Game Analysis Assignment
Due May 19.Not all of codework involves working directly with code. You also need to know how to think about code structures in ordinary language -- an informal version of the conceptual language programmers call pseudo-code.
I. Assignment
For this assignment, go to Ferry Halim's Flash game site, www.orisinal.com. Look at the game called "Cats." Spend a while playing it. (Or try not to...)
Write a functional summary of this game, concentrating on its visible features, its transactions or behaviors, and any aspects of its invisible structure, or information architecture, that seem important. Assume that you are writing this document as the first step in an attempt to imitate or reverse-engineer the game.
As illustration, here's a quick analysis of the much simpler "Apple Season" game, which we have imitated already:
"Apple Season" has two dynamic elements, a falling apple and a moveable basket. The apple moves in a straight line, rotates as it falls, and falls faster with time. The basket may be moved left and right (but not vertically). Its position tracks the cursor, but it is not "draggable" in the classic sense, because the cursor does not need to be over the basket, nor does the button need to be pressed.
When the apple contacts the upper lip of the basket, it disappears and a sound effect is triggered. The basket also flickers briefly, as if it were flexing under the weight of the falling apple.
There are two score fields, "Saved" and "Missed". The former increments when an apple is caught, the latter when an apple passes offscreen without being caught.
After 100 apples have fallen, the player sees an outcome screen listing high scores. There are two buttons at the bottom, "Play Again" and "Quit." "Play Again" resets the game, taking us to a start screen with the game title in large letters, and a single button toward the bottom, labeled "Start Game." This button echoes the apple shape.
Since scores higher than 100 appear on the outcome screen, there is apparently a bonus feature somewhere in the game.
Specifications
Write as much as you need, but no more than four or five double-spaced pages. Name your document yourLastName_Analysis, filling in your last name. Save your document either in MS-Word format (.doc or .docx), as PDF, or as simple text (.txt).
Upload your document to the Analysis folder within your personal directory on student-iat.
You do not need to write any code for this assignment.
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