The document analyzes several existing video game products including Undertale, Shovel Knight, and Starbound. It discusses key features of each game's visual style, world design, combat mechanics, and how these aspects engage audiences. Common features across the games include bright, colorful visuals; side-scrolling 2D worlds; basic combat systems made engaging through variety of weapons, abilities, and gameplay styles; and exploration and customization elements that encourage replayability. The analysis provides insights into design priorities and techniques for appealing to broad audiences through approachable yet engaging mechanics.

1. Research
Jack Lowes

2. Existing Product (undertale)
• The combat takes on a
separate, menu - like screen
• Snowy location (one of multiple areas) There
are limited graphics. Only the essentials from
an atmospheric stand point.
• Over head view
• Character
model (heart)
flashes when
hit by an
enemy attack.
• Soundtrack in
this specific
area includes
bells and a very
jingle feeling
sound.
• Basic SFX when walking through doors, picking
up items, walking etc. makes the world feel
alive
• SFX when attacking, taking
damaging or upon enemy
attacks, etc. make a more
ambient and active experience.
• The Playable
character has
no voice or
dialogue
• Small use of shadows on trees
characters. Nothing realistic

3. Existing Product (undertale)
• As shown in the image, Lighting isn't necessarily taken
advantage of in this game. There is minimal shading
involved on areas like the trees and the bottom of a
characters feet. It seems as though it has been used as the
bare minimum to break up objects from each other.
• The frame features a small wooden cabin with a snowy
roof and windows displaying a warmly lit interior. this
connects to a snowy pathway surrounded by snow
covered pines and a Christmas tree decorated with
baubles, a star and presents. Amongst al this the monster
inhabitants dwell in the village.
• From this display the game gives the player the
impression of a small cozy village in the middle of winter.
Whilst the inhabitants are indeed monsters, they seem to
act humane and even jolly enough to celebrate Christmas.
• This would appeal the audience as there is a certain
familiar atmosphere being presented and also a
welcoming one so they would feel more invested
into exploring the area. This is emphasized by the
monster inhabitants which add to not only the
welcoming atmosphere but also the mystery as it is
obviously unusual to walk into village full of
monsters.
It should be noted undertale was worked on by a
single person and so with a lack of resources other
priorities were made over the visuals
Snowdin

4. Existing Product (undertale)
Undertales combat operates off of a turn based system where the player can choose an action before
swapping to the enemy’s action(s) and then back to the player. It features the standard “fight” option
which is a basic attack towards the enemy and should be a familiar method of combat to most audiences.
There is also an implementation of “items” e.g. foods to heal the player which has also been used in
multiple RPG styled games. Where undertale becomes unique however is its implementation of the
“Mercy” and “Act” options. The “Act” option allows players to diffuse a fight without attacking the enemy
and is often done in humorous ways. For example one enemy in the game allows the player to have a
flexing contest with them to defeat them. The “Mercy” option allows the player to show mercy to the
enemy. If the enemy accepts they will also show mercy and once all enemies do this the fight will be over.
Many enemies need to be acted upon before showing mercy however so these actions coincide with one
another. This allows players to approach the combat in a huge variety of ways which helps to engage the
audience and keep them playing and trying new strategies. The familiarity of the fighting options help an
audience to warm up to the product as they are familiar with how it works and they will not need to learn a
completely new system however there are still new option (which also bring great humor) for the player to
explore should they chose to. This also allows for multiple play styles and the game goes one step further
to reward different pacifist, neutral, and genocide runs of the game with different endings. This not only
gives players a reasons to play a certain way but also encourages players to replay with a new style to get a
different take on what the game has to offer.

5. Existing Product (Shovel knight)
Bold bright colors.
Very cartoony
Side view. 2D with a
backdrop
Basic sparkle and light effects on
attack. Different effect for
different attacks / projectiles.
Blocky shadows and lighting help to
bring out detail in the environment /
characters whilst keeping the cartoony
look
Set up in a forest
/ grassland
(background /
foreground.)
The shovel has multiple
forms of attacking with
melee and projectile
variants. The player has
options on how to deal
with a situation
Royal,
Kingdom
aesthetic
Armor, clearly knights
/ knight inspired

6. Existing Product (Shovel knight)
The first world of shovel knight (as shown in the image) is set in a forest / grassland area. The world
itself is presented to the player in 2D with a backdrop so world exploration is not necessarily a Priority.
The point of the world is to create an atmosphere and setting for the player to complete their
objective. In this games case you must fight through the worlds mobs as you move through the player
space and fight a boss at the end of the level. The world itself is created to some detail and is
interesting to look at however it doesn’t draw the players attention away from the character or the
objective. I believe that the world is meant to make the game feel lighter and more appealing. As the
game features knights the game could easily be set in a medieval era which would typically feature dark
settings and dungeons. having a lighter, more colorful world could help to make the game more
digestible to larger audiences. As the game progresses the levels do get progressively darker and more
in line with a medieval tone and setting however it’s the initial reaction to the game that I believe helps
to draw the players. Once they are familiar with the game it should be easier to head into a more
specific setting especially when accompanied to a narrative that the players have already been
introduced to.

7. Existing Product (Shovel knight)
As for the combat, Shovel knight is rather simplistic giving the player limited options especially earlier in
the game. This however is still enough to counter play the opponents that the game throws out. The
weapon itself can either be swung towards the enemy or held below the player as they jump up to hit
an enemy / object below them and bounce off. The later of these is especially useful for dodging attacks
and gives the player an opportunity to strike back and keep the pace of the fight running quickly. Bosses
also have many attacks that they can use which helps to keep the screen looking busy and exaggerates
the pacing of the fights as the player is always on the move. The player is also given items known as
relics which all have variable powers ranging from projectile based attacks to a few seconds of
invulnerability. This helps to give the player options during a fight. The fast paced combat as well as the
variation added from the relics help to spice up the gameplay and keep audiences entertained with the
combat utilities provided. Considering the games main focus is on fast paced combat and racing through
levels and mobs the priorities and options provided were well placed to keep the audience engaged
with the game.

8. Existing Product (Starbound)
Bright background with all
around bold colors. Very
inviting. The setting is lighter
Green has
connotations
with safety
Location: outer space –
connotations with
exploration and the
unknown. This grabs the
audience attention.
The dark blue represents
knowledge adding to the sense
of exploration and things to be
learned
Casual attire. The player
can represent
themselves In game
All player
placed items /
structures.
Customizability
intrigues
audiences.
Side view.
2D with a
backdrop.

9. Existing Product (Starbound)
Starbound offers a plethora of different biomes and areas for the player to explore. The
game starts in a grassland biome which, having many green tones and colors, makes the
player feel safe and comfortable in the world which helps them ease into the game.
Exploration is encouraged as shown by the advertising and name referencing outer space
which holds a lot of mystery and unknown which would draw the player into the games
explorative nature. There are multiple differentiating biomes and areas that all look unique
to each other and would keep the player engaged with the world as well as there objective
there. Whilst there isn't technically a story / campaign to starbound there is a lot of content
in the game which effectively lets the player choose what they want to do rather than being
board on a bland story quest. The game caters to a larger audience base with the options
presented in the game ranging from hunting down the worlds bosses to just building a cozy
cottage. These options are all interweaved into the worlds gameplay and by doing this
Starbound creates a seamless experience that peaks the interest of a large amount of video
game players

10. Existing Product (Starbound)
The combat whilst basic can have some variety to it with a ray of different weapons to
chose from like spears, swords, guns, projectile scythes etc. aside from there main
attack, weapons also have secondary abilities which make each weapon unique and
encourage a different play style depending on what you chose to play with. There are
defensive abilities like creating a shield wherever the castor is pointing or more
offensive abilities like a scythe that spins around the player for a short period of time
before launching in a direction. This helps to keep the combat fresh and keeps the
audience playing as they would want to experiment with different combinations of
weapons. They may even need to use different weapons for taking down different
enemies they run into, again spicing up gameplay. The player may also get there hands
on items which can potentially give them an edge in combat like a morph that turns you
into a spike ball able to roll up walls and ceilings. Once again this helps to give the core
gameplay more depth and draw an audience’s attention

11. Research Analysis
• What common features do the researched products have?
– There are often a lot of colours to lure the players into the game and create appeal.
– The combat is often layered with multiple options to add depth to the gameplay
– There are usually more biomes (sometimes with harsher themes) for the player to
explore keeping them engaged.
– These games tend to start off lighter before introducing anything to menacing.
– The player is given items that can alter gameplay
– The games offer bosses and tougher challenges
• What aspects of the research will you include within your own production work?
I definitely want to add some form of boss / challenging opponent Into my game to help me
show off some combat mechanics from both parties. I really like the combat system that
undertale offers and would like to build off that for my gameplay. In any case I would like to
add abilities and make the combat a little more cinematic overall. With the time available, I
will only be able to properly showcase one biome however there are ways like player maps
that I can sneak multiple into the game. Many of the colours should stand out as I don’t
necessarily want my game to have a dark / edgy feel so bold colours will work best here. I
doubt I will make the game look unnecessarily lighter as I want to showcase a point later on
in my game with a bit more atmosphere and more skills to the players disposal.

12. Audience Research

13. Secondary Audience research
(undertale)
• Observation:
• The game scored highly amongst critics and the player base who both seemed to love the game for its
“humour” and “emotional story.” The user review goes on to praise the replay ability of the game whereas
the critic review compliments the “endearing characters” and themes.
• What this says about my audience:
• The audience cares for a narrative and the development of characters through this narrative as well as
their own personal impact on the story. I’d imagine part of the reason the game was replay able was
because the story and characters were such a joy to experience.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:
• My product takes off of an adventure RPG and so must have a high level of narrative and character
development. I plan to implement likeable and maybe even humorous characters into the story of the
game.

14. Secondary Audience research
(shovel knight)
• Observation:
• The game was given a positive review and praised mainly for its nostalgic feel being compared to old NES
games like Mario, Mega man, etc.
• What this says about my audience:
• Many of shovel knights audience would have been slightly older to have played these older games and feel
nostalgic of the game. This is the sole motivation for playing.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:
• My product will take on a pixel art style and although it wont look as dated as the games mentioned
above, It may still evoke a feeling of nostalgia in the audiences from games dated in (The early 2000’s /
late 90’s)

15. Secondary Audience research
(Starbound)
• Observation:
• Starbound had mixed reviews and was seen more positively by critics. Both groups praised the games
“sheer volume of content” and stuff to do which helps to keep the games action and “prevents any part of
the experience from becoming boring.” This compliments the story and “engaging combat” respectively.
• What this says about my audience:
• The audience needs content to keep them entertained. It is important to complete a game with as much
content as possible to keep audiences playing for longer otherwise there is no actual reason to play the
game.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:
• The narrative that will be showcased should be a lot of content to keep people motivated to play the
game. I would also like to add side content like certain smaller interactions with characters or challenge
content like side bosses / boss rematches with a harder difficulty / better reward.

16. Primary Audience research
• Observation:
• The majority of people voted for an abandoned asylum
• What this says about my audience:
• Clearly my targt audience are more inclined towards a horror aspect in games and would like to see this
represented In the setting.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:
• All of the options were originally settings I had in mind for my game. Knowing this information I shall start
looking into options for an asylum like setting.
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ZK2LMJJ

17. Primary Audience research
• Observation:
• Most people would like to see the story revolve around a torchurer capturing the player and thier allies.
• What this says about my audience:
• Once again the audience is drawn to a darker more horror themed game. It seems as though culminating
many different major aspects of the game with ties to this theme could prove successful.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:
• Fortunately, this narrative is what I had in mind for an asylum based setting. Pairing both together should
hopefully make for an immersive outcome.

18. Primary Audience research
• Observation:
• All of the target auience admire humor in games
• What this says about my audience:
• Humorous characteristics may present a form of enjoyment or a brea to the player.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:
• This result is interesting as horror and comedy are two very different traits that you wouldn’t expect to go
together. I could perhaps intergrate humor as a form of comic relief amongst the scarier parts of the game.

19. Primary Audience research
• Observation:
• All of the audience thought characters were important one way or another
• What this says about my audience:
• The auience are interested in character development and there relationships in a game. Some even said
they help to better shape the story.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:
• I hope to create a memerable player chaacter as well as antagonists and allies that react vividly towards
each other. They may also help me to add humor into the game.

20. Practical Research

21. Practical Research
I want to Learn how to create animated effects in my game using Photoshop.
Preferably multiple should be created to get a feel for different animations used in
different setting / menus etc. This also allows me to practice the pace that I can create
things as I would like to create quickly and efficiently.
Effects tested could include:
• Enemy spawn effect
• Weapon / ability effect
• Opening a menu (transition)

22. Practical Research
• The first I tested was some form of explosion. This could work as an
environmental change or as a way for enemies to enter the map. What I
like about this how fluid the transition is between each frame which works
to create a smooth, put together animation. I think that when I implement
this into my final product one thing I could work on is the way the particles
spread out about midway onwards through the explosion. Right now they
are very random an they don’t look like they flow into each other at all. I
should remember not to be to strutured as it is still an explosion.

23. Practical Research
• My second experiment tried to make a spear turn/spin and move at the
same time. This one was much less successful as the spear doesn’t look
like it changes position what so ever. What I needed to do was add more
detail and more frames to the animation. It is hard to properly animate a
solid block of colour. More detail perhaps on the spear point would have
given me more opportunities to clearl view it from different angles.
Adding frames would have helped to clearly observe the spinning effect
whilst inceasing the fluidity of the animation.

24. Practical Research
Another technique I practiced was making the game world “move.” I want parts of the
final game world like the grass to blow in the wind whilst on screen.
Unfortunatey the experiment was a disaster. I tried to create higher detail grass than I
plan on using however just the grass itself took a verylong time to create and shade. I
was running out of time as creating 2 more varients to put into a sequence would take
way to long. The only other way I could think of animating it was to use the "after
effects" programm. This however created very unatural movements and stretched
textures so I decided that this would not be the optimal way of editing the grass. In
the end, I did not get animated. Next time I will make sure to use much less detiled
grass/environment as it is not massivly important aspect of the game.

25. Bibliography

26. Bibliography
1. Jack Lowes (2019) Target Audience Research Survey (conducted on 11th
April)
2. Interviewees, Name. (2019) Target Audience Interviews (conducted on
DATE)