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1. Research
Madeleine Ross

2. Existing Product
Space Invaders 1978
Space Invaders is an arcade
game made in 1978 and
distributed by the developer
Taito. It is a fixed shooter game,
in which the player controls a
lazer by moving horizontally left
to right of the screen, shooting
enemies to win points, and
avoiding enemies lazers by
dodging and hiding behind
shields.
In this screen shot, we can see that the format is very simple, with the enemies
being in a simple rectangular formation, and in the game play above, we can see
they have very simple movements of moving horizontally with simple animations to
simulate walking. The aesthetic of the game is amplified on the black background
with the bright colours which are now iconic of the 70’s and 80’s, and give
connotations of space. The characters are very simple and geometric, however are
clearly distinguishable due to their variations in shapes. The score bar is visible at
the top of the page, in a pixelated but bold and easily readable, and is reminiscent
of sci-fi shows of the time, looking as though it would be found in the bridge of a
space ship. This game appeals to my target audience as it is easy to play, is quite a
quick game so it can be played without committing to a story line or multiple levels,
and this can make it quite addictive and more fun for the player.
The theme tune, in keeping with the
graphics, is very simple also, with a
constant drum beat to accompany
the pace of the enemies. The
shooting of the lazer is a satisfying
sound, giving the players positive
feelings towards defeating the
enemy, and encouraging them to
play onward. The change in noises as
a new wave of invaders comes
signifies the change to the player,
warning them for more battle.

3. Existing Product
Sea Wolf 1976
Sea Wolf is a shooter game released in
1976 as an arcade game, and was
developed by Midway. The player
looks through a large periscope and
aims at the boat on the surface, earing
points for each boat or ship hit, in this
time limited game.
In the gameplay, we can see that, similar to Space
Invaders which is also an arcade game, that the colours
are very simple, black and white. It could be
representative of war which is harsh and rough, and black
is widely used to represent evil or bad, and white to
represent good. The boat design is simple, made with
pixels, some bigger than others, some smaller than
others, each giving the player different scores. As of the
world design and the scene the game is in, it is extremely
basic, with only the lines at the top to represent the
water, and everything underneath is marked out as the
see. Like the space invaders game, the score is visibly
displayed in a simple fashion so its easy to read, along
with the time left of the game.
This game would be attractive to my target audience as it
is very basic and a simple concept for anyone who wants
to play. It is also on a time limit, and has the score visibly
clear for the player to see as it builds or falls, which gives
instant gratification, which in turn makes it addictive and
something for players to always come back to.

4. Existing Product
Galaga 1981
Galaga is the spin of to the successful
1970’s game Galaxia, a fixed shooter
game in which the player is tasked with
destroying enemy space ships. Galaga
is very similar, with the aim of the
game to destroy the Galaga forces in
each stage while avoiding enemies and
projectiles. It was developed and
published by Namaco, and distributed
in the US by Midway Games.
Unlike the previous games I have looked at, this one technically is a real step up. Still
sporting the well known black background, and alien formations, this game add lots more
colours, clearly distinguishing the enemies from each other, giving them a range of new
skills along with it. Unlike space invaders, which this game is somewhat base off, the
aliens can break formation and come towards the players ship, giving the player a new
extra challenge, that other games hadn't offered before. The black background that seems
to be a convention of these shooter games, still provides a good aesthetic and a feel of
being in the vastness of space. The screen width is also narrower, and the whole game
feels as though it is being played on a smaller screen because of this, making the game
more difficult and heart pumping for the player. I think this will appeal the audince more
than the other games, prehaps, because it is a more difficult game and takes more skill,
however this could get rid of some potential players who are not as skilled.
In the opening screen, the
game is already tempting you,
displaying the highest score
and telling you how many
points you need for the extra
bonuses and therefore more
player gratification. I really like
this idea, as it pushes the
player to keep moving forward,
and I think I may use a concept
like this.

5. Existing Product
Space Race 1973
Space Race is the 1973 arcade
game, the second to be released
after pong, by Atari. In the game,
two players take control of their
own rocket ship, in an attempt to
cross space, without hitting the
various asteroids, more than the
other player.
The look and aesthetic of Space Race is
similar to its predecessor, Pong, with the
same line through the middle signifying each
players side, and the same way of recording
points, with big numbers at the bottom. The
game controls are VERY VERY simple, with
only one object, to go up. This opens the
game up to almost anyone of a skill level in
understanding the aim of the game, and has
wild appeal to almost anyone.
I really like the design here
and the concept, and enjoy
the fact that the controls are
very minimal, certainly
opening it up for my target
audience of 16-21 year olds,
as well as younger and older
target audiences too.

6. Research Analysis
Every single one of the games I have researched are games that were popular
inside the arcades of the 70’s and the 80’s, and are all arcade games that re 2D.
These games have given me a really good idea of how my game can be simple, but
doesn't’t mean its any less enjoyable. Looking at these games, I think I have
decided more on what ideas I can include, and maybe how to make those ideas
work according with my skill level. All of the games I have researched tend to have
a reserved colour pallet, with accents here and there to move the game forward,
and I think that’s something I will consider for my game. I think from Galaga, I will
include the home screen feature, or something like it, to let the player know that
if they proceed far and get many points, they will win rewards and upgrades to
help further on with the game. In all of these games, there is also a clear and
simple way that score and time had been shown, so I think I will defiantly use that
aspect, as I think it will be good for the player to see their points physically going
up. I also really like the use of the colour on the black background in Galaga and
Space Invaders, and I think I will choose this aspect to incorporate into my own
game as well, as I think it will be relativity simple to do and I think it makes the
game look really good.

7. Bibliography

8. Bibliography
1. Space Invaders (1978) Taito
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR2fjwr-TzA - Space Invaders Game
Play.
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Wolf_(video_game) - Sea Wolf Game
4. Sea Wolf (1976) Midway
5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss0FEdCIJEM - Sea Wolf Game Play
6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km8bc_oBRgk -Watch Mojo Top 10
Arcade Games of the 70’s
7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se0p2NlT7yY -Watch Mojo Top 10
Arcade Games of the 80’s
8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvjapcHsqXY - Galaga Game Play
9. Galaga (1981) Namaco
10. Space Race (1973) Atari
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Race_(video_game) - Space Race Game
12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDtdKxZ9vWk - Space Race Game Play