Biography: The Story of My Academic Life
I am a college student with quite an experience in academic writing and research. I have already completed several projects and written a range of academic papers ranging from essays to research papers. Though this project is very challenging, I believe that I have the skills and knowledge to design it properly.
Project Description: The Possibilities of Vancouver New Media
The project will take the form of a free downloadable video game, which will help people discover new information about Vancouver and become interested in the city, its sights, and history. The game will incorporate hand-drawn animation (it is important that the amount of CGI in the game should be driven to nil) and the actual shots of Vancouver. Thus, it will be possible to blend the reality with the virtual world of the interactive game.
Project Goals: In Search for the Gems of the City
The Vancouver Project is aimed at attracting people’s attention to Vancouver and its unique features. Primarily, the project is designed to make information about the city interesting, popular, and easily accessible. It is important that the key sights of the city, as well as the interesting facts about it, should be available to as many people as possible. Thus, it will be possible to keep the unique culture of the city alive and make the latter retain its originality in the era of globalization, when cultures merge, therefore, losing their uniqueness.
Interactive Component: Designing a Video Game
The video game in question will allow the players to add their own elements to it, therefore, becoming more complex with each new member accessing it.
Audience: When Every Single Visitor Counts
It will be reasonable to suggest that the age group, which the target audience is going to be included in, should be stretched from young teenagers (i.e., 10–12-year-old users) to adults (30–40-year-old users). Because of the difference in tastes of younger and older generations, the classic design of the online game in question should be provided.
Inspiration: Following into the Footsteps of the Giants
The creation of the game was inspired by a range of interactive first-person adventure games, as well as a range of indie games. The simplistic style and the originality of the latter are truly enthralling; it is fascinating that true gems can be created on a shoestring budget.
A Guide to the Great Adventure: Welcome to the Vancouver Project
Welcome to the Vancouver Interactive Game Project! As you hit the “start” button, you will see Captain Vancouver on the screen for a couple of moments. He is not very happy about being a part of this quest, yet he did contribute a lot to the state as an explorer of this country, so there is a point in giving him some credit and letting him see you through this game. He is quite grumpy, yet he will give you helpful hints. At the bottom of the screen, the progress bar and the inventory bar are located. You can pick the items from the inventory bar with your mouse and combine them, use them to unlock the levels, etc.
The user starts with the choice of a location that they will investigate for puzzles and clues. The player must be very attentive to details. For example, at the end of one of the levels, the user will have to answer a short quiz (5 questions) concerning the information, which was represented in the course of the game. To be more exact, the following type of questions will be expected:
“Which of these people is known for exploring the area of Vancouver in 1778?
- Captain James Cook
- Captain George Vancouver
- Captain Francis Drake.”
If all answers are correct, the player receives a piece of an object traditionally associated with Vancouver and proceeds to the next level. In the course of the levels, the player will collect the pieces of a puzzle, which will have to be solved at the end of the level. Afterward, a peculiar fact about the city and its key features will be revealed. All of the objects, which will be collected in the course of the game, are closely related to the history of Vancouver and bear considerable significance for the people of the city. Or instance, the image of a pacific dogwood is one of the objects that will have to be put together, and that will lead to the discovery of several curious facts about Vancouver and its residents.
As soon as the game is over, the player is allowed to edit levels and create their own ones. For example, one may add more items to the level of the Vancouver Art Gallery, therefore, making the puzzle more complicated. Alternatively, an entirely new level can be created based on a specific location that the user would like to add to the game. It should be noted, though, that the locations, which can be included in the game, must be chosen from the map that can be found in the inventory box. In addition, the editing functions are restricted to the creation of quizzes and word puzzles.
Each of the levels occurs in a different location, and each location represents a specific Vancouver sight. For example, the Vancouver lookout, a famous skyscraper, is one of the places where the player will have to search for the pieces of the puzzle and answer the quizzes. The rest of the levels also feature some of the most exciting and exotic Vancouver locations, including the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Garden, the Granville Island, etc. The last, but definitely not the least, the fact that the game includes a chat, where the players will be able to converse and share their experience, will be provided.
Interactive Component: Sharing Experience with Others (A Game Review by User1027)
At first, I had my doubts about this game. There are a lot of projects that are called educational and yet cannot get people to remember a single historical or scientific fact after the game is over. This game, however, was a welcome change of pace. It did allow for learning more about the city, and it did so in a rather unobtrusive manner. What fascinates about the game is that it does not belong to any particular genre; it incorporates the elements of an arcade, a puzzle, and a strategy. As a result, a completely unique atmosphere is created. Though the graphic solutions of the game leave much to be desired, it is still worth trying out as a peculiar introduction to Vancouver history and culture.