Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
and retro sounds triggered directly
from the audio card installed on the
Game Boy itself bringing this classic
sound to new audiences.
Although this category is changing rapidly, audio for these games
will most likely be on the small side. You might be asked to create
between 15-40 sound ef ects and 2-5 music loops. The number
of lines of voice-over are greatly variable—some kids games may
contain as many as 100 lines or more, while other titles might not
have any.
Chiptune artist Subatak is one of an
increasing number of performers using
Nintendo Game Boys to create live music.
Credit:
Medialab Prado.
After the Game Boy debuted, many
rival console makers tried their hands at
creating portable consoles. Some were
successful, while others went the way
of the dodo. Among all these various
devices, two in particular stand out. The
i rst is Nintendo's DS line of stylus-
driven dual screen devices, debuting in
2004, and recently updated with the
new Nintendo 2DS, and the second is
Sony's PlayStation Portable or PSP line
debuting in 2005, of which the newest
member is the Playstation Vita.
Casual games are often single player-based games, but multiplayer
games are very popular. Games such as
Words with Friends
,
Club
Penguin
and
Monkey Quest
are good examples of the varied use of
multiplayer environments.
There are also a few prominent variants in approach to casual
games.
Adware/Spyware
The purpose of these types of games is to serve mainly as a
promotional vehicle for the company that created them. The idea
is that spending time on their site playing their game may create
a favorable impression of the company as being cool or hip. Many
of these games can also be spyware—that is software that tracks
your behavior and preferences and sends that information to the
company, for possible later marketing or potentially being sold to
other companies.
Social Games
Credit:
Jeremy Engel.
As interesting as all these devices are,
they don't exactly qualify as a mobile
device per se, because essentially their
sole purpose is to play games (though
A social game's purpose is to serve as a gathering point for a number
of players, all interacting within the game world in simple ways.
Frequently, there are ways to interact with other players outside
of the game to develop community. Quite often these games are
