Fundamentals of Game Design Journal Entry 2

So I’m supposed to discuses and analyse games for this journal, I’m not sure how I’m suppose to approach this so I hope I don’t end up reviewing the game instead.

I have not been playing to many games recently, however I have play a particularly good RTS called Supreme Commander and its expansion Forged Alliance. Both games are probably the best RTS ever created in terms of game play and balance (though some of the units are a little to end gaming – I’m looking at you Mavor and Paragon), the story line is rather normal for a sci-fi game but I like how the normal humans are really the bad guys and the wired cyborg freaks are the only real good guys.

One of the greatest aspect of SupCom is the ability to zoom in and out of the map, it makes playing the game so much easer and convent and it’s absolute necessary when you trying to coordinate multiple attacks over a map that’s eighty kilometres big.

In the early stages of SupCom the game you only start of with access to units from tech one, there are three “techs” in total with tech one being the weakest and tech three being the most powerful, and the first level played is a small semi tutorial/introductory map that allows the player to become familiar with the operations of the game. The introduction level for SupCom Forged Alliance is significantly different, the game assumes that the player already has prior knowledge of the game from SupCom (even though it is a stand alone title) so the player starts of having access to tech three. I greatly prefer how Forged Alliance starts, as I already know how to play the game I can immediately get straight into the game without having to worry about being limited to lower tech levels.

Both games have a two fold end to them. The first ending is what you would expect to see in a ending, you win everyone else loses and your objectives are a success. However after the credits there is a mini cliff hanger ending that alludes to a new link in the story. SupCom’s teaser ending leads onto the story for Forged Alliance and Forged Alliance’s ending leads on to the next expansion pack. I like this, it’s good that you get closer on the characters, and the teaser at the end leaves you wondering how the story will unfold in later games but not so much that you don’t feel like you got closer on the story.