Blogging the experience of gameplayhttps://www.gamelog.cl/gamers/GamerPage.php?idgamer=496https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2960Gamelog Entry #2 Gameplay: I had 1, 475 points by the time I reached level 3. From this, I think that in order for me to reach the next level, I have to get about 500 points. It was during level 4 that I realized the background changed. This time, the points were 25 for each three gems that are combined. Finally, I got the hyper cube. How this works is that which ever color I switch with the hyper cube, all the gems of that color will be destroyed as well. I switched the red gem with the hyper cube, so all of the red gems on the screen were destroyed. There were words coming across the screen, like good and excellent, when a combo of some sort was created. There was even an announcer saying “good”, which encouraged me to continue with the game. I tried to challenge myself by combining more than three gems together. In the end, when I was in the middle of playing level 5, there were no more moves that I could perform, and the game ended. Surprisingly, I got a high score of 8,129 which was displayed at the end of the game. The levels completed, time played, gems collected, biggest cascade, biggest combo, power gems created, and hyper cubes created were all displayed too. Design: The hint would appear in the game whether or not one presses the “hint” button, which doesn’t make sense because when I pressed the hint button, I lost 40 points because of that. It would have been better if the arrow did not come up every time someone takes their time deliberating. Instead, the game designers should have just stuck with the idea of subtracting points when the player uses a hint. There should have been a time limit for completing each level, even for the classic category. This way, the game will be more challenging, and therefore fun. I enjoyed the background and the songs. The background would change in each level, and they all looked futuristic. The music was a plus because the songs changed from time to time. This aspect kept the game interesting. The game levels did not exactly change when I was playing. I performed the basic tasks in each level; the only difference was that the points increased. “Bejeweled 2” should have been more like “Jewel Quest II” because that game had new gems in each level. There was also a time limit, and it actually had a story to the game. The similar aspect that these two games have in common is that they both had bonus points and new gems/special powers when a certain amount of gems are grouped together. The problem with this game is that I cannot tell what is required for me to do in order to reach the next level. For example, do I have to reach a certain score before I am allowed to progress to the next level? Despite the lack of challenges in this game, I did find this game playable because I managed to complete the entire game without taking a break or giving up.Mon, 03 Mar 2008 01:38:10 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2960&iddiary=5567https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2960Gamelog Entry #1 Summary: The object of the game “Bejeweled 2” is to swap adjacent gems to make sets of 3. Clearing multiple sets will give you extra points. Four gems will create a power gem, and five gems will create a hyper cube. Gameplay: Similar to the game “Jewel Quest II”, I was excited to play “Bejeweled 2” as well. I became more interested in the game because of the “technologic” sounding song in the beginning. The song was upbeat, and it had a catchy melody. There were many categories to choose from in this game ranging from classic, action, puzzle, and endless, but I decided to begin with classic first. The game was pretty easy, considering that all I had to really do was combine gems that creates sets of three. On the lower left hand corner of the screen, I saw the “hint” button. Curious, I clicked on it, and, yes, it did give me a hint. When pressing the hint button, it minuses 40 points. What I did not realize was that while I took my time thinking about what my next move should be, there was an arrow pointing to a gem (just to give me a hint). I thought that the hint would come up only when I clicked the hint button. I didn’t realize that it would be there throughout the entire game. This got annoying because I didn’t want the computer to constantly give me hints. I wanted to complete each level on my own. I also disliked how in the first level when I combined the wrong gems, a screen would pop up saying that I must create a row of three or more identical gems. There was no time limit in the game. The points were awarded in increments of ten, and twenty points for sets of four. I had to get 500 points in order to advance to level 2. Level’s score was in increments of fifteen. The good thing about the second level is that the screen did not show up saying that I had to match three identical jewels.Mon, 03 Mar 2008 01:37:05 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2960&iddiary=5566https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2855Gamelog Entry #2 Gameplay: I think that there are many pathways to go, but there is actually only one right direction to go to in the end. I managed to find one of the caves where there was a fairy who restored my lives/hearts. I was yet again faced with the challenge of trying not to get attacked by the monsters, especially the underwater ones. This time, there were so many monsters coming to me from different directions at the same time. Some of them shot arrows too, which seemed unfair because it wasn’t as though I could run fast. I entered one of the caves where, when I hit defeated the monsters inside it, I was able to obtain a key to one of the doors. I enjoyed the fact that although there were two doors within the cave, there was only one main door. This helped me to know that I was actually progressing in the game, and that I was going the right way too. This was the fun part: experiencing a change of scenery with the castle-looking cave. The monsters in the cave were not as hard to defeat; there were a lot too. I got a map that showed me where I was, and the red dot on the map was my target/destination. The map was what I was waiting for since I started playing the game. Design: I was hoping that the features of this game could have been more like “Kirby’s Adventure” or “Super Mario Bros”. Although the colors used in these two games were basic, it did have variety in the sense that I was able to tell where I was going, and I was able to identify the different objects. I think that this game would have been much better if the life wasn’t so limited. I’m not sure if I would gain more hearts/life as the game progressed, but it definitely not fun to have to die so fast when I was so close to beating a level. Also, I would time the monsters at a speed that was not so fast. I would have had the monsters gradually attack me instead of having many monsters all come to me at once. One of the challenges that the game provides is having the player choose/figure out which direction to choose from. There were different elements to the game: the life potion, rupees, heart, fairy, clock, sword, boomerang, key, map, and Triforce. One of the reasons why I continued playing the game was because I finally found the cave that led me to other destinations. This is a 2D game that did not have one pathway like “Super Mario Bros”. However, when you play the game, you’ll end up at just one “right” pathway. The aspect of having there be rupees instead of points stood out to me. For me, it would have helped if there was a map for me to use in the beginning, instead of later. Of course I would still explore other places, but I wanted to know if I was even progressing in the game. I wouldn’t mind continuing with this game, if only the game would actually work the second time I tried playing it on the NES!Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:26:51 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2855&iddiary=5319https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2855Gamelog Entry #1 Summary: Prince Darkness “Gannon” stole one of the Triforce with power. Princess Zelda had one of the Triforce with wisdom. She divided it into “S” units to hide it from “Gannon” before he was captured. The object of the game is to capture Gannon, and get back the Triforce with power. Gameplay: I was really excited to play the classic game, “The Legend of Zelda”. Most of my recollection of this game was when I was younger, when my older brother would play it on his Gameboy. The problem that I had while I was playing this game was that there were many places to go, but I didn’t know which direction was the right one to choose. The different areas that I explored looked the same as the others, and at times I could not figure out if I went to a certain place already. The landscape was like a maze, which made it kind of confusing. When I entered one of the caves, I was able to obtain a sword. I thought that the aspect of getting rupees instead of points was quite nice. When I lost my power, I had to stand really close to the monsters and then hit it. The sword was short after I lost the power of the shooting sword. I was able to speak to merchants in the caves, and random people who gave me helpful hints on what I should do, or where to go. This game was not as fun as when I was playing “Kirby’s Adventure”. I did find the game’s story believable, but I must say that it was the typical male hero who saves a princess story. Now that I think about it, this story is quite similar to “Kirby’s Adventure”. I felt frustrated when I hit the monsters; they kept coming closer to me no matter how many times I pressed the sword button. It also got tired of having to start the game back at the beginning when I lost my lives.Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:26:00 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2855&iddiary=5318https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2572Gamelog entry #2 Gameplay: After failing the second level, I realized that there was a time limit to the puzzle. The long tongue of the lion on the bottom turned out to be the timer, where the shorter it got, the more time was running out. So I tried the game again, now knowing that I cannot just take my time because I had to think fast. Since I was running out of time, I opted to use one of the special moves. I clicked on the one jewel that I had left, and it turned to gold. More of the story was revealed as I completed the levels. I also received another part of the map. The second level did not seem to be harder than the first. The board did change however. I made the game more challenging for myself by trying to obtain the gold coins. The length of the tongue seemed to be shorter in the third level. In the third level, buried jewels must be completely revealed before they can be moved. I had to uncover a buried jewel by lining up identical jewels next to it. It was hilarious how when I failed the level, there was a quote from Rupert saying, “I’ve lost my best girl and now this! Cripes! Can’t a guy catch a break around here!?!- It was like hearing a pirate talk. Design: The scenery of the ship was nice because it matched the story of how Rupert was at sea. The background looked like the scenery from a children’s cartoon. The colors may not be as intricate as the ones used in “Castlevania”, but with a puzzle game such as this, it did not need to be so complicating. The colors of the jewels were simple primary colors, which is beneficial because it does not make the game confusing. The level design was good because even the very little details of a ship in real-life were included. Not to mention how the gold coins had a picture on it as well. The levels vary by having the time-limit become shorter. In each level, the board was changed, and there were also more jewels included. Something new would be added to each level, like the gold coins and the buried jewels. By adding these challenges or new aspects, it makes the game interesting. One of the conflicts that the game provides is the time expiration. One must get rid of all the jewels before time runs out. It was interesting how the picture of the lion on the bottom, with its long tongue horizontally sticking out, turned out to be the timer. The shorter the tongue got, the less time I had. This was such a clever aspect of the game that I did not notice its purpose beforehand. This game simply has a 2D gameworld since it’s a puzzle. I chose a single player adventure, but there is also the choice of player against another person. So this would form social interaction, in the sense that both players will feel excited and nervous to complete the level before the other player does, or before time runs out. I wouldn’t change the game because I liked it the way it is. Actually, I would probably add different background music to that one jungle-like music that was being played. The only part that frustrated me was when time ran out before I managed to complete the level. The game gradually became harder with the time span becoming shorter and new elements like buried jewels were added. I was excited about the reward structure because I was able to use the “special” moves that I obtained on jewels that I had complications with. I also liked how high the points became, and that bonus points were awarded after each level was completed. The reward system includes lives, score, and the special moves. (This entry has been edited2 times. It was last edited on Sat, 09 Feb 2008 03:21:38.)Sat, 09 Feb 2008 02:31:19 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2572&iddiary=4855https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2572Gamelog entry #1 Summary: Emma, who supported Rupert through his years of researching the origins of the jewel board, has left him for the wealthy and cavalier Sebastian Grenard. Rupert decided to join the navy, but was too old to enlist. So he joined the engine staff of a cargo ship en route to South Africa. Even with a heavy heart, Rupert has his sights set on the sea. One of the main objects of the game is to combine 3 or more identical jewels, and to do this until the entire game board is cleared. The catch of the game is to complete the task before time runs out. Gameplay: The game that I chose to play is called “Jewel Quest II”. There were instructions in the beginning, which were pretty straightforward and easy to understand. After I combined the first three jewels, the game was interrupted with some info: when the blocks turn gold, that means that the jewels are cleared. If I waited too long, the diamonds, whether they’re in the gold box or not, would change into a different color. The points were not in increments of five or ten. Rather, they varied with 1 point or 51 points. After I completed the first level, I was awarded bonus points. I also received a part of a map on the left-hand corner. In the second level, a new feature was added: the gold coins. I had to match three gold coins to earn “special” moves. To use it, I had to press the “special” button and click any space on the board. There were no characters in the game, but I did enjoy playing it nonetheless. I liked how this game was like “Kirby’s Adventure”. It was challenging, but not so challenging that I felt compelled not to continue. I would say that these are the kinds of puzzle games that I enjoy playing; this and “Tetris”. I enjoyed reading the story and seeing the narrative progression. I learned more about Rupert’s story after I completed the first level. I realized that each set of levels had its own story. The narrative progression is as follows: 1) Rupert’s Heartbreak 2) Emma’s Apology 3) Grenard’s revenge 4) Hanis Regret 5) Back to Africa. I completed about three levels and was still in the story of “Rupert’s Heartbreak”. I was very into the game because it was I got better as I went along. I was able to build on my techniques in no time. (This entry has been edited3 times. It was last edited on Sat, 09 Feb 2008 03:22:47.)Sat, 09 Feb 2008 02:30:26 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2572&iddiary=4854https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2274(Note: I also edited my GameLog on "Castlevania" on Wednesday). Thanks! Gamelog entry #1 Summary: Kirby finds out that King Dedede has stolen the Star Rod, who broke it and gave it to his allies (including one to himself). Kirby’s mission is to find the Star Rod, which is what the Fountain of Dream needs to restore everyone their dreams. During Kirby’s mission, he has to battle mini-bosses, and bosses. The twist, however, is that a boss called Nightmare tried to steal the Star Rod, and King Dedede was only trying to save it. Gameplay: My emotional state while playing "Kirby’s Adventure" was that of excitement. I was really excited to play this game because I’ve watched my older brother play it back when we were little. The controls and buttons were basic to understand. It was much easier to get used to the different aspects of the game, like figuring out the abilities of the different powers. I felt obligated to continue playing the game because this game fits my interest: it included challenges that were hard, but not to hard. Kirby is absolutely cute! This character is great in attracting both female and male game players. Kirby may seem like a simple character on the outside, but his ability to fly and obtain different powers greatly exceeds that. The characters were different, creative, and not over-the-top. I liked the game’s story and narrative progression because it’s unlike those typical stories where a person tries to remember his/her identity, after waking up and having some sort of memory loss. The story kind of reminded me of Pokemon where Ash tries to obtain different badges, and he encounters various species. I’m glad that even though each level became more advanced and challenging, it still had those easy elements from the first level. "Kirby’s Adventure" was interesting and fun to play because new-looking mini-bosses were created for each stage/level. The only challenge I experienced first was to find out that I had to press the “up” button in order to enter a door. This is a one-player game, but if this were to be turned into a two-player game, the two chosen characters would have to engage in a battle against each other in some way. Likewise, this game can also be turned into the one like Ninja Turtles, where each player gets to battle monsters together. I experienced a flow while playing the game because I was able to beat the challenges, one after another. I found myself moving towards the TV when I got hooked onto the game. The game was both easy and hard, but not too hard that I was required to think intensely about my next move, or where to go. Also, I was not bothered by too much dialogue. Gamelog entry #2 Gameplay: I found it interesting how when I pressed pause, there were comments on how I can use my character’s abilities. It also gave me a brief description on the different powers that I obtained when I battled the mini-monsters. I did get irritated when I kept dieing from not being able to defeat the boss of the mini-bosses. However, I did improve on my skills and eventually beat the enemy called “Paint Roller”. That was sure a great relief. My problem with that enemy was that it kept appearing right beside me to attack when I had my back turned, or when I was busy doing something else. I encountered times when I lost my new ability after being attacked, but I was able to get it back by obtaining the star that is wildly moving. I enjoyed beating sub-levels because new doors would be open where I would be able to obtain bonuses. A new door appeared where I was able to choose between two powers, so that I can use it to defeat the boss. The game was kept interesting because the different powers that I obtained included laser, shooting, shouting, and using a hammer. OK, so maybe I gave the game a pause after I beat level two, but I must admit that the sub-levels that led up to it was much more enjoyable than playing Castlevania. Design: I thoroughly enjoyed the artistry of "Kirby’s Adventure". One can tell that this game included Japanese artistry because different characters were non-realistic and unique. The background was not as detailed and intricate as Castlevania, but the sub-levels did include a change in background. The design was old and not as professional, if it were compared to the new technologies that were used to make today’s games. However, the artistry is considered good to me because this game was made back in the days, and it was for the older Nintendo Entertainment System. The design of this particular game reminded me of the "Super Mario Bros" game. The colors were quite bight in the first sub-level, especially the green color for the trees and mountains. The basic/primary colors that were used were yellow, green, and blue. The letters were very old-school as well, but I liked it because it had the antique/old touch to it. There was not much variation to the background for each sub-level. It was like walking forward in the forest, and all you see are trees. The song was happy and uplifting. I could tell that this game was meant to be light-hearted and fun to play. I found it fascinating how the designers thought up the character “Kirby”, where his attack was to open his mouth. That’s simply creative, imaginative, and genius! It was better than seeing people fight with swords all the time. Each character had a specific place to be. When I moved to the left, the mini-bosses would come back from the same spot. The gameworld was pretty much one-dimensional; there was really only one direction to go. As for the reward points, there were different doors where I could go to play different games, and get bonus points. It was like a game within a game. There was the power bar on the bottom, and lives. I got to break barriers to new levels when I beat the current level. There were interesting names like “Ice Cream Island”. The music included a victory tune when you beat a master and vice-versa when you lose. It was funny how the song from Mario was included in this game. I can see how this game could influence other game designers with their game concept. (This entry has been edited2 times. It was last edited on Sat, 26 Jan 2008 02:47:41.)Sat, 26 Jan 2008 02:34:41 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2274&iddiary=4339https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1773 (This entry has been edited1 time. It was last edited on Mon, 14 Jan 2008 01:41:03.)Mon, 14 Jan 2008 01:40:33 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1773&iddiary=3494https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1773Gamelog entry #1 Summary: In Castlevania, Soma Cruz realizes that he has the ability to dominate the souls of monsters and use their powers as his own. His friend, such as Mina Hakuba, manages to help him escape. Celia Fortner and the cult are after Soma because they want to resurrect the lord of darkness, and to get a new lord. The object of the game is to find Celia, and to fight monsters that are part of her cult along the way. Gameplay: I would not say that I play video games often, nor do I own any games of my own, but I decided to try one out on my friend’s Nintendo DS. The game that I chose was Castlevania. I thought that the game’s story in the beginning was interesting: how Soma Cruz was the rebirth of Dracula, but on the other hand, he is fighting evil. My initial feeling of the game was one of confusion because I did not know the basics to it. When the zombies and such attacked, I had no clue of what to do. I was not sure of which button to press, but that was until I pressed random buttons such as the Y and B, which is for jumping and slashing. My next goal was to figure out how to use the equipment that I just gained. Being a beginner at this, I did wish that the game was a bit simpler like the Super Mario Bros game for the Nintendo system, way back in the days. I mean, those kinds of games were simple and fun! But looking back at it now, I figured that this is as simple as it is going to get. I was tempted to click through the dialogues, but then I found it crucial to read it because it would show me how to use my new power. I ended up dieing after I passed my first level, but what I was curious about is how do I gain my life/power back? It was later on that I found out how to use the potions to raise my HP. Although I died, I decided to try again because I the game was quite addicting. Not to mention the fact that I was not willing to give up after just one round. I wanted to uncover more information from the story, like whether or not Soma is going to turn into a Dracula. The brief introduction in the beginning made me want to continue on with the game. Design: I know that Castlevania is not the only game where the character collects money along the way, but including the whole idea of money in the game is interesting because that way, we get to buy different things. It would have been beneficial if the “more powerful” monsters had one of those HP bars. That way, I would know how much more attacks it would take for the monster to be destroyed. I could look on the bright side; after the third try, I discovered new ways to fight. As for the animation, I admired the well-drawn characters in this game, which reminded me of those characters from Anime books. Soma, the main character, seemed to be the typical tough, heroic, and cool type. I think it would have been interesting to see a somewhat geeky guy be the character Soma, just to add a little variety to the typical “cool” character. It was different, but nice, to see a woman be the villain in a video game. The characters and the background looked believable and real. The colors used in the game were not too bright, which did not make me feel tired, or get a headache from playing for a lengthy time. The level of the game design was intricate and detailed, and the music complemented the gothic feeling to the game. The game was kept interesting with the various backgrounds, such as the tower and the underground caverns. Gamelog entry #2 Gameplay: Wow! In my second try at this game, I realized that little things like light bulbs have hidden HP points (hearts) inside of them. I loved playing the game over and over because I started to get the hang of things. The experience of a “flow” became apparent when I understood the basics to the controls/ buttons, and when I felt satisfaction from defeating one monster after another. There was a point where I wished that someone would have told me sooner that there was a certain spot I can go to, to save the game, so that I wouldn’t have to start all over again three times. After defeating one of the masters, or the “armor” monster, I felt an iincrease in adrenaline, and I was ready to go to the next level. It took me some time to figure out how to get over a wall, so that I can proceed with the game. Having no clue what to do, I asked a friend for advice. So, what I was supposed to do was use my flying power in order to get over the wall. I would say that compared to fighting the masters, it was trying to figure out things like using my powers that I found challenging. I know this sounds a bit silly at first, but the method that I kept trying at first was to jump over the barrier. Design: The design elements made this a good game to play. I felt that since the game designer put so much detail and effort into the characters and backgriund, it would be best for me to put in my best efforts as well. It’s sort of like applauding the game designer for creating such a clever storyline and challenging levels. The levels vary; it gets more challenging the more you beat the masters. Giving the game players a chance to figure out how to use our powers to fight in battles was one of the challenges. The chamge in background and monsters give the game a new feeling, and it keeps the game interesting. In terms of the space and gameworld, there is really only one direction to go. I don’t know if I would change the game, but I would add the power bars in the upper left hand corner for the masters. The game’s reward structure encouraged me to proceed with the game. For example, when I retrieved hearts, I knew that I had the capibilty to continue on with the other level. This is a one-player game, so I don’t think that people would have much interest in watching me play Castlevania. When it comes to video games, I'll admit that even my 9 year old little brother is much better than I am. I think that I enjoy, or am better off at games like Crash Bandicoot, or any other games that involves cars. Overall, Castlevania was a fun game that, in my case, requires intricate thinking, but I’m looking forward to seeing how far I will go next. (This entry has been edited12 times. It was last edited on Sat, 26 Jan 2008 02:51:06.)Mon, 14 Jan 2008 01:27:04 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1773&iddiary=3487