To get the ball rolling, I am looking at various IP’s in the same way in which somebody making a game based on a licence might, and boiling it down to its core characters and settings, and key mechanics.
With this, I will begin my designs based on these IP’s, learning how to work on something that I do not have complete freedom over.
I hope to move quickly onto creating levels based on my own mechanics, but am using this stepping off point to keep me firmly grounded.
Looking at the use of existing IP’s in design, there are two ways to go about it.
The first is to be faithful to the source material, seemingly the more popular choice for game titles, games such as Lego Star wars try to keep the experience very much inline with the films it is based on, giving a greater feel of recognition, and an experience in which the player feels like they are living parts of the film.
Of course, you don’t have to stay totally true to the plot of a film, Spiderman 2, the highest rated of the Spiderman film trilogy tie-ins, deviates heavily from the plot and instead draws from the original comics for additional tasks and villains, swinging back to the film for the games milestones.
The character of ‘The Rhino’ was not seen in the film, but added to the game for length
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there is the ‘influenced by’ route.
More traditionally seen in other media, such as film, something can be taken as a source material, such as a children’s book, and changed completely to fit the target audience. (an example of this would be the original ‘Charlie and the chocolate Factory’ film, using the same plot and characters, changed bits of the book to be more suitable for film.)
Originally an African Pygmy
So, Level design! After toiling with where to start, the decision was made for me, and I am first working with the “Batfink” Licence, considerably more suitable due to the recent upsurge in ‘Retro’ with current media, for example, the new Mr. Men TV series using a strong 80’s animation style to compliment the series roots, but also contrast the freshness of the modernisation.
As of now, I hope to look at a few IP's, before moving onto my own mechanics and being more experimental.
out of respect for the people who got them in the first place, here are the details of my image references!
1) Spiderman fights Rhino, Geek.com, October 10th 2010
Accessed 21st September 2010
Kenneth England
Image source:
http://a.fsdn.com/gc/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/smwos_rhino_3.jpg
Website source:
http://www.geek.com/articles/games/new-spider-man-web-of-shadows-screenshots-released-ready-20081010/
2) Oompa Loompas, Fatkiddiary.com, January 22nd 2010
Accessed 21st September 2010
Louis Core
Image source:
http://fatkiddiary.com/judy-oompa-loompa.jpg
Website source:
http://fatkiddiary.com/2010/01/i-think-i-can-see-my-house-from-here.html
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