1st assignment Batman Alien Force cartoon network game builders

A) What options are available to you as a 'game designer'? You could choose your character, the goal, surfaces to walk on or fall into, backgrounds. orbs to gather, enemies to fight, obstacles to overcome

B) How are these options provided?In a menu

C) What types of elements are provided for you to use to 'build' the game? You could choose the goal, a way out, fighting enemies, collecting orbs, or both fighting and collecting. You could choose different environmental elements, some which obstructed your progress and some which helped. There were a variety of enemies, and magical aides.

D) What limits are set on the level of the game play able to be customized There is a small game world, only one level so you can't do a great deal

E) What does the process of using these game creators teach about the notion of the 'difficulty and achievement' balance? Explain using an example from your research. You learn how not to give your character too steep a gradient in which to struggle. I started off making the alien force game too easy, an easy stroll to the exit portal, that was out of balance. Giving him a disappearing enemy shooting at him and some nasty obstacles to jump over made a bit more balanced. On the other game I had a more balanced game giving my character a powers enhancement to try to get to before reaching the portal, but having to contend with a disappearing enemy as well, which presented a challenge to get past the enemy to reach the enhancement.

When you are done, trade places with another student and have them answer the following questions. I didn't get a chance to do this. He was too absorbed in his game to switch, so these are my responses,

1) Is the game level fun to play? (be honest!) It became fun after messing with it for a bit.

2) If so, why? If not, why not? It wasn't fun to play when it was too easy, or too challenging, the trick was to find the right balance

3) What could be done to improve the level? More choices, especially in the type of characters you could play as, and in the variely of enemies. I was disappointed that I couldn't play as Batman