Version 5, last updated by pearso36 at August 16, 2009 21:10 UTC
Competive Analysis
Prior Art/Competitive Analysis
Games Analyzed
There are a number of games that reinforce the geography skills emphasized by the Geography Standards from National Geographic and the Michigan Department of Education Grade Level Content Expectations for Social Studies (which include the state guidelines for geography). The thing that these games all have in common is that they all contain some form of map-based navigation. Whether the player controls an avatar or simply clicks different locations on an image of the world, when a map is being used, he/she is using geography concepts.
Well known map-based games were selected and divided into three categories that highlight this project's goal of creating a game rooted in geography with enough entertainment value to compete with similar entertainment products. The "Geography Games" focus on basic skills such as locating places on a map and the organization of people and places. The "Curriculum Related Games" focus on U.S. history (particularly colonial America) which is often coupled with the study of geography in Michigan schools. Lastly the "Entertainment Games" are commercial successful products that rely heavily on map data and navigation skills (generally in a fictional setting) to play successfully. These games are included as best practice examples for character and user interface design in map/navigation based games.
Geography Games
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (PC)
National Geographic Kids games (Web based, geography games page, "Most Popular" tab)
Curriculum Related Games
Made for Trade (Board Game)
Revolution (PC)
Entertainment Games
Pokémon: Diamond (Nintendo DS)
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (Nintendo DS)
Categories Analyzed
Art style
The Art Style is the method and direction of the games graphics and animations. It focuses on characters, backgrounds, and menus with which the player regularly interacts.
Audio
Audio describes the use of music, sound effects, and audio cues in the game.
Game length
Game length is the amount of time needed to complete the game once. It does not include time used to explain the games rules or set up the game. Since the aim of this project is a game that can be played in a school setting special attention is paid to how much gameplay can fit into a 30-45 minute time period.
Art Style
Title |
Sample Image |
Description |
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? |
|
This game uses cartoon style graphics for all of the characters with realistic images for the city the player is currently visiting. Due to technology limitations of the time, the sprite-based city images and word map are as close to real as possible. |
National Geographic Kids |
|
All of the games seem to use vector sprites. The map images are accurate, realistic map of the featured area. The characters used (if any) are stylized cartoons. |
Made for Trade |
|
The cards used in the game are accurate illustrations of people in clothing from that time-period. Buildings that are featured are accurate, not stylized, illustrations. The game board has very little correlation to actual locations. |
Revolution |
|
This game uses 3d models that are as accurate as the technology would allow. Backgrounds used detailed textures that closely resemble the simulated object's real surface. Environments are not map accurate. |
Pokémon: Diamond |
|
The player and other characters are all 2d sprites that are roughly two heads tall. Background objects are stylized representations of common objects. The maps and game world do not feature any real world locations. A wide range of geographic features are represented. |
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon |
|
Characters are 2d and roughly three heads tall while under player control. The backgrounds are 2d representations of geographic features. The maps and game world do not feature any real world locations. |
The most widely received games analyzed all use stylized, cartoon graphics for the characters that the player control or directly interacts with. World views focus on map accurate or (in the case of fictional locations) realistic views. Any terrain views need to have easily recognizable features, and yield accuracy in favor of gameplay.
Audio
Title |
Description |
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? |
Audio cues are use to highlight the limited action on screen. There is a sound effect for all navigation and animation, but no background music. |
National Geographic Kids |
Sounds are used to highlight player actions and provide ambiance. Background music is used for some of the games. When there is a character for the player to move audio is used unless there is background music. |
Made for Trade |
No audio is included. |
Revolution |
Information not available. |
Pokémon: Diamond |
Pokémon uses audio cues and background music for player input and feedback during fight sequences and while in stores or other buildings. Background music is used with very little other sound effects during main navigation. |
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon |
Background audio is used to during fight sequences and preparatory menus. Sound effects and background music also accompany player inputs and character movements. |
Audio generally accompanies player inputs as feedback that the input has been registered. It is common to not have much audio associated with the player's movement. Ideally background music should be used with all modes with a sound effect for all individual player inputs. Beyond that, limited additional effects should be used to highlight special events.
Game Length
The above chart is based on 30-45 minutes of available game time in a given class period.
* Game has a length of over 20 hours.
** Game length could not be verified.
Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?
The total game length is estimated at 220 minutes, given 10 "crimes" at approximately 20 minutes per case. The game is broken into individual "cases". The save function allows the player to save progress during or between cases.
National Geographic Kids (11 Games)
The games take 3-5 to complete, so quite a few games could be completed in single a class period. The short length of the games minimizes the need for a save function.
Made for Trade (0.5 Games)
Four players would have a hard time squeezing this game into a regular class period. Since this is a board game no save function is available.
Revolution (1 Game)
The game is designed to be played in a "45-minute session class room session" (educationarcade.org). Game saves are available in the core game and allow the player to save progress at any time. That same functionality should be supported by this modification.
Pokémon: Diamond (0.02 Games)
The number of games given is based on a 35 hour game length, which is the shortest play through time listed on RPGamer.com. There is a lot of content in the game's story alone, that amount increases significantly if you are trying to "catch'em all". Saves are available anywhere outside of battle, which allows the game to be digested in small chunks.
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (0.03 Games)
The number of games given is based on a 20 hour game length, which is the shortest play through time listed on RPGamer.com. Like Pokémon, this game takes a long time to complete. Saves are available both during and between battles, so this game can also be played a little at a time.
Conclusions
There is a wide range of acceptable practices for creating a game with map-based navigation. Visually, the highest degree of accuracy is reserved for the view that shows the widest area. The characters used do not need to be as realistic as the world map. In most cases animated characters are use to better relate to the player and provide and interesting focal point for the player's interactions. When there is an additional field of play that is more zoomed in the accurate map view, the focus is less on accuracy and more on facilitating the game experience. Representation graphics and nonrealistic scales are common at this zoomed-in level.
It is common for audio in map-based game to be used somewhat sparsely. Important events and player actions are highlighted with sound effects to draw attention. Modern commercial game incorporate background music the is thematically linked to gameplay.
Most map-based games are developed with a 15-30 play time. If the entire game cannot be completed in this timeframe a save system is implemented. This lends itself well to classroom or instructional uses.
Other Influential Games
Two other games had a large impact on the design of Round Route late in the development process, Oregon Trail and Dope Wars.
Oregon Trial is among the most well known educational games in America. Over all of iterations the game retained a high fun factor while letting student experience the trials and tribulation of westward expansion. Unfortunately Oregon Trail was a linear experience once the journey west had begun. It could have benefited from allowing more player exploration.
Dope Wars is a game about illegal drug trafficking around the United States. It not really educational, but was has been widely reproduced by fans on various platforms. Dope Wars is significant here because its gameplay centers on buying and selling. The incentive to travel between cities was all in finding the best price to buy or sell your inventory. Despites it popularity its content prevented any educational use, and the its lack of production values kept it a from being played to long by most people.