Report-back Demonstration of SLP 1101 Course,
Semester 2 of the 2019-2020 academic year
Farming in Games
By Innovation & Technology Team
PROTOTYPE DEVELOPEMENT
By considering, arranging and grouping all the ideas in the previous sections, we would like to see if we can actualize the project by developing a prototype.
We began by using a game engine, GameMaker Studio 2, but we realized the fact that the engine was too complicated and time consuming for the development of our project, we will not be able to catch up the development speed if we were really using a game engine to make a game and upload it on store or present to the viewers.
Suggested by our course lecturer Dr. Xiao, the option of making an animated prototype was provided, and we can use the animated video maker Vyond to continue our progress on prototype development
FIRST ANIMATED PROTOTYPE
NOTES & FEEDBACKS ON THE FIRST PROTOTYPE
"The first one is not a good one."
1. The game missed an intro, the hook about why you should play a game is the invitation
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Either making up a story or,
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Consider use the problem situation that you have identified at the stage of community needs assessment to introduce this game
2. Obviously background music and interaction sounds
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Consider adding background music, and sounds like button clicks and weather sound effects
3. The expression of figures does not change according to different scenarios
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Consider adding facial expressions and actions to avatar and other movable objects
4. Element of importance in the game is time and weather but both of them are not shown in the prototype
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Consider adding both elements into the prototype
5. No explanation on how to take care of the crops
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Consider adding an example of take caring crops, and/or what to do during bad weathers
6. Lack explanation on virtue and real life linkage connection, players will not know what to do with the quizzes and tickets
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Again, consider adding explanation on how the gameplay could have change the reality and what the player could do in the game
With the above feedbacks, we realize there are quite a lot of things missing in the first prototype, we end up adding the missing features and develop the second one.
Compare to the first prototype, the second prototype is a much better prototype, and look closer to what a game would be.
SECOND ANIMATED PROTOTYPE
NOTES & FEEDBACKS ON THE SECOND PROTOTYPE
"Great improvements, still some minor concerns"
1. Introduction lack attractiveness
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Consider providing a more interesting introduction
2. Lack of indications on interactable objects in game
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Consider adding highlights on interactable objects or buttons in the prototype
3. Since it is a mobile application, maybe it should also show notifications for the game, how the game would remind players to take care of crops
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Consider adding notifications in the prototype
We are glad to receive feedbacks on the prototype from the Rooftop Republic and our advisors.
Considering the feedbacks, we made some fine adjustments on the prototype, the final product looks pretty decent.
THIRD ANIMATED PROTOTYPE
GENERAL FEEDBACKS AND DISCUSSION
WITH HOPE COLLEGE ON THE PROJECT
Different from the previous prototype testings with only Rooftop Republic coordinators and our advisors, this time, with the help of Dr. Xiao and coordinator(s) from Hope College, we are lucky to be able to arrange private interviews with students form Hope College in Michigan, United States
PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION (US & HK)
Rather than tackling on the features and the functions of the game prototype, our interviews with Hope College students focus on:
(1) Whether the US faced similar problems (i.e. Lack of awareness in urban farming), &
(2) Whether our way/solution of tackling the problem (making a game about urban farm) can be adopted in the US
Before going into the two points stated above, we would like to first summarize some background information we acquired through the discussion and online research:
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Different from Hong Kong, the US treat farming as an occupation, differently, from the understanding of students from Hope College, most farms nearby are obtained from vacant lands, and it’s purpose are often growing food for self-use, rather than business or community engagement. Citizens also carried out backyard gardening, rather than farming.
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Farms that are for business can be found in rural areas (around 30-60 mins drive) instead of urban areas
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Farms in urban areas are often located in large cities like New York and Chicago, but it is not sure whether they faced similar problems as we did
Although we didn't get the chance to interview urban farmers directly from the US, students from the Hope College did told us that they think the awareness on urban farming is actually insufficient, just like the situation in Hong Kong, it is because some of them personally have never participated in the urban farming activities at all, and farming methods like rooftop farming and hydroponics are new to them.
From here, we can at least know that, citizens of US, especially those from suburban areas and young age, to some extent, lacked the awareness towards urban farming practices.
The question then will go back to whether our solution of tackling the problem (making a game about urban farm) can be adopted in the US feasibly.
FEASIBILITY OF THE SOLUTION IN US
From the discussion with students from Hope College, they think the design and the idea of the game is overall good, but through the discussion, we both realized that the problem is often on whether the game can really attract the younger age group to engage in the game and learn something about urban farming from it, as well as the accessibility and practicality of the online offline features.
1. Problem of Incentive and Attractiveness
Students from Hope College pointed out that the current trend in the US is that young people often cannot focus on the same things for a long time, their attitude can change from passionate to neglectful within a short period.
So, what our prototype and method of dealing with the problem of lack of awareness of urban farming are insufficient that it is questionable whether the game is attractive enough to stay in the players' mind, as well as the promotion and introduction of the game.
Suggestions and possible solutions
Students from Hope College suggests that the introduction of the game is important, in here we are not talking about the story of the game, but rather, how we present the game to audience and player, for example, people can learn about the game through talks, workshops, and flyers, and how we give a first impression and interact with players is important.
The problem of attractiveness is faced by almost every game nowadays, and how our way of tackling the problem to raise the awareness of urban farming in the US remains doubtful according to students from Hope College given the different attitudes and purposes, as well as land availability towards urban farming. Still, it is worth a try as a prototype, since everything needs a start.
2. Problem of Accessibility and Practicality
It is obvious that the US, from the geographical point of view, have a larger landmass than Hong Kong, this also means that point to point transportation is more time consuming, our discussions with Hope College students reveal that our solution, again, might not work out well when comparing the situation of Hong Kong with the US on solving the problem.
Students from Hope College share that it took at least 30 to 60 minutes of drive to reach the closest farm they knew, it implies that even if we assume players have the incentive to play the game and acquire the rewards in the game, they are still limited by the incentive and accessibility in reality to claim those reward (e.g. going to workshops in farms), this becomes a problem in reality for our solution to really "promote" urban farming.
Suggestions and possible solutions
Through discussion with students from Hope College, we developed a solution on this matter, that we can introduce this game to educational institutions, by cooperating with them and organize events in the form of field trips, in this way, we believe students can learn about urban farming at a young age with the game, at the same time having the opportunity to have site visits in groups for real experience and claim their respective rewards, and this solution no only can apply to the situation in the US, but also in Hong Kong for the promotion of the practice.
To summarize this section, we are glad to have this fruitful discussion with students from Hope College in Michigan, US, not only we were able to share our work and receive feedbacks on our project, but also learning more about the urban farming in the US, it is quite clear that the same problems can be perceived in both places, but whether the solution of making a game for promotion of urban farming seems to depend on the some localized features, and we believe this prototype, solution, and way of problem solving can ultimately benefit our target group and society.
We hope you like the latest version of our prototype and updates, and don't forget to give us feedbacks on the last section of the website!