Research for Video Game Project

1. Research
Connor Wiffen

2. Existing Product:
FTL
Top down camera angle
which allows for a
simple play style and
view that gives the
player an overview of
every aspect of the
game (Ship crew and
Enemy ship).
Simplistic HUD where all
the information is easily
distinguished which
means the game is
suitable for several age
groups as there isn’t
much in the way of
serious strategy but
enough to serve a
challenge.
Cartoonish ‘cell shaded’
art style which will
appeal to a wider range
of audiences including
women and children
who may not like a game
with a super realistic art
style.
Pixelated futuristic space
sound effect/ music for
weapons and menus
that gives the game a
unique feel and
atmosphere with
memorable music.

3. Existing Product:
Sins Of The Solar Empire
Full 3D 360 degree camera angle set in
space so players are able to see all of
the battlefield around you for
maximum strategy which obviously
appeals to the target audience of fan
of the Real Time Strategy genre.
The game has a more
complicated HUD due to
it being aimed at a niche
audience who like to
know specific
information during a
battle. It is also placed
around the screen so
that it doesn’t obscure
much – if any – of the
screen.
The graphics are as
realistic as a “Space”
game can get – far more
detailed than the
graphics of FTL which
appeals to fans of SCI-FI
like Star Trek and
Battlestar Galactica.
The sound and music of
the game is more
atmospheric like ones
found in the likes of Star
Wars. This appeals to
the audience as there
doesn’t need to dialogue
etc due to the focus on
battles and ship combat.

4. Existing Product:
Rodina
The graphics of Rodina are
minimalistic but 3D unlike
FTL, It goes for a blockier
approach to its looks and
strays away from the more
realistic look of Sins. This
style would appeal to a lot of
people due to it not being
graphic intensive so any PC
would be able to run it.
Rodina has little to no
HUD so players can fully
explore the universe the
game presents without
being distracted or
anything being blocked
from view. This appeals
to the audience as it
allows for more
immersion whilst
exploring.
Full 3D 360 degree camera angle set in space so
players are able to see all of the play area (which is
rather large due to it being space). This appeals to
the audience as it allows for players to see around
them whilst in their ship like Planets and Enemies,
this camera also means they can combat the
enemy ships in any direction .
The sound and music of
the game is more
atmospheric with little
to no sound with
anything else apart from
the ship’s engines so the
game isn’t completely
silent so it is still fun to
play while giving the
sense of being in space.

5. Existing Product
Alien: Isolation
The graphics of this
game emulate that of
the 70’s movie so are
realistic to an extent, it
adopts the atmosphere
of the movie series too
with dark corridors and
interiors – this appeals
to the audience as it
emulates what was
enjoyable in Alien.
The music of this game
is primarily for
atmosphere building but
there is also voice work
for cutscenes and during
gameplay. The other
sound effects come from
the weapons and Alien
which again emulate the
movies.
This is a first person game with a
camera which works on a 3D axis
which makes the immersion greater –
this is key to creating the horror
aspect of the game. This appeals to
the audience as it allows for them to
become a part of that universe and
experience it “first hand”.
Alien: Isolation has little to no HUD
so players can experience the
environment's without being
blocked by any of the HUD – This
means Players aren’t taken out of
the game by menus.

6. Research Analysis
• What common features do the researched
products have?
• Space Theme
• 3D or Top Down Camera (Except First Person Camera on Alien: Isolation)
• Spaceships and Aliens
• What aspects of the research will you include
within your on work?
• Basic HUD design
• Camera Angles

7. Interviews

8. Interview 1
• Would you prefer a game with a minimalistic art style or one with a more realistic one and
why?
Realistic because I like detail and accuracy in games I play.
• Is a game where there is a pre-distinguished story or one of which you create yourself as the
game proceeds preferred and why?
I prefer to create my own story as it gives me more freedom and a different experience every
time I play.
• Would you like to be able to create and customise you own spaceships (Design and Weapons)
and be able to select the gender and species (Human/Alien) of your crew members/captain
or have a number of predesigned options to select from and why?
I would prefer to create and customize my own units and ships for the same reason as the last
question.

9. Interview 1
• Observation: Prefers a more realistic art style
whilst also having an open game where you make
your own story with a lot of customisation
• What this says about my audience: A less story
focused game would be more inline with their
tastes
• How will your product appeal to this audience: A
storyline will be what kicks off the events of the
game but from then on it is of the player’s
choosing on how they approach the rest.

10. Interview 2
• Would you prefer a game with a minimalistic art style or one with a more realistic one and why?
• I prefer realistic games as it makes the game look better quality and you can see more of your
surroundings which makes you feel like you’re in the game.
• Is a game where there is a pre-distinguished story or one of which you create yourself as the game
proceeds preferred and why? I prefer a create yourself story as you can go back after you have
finished the story that you have made and play it a different way each time. This stops the game
from becoming tedious as you’re not just playing the same objective all the time.
• Would you like to be able to create and customise you own spaceships (Design and Weapons) and
be able to select the gender and species (Human/Alien) of your crew members/captain or have a
number of predesigned options to select from and why? I think it is a good idea to be able to make
your own character as once you’ve made it, it is your own design and no body has the same
character which makes your character and individual rather than an accessory

11. Interview 2
• Observation: Again - prefers a more realistic art
style whilst also having an open game where you
make your own story with a lot of customisation.
• What this says about my audience: A less story
focused game which has tons of customisation
would be more inline with their tastes .
• How will your product appeal to this audience: A
storyline will be what kicks off the events of the
game but from then on it is of the player’s
choosing on how they approach the rest.

12. Bibliography

13. Bibliography
1. Thompson, Daniel. (2018) Target Audience Interviews (conducted on
12/01/18)
2. Interviewees, Joe. (2018) Target Audience Interviews (conducted on
12/01/18)
3. Subset Games, (14th November 2012) Faster Than Light
4. Ironclad Games, (4th February 2008) Sins Of a Solar Empire
5. Elliptic Games, (13th December 2013) Rodina
6. Creative Assembly, (7th October 2014) Alien Isolation