1. Audience Research
Age 16-24
Issues around the age group can be how people don’t have the money to be able to keep up
with the increasing prices of everything. Not only is money an issue but mental health
affects up to 70% of teenagers and young adults. These issues prevent the younger
generation from learning properly in classes and end up not learning about the history of
their home.
The social grade that I’d place most of the people in the age group would be grade D the
working class since they’re getting into the workplace but only part time job so they haven’t
developed many skills that would help with higher-up jobs
This age group I believe would have a needs-driven psychographic as most of the younger
generation do just react on instinct and impulse many reasons why they can get into such
trouble and be short on money is through this.
I intend to educate and entertain with my product. I’d educate the audience with the
history of York back in 1066. I would then entertain them through the game they would
play. This game while enjoying themselves would learn more about the history and what the
culture was like.
Primary research
I received 47 answers on my survey with quite strong results. From the question asking if
people new about York’s history 39 people didn’t know, that’s 82.97% which was like the
second question of if the Jorvik centre describes York’s past well. 32 people believed it
didn’t, 68%. After finding out there aren’t many entertaining forms to learn of York’s past, I
knew a game would be a fun way for people to learn.
Following I asked which way people learn best (Visual, Interactive, Auditory). For visual I got
18 answers, 38.29%. For interactive I received 21 answers, 44.68%. Finally, for auditory I got
8 answers 17.03%.
For the type of game, I was going to make I was stuck between 3 choices. A city builder, side
scrolling adventure game, or a turn-based strategy game. City builder got 18 (38.30%). Side
scroller got 19 (40.43%). Turn-based got 10 (21.27%)
2. Secondary research
Northgard
.
Type of image- location, angle, effects
The location of the image is set in winter which can be used to show off many of a game’s
mechanics like heat and the search for food in the rough environment. The angle you see
the game through is a slightly angled birds-eye view, this is used to show off more detail in
housing and the detail in the world compared to the regular birds-eye view. The effects that
can be seen would be the snow that’s falling, this could slowly build snow onto things or just
be there to show there’s a storm currently happening.
Use of lighting/ costume/ props/ location/ colours
The lighting in Northgard is done in a clever way to allow the game to run smoothly. Snow
can be difficult to run smooth so by getting rid of shadows which also take a lot to run it
cancels it out whilst keeping the game looking good. The costumes of the characters are
realistic to the times and changes with their jobs showing you their profession. The props
are very well detailed with everything having shading painted onto it reducing performance
loss. Everything has the classic Nordic look towards it with tribe’s main hall standing proudly
larger than the rest. The location is set on a random discovered island which gives the
creator plenty of room for idea generation and making mysterious relics or something
fantasy based. The colours of the game are kept natural and cold using many different blues
and white to show the temperature of the island and its weather, and this also allows for
the buildings to stand out in the cold using a darker brown.
3. Viking Vengeance
.
Type of image- location, angle, effects
The location of this game changes each level, this shows that the main protagonist must go
to many places to try achieving his goal. This area is a dry dirt location with a visible housing
area and a large building presumably the chieftains house. The angle is a bird’s eye view
which makes character creation a lot less difficult and allows for more detail in the
surroundings. Effects used can be seen at the top left of the image where there are fires
going off spewing pieces of wood in the air.
Use of lighting/ costume/ props/ location/ colours
The lighting of the game is natural light, using the sun which allows for the different
shadows. Using the sun is the only possible light to use if you want to keep the game
realistic and for night torches would be possible to use. The costumes used on the
characters visible (player) look very civilian like, suggesting with help from the title this
man’s family or village got destroyed and he’s taking vengeance on those who did it. The
props around the area have been left as if someone was in a hurry or panic. Additionally,
the different props are very detailed. For example, the forge is built very rough and
unsmooth whilst the gate has been carved perfectly keeping things accurate to the ability of
the tools available to the Vikings. The location is set in England, the scene location is a
village that is currently under attack. The colours are mostly all natural being made from
wood and stone
4. Viking Squad
.
Type of image- location, angle, effects
The location of the image is in a mountain side, you can also assume there are massive cliffs
around the area from the size of the yeti standing in the image and from the fact there is
lots of snow indicating the character could be quite high up. The angle that the game has
used is a side-scroller, limiting the characters to four directions. This also make it a lot easier
to animate and create large bosses as you only need to do one profile and two for
characters going left and right compared to 4/5 a top down or FP/TP game would have.
Visible effects used in the image would be the fire at the bottom right and the yeti smashing
the ground causing rubble to fly into the air.
Use of lighting/ costume/ props/ location/ colours
The lighting isn’t the easiest to judge since it’s all over the place but it’s mostly natural light
being the sun coming from the east of the image. The costume used is very odd, something
you wouldn’t see on a Viking. This theme matches with the fantasy area of the game with
the yeti. Props used mainly would be the axe wielded by the character, which has a lot of
wear on it and seems quite dull/weak compared to many axes seen in games and real life.
The use of the location allows for there to be a large boss that can be at the same height as
the character and make for an interesting setting. The colours used are all very cold colours
like blue/white unlike the character who’s orange and brown which can be seen as more
calm or warmer colours.
