As part of my current research I have been examining different techniques for world generation. The traditional approach to heightmap creation consists of using procedural texture functions to build a greyscale map that is then used to make the vertex mesh. Common functions are octaved perlin noise, midpoint displacement, voronoi maps, fault displacements and circle […]
I recently asked a question on the shmups forum, how many games have a ‘perfect score’. I was referring of course to shmups, but the question could apply to many games. Snooker has a perfect score, 147 achieved by potting all 15 reds with 15 blacks for 120 points then all six colours for a […]
Well, I have finally managed to find the appropriate academic context for my continual research interest in gaming. Over the next three (yes I am going to try!) years I will be studying for a practice based phd in the area of digital games as a performative framework. Just to outline a little more of […]
I thought it would be useful to compile a short list of texts I wrote for my “Thinking games” blog. These peices were produced as part of the output of my independent research supported by the Huddersfield DRU ( a joint venture between the University and The media centre). Unfortunately, during the consolidation of several […]
This post contains some brief notes that I have nowhere else to keep for the time being. They will hopefully form part of a longer research idea.
What is entropy?
Noun
1. Formal lack of pattern or organization
“entropy increases as matter and energy in the universe degrade to an ultimate state of inert uniformity”
As referenced by the scientific […]
I recently listened to Jon Blow’s montreal lecture on how narrative and gameplay generally contradict each others operation in videogames. As usual its an insightful and thought provoking talk, however it did make me question how much the definition of these two aspects could be flexed in order to improve their collaboration. It seems inevitable […]
Instead of trying to maintain two blogs and confusing both my files and myself I’ve decided to bring it all home to nullpointer. Thinkinggames.co.uk was originally setup to allow me to publish some research notes I was paid to produce a year or two ago. I want to keep the writing but I also need […]
Or rather not. Ive been working with Alison to translate a prototype I wrote for our internal BASE group game making contest. The one level result seemed to have a lot of potential in terms of being a fun game with some nice user creation features. We decided to try and port the mechanics […]
There is a zone where powergaming crosses over into expert software usage. This is more prominent on the PC platform where the two activities share the same interface. The speed and expertise displayed by hardcore RTS or MMORPG gamers is remarkably similar to the deft fingerwork of a Photoshop or Quark power-user. In some RTS […]
One of my recurring interests in programming and games development is the process of generating and rendering terrain. I have looked at technical method for generating terrain and also the unique challenges of making such terrain ‘interesting’. Since then, I have greatly improved my code and Im now using alot of HLSL pixel shader routines […]
Clint Hocking, Creative Director at Ubisoft Montreal was recently interviewed by Gamasutra on the topic of “self motivated exploration”. Although the discussion begins with a brief analysis of the factors behind non-quest-objective exploration in games, it moves on to the the usage of games as a didactic medium, providing space for contemplation and examination of […]
We suffer from numerous ‘itises’ in the world of games. I am a serial re-roller with bad Altitis (always keen to make a new character to level up and get bored with), I am also a programmer with terrible enginitis (always keen to write yet more pointless generative terrain procedures). Recently however this condition has […]
I wrote this post a while ago, while on paternity leave, so it is probably a little more emotive and less academic than usual. But I thought it worth tidying up and posting anyway.
Ok so I’m tired, very tired. My second child has arrived, leaving me little time to play or write, but the last […]
I dont normally like to post newslinks, but this one really impressed me.
The main thread of the story is about yet more security flaws in Windows OS and what information the hackers are choosing to steal. As with most exploits, spyware is placed on the users machine to perform keylogging tasks and record valuble account/password […]
Contrary to my last post railing against the more emergent aspects of games I have also been writing a little about generative processes in content creation and data aesthetics. As a bit of a counterpoint I thought it was worth posting.
After my recent work in writing procedural terrain generation routines I am becoming interested in […]
In a slight philosphical U-Turn I have recently become a little disillusioned with the prospect of sandbox games. This has happened across the course of various conversations with people like Alison and Michael from Tale of Tales. As much as I am excited by the possibility of emergent gameplay and abstract social collaboration I am […]
So ‘Home’ is Sonys answer to the web 2.0 world. Home is a heavily branded Second Life interface to the PS3s media world, it provides a mass of customisation and personalisation features so gamers can build a virtual world shell around their console functions. Admittedly, it does look nice, like Second Life with better graphics […]
I have always been impressed that although RPGs tend towards complex stat management gaming they still manage to appeal to the mainstream. Stat management is an important part of many games (tweaking gears in Grand Turismo, balancing unit types in Dawn of War) but when it leads to active theorycraft (fans jotting down the effect […]
Following on from my recent post about Tonma the bot I have been seeing an increase in macro farmers, particularly on the newer realms (more inexperienced players with more money to spend?). Djktheuioyhr, a dwarf hunter, spent over 30mins stuck running into various fences, performing obvious bot flinches and killing tapped mobs. His operator really […]
Recently I tracked down our GM in WOW and wanted to ask about something in the guild bank. There was no response to my tell. I tried again several times and asked in guild-chat if people had noticed him being AFK. A few people reported having difficulties speaking with him too and someone remarked […]