What is Ascension? When discussing what game to make, our group wanted to focus on something which is relevant in today’s market. This is Artificial Intelligence, which has taken the technological world by storm.
The division of labour was based on strength. 2 of the group members focused on the mechanics of the game, how the game would be played, and the theme. Whilst myself and another group member focused on the presentation and the other on marketing. What other games are comparable? Do we need crowdfunding?
The role that was given to me was to make videos for the presentation. The main focus of the videos was to introduce the slide or topic that was going to be presented by the other group member. There was no background research done as this was something that is a hobby and doing it for an assignment was achievable.
The process that was implemented was to add relatability but also advertise the game like it would be advertised on the Internet or television, and so I would ensure that the videos were short and got right to the point. This role helped the game become a full prototype because it put a visual picture on what the goal was of the game and that component made me imagine how the game would look based on the videos that were created.
For the above video I focused on the key theme of the game which is, cyber punk and AI, and so I dressed up as an AI/computer stuck. The board game also falls under the category of ‘euro games’ due to how niche it was. So, exploring that in the videos was clear and ensuring that advertising the game as ‘one of a kind’ was clear. The aim of this was to show the key game mechanic of the game which is to escape into the real world (or in the context of the game the Internet). Also showing that going outside in this game, there is a world of possibilities and the open space is endless like exploring the Internet. This was a process of heavy ideation and making sure everything that was filmed was indeed correct and in line with the games’ concept. The main ideation was re shooting and re filming and the position of myself in the camera was clearly visible. Treating it like a proper production showed proper care of the board game.
The above video adds a practical component and a relatable way that people interact with board games. The aim was to allow viewers to understand that Monopoly is not the only board game out there and that there is a whole world of board games. This is also relatable as many people when having board game nights play multiple games and are stuck as to which games are to be played. This can be explored through our game. It also indicated that unlike Monopoly which is a luck based game, Ascension is a skill based game with a focus on resource management. This is a key component of the game mechanics that comes with the game. The aim is to show that there is a need for a game like ours within the board game market as it is not only fun, but actually uses logic to be adapted to all ages.
Since AI is based on the future it makes sense to do a video in the future. I created a world where the board game Ascension was more popular than Monopoly, and the story is being told everywhere. It shows of a world where AI and games revolving around it are a normality, something which could be depicted in today’s world as society is learning to adapt with AI everyday in our lives.
The final video depicts the process a board game usually goes through.
CREATION-SELL-SUCCESS-BUYOUT.
We are seeing these types of purchases being made in the real world, so this video has a lot of game world components to it and is rather non-fiction than fiction. For instance, HASBRO buying D&D for $146.3 million.
A board game company buying the rights to a board game is a common occurrence and makes for a more commercial bounce for the game. The whole video process took two days to complete, ensuring I had enough props around the house and the video idea was useful. I also had to work with the PowerPoint creator, Ethan, and made sure I got the videos within the deadline so that they align not only with his schedule, but that they corroborate with the structure of the presentation too. A key issue however was the formatting of the PowerPoint and the videos could not be played while presenting.
All in all, the process of making videos for the group was a successful one as it not only got the point of what the game is, but divided up the sections in a fun way that gave the audience a ‘commercial break’. We stuck to deadlines, got the videos done, and received some great feedback from fellow group members including the comedic relief the videos bring to the presentation. It was clear that video 1 was a favourite, and was a great way to start the videos as it sets the tone for the rest of the videos. The videos clearly depict a different world, show the game mechanics, the theme, and the genre of the game. So not only did we provide a background of the game, but showed the key points of the game corroborated through comedy.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
E, Vlessing, 2022, Gaming-Focused Hasbro Buys D&D Beyond for $146.3 million in Gaming Expansion, The Hollywood Reporter, viewed 9th May 2023, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/hasbro-buys-dd-beyond-for-146-3m-in-gaming-expansion-1235129523/
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