All of Your Base are Belong to Us? Shmups as a Source for Better Game Design Author McMillan, Luke Published 2011 Thesis Type Thesis (PhD Doctorate) School Queensland Conservatorium of Music DOI https://doi.org/10.25904/1912/2012 Copyright Statement The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise. Downloaded from http://hdl.handle.net/10072/366727 Griffith Research Online https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au All of Your Base Are Belong to Us? Shmups as a Source for Better Game Design Luke McMillan B.PopMus B.PopMus Hons. Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Gold Coast Griffith University A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy October, 2010 All of Your Base Are Belong to Us? Shmups as a Source for Better Game Design Table of Contents Table of Contents ...................................................................................................... I List of Figures ......................................................................................................... VII List of Scores ....................................................................................................... XIII Abstract ................................................................................................................ XIV Statement of Authenticity............................................................................................ XVI Acknowledgements .............................................................................................. XVII Foreword............................................................................................................. XVIII Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................ 1 Rationale ......................................................................................................................... 1 Problem .......................................................................................................................... 1 Research Questions ......................................................................................................... 1 Objectives ....................................................................................................................... 2 Specific Objectives ........................................................................................................... 2 Chapter Overview ............................................................................................................ 3 Significance of the Study .................................................................................................. 5 Chapter 2: Defining the Shmup ................................................................................. 8 Defining the Rules ........................................................................................................... 9 Objectives ..................................................................................................................... 10 Game AI (Artificial Intelligence) ...................................................................................... 11 What about games that don't meet all of these criteria? ................................................ 11 Vertical and Horizontal Shmups ..................................................................................... 12 Pre-History of the Shmup Genre the Year of the Invasion ............................................... 15 Space Invaders .............................................................................................................. 16 Outside Influences on Space Invaders ............................................................................ 20 The Family Tree ..................................................................................................... 22 Sky Raider .............................................................................................................. 22 Phantom II, Midway and the 8080 ......................................................................... 23 HeliFire, Radar Scope and Nintendo ...................................................................... 24 Defender ................................................................................................................. 26 Scramble (Konami, 1981)....................................................................................... 28 Universal: Cosmic Avenger DQGWKH³&RVPLF6HULHV´ ............................................ 31 Chapter 3: Methodology ......................................................................................... 37 Definition of Heuristics .................................................................................................. 38 I Luke McMillan 2010 Constants and variables ................................................................................................. 42 The 2004 and 2008 Studies into Nostalgia & Age ............................................................ 44 Existing Methods .................................................................................................... 44 General Procedure .................................................................................................. 46 Choosing the Case Studies ............................................................................................. 51 Period One: 1987-1990 ........................................................................................... 51 Period Two: 1990-1995 .......................................................................................... 51 Period Three: 1995-2000 ........................................................................................ 52 Period Four: 2000-2005 .......................................................................................... 52 dŚĞ^ĞůĞĐƚŝŽŶƌŝƚĞƌŝĂĨŽƌƚŚĞ͞^ŝŶŐƵůĂƌ͟^ŚŵƵƉƐ ............................................................ 53 Representation ....................................................................................................... 54 Emotive Traits ............................................................................................................... 64 Chapter 4: Extended Literature Review - the Design Heuristics and their Implementation as Analytical Devices ..................................................................... 67 The First Heuristic: Empowerment ................................................................................. 68 Empowerment via Ownership ................................................................................ 70 Empowerment: Controllers & Input Mechanisms .................................................. 71 Empowerment and Fitts Law .................................................................................. 72 Empowerment: Game Feel Theory......................................................................... 73 Empowerment through Perspective ........................................................................ 77 The Second Heuristic: Flow ............................................................................................ 81 The Third Heuristic: Bring the Player to Action ................................................................ 82 The Function of Id, Super-Ego and Ego for Shmups ............................................. 85 7KH5ROHRIWKH6XEFRQVFLRXV (OOLV¶V$%&0RGHO ............................................ 88 Bring the Player to Action: Movement................................................................... 99 Purposefulness: Figure 62 ............................................................................................... 99 Indirection: Figure 63 .................................................................................................... 100 Forcefulness: Figure 64 ................................................................................................. 100 Forcefulness and Control: Figure 65 ............................................................................. 101 Lack of Control: Figure 66 ............................................................................................. 101 Playfulness, Disempowerment: Figure 67 ..................................................................... 102 Victim Relationship: Figure 68 ...................................................................................... 103 Hunter /Prey Relationship: Figure 69 ............................................................................ 104 Power Relationship: Figure 70 ...................................................................................... 104 Inferior Relationship: Figure 71 ..................................................................................... 105 Mutual Relationships: Figure 72 ................................................................................... 106 Fearful Relationships: Figure 73 .................................................................................... 107 Fight or Flight Relationships / Underdog Relationships: Figure 74 ............................... 107 II All of Your Base Are Belong to Us? Shmups as a Source for Better Game Design Bring the player to Action: Sensation to Affect ................................................... 108 Bring the Player to Action: Semiotic Theory and Coding ................................... 109 The Fourth Heuristic: Education ..................................................................................