whatever field more effectively. As a result of cooperative team play, the communications and social aspect of the games kicks in.

My overall experience with the game was quite positive, I saw some really good concepts and implementations of the investment-based economy. The puzzle games were generally eye-catching and intellectual. I did come across a couple players with disturbing arrogant attitudes because they had more experience with the mini games, in which in some cases it was quite pleasurable to watch them fall.

All and all, I think this game has some good educational and social value it. Through puzzle solving, players can develop their thinking and problem solving ability. The investment and economics system allows players to get a head start on understanding what is out there in the real world economy. Lastly, the cooperative team dynamics allows socialization and communication building. I would say that this game is worth while for any players to have a fun time while building up some valuable real world concepts.

Posted by Shon-Ting Fu at 10:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Monopoly is definitely one of the first board games that I’ve played. It was one of the games that brought the whole family together on the same table. And believe me, it was not an easy task to get everyone doing the same thing. Monopoly has succeeded because of its easy game mechanic that suits a wide range of age, education and gender. Scrabble, however, attracts a different market being a game that requires a strong verbal background to play the game to its full potential. I was introduced to scrabble a lot later than monopoly, two Christmases ago to be specific. Compare to Monopoly, Scrabble has never drawn my attention due to my poor verbal background, and I would blame that on having a late start on my English verbal practices (started in the states in 10th grade).

The two board games, Monopoly and Scrabble are quite similar in the beginning. While each player in monopoly rolls dices to buy the open board of properties, each player in scrabble plays words on the open board that has less limitations and strategic constraints. Towards half way into both games, however, the social dynamic and the game play changes drastically.

In Monopoly, bargaining and trading becomes a very strategic and important element of the game. Each player is easily put into a situation where the trades are made to balance the monopolies between all the players. At that point, temporary alliances and enemies emerge and the pace of the game increases. Combined with the dice rolls, each turn becomes more risky and the overall energy of the board rises. It is really common that players shout or scream when they land on a hotel during desperate moments =).

In Scrabble, planning and watching for bonuses becomes a huge part of the strategy in the second half of the game play. This is because as the game reaches the edges of the board, the bonuses become more effective and the word choices are limited. While thinking about words that are available to the player himself, another part of the game is to prevent other players obtain the bonuses or convenient letter combinations. The most rewarding part of the game is when a player puts down a very good word, and which other players would usually applause for. As mentioned, the later end of Scrabble is aimed, more than less, for a higher educated group of players.

Lambdamoo, an object oriented environment in which players interact virtually through text. This type of social interaction has a very different take compare to face-to-face interactive games such as Monopoly and Scrabble, most apparent being a “goal” within the context of a game. In both Monopoly and Scrabble, the game has set its parameters and variables for players to achieve a common goal. Within that context, players interact and respond based on the events and interactions in game. Lambdamoo, however, is a virtual community in which there is no final goal that players are trying to achieve but simply interact openly within the environment. To players like me that has only got a chance to scratch the surface of a community based environment, I lacked the experience of the pre-established community. To the existing players in Lambdamoo, I’m no more than a ordinary visitor that left a gentle footprint on the carpet of the moo living room.

In conclusion, Lambdamoo is a community driven environment that opens up an infinite amount of possibilities within the context of the virtual environment. It being goalless allows instances such as the “digital rape” to occur since there is no restricted guideline as to what the players are expecting in this game. Where as, on the other hand, Monopoly and Scrabble these two face-to-face interactive board games have a specific goal and rules that players follow and obey during the play experience. Ultimately, the two face-to-face board games forces live interactions between the players, which is very different than the “player’s choice to interact” digital environment.

Posted by Shon-Ting Fu at 07:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)