Munchkin Expansion Pack

Rule 1: At the beginning of the game everyone rolls the dice. Whoever rolls the highest number starts on level 2 instead of level one, and gets to go first. If more than one person roll the same high number, those people must roll again until somebody comes out on top.

Rule 2: To run away you must roll a multiple of your current level.

EXAMPLE: Level 3 must roll a one or a three.
Level 6 must roll a one, two, three or six.
ETC.

You can decide if you want to use one or two dice to help your odds.

References:

BLOOD SHOE - Zazzle.com.au . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.zazzle.com.au/blood_shoe_shoes-167792395859668536. [Accessed 06 October 2011].

Cartoon.Pho.to - 2011. Cartoon.Pho.to - Convert your photo to cartoon and animate your face with various emotions! Create a funny caricature from photo.. [ONLINE] Available at: http://cartoon.pho.to/. [Accessed 06 October 2011].

Cartoon Robot Martini. 2011. [ONLINE] Available at:http://macmcrae.com/cartoon-robot-martini.

[Accessed 06 October 2011].

Foam Rubber Ninja Nunchucks | Accessories & Makeup for Weapons Halloween Costumes. 2011. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.costumesupercenter.com/accessories+makeup-weapons/1306R-foam-rubber-ninja-nunchucks.html. [Accessed 06 October 2011].

ImageShack - Online Photo and Video Hosting. [ONLINE] Available at: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/80/tumbleweed.gif/sr=1. [Accessed 06 October 2011].

Mike Carp » Blog Archive » Bigfoot vs. Sasquatch. 2011. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.mikecarp.com/?p=19. [Accessed 06 October 2011].

Windlass - Desktop font « MyFonts. [ONLINE] Available at: http://new.myfonts.com/fonts/scriptorium/windlass/. [Accessed 06 October 2011].

The Devil Wears Prada vs Clueless - A Movie Storyline Analysis

For this analysis I will be comparing the movies Clueless, and The Devil Wears Prada.

Clueless (1995) and The Devil Wears Prada (2006) are both films that can be considered in the 'Chick Flick' and 'Romantic Comedy' genres, however were filmed more than 10 years apart. Despite this, we can find many similarities in their storylines, as will be discussed below.

Every movie has what is known as a protagonist, that being, the main character. This is the character who the story revolves around.

The protagonist in Clueless is Cher:

The protagonist in The Devil Wears Prada is Andy:

All films begin with an equilibrium point, that being the normal world. In the case of these movies, both films begin showing the daily routines of the characters in the movie, mostly focussing on the fashions and morning routine of getting ready.

The next step in any storyline is the disturbance, this being something different from the routine we have previously been introduced to.

In Clueless: Cher gets a new class mate at school, Tai, who isn't very popular or fashionable.

In The Devil Wears Prada: Andy gets a new job working for Miranda Priestly, however she is not fashionable enough to fit into her new workplace.

The next logical step in the story telling process is to come up with a plan. The plan is usually always thought up by the protagonist. This plan is intended to smooth over the disturbance.

In Clueless: Cher decides that giving Tai a makeover will help make her more popular and get her the guy she wants.
In The Devil Wears Prada: Andy gives herself a makeover in order to make her more successful and respected at work.

Next comes the obstacle, something that gets in the way of the outcome expected from the plan.

In Clueless: The guy that Tai likes is too busy being pre-occupied with his crush on Cher to notice her

In The Devil Wears Prada: Miranda Priestly is too busy being a control-freak to notice Andy's good work

Predictably, there is a complication when the character try to overcome the obstacle.

In Clueless: Cher falls for a guy but does not realise he is gay and has not admitted her feelings for her ex-stepbrother to herself.

In The Devil Wears Prada: A guy from work falls for Andy and her friends see him flirt with her but she already has a boyfriend.

After so much drama and action is is usually time for a time-out, or relaxation period, where the movie returns to light themes and it almost seems as if all the problems have been solved.

In Clueless: Cher admits to herself her true feelings for her ex-stepbrother

In The Devil Wears Prada: Andy succumbs to the charms of the guy from work and sleeps with him.

Next step in most story lines is a crisis to peak the audience's interest after it seems the movie is already concluding.

In Clueless: Tai also has feelings for Cher's ex-stepbrother and they have a falling out.

In The Devil Wears Prada: Andy finds out the guy from work knows crucial information about her boss and has a falling out with him

Each dilemma reaches a climax, where the protagonist tries their hardest to solve all the problems presented in the movie.

In Clueless: Cher decides to do the right thing and give back to the community

In The Devil Wears Prada: Andy decides to do the right thing and attempt to tell her boss the information.

Finally, each movie comes to a resolution, or the usually happy ending.

In Clueless: Cher finally admits to her ex-stepbrother her feelings for him and they get together. Tai gets together with the guy she originally liked and everybody is happy.

In The Devil Wears Prada: Andy finally admits that her job is not what she wants, quits and gets back together with her boyfriend and everybody is happy.

References:

Clueless (1995) - IMDb. 2011. Clueless (1995) - IMDb. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112697/. [Accessed 29 September 2011].

The Devil Wears Prada (2006) - IMDb. 2011. The Devil Wears Prada (2006) - IMDb. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458352/. [Accessed 29 September 2011].

The evolution of electronic games

One of the first gaming systems to become hugely popular on the market was the game Pong (released in 1975) by Atari. This was a gaming console that included one game, an arcade style game where you bounced a ball back and forth between paddles. While (as you can see in the screen shot below) the graphics were incredibly basic, and it was a simple concept, it was, however, revolutionary for it's time as it contained a single chip that could both produce the score on the screen, and produce the sounds of the game. Beyond this, it also peaked the public's interest in home gaming systems, making a pathway in the industry for expansion.

In 1985 Nintendo released their first gaming console, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and though there had been other gaming systems on the market for several years (notably, Atari, Intellivision, and Odyssey), this was the first system of it's kind to popularise platform gaming with the introduction of the Super Mario Bros. genre. The first releases of this game included pixelated yet colourful graphics and catchy music which even today is still known for being linked to this series of games.

This and many other popular games were re-released when the first Game Boy was introduced in 1989, the first portable gaming system on the market. While Super Mario Bros. was available on this platform, the release of Tetris is what really made the sales of Game Boy skyrocket. While the original Game Boy was quite large and only in black and white later releases saw more compact and colour versions hit the market.

At this stage, the graphics in games were still quite simple and pixelated, even those in later releases of the systems, and it wasn't until the release of the Sony PlayStation in 1995 that we began to see more refined graphics in the world of gaming.

Until this release, the Super Nintendo gaming system was the most popular console on the market, and to keep up with the Sony PlayStation they released the Nintendo 64 in 1996, which featured far superior graphics to it's predecessors'. As you can see by comparing the photo below and the above photos representing the original Super Mario Bros. game, despite the fact that it was basically the exact same game concept, the graphics were significantly improved.

Since then, electronic game graphics have only improved further and since the release of the Playstation 3 and xbox, arguably the two most popular consoles available today. With each game release new technology is being put to use to create even more realistic worlds for avid gamers to lose themselves in.

Currently the gaming world is working on 3D games, which will only further revolutionise the industry, and prove that the gaming world has come a long was since the invention of Pong back in 1975.

References:

Enhance N64 Graphics With Emulation Plugins & Texture Packs | RetroGaming with Racketboy. 2011. Enhance N64 Graphics With Emulation Plugins & Texture Packs | RetroGaming with Racketboy. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.racketboy.com/retro/nintendo/n64/2008/03/enhance-n64-graphics-with-emulation-plugins-texture-packs.html. [Accessed 29 September 2011].

A History of Video Game Consoles - TIME. 2011. A History of Video Game Consoles - TIME. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.time.com/time/interactive/0,31813,2029221,00.html. [Accessed 29 September 2011].

The Super Mario Brothers Quiz « Lightly Salted Trivia Quiz Game. 2011. The Super Mario Brothers Quiz « Lightly Salted Trivia Quiz Game. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.litelysalted.com/2010/09/the-super-mario-brothers-quiz/. [Accessed 29 September 2011].

The Video Game Critic's Wii Reviews G-L. 2011. The Video Game Critic's Wii Reviews G-L. [ONLINE] Available at: http://videogamecritic.net/wiigl.htm. [Accessed 29 September 2011].

The 'Elude' Experience

Elude is a game intended to replicate in graphics what depression feels like and is intended to help raise awareness about the illness. This game was developed with the intention to be used in a clinical context and help create understanding amongst the friends and relatives of sufferers.

When playing the game you explore different areas, from dark forests, to bright blue skies, and dark and dingy underground areas, meant to mimic the different moods depression can cause and the difficulties it takes to climb out of them.

The actual gameplay happens mostly in a forest with a dark mood and colouring. The aim of the game is to escape this forest to find 'happiness' (the sky). Throughout your exploration you can jump from branch to branch towards the sky and collect power-ups by 'resonating' objects such as birds which allow you to jump higher and faster. Without these power-ups you will be unable to reach 'happiness' and will fall from the branches into a dark underground area where you sink as you try to escape.

Personally I did not find this to be an overly enjoyable game, perhaps because it was far too simplistic. It was not difficult to reach 'happiness' and once you got there the challenge of staying there by jumping on leaves was far too easy. As an educational game I can see its purpose but as a game to enjoy for fun I feel it does not have a place in the gaming world.

That said, I definitely feel that games like this, that create awareness and educate, have a place in society. Anything that can bring awareness to the masses about serious illnesses such as depression in a way that is visually pleasing and entertaining such as Elude, could be crucial stepping stones in the fight against mental illness.

References:

GAMBIT: Load Game: Elude. 2011. GAMBIT: Load Game: Elude. [ONLINE] Available at: http://gambit.mit.edu/loadgame/elude.php. [Accessed 29 September 2011].

The MUNCHKIN Experience

Munchkin is a parody of the popular card game, Dungeons and Dragons, where the players compete to kill monsters and collect magic items.

My experiance of playing this game was interesting as in this day and age when you think of games, cardgames are no longer in the forefront of your mind, and you mainly think about computer based games.

I found this game extremely complicated to understand as there were so many cards, players and rules to keep track of, but despite not completely understanding it, I still found it fun, which I believe is the mark of a good game. I believe it would take several plays to fully understand this game without having to refer to the rules, but that once fully understood it would be an extremely entertaining and addictive game.

The aim of the game is to be the first player to reach level 10. Everybody starts on level 1, and to go up a level you either have to successfully defeat a monster, or be lucky enough to draw a card that takes you up 1 level.

What makes this game fun is that you can draw different armour with different powers so you can customise your character and make them more powerful to help you defeat the mosters. The combinations of different armours you can adorn your character with are seemingly endless, especially since you can combine all the 10 Munckin card packs.

It's an extremely innovative game and one that is likely to get those who are not interested in Dungeons and Dragons or other card based games, intereted, as it combines humour, parody and adult themes to draw in the audience and make it a fun experience for all involved.

References:

Munchkin. 2011. Munchkin. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.worldofmunchkin.com/game/. [Accessed 29 September 2011].

DEFINE FUN

Fun has been defined as 'a sensation, a feeling, an element of happiness. It includes satisfaction of reaching goals, but also of having goals to reach and choices about how to reach them.' This is why fun is most often associated with games, especially, in this day and age, games that are computer based or able to be played on your mobile telephone. [Castronova, 2007].

For the purpose of this blog, we will discuss a game that most people recognise from their childhood, that being 'Super Mario Bros', which has been around since 1985 and was developed by Nintendo. It is a game in which the player chooses to either play as the title character, Mario, or his brother, Luigi. They are portrayed as Italian-American plumbers who have to defeat creatures coming out of the sewers. Several other now well-known characters are introduced throughout the game. [Nerurkar, 2007]

It is a platform game, which is one of the traditional forms of games, which can be found in many arcades, where the player uses their character to jump from platform to platform and collect objects or items, in Super Mario Bros case, these items are coins.

What makes Super Mario Bros. innovative for it's time is that the gamespace extends beyond what is visable on the screen, meaning that the player has to move from screen to screen, exploring the environment and trying to find the end of the level by jumping over objects and sliding down pipes, before they can reach the next level [Nerurkar, 2007].

The main objctive of the game is to ultimately rescue Princess Peach from being kidnapped by one of the main villians, Bowser, while collecting as many coins and killing as many villain characters as possible throughout the game. Each level has several different option on how to reach the end, so you don't have to play a level the same way twice, and can find new and interesting areas to explore in the virtual universe. This makes the game fun as there is not too much repitition, leaving the player bored.

There are many obstacles throughout the game, these include 'mini-villians', such as turtles and the 'koopalings', which are defeated by jumping on them or shooting them, and while so not kill you instantly when you touch them, deplete your health levels. You must also jump over platforms, slide down sewer pipes and climb up beanstalks to find the end of the level. The main obstacle at the end of each level is Bowser, who you must defeat to continue, and to end the game you must defeat King Koopa, who has Princess Peach held captive.

As you progress through the game it becomes gradually more and more challenging, as each level becomes harder. For example, in the beginning sewer pipes only lead you to underground worlds with more coins and items to collect, and to not hinder your progress through the level, however in later levels, these sewer pipes can take you back to previously visited areas of the level, setting you back significantly. The game also adds new worlds as you go along, for example, underwater levels are introduced where you must swim and avoid underwater villians.

In conclusion, when I think about fun games from my childhood, Super Mario Bros always comes to mind, most specifically the SNES release, because while challenging, it is fun for all ages as it is bright and colourful, includes interesting obstacles and gives the players many different universes to explore, making it a very hard game to get bored of.

References:

Exodus to the virtual world: how ... - Edward Castronova - Google Books. 2011.Exodus to the virtual world: how ... - Edward Castronova - Google Books. [ONLINE] Available at: http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=BCBw_ByOsqIC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=theory+of+fun&ots=PuXNIEZHwU&sig=Ybn6LwOwX6zMCuyJN1co4ApcIVg#v=onepage&q=fun&f=false. [Accessed 29 September 2011].

SpringerLink - Abstract.2011.SpringerLink - Abstract.[ONLINE]
Available at:http://www.springerlink.com/content/q581283404521mw2/.[Accessed 29 September 2011].

Introduction

The purpose of this blog is to map my experiences while studying AMC2007 - Innovation and Technology at Victoria University.

Student number: 3775310