Jack Lowes evaluated his game design project. His research covered visual, sound, and atmospheric elements of other games but could have explored audio design more deeply. Planning included ambitious ideas that exceeded the project scope. Poor time management resulted in an unfinished product that would have benefited from more focus on graphics and sound effects. The game's animation, shading, sound effects, and overall aesthetics required further polish and did not create an immersive environment. The target audience was young male gamers but the visuals may not have appealed to them.

1. Evaluation
Jack Lowes

2. Research
• I feel like my research was carried out very well going into great detail on
visual, sound, and atmospheric appeal for many different games.
• The research definitely helped with my project as it allowed me to collect
and form ideas of my own whilst I was looking at all of these different
games. I also looked at some similarities between the games which let me
build off of and develop ideas.
• In my opinion, audio could have been covered more in all of the research.
Most of the notes were about one sound effect in each game and possibly
one comment about the music too.
– Sound was one of the weak points of my game which
could have been improved with better research.

3. Planning
• The planning was very in depth displaying many different options and
possibilities through mind maps. Despite this, the plans may have been
way to ambitious for the style of game that I had to create.
• There were 3 game styles that I planned and I thought to take elements
from them all for my project. I took into account many different options
for enemies, abilities, the main character, level settings, etc.
• Some ideas like 4 characters all customised with there own weapons and
abilities were clearly to much for a 2 week production schedule
• Next time I would have to pay
more attention to my
limitations. Especially the
type of game and the time
frame I have to do it in.

4. Time Management
• The product would have certainly benefited from more time. Due to
illnesses and other factors I didn’t manage to get the full time (This could
have been solved by having a better contingency plan).
• With the time I did have I tried to create a big stage with one main
character and 2 enemy variants (I would have like more) I ended up
spreading my time across many structures and creations which ended up
turning the visuals into one big mess. There are many clearly unfinished
parts of the maps that take away from the atmosphere and immersion of
the game.
• Time would have been better spent on SFX and GFX. I feel like these
elements of a game are really what make the atmosphere and game come
to life and are extremely undervalued sometimes.

5. Technical Qualities
Personally, I thought there were many problems that could be improved with the project. The
animation quality was very jittery and could’ve been smoothed out. To create the animation I
created multiple frames using a screenshot moving different parts of the image. There was also a
lack of detail in many areas of the map with some areas missing out on the shading. Getting the
shading was simple enough. I put the pencil color on either black or white and turned down the
opacity to make certain colors look lighter or darker Despite this the characters in the game look a
better quality than the rest of the map. The boss could have been created to look a little bit more
menacing and unique to give it that boss feel. Dungeon defenders is a great example of where
bosses stand out more than the standard enemies. The normal enemy is quite basic in its look and
then the boss has a lot more going on in terms of its size, color combination, and extra visual
elements like violent claws and crystal armor plating.

6. Aural Qualities
• There are many different music tracks and sound effects included in the project. All
were made using a website called beat box.
• The game includes a start theme, button press SFX, 2 different footsteps, an attack
sound, a main theme, a boss theme and a victory theme.
• Although there is a variety of sound there isn’t much complexity in the tracks. All of
them just use one sound and the melody comes from altering the pitch higher and
lower.
• There are a couple of sound effects like the spear thrust and footsteps. The sound
effects don’t sound realistic to what's happening in the game.
- Also the footsteps SFX don’t sync up with the actual footstep animation Which
disconnects the immersion quite a lot.
• Even though dialogue was planned, none was included in the final product. It could
have spiced up a very dry production.
Generally the SFX needed to sync up to the animation and sound more like what was
actually happening. As for the music, I think they could have sounded less irritating. The
boss music should be more intimidating (which could be helped with a longer boss fight)
and the main theme need to induce more feelings of exploration and the unknown.

7. Aesthetic QualitiesIn the Game there are many walls that are not textured.
• The castle isn’t very appealing to the eye with an odd dark grey color
and no texture to the walls. There is minimal shading that makes it pop a
little more but that is it.
• The grass has a better texture than most of the game however it looks a
little flat and still.
• The characters look the best out of everything. The shading is well done
on them and gives them an edge and pop out. The only problem with
this is that the characters look a lot better than the level so they don’t
blend into the environment.
• Overall I don’t see the game appealing to any audience as the graphics
are sub-par at best and don’t come together as a collective.
• A lot of the creations were very bland and familiar. Only the enemies and
portal I would say used any form of creativity.
• Next time I would probably make less things in the world but then be
able to concentrate more on making a creatively influenced, appealing
piece.
Compared to something like The Legend of Zelda, my project could use a lot
of work and can draw more inspiration from this game. The Legend of Zelda’s
visuals all have a certain level of detail and shadow. Each object blends well
into the game world to create an immersive environment.

8. Audience Appeal
The marketing focus is on 12 – 16 year old males. The game would be an incredibly cartoony
style appealing to a younger audience. Males should be drawn to the combat and violence
side of the game.
Portals add to mystery and
creativity hooking the
audience
Enemies add to the combat of
the game increasing user
interest and hooking male
audiences.
Knights aren’t seen in reality
nowadays so they could be
interesting to play. Also
stereotypical / popular video
game characters could appeal
to a larger market
Spear made of light adds
to mystery / curiosity and
the creativity hooks
audiences.
Medieval castle plays on
architecture not present much
in modern day society. Maybe
slightly older audiences could
be intrigued.
Bosses create interesting
gameplay modifiers keeping
target audiences interested.