Brooke Steele
How the game has held up even twenty years later
A synopsis on the games story and lore , why it makes the game better.
'Half-Life' is a 1998 first-person shooter game developed by Valve Corporation and published by 'Sierra Studios' for Microsoft Windows. It was Valve's debut product and the first game in the Half-Life series. The player assumes the role of Gordon Freeman, a scientist who must escape from the Black Mesa Research Facility after it is overrun by alien creatures following a disastrous scientific experiment. The gameplay consists of combat, exploration and puzzles.Half-Life inspired numerous fan-made mods, some of which became standalone games, such as Counter-Strike (2000), Day of Defeat (2003), and Sven Co-op (1999).
A quote form one player 'It constantly presents you with variety, surprises, and new challenges to keep you hooked. It is a tour de force in game design, the definitive single player game in a first person shooter.' From this review we can assume that the main thing that drew players into the game were the fun challenges the game has founded such as better enemy AI and level layout made the players feel like every playthorough would be different due to the advance layout of the overall gameplay and mechanics. When I make my games I will keep the aspect of replay ability in mind. (click to see website).
A quote form one player 'Unfortunately, Half-Life’s puzzle-oriented play leads to some problems. On several occasions, you’ll be forced to make almost impossible jumps. The difficulty of such maneuvers finds you making 10, sometimes 15 attempts. The frustration distances you from a story that should have you absorbed.' This shows us that one main issue the game had was its high difficulty that made some player feel unmotivated to continue. When I make my games I will keep in mind if some sections are to difficult to complete. (click to see website).
What made Half-Life's narrative structure revolutionary ?
'Half-Life' is known as one of the most revolutionary FPS shooters in gaming history as it was one of the first FPS games to implement an overall narrative and story. Most games during the late 1900's rarely had a story and was mindless entertainment ( 'Pong', Pac-man' etc); however, 'Half-Life' introduced an aspect of having a shooter game with a plot. While simple it was a start of having games that tell a story as the premise was your a scientist trying to defend your lab after your experiments escape and overrun the laboratory. Saying this aspect of the game wanst inportant to the newer gaming landscape is completly incorrect.
The way this new change in this game has affected overall games is that most game not just including FPS have an overarching story with developed characters and world to help make the player feel more connected and attached toward their game. Such games as : 'Elden Ring', 'Doom', 'COD' and 'GOW' ; these games and other are known more for the story's they tell more then the base mechanics such as shooting and attacking. Having a game that implements a story to elivate the overall game has helped many people be able to use games to convey their own storys and use games to learn to create better storys has made the industy as popular as it is.
In conclusion, 'Half- Life's' use of narrative and structure to make a revolutionary change in the gaming sphere since it was the start to the now common formula of creating fun gameplay intertwined with a story that keeps the players hooked and invested. Without this game it is possible we wouldn't have as advance story driven games as we have now such as 'Resident Evil', 'GOW' and 'Final Fantasy'. I can use the aspect of combing my main gameplay for my games with a compelling story to not only entertain my players but also make them care about my games world, characters and end goals.
How did its AI and level design innovate FPS gameplay?
Half-Life's introduced the concept of having a level that the player can loop around and fight in. They made a couple of levels and created maps that have the ability to curve back into itself causing the player to loop in the same direction of the enemy's and other players. This feature was revolutionary as it was the first shooter to do this mechanic, which created the aspect of memorizing the best routes and hiding spots ; as it made learning the level and exploring more fun as enemy's would spawn in close.
Due to this decision by Valve the aspect of FPS shooters have changed forever, for example every shooter game has now implemented the same level design mechanic of having them loop back into themselves. Since this has happened most players when the begin to play shooters look for the best routes and spots. Some games that follow this are ( 'COD , 'Battlefield', 'Valorent' and 'Overwatch'). The world looping mechanic has changed the FPS shooter sphere forever as more people are now engaged with the games due to the ability to find the best ways to play.
In conclusion, Half- Life's use of AI and level design had affected the FPS gaming industry permanently as the looping mechanic is now used to make addictive and fast paced shooting gameplay. As they also edited there enemy's ai's to be able to track the best sports to hide and attack in always keeping the players on their feet. I can use the loop mechanic in my future works if I want to create fast paced gameplay. I can do this by creating levels and rooms that loop into itself to be able too make the player always been on edge and have a harder time hiding.
What role did modding play in its legacy?
Half-Life's modding played a massive role in its enduring legacy by giving birth to iconic games like 'Counter-Strike', 'Team Fortress Classic, and 'Day of Defeat', fostering large and active communities, and inspiring a generation of developers and modders to create new content and innovate within the FPS genre. Valve's decision to include a software development kit (SDK) and the Hammer level editor facilitated this fan-driven ecosystem, which not only extended the game's life but also solidified Half-Life's impact on the broader gaming landscape.
Half-Life's modding has been used to make young developers figure out how to create code and games, such games that were created thanks to the easy mod ability of Half - life are:' TF2' , 'Counter-Strike and Day of Defeat' (DOD) began life as the work of independent developers who later received aid from Valve. The use of young developers learning to code was an important aid to some of them becoming game makers themselves, most FPS developers credit Half-Life as it was what introduced them into coding and creating their own games (the most known one is the game G -mod that used Valves engine to create it).
To conclude, Half- Life's modding capability's has defiantly helped in keeping it legacy as one of the most influential FPS as it helped young coders learn how to create their own games or improve 'Half-Life' that would lead them to explore the gaming industry and create some of the best games in this era ( 'COD' , 'TF2' etc). The ability to be able to take a game and either improve it or change it completely is why 'Half-Life was so successful
By looking and researching why Half-Life is known to be one of the most influential games in recent history examples being how it changed the gaming landscape by not just being about mindless fun but to create an interactive story, how they changed how you can layout a FPS level to make it more unique and fun as you are forced to always move or you will be cornered and how its east and accessible code made it easy for new developers to learn to modify it and create their own games in the future to to the training the modding community in Half-life gave them. All these factors help make the game enjoyable and replayable since it has created a world and characters that players want to revisit ; this aspect is prominent in every game as by not having a strong story, world or characters your gameplay will tank as most people wont want to be as invested in your game. Half-Life has showed and taught me that even a simple story is better than none and creating your story before your core gameplay and mechanics is crucial as you can develop better ideas when exploring them before your already in creating mode.
A video showcasing the development and media history of the Sims (2000)
A video showcasing the long history and lore behind the Sims (2000)
The Sims 1 is a 2000 life simulation game where players create and control virtual people called "Sims" to manage their daily lives in a suburban setting. Players can customize their Sims' appearance, personality, and homes, and must manage their needs like hunger and hygiene, while pursuing careers and relationships. The game features open-ended, sandbox-style gameplay with no single objective, though secondary goals like career and family success are a major focus.
What inspired Will Wright to create The Sims
Will Wright was inspired to create The Sims after a fire destroyed his home in the 1991 Oakland firestorm, which led him to contemplate the nature of material possessions and the experience of rebuilding one's life. This led him to develop the idea for a game centered on building and furnishing homes, which evolved into a "virtual dollhouse" focused on the lives of individual people. He was also influenced by concepts from architecture and psychology as hr thought adding gameplay in making sure the Sims is happy as well as healthy might be more entertaining for more players.
The whole existence for The Sims was due to a tragic disaster after a forest fire destroyed Will Wright's home, however, even after this incident he used the experience as a positive one as he decided to create a game capturing all of his feelings of chaos and unpredictability to make the game franchise known as The Sims. He used his struggles as a reference on how to make a game that feels chaotic, and I will hopeful use setbacks like this in my game journey to come back stronger.
To conclude, the disaster that happened to Will Wright was the main catalyst on The Sims being made as his home burning down gave him a realization that anything can happen and the feeling of unbalanced chaos would make a good life simulation game. I will want to in the future when negative events happen to me see if I can use my experience to create a game that showcases my feelings in an entertaining way to show how I can be resilient in rough times.
How did The Sims appeal to non- traditional players
For many fans, the core of the game's appeal is storytelling and the fun of building and creating , while at the same time by being a "sandbox" game that focused on player-defined goals, storytelling, and creativity rather than conventional objectives. It allowed for escapism, providing a low-stakes, consequence-free environment to experiment with life, relationships, and design, which resonated with people who felt the core mechanics of traditional video games were unappealing or complicated.
The Sims is mostly an low stakes game, while there are objectives they are optional and you can play however you want. There is no need to work or marry, you can date a rich sims and steal their money with only social consequences from the Sims, the game allows mods and gives you free cheats to make the game more fun if you just want to create a huge house at the start of the game or if you want certain sims to marry or break up with each over.
In conclusion, the sand-box like mechanics and the mood-let system has made it for players that might not have played video games before feel comfortable as it is not a high stakes game and you can chose your own pathway and play--style. If I ever make a cozy styled game, I will take inspiration in The Sims's sand-box nature and use it to make the player feel like they have a lot of control in how they can play the game, making it reach a bigger audience.
What social themes can be observed in its gameplay
The Sims 1 gameplay explores themes of social relationships, building a life, and consumerism. Players manage social interactions through friendships, dating, and hosting parties, while also building skills, careers, and wealth. The game also incorporates consumerism through activities like buying clothing and furniture, and can be used to create dramatic narratives like love triangles, affairs or even murder mystery's.
The Sims is known to help people of all kinds of mental state explore their feelings in a safe and helpful way as they can simulate things such as a life they want, managing their needs in game to see how they can apply it to the real world and let out their frustration on fictional characters if they want to. This game has helped people learn more about themselves than they thought, such as sexuality, personal preferences, and how they like to manage their own lives.
In conclusion,
Looking at the first interaction of 'The Sims' I can see why this small game pioneered into the huge IP it is today and has many cozy yet chaotic games inspired by it. It's creation is probably one of the most interesting I have ever seen as it was made after the creators home was burned down in a natural disaster ans while it was hard he used that struggle and turned it into art to be able to cope and create the life simulator that can go wrong at any moment. 'The Sims' was also one of the first games to create a new type of demographic, people who don't play video games; many people - mainly children and women- saw the sims and felt like they could jump straight into it as there is no real story, important skill system or endings as it is a sandbox game that you can make anything happen in. Due to this the game was a huge success as its new audience wanted more. 'The Sims' has even been used in recent years as a physiology tool as they have used it one people with different issues such as autism, bipolar and psychopathy to see how they interact with the game, this research making them have a better study on their patents as they can some what see how they would create and play in their own world. To conclude, 'The Sims' was revolutionary in the life simulation genre as it gave it life showing non gamers why people enjoy video games and helping players understand more about themselves overall.
A video showcasing the development and media history of WoW (2004)
A video showcasing the long history and lore behind WoW (2004)
World of Warcraft (WoW) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) where players create heroic fantasy characters and explore the fictional world of Azeroth, completing quests, fighting monsters, and interacting with other players. The game's rich story revolves around ongoing conflicts, particularly between the Horde and the Alliance, as they face threats from ancient cosmic powers, demons, and internal strife, with players contributing to the narrative through their characters' progression and actions.
How did WoW build a massive online community
The main reason the games community was so strong to begin with was the fact the game is a RPG/MMO, WoW built its community through mandatory teamwork for difficult content, fostering a collaborative in-game society with features like guilds, group quests, and dungeons, supported by an active developer-community relationship with forums and events.The game was designed to feel like a living, online society, with social interactions encouraged through group quests, crafting reagents, and dungeons.
WoW has manages to entice it's player base by having a community anyone can join in and work together in to build up their guild, which can lead into life long friendships or even more. If I where to create a game with a similar play style as WoW and or an open-world RPG/MMO I would take my inspiration on how to build a strong and tight nit community from WoW since it's ability to create friendships is desirable for an online game where you need to work together.
To summarize, due the games nature of being an open world MMO/RPG the game was created to build bonds and team work as you need a strong group of people to work together. If I where to create a game based on connections I would also implement mechanics and situations where open communication and teamwork are needed to progress as that is what appeals players who want to find friends with similar interests.
What monetization models did it influence?
World of Warcraft introduced a successful subscription model that has since been emulated by many other games. Before WoW, the idea of paying a monthly fee for a game was relatively unheard of in mainstream gaming. WoW proved that players were willing to pay for a high-quality, continuously updated experience. This model paved the way for other subscription-based games and even influenced today's popular "games as a service" models.
However, while this implementation of a subscription system and then later WoW adding there own paid currency for more people to spend money on, people say this negatively changed the gaming market. As now majority of games with online play including PC, console or even mobile try and push micro transactions or try to sell overpowered ability creating an in-balance in the game as many people even if they have spent time leveling up can't compete with the pay to win scheme.
To conclude, while WoW and it's company Blizzard, have a successful game that brings in an extreme amount of money due to it's greedy nature using micro-transactions to make your player stronger in the game it has lost it's respect from it's major audience. While the use and implementation of micro-transactions seem appealing to be able to know you can increase your game profit, especially if your game is free, in the long run it is not worth it as you lose touch with your adoring community.
How did it affect real-life social behaviors
World of Warcraft had varied effects on real-life social behaviors, fostering online communities, promoting social skills through varied interactions, and even leading to real-life friendships and romantic relationships for some players. However, for others, excessive play could be associated with negative outcomes, such as reduced offline social support and increased loneliness, particularly when the game becomes an obsession rather than a balanced hobby.
WoW shows me that while their online sphere has had good and wholesome outcomes with meeting new people online there has being many instances of toxicity towards players - mainly, children and women - as it has been known to have people in the in game chat and voice chat say derogatory things and or slurs towards people they don't like. Many people say the main reason this happens on WoW is the nature of a strategy game with high stakes makes peoples 'mask slip'.
To conclude, while WoW and there community has done amazing things and helped others the lingering issue of it known toxic and dedicated community stands as an issues for new players. Many issues being that due to the art style many parents let young kids play and chat interacting with adults ; while most adults would never try and interact with a child for nefarious reasons that is still a risk. It community has being known to be very extreme with many players screaming horrible language and targeted slurs and insults towards people.
Analyzing the creation and world of WoW I can see that this was the reason why the RPG/MMO genre boomed and created similar structured games in the future. As it's community helped create the game overall as it's use of making sure people meet others who had similar interests as them and making them work together to beat the same goals they game boomed as people longed for connections. However, WoW's overall community support for Blizzard has faded over the years due to their heavy micro-transactions that plague the game by making it a pay to win experience, this decision led fans to support the game less and less as many thought it was unfair to make a free game have paid perks that can overhaul the games experience for people who don't want to spend money. Another issue WoW faces is it toxic community as they have been known to be hostile towards women and children gamers as they think WoW should only be a male played game. To sum up my findings,while WoW was a game that created the whole MMO/RPG genre it's greed and bad player management has lead to it slow downfall and it's player count declines each day.