Kuhundle is the german word for “horse trade,” which constitutes one of
the two main mechanics in the game. The horse traid represents the
manner by which players steal and lose animals towards the end of the
game. Play also revolves around an animal auction mechanic (with which
you buy animals to gain multipliers and points), which is essentially a
bidding system that brings new animal cards into the game. These two
mechanics are explained by the game as being a sort of animal auction.

Dramatic Elements:
The dramatic elements in Kuhundle are the players and consequently the
values of the animals. The horse trade tactic, which allows you to steal
animals from other players, has a strong effect on the perceived value
of the animal cards. Because completed sets are safe from other players,
and count as a multiplier at the end of the game, it can become
strategic to take a chicken fro
m another player, or to disallow a
competitor from stealing a donkey, regardless of the point values.
Multipliers are far more important than actual point values as long as
you have a reasonably high point value animal, and this creates the
dynamic elements to the game. In no two games will the animals be
distributed the same way, and as such the game appears to repeat players
to be dynamic. Animals also enter the game in a different order each
time due to shuffling of the deck (this includes the donkey card, which
pays out money each time it is drawn from the deck. This is the only way
in which money is introduced to the game).

Play Experience
Kuhundle was a great game to be exposed to and the reason for that is because the game creates
a tense competition between the horse trades and the auctions. This type of tension between players
allows us to extend the use of our brain whether that is for intimidation and/or anticipation. Throughout
the game, we came to a conclusion that keeping track of where the money is going between the players
becomes a critical observation. Having the cash flow and the knowledge of how the money is distributed
among the players keeps the competition alive. For example, Shon held 3 cards of both the cow (800 pts) and horse (1000 pts), completing both sets and any additional set would essentially win Shon the game, however,
since everyone else is aware of that fact, the holders of the last horse and cow made sure that they had enough cash on them to keep the pressure on Shon and not get bought out easily. The rest of the game narrowed down to
a battle of the mind.

Acquire Play test

Formal Elements
The formal elements of Acquire consist of essentially just the board. From game to game this stays constant, while the tiles that are placed on it and the distribution of money change.

Dynamic Elements
The primary dynamic elements consisted of the tiles and the money. Tiles are what players use to create, expand, and merge chains. As the game progresses and chains merge, money is distributed to players through Primary/Secondary stockholder bonuses and the selling of stocks they control in defunct chains.

Dramatic Elements
The game doesn't have characters per se but the player is able to become a powerful business/property owner and therefore takes on that persona. As you play through, you are able to see your empire grow/topple and actually feel worried about what the other people will do next.
You literally build the story in this game creating power struggles, conflicts with other hotel chains, and the personal choices therein. The set up is you are trying to create the largest hotel chain in order to end up with the most money at the end of the game. Through gameplay, the story emerges as empires are built, chains are acquired, and players are cheated out of their profits.
The dramatic arc didn't work quite as well in this game because it is about continuously building until you have the most money and therefore had no real climax. Instead, players emerged as dominant about halfway through and left the others to devise new ways of making profit. This changed the dynamic but the dominant stockholders still stayed on top.

Play Experience

Dramatic Elements: Challenge
• Clear Goals and Feedback
o You want to:
o Increase the value of your shares.
o Have your chain bought out.
o Gain control of the most shares.
• Flow
o Depends on the skill levels of the other players.
Dramatic Elements: Play
• Player types that thrive:
o The Competitor
o The Collector
• Participant play:
o Each player has a stake in the end outcome of the game.
Dramatic Elements: Premise
• Charged world of corporate acquisitions:
• Wealthy hotel-chain owning moguls.
• Money and stock are vital game resources.

I will address three emergent game plays that I have experienced, player avatar, player created objects, and the world of second life overall.

Avatars have become an important element in the online community that addresses the player identity as well as connecting the play with the character. In Second life, the customization goes quite a distance allowing dramatic differences and emergent characters. This includes the pokemon character that I met while shopping at Dwellget.

As mentioned, Second Life is a collection of player created content, in which the buildings, transportation, terrain, and objects are all part of the emergent creation. I have came across, let’s say, many “unexpected” objects, from take home dolls

to multifunctional weaponry
.
This provides the players to express their passion and interest in a creative environment where it can be shared and recognized, which is pretty awesome.

This is a picture of me playing slots at a player created casino, burned some time there... and L$.

Second Life, the world itself is undefined, divided simply by land, space, property(user created content). As Salen and Zimmerman mentioned in the article “Rules of Play”, this is part of creating a complex system that drives meaningful play experience. The way I see it, is that Second Life is a second world in development, in other words, the beginning of a civilization. As a starter in Second Life, I feel that the world is slightly choatic, not well organized and structured as a whole. WorldMap Various parts of the player content is well displayed and introduced, however, there is a wide range of objects and land that is not formalized to fit in the overall picture. Not that this is a bad thing, it is simply the start of a revolution in the realm of player created world content and emergent game play.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.