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Saturday 9 February, 2008
Gamelog 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.
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