Wk 5 Atari Questions

Week 5 Atari questions

Student Name: Tek Kei Jacky Mao


Today’s Date: 2/25/2011


Game Title Examined: Asteroid Deluxe


Year of Publication: 1980

Game Publisher: Self-published

Game Developer: AtariAge

1 - What is the game genre (e.g. shoot-em-up, racing, sports, puzzle, MMORPG, ‘sandbox’, music sequence following game (e.g. DDR, guitar hero)

-Basically a first generation top down view of a shooter game.

2 -What is the type of game ‘world’ or environment (e.g. flat environment, puzzle/maze space, 3D world?)

-It is outer space shoot them up. Because this is a re-amped version of the original Asteroids, the developer tried to give it more 3D look by putting up a background pictures. But of course it still remains 2D, which equals a failed attempt.

3 - What is the perspective taken by player (e.g first person, third person perspective, top down, isometric) in relation to main player controlled character?

-Top down, player get a view of the entire battlefield, not too many games these days are like this. Only ones I’ve really seen are from independent developers.

4 - What is the actual gameplay – what does the player have to do?

-As the game implies, the objective of the game is to repeatedly shoot asteroids that flow across the screen and to avoid getting hit. Each asteroid destroyed will give player points. In this version, new enemies appear and will try to kill the player by crashing into them, much like the asteroids.

5 - Is the gameplay intuitive? (i.e. is it easy to understand what to do without instructions?) Describe.

-I would say yes, because the major difference between games of the past and present is the easy gameplay. Back then people would not need to learn how to play the game. Only how to make the gameplay duration last longer with one quarter and to beat the high score. Games these days require the player to learn an amount of instructions before being able to play properly.

6 - Is the gameplay patterned (game does the same thing over & over) or is it random (happens differently every time?)

- This is a pretty straightforward game; point is to shoot the asteroids and flying spaceships to avoid getting hit. When you move the spaceship, the physics is no different than moving a hockey puck on an ice skating rink.

7 - What does the type of graphic approach used as well as the audio tell you about the limits of the technology at the time the game was published?

- Simple, because this is not the original asteroids, but an improved version from the original. The idea remains the same, obviously the idea was there to create a fun outerspace game but due to the unfamiliarity of technology people are limited to that. As far as the sound goes, even with just a few samples, this was considered amazing back then. This game then is probably, little big planet 2 for us now, which is why I believe that someday in my lifetime anyways we will be playing with unperfected 3d holograms as I mentioned in a different post.

8 - Describe your views about the game from the point of view of


1. Ease of play – easy, very easy. Reason being is that these used to be arcade games, the ease of play need to be easy to pick up but challenging enough to eat up all your quarters.

2. Enjoy ability – Overall, I enjoy it but it is not a game that has high replayablity because I have already been exposed to games of the current generation, which doesn’t even compare since they are two very different things.

c) Level of engagement/immersion – I would not say it is super engaging for me, yes I played it, and I like it. But again it is not something I am addicted to, because it’s a little repetitive, and it does not feel like you get anything for winning except the high score. The sense of accomplishment is a lot lower for games of the past. Especially arcade games. Which is also why fighting games have lasted so long, they are fun and easy to pick up for the average button masher, but at the same time there is a high level of complexity behind it all.

9 - Had you played this game prior to this time? If so, when?

I have played this game prior before this, I cannot exactly remember when but its just one those games that everyone either knows of or have played.

10 - what does playing the game remind you of in terms of other games/media?

- It reminds me of the same formula that a lot of the indie developers these days are trying to slightly imitate, which is not a bad thing because it works. But again it does get repetitive and the gameplay is out of fashion, and only serves as a mini game within a bigger and more developed game.

Wk 4 part 2 SketchUp Level

 Top Down

 Side view

 Front View

Perspective

This would be a sample multiplayer level that can be used in a videogame. In this Case, it would be a first person shooter. Why does it work? Because that was the idea in mind when I designed it, and besides it would not make any sense if there were a killer whale in the middle of a desert, not to mention a warzone at that if it was a film. The whale and tree is only there solely for the purpose of the assignment requirement otherwise I would deem it inappropriate to have those objects in a desert area.

Most people are familiar with Call of Duty Multiplayer, but this map is more designed for Battlefield. Where people actually had to strategize with teammates a little before randomly running into a gunfight. The theme of this level is open space, lots of open space, and everything is based on vantage point and depth of field and perception. So any rookie running out to point A to point B would be easily taken out. There are different points on the map where players will respawn, and each respawn point will have different advantages such as vehicles (helicopter), and coverage. Because the theme of this map is open space, players are able to scale the small mountains to try and flank their enemies from behind. Which also is why there is a sunken bridge right in the middle to give off a higher vantage point if players can make it out there successfully. Due to the time constraint and the lack of experience with Sketch Up, I’d like to mention that there are multiple bunkers, hot zones, and vehicles not included in this map. Last note is that this level will also have a nighttime time version.

Wk 4 questions.

DAI 227 Week 4 Questions

1) According to the text "Remediation" the author uses the phrase (in relation to Hollywood's use of computer graphics)
"remediation operates in both directions" - what is meant by this?

- The author uses ‘Toy Story’ as an example for film is trying to refashion digital technology as digital graphic artists can refashion film. Basically he just means that both technologies in this department can benefit from each other.

2) What does Michael Benedikt, author of "Cyberspace the First Steps" introduction argue had happened to modern city by the late 60s, having become more than 'a collection of buildings and streets'?

- He argues that by the late 60’s, no matter how green its parks or lofty its structures. The city itself had became a immerse node of communication, a messy nexus of messages. Even the building themselves are advertised on, and all this was influential.

3) In his short story "Skinner's Room" William Gibson describes how Skinner watches a tiny portable 'pop-up' TV set. What can skinner no longer remember? (Remediation in relation to television as an idea is neatly summed up in this sentence!)

- Skinner could not distinguish commercials from programming.

4) Author of the famous pamphlet "Culture Jamming" Mark Dery paraphrases Umberto Eco and his phrase "semiological guerrilla warfare". What does this mean?

-  Semiological Guerrilla warfare means as Eco implies that messages should be controlled along with its different ways of interpretation.  “One medium can be employed to communicate a series of opinions on another medium.”  And communication guerrillas who would then restore a dimension to passive reception would patrol this.

5) From Mark Dery's pamphlet, briefly describe "Subtervising"

-  Subtervising is the production and dissemination of anti-ads that deflect Madison Avenue's attempts to turn the consumer's attention in a given direction.

week 3 questions.

DAI 227 Week 3 questions.

1) In Paulina Boorsooks Book "Cyberselfish" she contrasts the development of technologies that were group efforts and thus stand in stark contrast to the myth of the lone 'hero' entrepreneur. Name two such more group-based technologies. (Under the heading "Closer to the Machine")

a) Cern: Where the web was developed

b) Microsoft windows

2) In the section labeled "Human, Too Human" Boosook describes one type of techno libertarian - the "Extropians". What do extropians want or yearn for?

-A group who strives for the better of human beings through technology.

3) In her film BIT PLANE, Natalie Jeremijenko describes Doug Englebart as being a pioneer - of what? (View film via VIMEO link in separate post)

-Personal Computing “to extend and improve human condition”

4) In "Silicon Valley Mystery House" writer Langdon Winner compares the Silicon Valley to the Winchester Mystery House. In what way does he consider them similar?

- Langdon believes that the Silicon Valley is a reincarnation of the Winchester, due to its large number of multi billion dollar companies, and employee. It is as if Mrs. Winchester herself is trying to extend the structures into every part of the land like she did her house.

5) In Langdon Winner's essay "Silicon Valley Mystery House" he describes East Palo Alto as a very different kind of place from areas such as upscale Stanford and downtown Palo Alto. What type of area is East Palo Alto, "just across highway 101"?

- A Ghetto, A forgotten land ‘in which poverty and unemployment among its black residents seem beyond remedy.’

6) In her Processed World article "The Disappeared of Silicon Valley" Paulina Boorsook's "Deep Throat" (inside information source) describes some unpleasant realities of most Silicon Valley startups and how they end up. List two.

- Most Start-ups are not high-tech and are not ventured funded.

- One can lose, their savings, salaries and insanity. And techies and managers who get work done usually get screwed off by folding companies.

7) What is the Long Now foundation and why was it formed?

-  Basically a group that is out to build a 10,000 year old clock, because they believe that is the only time when humans will have a stable climate and living condition.

8) In the documentary DOCUMENTARY - SILICON VALLEY - A HUNDRED YEAR RENAISSANCE (1997) Steve Jobs describes the joy of successfully making "blue boxes" which let he and his friends make free phone calls. What aspect of this experience does he say was so important to the creation of Apple computer?

- Without the blue box, their group would have had no confidence behind Apple because it was such a long process and it was costly. ‘Also there was a case of ‘magic’ used to control the world with apple.’

9) List three aspects of the work of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) - (see the "Our Work" section of their website)

- Defends free speech

- Innovator protection

- Fights for intellectual properties

10) According to Richard Stallman's website, what is his status in relation to the social media site Facebook?

- Much distrust, he believes that Face book shows how lonely people really are, it threatens user privacy and potentially records everything a person then sells them to the CIA. 

DAI 227 Lecture 2 Questions.

Questions for week 2

1) Why was the period at the turn of the 20th century so important?

- There was an explosion of technological development at which gave rise to new a wide range of ideas and technologies. The biggest contributions were from the two sides of the war.

2) What aspects of the Dada art movement are important from the point of view of the rise of the computers and digital visual media? (for example Marcel Duchamp's "readymades"?)

- These were loose political artists that contributed to art by using things that were normal objects in everyday life, and putting a spin on it. It seem to be used to create only shock value and a response really.

3) Name one aspect that links "The Man with a Movie Camera" with digital media according to Lev Manovich (ReadingsB)

- One aspect on the link of between, ‘The Man with a Movie Camera.” And digital media is when he tested the limits of human vision with his Kino eye research, by tying the camera on top of cars and building, and superimposing these images together while slowing and speeding up the frame rates. This resulted in a “database of new interface operations which together aim to go beyond a simple human navigation through a physical space.” mark in cinema.

4) What was 'constructivism'?

- An art revolution that theorized as ‘constructing’ the world around yourself.

5) What does Lev Manovich suggest are the 'three levels' of "The Man with a Movie Camera"?

He believed that new media concluded a hierarchy of levels as do Vertov’s film.

-One level is the story of a cameraman filming material for the film.

-The second level is the shots of an audience watching the finished film in a movie theater.  

-The third level of this film, which consists from footage recorded in Moscow, Kiev and Riga and is arranged according to a progression of one day:  waking up — work — leisure activities.”

6) Who first developed the idea of "Cybernetics"?

-Norbert Weiner

7) In "Computer Lib" Ted Nelson describes Hypertext as "Non ___________" writing

-Non-Sequential Writing

8) (Lecture) why were transistors, even though 100 times smaller than vacuum tubes considered impractical for building computers in the 1960s?

-At the time, it was impossible to wire all the transistors and components, aka the tyranny of numbers.

9) What was the name of the first commercial available computer (kit)?

-The Altair 8800, in which it did absolutely nothing.

10.) In your own words: What are things going to look like in 20 years from now in the average living room in terms of digital visual media? What types of digital media will your kids be using around 2030?

-Answer emailed to David as specified.

DAI 227 1ST hw questions.

DAI 227 Hw

1) How was unique about Charles Babbage Analytical Engine, compared to his original Difference Engine?

-Calculate by method of differences, and prints numbers, uses different sequence of punch cards,

2) What role did Ada Lovelace play in the development of the Analytical Engine?

-She became fascinated and enrolled herself as an interpreter for the machine. She was also known as the first computer programmer.

3) How was the ENIAC computer reprogrammed?

- It was individually rewiring 6000 switches manually.

4) Name an innovation that helped make programming faster post ENIAC (see ep. 2)

-Vacuum tubes.

5) What is it about binary counting that makes it so well suited to computers?

- Because Binary coding only consisted 1s and 0s which made it easier for engineering because they can be added and subtracted, instead of using the ten digits we use, its simple as turning a light bulb as on as 1 and off as 0.

6) In what ways did UNIVAC influence the portrayal of computers in popular culture in the 1950s? Give an example. (see ep. 2)

-Because the computers solved equations faster than humans can, scientist were ask to predict 45 years later of this super computer.

7) Codebreaking required the automatic manipulation of symbols to unscramble messages during WWII. What was the name of the rudimentary computer at Bletchley Park in England that unscrambled Nazi codes.

-Colossus machine, which later help won the war.

8) Alan Turing who understood the implications of such machines later went on to describe them as __________ machines.

-Intelligent.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Write two paragraphs for each:

9) Describe when you first used computers and what types of tasks you performed on them.

There are actually two parts to this answer for me, my first computer that my parents friend gave me looked like a tower with a handle on top. After a long time of tinkering, I eventually figured out that you were suppose to lay in on the side and a keyboard detaches from the bottom, where the keyboard came apart lies a small screen which served as a monitor. I did not ever figure out how to use that one, which probably explains why it was given away in the first place.

Shortly after the second computer in my life, the first functional, first taught, first everything was your typical mid 90’s desktop that ran Windows 95 but with no dial up internet. There were many things I remember associated with this computer, this ranged from learning to actually type, Microsoft office apps (office, powerpoint, and excel), and of course games. A few I remembered, was demos of Doom, Heretic, and wing commander.

10) How restricted do you think computers are in terms of what they can do compared to how they are most often used?

I would not say that they are actually restricted on any terms; people use computers for a variety of reasons. A business power broker probably run a computer to its limits, and where a grandma would probably use only 25% of a computer’s capability. If the machine already satisfies their needs then I really do not see how it is restricted.

 I mean by hacker standards it would be restricted but not by regular consumers. But really if a person understands how to use a computer, I think the possibilities are close to unlimited.