I wanted to keep similar assets from the original Zork, into my re-imagined version. The reason for this is because I think, although my project is to reinvent, I still think it is important to keep some of the traditional and successful assets, as you can see where the idea has developed/evolved for it's modern audience. What I had in mind, was to keep the use of having an imaginative world that used text/typography as elements that help you as the player in the story, However, not as a text type control. Using typography with graphics and NOT game play seemed like a nice touch to keep my game at it's roots, but present a fresh new look. From researching Zork and the more information I gathered about it from the game aspect and NOT the book, I came to the conclusion that Zork was easiest to re-imagine, as there wasn't much depth to it. However, from reading 'Zork Chronicles' I gained a greater perspective of the concept and managed to channel that information into unique ideas for myself.
Format and Online capabilites:
My re-imagination of Zork will be a 3D Action Adventure game that will run on formats such as the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. The reason I chose these formats was of the use of the controls on both consoles. My game will include usage from most of the assets on the controllers, and therefore using this type of game on any other machine would cause complications and it would be harder to play. Another reason was based around it's genre, exploration style, combat and use of online play. I really liked the idea of making my game that can play on either Xbox Live or the Playstation network, within our current era, online game play is one of the most crucial and important gaming assets. The majority of current releases within our generation use a lot of primary focus on multi player ideally from an online perspective. With my game itself I want to use the form of online play to expand the single play into a more vast world. Using co op with a friend to help do quests, find certain items or achieve treasures that might be too complex to do on your own. Or play with a friend to help overcome stronger foes, trade and cover more ground when exploring within each of the worlds. Although there is much potential for the singular player to still achieve, I thought it would be ideal to encourage cooperative play to expand the universe of Zork. Having two players means you are two times more stronger, faster and likely to discover things that either play could've have missed before.
Assets and Game play:
As explained in the previous post, Zork uses his eccentric imagination to warp himself into worlds related to the genre of books he is labeling. With that requires one of the most important assets within the game, his label gun. With the power of Zork's mind, he transforms his trusty label maker within every world he explores. It is the primary focus of interaction within the game as it acts as your inventory, to look through your collected items. Not just that, but it also works as a magical device that transforms fired 'labels' into selected items from your inventory. For example, the label gun has a 'magazine' that hosts all the labels/items in your inventory. You scan through each label in the magazine for the item you wish to select, every item you have collected will be written on a label within the mag. To select an item, chose the label with the name of the item you have collected, fire that label from the gun onto a 'surface' within the game suitable to be able to be obtained. Once the gun fires, the label will stick to the selected surface and transform into the item you selected from your magazine/inventory.
This type of mechanic is only used for access to the inventory system and select items you have collected. Other objects such as weapons are already equipped once collected/found. Keeping this method makes the game play less confusing and easier to understand. It also is a perfect way to keep the use of 'typography' within the game as previously mentioned. I want to keep some elements of the text based adventure in my new concept.
Using Typography:
Aside from the use of the label gun, I also wanted to include typography within the environment of my game. With the first 'Zork' game, the entire production was made through the use of text, from movement to combat etc. Everything was narrated on screen as you explored and even to this day, it really interests me to continue to use text even with a contemporary game. In my particular remake, I want to use text to decide paths in environment. For example, if you the character has four routes to take, one in the mountains, the forest, a castle and the other a desert, I wanted to highlight the directions to take above those routes. A bit like a road sign, but floating in the distance above the chosen path/environment. Over the desert it could say 'East' in a large font floating above the route or 'North' above the castle, etc. Althought this is a minimalistic use of aesthetics, I really like the idea of keeping text a useful tool within the original, just like the 1970's Zork. This theme will direct the player into new areas and give them choices to make on where they explore. To complete this idea, I will include an actual 'Compass' in the working HUD. This will be able to remind the player the direction they are taking when trying to find certain areas for quests etc, so the environment is will always be easy to explore. It also adds the 'adventure' type atmosphere of the game, which what my remake primarily entails.
Bibliography:
. Google images
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