IMGD presentation given to the Board of Trustees about two outstanding MQPs this year

1. IMGD @ WPI
Game Development,
WPI Style
Trustee’s Dinner
February 12, 2009

2. Why Video Games?
 Global Sales in 2008*
– Video Games: $32 Billion (20% growth)
– DVD/Blue-ray: $29 Billion (6% drop)
 Study of video games now is where the
study of film was in 1970s
– Struggle for validation
– New programs emerging
*Source: Media Control GfK, as cited in Video Business, Jan. 22, 2009
URL: http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6631456.html

3. WPI Style
Art Tech
IMGD

4. People
7 (+2) Faculty 150 Majors
Advisory Board
38 Studios, WorldWinner, ATI,
IronLore, Orbus GameWorks,
Gamer DNA, Dejobaan

5. Industry Links
Higgins Armory

6. Tonight
 At the reception, you got a taste of
some of what we do
– Game Development: Petrified
– Interactive Media: Disney ARG
 Now for a little more detail!
 There will be time for Q&A at the end

7. Design and Development of a
Multiplayer Survival/Horror Game
Interactive Media & Game Development MQP
Skyler Clark Chris Drouin Matthew Fabian
Advisor: Professor Robert Lindeman

8. Petrified - Gameplay
 Teams
– Mortals
• Humans
• Survive
– Watchers
• Statues
• Sneak & attack
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Skyler Clark, Chris Drouin, Matt Fabian Worcester Polytechnic Institute

9. Petrified – How to Play
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Skyler Clark, Chris Drouin, Matt Fabian Worcester Polytechnic Institute

10. Petrified – Walkthrough (1/7)
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Skyler Clark, Chris Drouin, Matt Fabian Worcester Polytechnic Institute

11. Petrified – Walkthrough (2/7)
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Skyler Clark, Chris Drouin, Matt Fabian Worcester Polytechnic Institute

12. Petrified – Walkthrough (3/7)
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Skyler Clark, Chris Drouin, Matt Fabian Worcester Polytechnic Institute

13. Petrified – Walkthrough (4/7)
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Skyler Clark, Chris Drouin, Matt Fabian Worcester Polytechnic Institute

14. Petrified – Walkthrough (5/7)
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Skyler Clark, Chris Drouin, Matt Fabian Worcester Polytechnic Institute

15. Petrified – Walkthrough (6/7)
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Skyler Clark, Chris Drouin, Matt Fabian Worcester Polytechnic Institute

16. Petrified – Walkthrough (7/7)
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Skyler Clark, Chris Drouin, Matt Fabian Worcester Polytechnic Institute

17. Petrified - Design
 Design Areas
– Gameplay
– Artistic
– Technical
 Lots of meetings
 Peer review
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Skyler Clark, Chris Drouin, Matt Fabian Worcester Polytechnic Institute

18. Petrified - Implementation
 Progress reports
 Scheduling
– Feature prioritization
– Coordinated
development
– Iterative development
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Skyler Clark, Chris Drouin, Matt Fabian Worcester Polytechnic Institute

19. Petrified - Evaluation
 Goals
– Balanced
– Fun
– Immersive
 Methodology
– Internal & External
testing
– Gather feedback
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Skyler Clark, Chris Drouin, Matt Fabian Worcester Polytechnic Institute

20. Disney ARG Project
 Sponsored by Walt Disney Imagineering
 A-term 2008
 6 weeks on-campus, 1 week at Walt
Disney Imagineering
 3 Students, 1 Faculty, 3 Imagineers
– Julia Berg
– Joseph Strong
– Daniel Tennant
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Worcester Polytechnic Institute

21. What is an Alternate Reality Game?
Fiction Non-Fiction
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22. What is an Alternate Reality Game?
What if you use non-fiction media to tell a
fictional story?
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23. The Disney ARG: Story
Story must fulfill three objectives:
 Fit thematically into Disney’s California
Adventure
 Be appropriate to Disney’s California
Adventure’s new period
 Make use of existing Disney IP
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24. The Disney ARG: Story
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25. The Disney ARG: Story
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26. Online Gameplay
 Online and in-park gameplay
 4 Online Puzzles, 1 for each Muppet
 Simple puzzles meant for families to
solve together

27. Homepage
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28. Choose a Muppet World to Explore
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29. Character Puzzle
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30. Ask Statler and Waldorf for a Hint
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31. Enter Answer into Time Phone
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32. After Puzzle Solved
 Player emailed “postcard” of rescued
muppet
 Map on homepage updated with muppet
in the location
 After all 4 Puzzles solved the player
receives a downloadable worksheet and
ID number to use with SMS that they
must complete during the in-park game.
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33. Game Over…?
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34. Welcome to the Park
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35. Little Details (1/3)
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36. Little Details (2/3)
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37. Little Details (3/3)
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38. Something from Nothing (1/3)
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39. Something from Nothing (2/3)
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40. Something from Nothing (3/3)
M ICKEY MOUSE
H E RCULES
DO T
STA R COMMAND
CAVE O F WONDERS
BO PEE P
I CAN SH O W YOU THE WORLD
BLUE WHALE
TREBLE CL E F
METROPOLE
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41. Calling It In
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42. The End
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43. Questions?
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