"Finding Fluffy" game-play video.

Gamification

There is a saying... "When the student is ready, teacher appears" 

Coursera.org had organized a course on a topic called Gamification. Coursera is a non profit organization with an objective of educating the world with free courses. And Gamification was the first ever course being offered there.Gamification is a new term getting noticed by the world recently. A one line definition for this term will be "to apply video game concepts to the non game context".

The saying above applies to me perfectly. "When i was desperate to learn about Gamification, Coursera was there to offer the first ever Gamification course".

Why was I so eager to learn about Gamification from the outside world has a simple answer. I saw it coming. I saw gamification happening around me. It is a beautiful concept that when applied correctly can positively upgrade your product, service, customer relationships etc. that too in a fun way. Look at StackExchange.com, Foursquare.com and more recently the Mozilla Open Badge.

Gamification is very new concept. Though there have some traces of gamification earlier as well but this is the time when it is taking a firm hold in the Web industry, mobile industry and the world.



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I'm playing: Portal 2

"Intelligent, Innovative and Massively Entertaining " - Game Informer


Recently this game Portal 2 have made me crazy. I mean, the day I have started this title I'm not able to think about any other game. I'm completely mesmerized by this awesome FPS rather FPP (First Person Puzzle) game. Yes this is one kind of game where you don't have any variety of weapons or guns or armors or accessories nothing. All that you will be having is a PORTAL making device, which shoots nothing but one Blue and one Orange colored Portal. Portals which can take to from one place to other in a blink of an eye.

Sounds boring you say? now let add some detailed review of this game and then make your decision.

My Java Applets

I have started developing video games using java applets. Ironically i have tried to start with the high end tools like Unreal Engine, Unity, Torque game builder but finally im finding java applet game development a good learning source for game development. I know there is lot to be done to make a mark but it is good to start with the basics right?

Also java applets are not so bad. If some security features are ignored then its the best tool for any rookie java developer to get into gaming. Here is why, the java applet life cycle is easy to understand and implement. Also when the multi threading capability of java is available then it is quite interesting to work on game development.

What actually im doing is learning step by step the essentials of game programming. The essentials include:

• Game Lifecycle.
• User Interface.
• Painting.
• Navigations.
• Artificial Intelligence.(chasing algos, pathfinding algos etc)
• Collision Detection and other physics elements.

The initial game i have developed has a "simple chasing algorithm" implemented where the an animated red demon (a sphere ) is chasing a animated blue man(another sphere). A Collision detection logic is implemented where if the demon catches the man(one sphere touching another sphere) the game is over. Points are awarded in the form of Seconds(time) ie for how long can the man survive the chasing demon. To add some spice i have made the demon to grow like a blob overtime.

The title link, of this blog will take you to my Technical Blog on my website(http://www.gauravnavgire.co.cc/).

Please feel free to add comment, criticize, like.

RPGs all the way

Ever since i have started playing the Final Fantasy series of RPG im an exceptional fan of RPG games. There's a valid reason for that. RPG's like Final Fantasy has an intimidating story line, mind blowing graphics and moreover interesting,innovative and enthusiastic gameplay.

I dont know why but i like to explore different types of gameplays that these rpgs put forward before gamers through differrent games. Thanks to the innovative minds of the developers. Some them i want to name are: of course Turn Based Final Fantasy versions, Real Time Command Combat of Final Fantasy 12/13, Hexagon(HEX) Based Combat system of Wild Arms 5, Interactive Command Based Combat with Combos of Shadow Hearts series and many mores.

In this blog entry i will specifically write about RPG GAMEPLAY. The gameplay which i like, the gameplay which really made a difference, the gameplays which a will add different gaming experience with newer imagination and technology.

Each gameplay if u have played, gave a unique gaming experience. But the basic concept is same and eternal and it is: In RPGs you have CHARACTERS which are weak at the very beginning of the game, you have to be them and progress with the story, progress in such a way that your character/s will get stronger, you get stronger by defeating enemies and gaining experience,power-ups,weapons,magic etc .

The game play of each RPG game revolves around these basic things or i will say setups. Rest all things viz... the Characters,The Story, The Graphics, The Weapons, The Magic will be the focus where the art and other assests will be created. Thus keeping in mind the basic setups for an RPG gameplay these different gameplays are developed.

With each game i played i had developed a instinct which tells me that there are lot more things that can be done with the RPGs Gameplay. Imagination and Innovation flows thru my mind when i start thinking about these. Lots of Ideas come into my mind. RPG gameplay is worth experimenting but has a lot of risks. Like many gamers(almost all) liked the turn based combat of FF10 but i dont think they enjoyed the real time battle system of FF12. Also the HEX battle system was not taken by many gamers. But still unless there are different experiments done on the gameplay we wont come across different varieties. So I personally want more and more innovative RPGs to be realeased every year for gamers like me. :)