Wednesday, June 4, 2014

How to Write A Video Game Concept Statement

A game concept statement, or premise, is a short, direct description of the situation of a game. It describes the player's goal, the opposition to that goal, and the means through which that goal will be accomplished. When dealing solely with the narrative portion of the script, the game concept statement reads like a screenplay pitch. Realistically, game play is described because it effects some elements of the storytelling. A short example might read as follows:
"In Trick or Treat the player characters have been trapped in the labyrinth of an ancient haunted house. They must escape by destroying adversarial monsters, avoiding traps, and solving the maze. Trick or Treat is a third person perspective action game."
The goal of this writing is to give the reader a sense for the game. It should answer these basic questions:
  • What is the goal of the game?
  • How is the goal of the game accomplished?
  • What are the challenges to the game?
  • Where does the game take place?
Most people want to add marketing jargon and implementation specifics. This is simply a mistake. Reporting that is it is the best game ever, or that it will be available for the PS10 in 2020 just does not strengthen a concept. To put it bluntly, ths statement is about the concept. Concepts are general, high level notions. The concept of a car, for example, did not begin with the use of carbon fiber at the Indianapolis 500.
Do not include the following elements in a your writing:
  • Game platform (e.g. for the NES because I'm retro-chic)
  • Game rating (e.g. "M" for mature)
  • Game play specifics (e.g. controls)
  • Game programming details (e.g. uses recursive algorithms for speed)
  • Marketing (e.g. "more exciting than a ride on a roller coaster")
There are exceptions to every rule. There are times when it is important to add implementation details. These are exceptionally rare situations, such as a game designed solely to exploit a new type of controller or for use on a non-standard game platform. In these cases, it makes sense to touch upon the distinguishing detail.

LCD Monitor For the Computer

LCD monitors have many advantages over the conventional ones. The sleek and lightweight component was considered as an expensive option and it was mainly adopted in portable computers like laptops and notebooks. But in the recent past prices of this monitors have come down and even the low-end users are finding them affordable. Consequently they are now widely used for all types of computers. Even though they are expensive than the conventional CRTs, Liquid Crystal Display monitors are preferred by the consumers for their qualitative superiority. Further it is an energy saving option. No wonder it is the most popular format today.
LCD monitors are available in different sizes from 17 inches to 24 inches and larger wide screens for special purposes like gaming. Size and aspect ratio are two of the important factors that are to be considered while buying a monitor. It is available in two formats in this context. 4:3 is a very common one and 16:9 is for widescreen monitors. Those who seek an LCD monitor for an existing system should make sure that the video card is compatible with the native resolution of the new monitor. Native resolution is the physical count of the number of pixels on the LCD monitor.
In case the video card is weak, the user has to up grade it and make it compatible with the new LCD monitor. Most of the monitors available in the market are with DVI and HDMI inputs. Another technical specification is dot pitch and stripe pitch. Smaller the dot pitch better the image quality. It is the space between two adjacent pixels on the monitor. Stripe pitch is applicable to Trinitron or Diamondtron monitors and it is the space between two adjacent stripes of the same colour. Lesser stripe pitch is desirable to obtain better image quality.
Choice of a monitor depends on the use of the computer. LCD is considered as a sophisticated product. Conventional Cathode Ray Tube monitors are considered as outmoded by LCD enthusiasts. But the fact remains that CRT offers best colour saturation and many professionals prefer it for specialized jobs like video and photography. However, LCD is well known for it style and sophistication. Larger monitors are chosen by those who want it for multimedia tasks. Their image quality is incomparable. A positive contribution of LCD technology is its energy saving capability. Consumers who are generally concerned with the rising cost of energy are forced to opt for LCDs. In the long run savings on energy charges offset the cost factor.
Plethora of major and minor factors are involved in the business of choosing LCD monitors. Internet is a good source to gather information about the positive aspects of the emerging technologies. However, large sections of consumers are not conversant with the technical specifications and their impacts. Exclusive websites devoted to computer monitors are of immense help to consumers. The special websites impart valuable information about computer monitors and render help to the consumers in choosing the right products in given circumstances. Product reviews posted in the special websites are highly subjective pieces. The independent views expressed therein are valuable sources for the consumers to adjudge the products and services available in the markets.