Fishing Girl is a simple fishing game played with one button. It illustrates a design pattern called sequentially linked mechanics. Often when you try to simulate a complex exercise like fishing, you can’t easily create a single game mechanic that captures the entire experience. Instead, you string together a series of activities. Each activity is simplistic by itself, but in sequence yields a good approximation of the complex experience. The fishing game is split into the following activities:

1. Casting
2. Positioning the lure
3. Hooking a fish
4. Reeling in the fish
5. Scoring the fish
6. Buying new equipment.

Each section should take 1-3 evenings to prototype in Flash. String them all together and you have a fishing game. The nice thing about this challenge is that it is all about bite sized chunks that are easy to build and iterate on.

I'll be looking forward to seeing the results and seeing if someone manages to put together a 'gold medal design.'

Fishing Girl: Game Prototyping Challenge [Lost Garden]

It's a "programmable cellular automata simulator" which EA says lets players make grid simulations à la SimCity. Fancy words in the announcement like "chemical stoichiometry" means Biome simulates changes that take place in cells when they're exposed to new variables, similar to the way some chemicals change their state when exposed to other chemicals.

EA says Maxis built prototypes like these initially to explore design directions for the game, and is now letting gamers mess with the machinery to check out some of these early ideas. More are set to be released in the coming weeks.

Full announcement after the jump.

EA News Alert

To whet Spore fans’ appetites as the September 7th launch date draws near, the Maxis team has released BIOME, the latest in a series of early, concept defining Spore prototypes that are available for free play.

BIOME, which can be downloaded at http://community.spore.beta.online.ea.com/comm/prototypes, is a programmable cellular automata simulator that allows players to develop simple "SimCity-like" grid simulations. Inspired by John Conway's "Game of Life" program, BIOME uses a language based on chemical stoichiometry and simulates how cells change their state the same way that chemicals change when exposed to other chemicals. BIOME supports both rectangular and spiral cellular automata configurations.

Throughout the planning and development of Spore, Maxis explored countless design directions in gameplay, simulation and user interface. One of the ways in which they explored possible design directions was by building simple, playable prototypes that were used to get a sense for a particular system. Usually these prototypes are never seen by the public, but Maxis decided to give gamers a “golden ticket” to get an inside look at their creative process. Make sure to check back for more Spore prototypes in the coming weeks!

Spore gives players their own personal universe in a box. Create and evolve life, establish tribes, build civilizations, sculpt entire worlds and explore a universe created by other gamers. Spore gives players a wealth of creative tools to customize nearly every aspect of their universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings, and even UFOs. Players can then seamlessly share their creations with the world or explore infinite new galaxies created by other gamers.

I do love Lost Garden's prototyping challenge, though I will never in my life prototype any game, even simple and super cute ones. However, I always love seeing what other people come up with — it's an interesting exercise in observing the design process with playable prototypes. The latest is a cute idea that takes advantage of 3D engines and real-time shade. The basic idea is that you play a farmer who has to save his haul from the scorching sun:

You play the part of a rugged mushroom rancher who must collect adorable sentient mushrooms living in the shade. All you need to do is run up to a planted mushroom and touch it. It will pop out of the ground and start following you around. Lead it back to the start location and you'll be awarded multiple point based off its size.

Unfortunately, it is a scorchingly hot day. You can meander about the landscape of giant grassy blocks with impunity due to your meglo-awesome wide brimmed hat, but the mushrooms wilt quickly in sunlight. To lead them back successfully, you'll need to keep to the shadows and plot the optimal path home.

There's a lot more in terms of what the game needs to include, and unlike a lot of previous prototyping challenges, Danc is not providing art assets, though he does make some suggestions on what sorts of options people could employ. So, if you're sitting around this month and are itching for a challenge, wander over and check it out.

Shade: A game prototyping challenge [Lost Garden]

"I don't know if I'm right about this, but I think it's the first open-world game where not only the player evolves over time - which is pretty standard - but so does the world. The world is not the same at the beginning as at the end of our game. Even in a game like Scarface or GTA, the world is really the same. You've changed, and you've built your empire and whatnot, but that's it."

Bennison also defined what he means by evolution:

"When we say New York evolves in our game, we mean that it's almost like a giant game of Risk. Territorial control ebbs and flows across the map of Manhattan.

At the beginning of the game, it's neutral. There's a few little incidents, and you're involved in them. But as the game progresses, there's outbreak zones that are infected. They're no-go zones that get walled off, and you don't want to go in there, unless you're really strange. There's also militarized zones next to them and trying to control them. That flares. It's almost like a forest fire. There's flare-ups. But as the game progresses, the military declares martial law and locks the media and everything down. It starts to become pretty well one or the other, and it evolves even further."

Sounds ambitious; maybe the developer's large-scale goals for the single-player mode were the reason why they decided to bag multiplayer.

Q&A: Creating Intrigue In Prototype's Open Worlds [Gamasutra]

Let's hope that the version of Prototype they initially set out to create actually includes the co-op multiplayer portion that was recently axed. We won't hold our breath on that one, as Radical is probably taking the extra six months to perfect hoodie physics or make the explosions more explosion-y.

Prototype pushed to 2009 [GameSpot]

Prototype takes place in an open world recreation of New York City and you take o the role of Alex Mercer who has awakened with super powers and little memory. New York has been infested by zombie like creatures called the Infected and even the surrounding buildings have been sucked into to their evil. Hives of infected dot the city and more an more appear all the time. Using your super human abilities, you must disover the conspiracy involved that made this happen and attempt to save the city. But just because you are attempting to help out doesn't make you a hero. Alex Mercer is a decided anti-hero, out for himself and whatever he can get. And you don't have just the Infected to worry about either, there is the Army as well who is not only out to stop the infected, but for some unknown reason, out to get you too. Also be on the lookout for the mysterious Black Watch who have a hand in this somewhere as well.

The real draw in this game, at least for me, was the super powers and there were a lot of them. All sorts of special moves and knowledge can be gained from devouring the people around you. One of these powers comes to great effect when trying to escape from the Army who is chasing you down. If you can manage to get out of sight and eat someone, you can take on their form and walk around undetected. But, you must be careful. One false move or use of your super powers out in public will cause your cover to be blown and you will be on the run again so stealth is the key in these situations. Devouring other people will also allow you to gain their knowledge and put it to your own use. For instance, devour an Army tank driver and you gain the ability to drive tanks and the same goes for weapon use. The more enemies of one type that you consume, the better your ability in that area becomes. And the nice thing is, once you gain these abilities, you always have them at your disposal. Some of the other special powers include an area attack where thorny tentacles reach out of the ground to attack your enemies and a Hammer Fist which pounds enemies into the ground. A lock on system helps as well for targeting certain enemies amongst the crowds of people who are running about in a panic everywhere you go. If your really feisty, you can even distract attention form yourself by accusing random passers by of being you which will cause all surrounding enemies to open fire on the poor innocent.

Since it is an open world, you can go wherever you please, but there is a main storyline whos plot is revealed as you make your way through the game devouring people left and right. Ingesting main characters throughout the game will give you clues as to what exactly is going on here. You must use your powers to reconstruct your past and eventually discover the giant conspiracy that provides the game's hidden plot. Ultimately, you control the pace of the game by choosing which way you want to handle your enemies. Deceive or Destroy? Which one will you choose?

Prototype really reminded me a lot of Crackdown in it's basic gameplay mechanics. While the game itself looked interesting, I was a little disappointed in the graphics. The character models seemed very simplistic and I saw the same several models over and over again in the various crowd scenes. But, as this was an early build I'm hoping that this is something that will be taken care of when the final coat of paint is applied to the project.

Prototype launches this fall for the 360 and PS3 and is a single player experience although they did hint that co-op and online play were both being looked at as possibilities. And yes, there will be downloadable content although what form that will take remains to be seen.

"PROTOTYPE's back-story, visuals and gameplay are stunning, and we have every intention of bringing those core pillars to our book because this is a great opportunity to expand on the world they've created, and build something new and interesting for comic book fans."

DC Comics & Sierra Entertainment To Publish New Comic Series Based On PROTOTYPE Video Game

DC Comics and Sierra Entertainment Ink Deal To Create an All-New Comic Book Series Based on PROTOTYPETM - One of the Most Anticipated Video Games of 2008

Marlow, UK - 15 April, 2008 - DC Comics, the largest English language comic book publisher in the world, and Sierra Entertainment - a division of Vivendi Games, today announced plans to publish an all-new comic book series based on the eagerly anticipated and already highly acclaimed open-world/action video game PROTOTYPE™. The series is set to debut this August via DC's WildStorm imprint, and the addition of such unique, original IP video games like PROTOTYPE is sure to increase their successful line of best-selling comics based on licensed properties. Further details surrounding the new comic book series will be announced later this year.

PROTOTYPE puts gamers in control of Alex Mercer - a genetically mutated shape-shifter with no memory of his past, hell-bent on solving the mystery of his existence - as he tears through a densely populated New York City moving with Parkour-style fluidity and consuming anybody that gets in his way...assuming their physical identity, memories and abilities. Fueled by a three-way war between Alex, the military's elite Blackwatch division and a viral outbreak known as the Infected, players will venture deep into a dark conspiracy, 40 years in the making.

"PROTOTYPE is all about shape-shifting action, and we're using that key element to redefine the open-world game space," said Al Simone, Sr. VP of Global Marketing, Sierra Entertainment. "Another key feature setting PROTOTYPE apart from other open-world games is its incredibly deep, conspiracy-based back-story, and by joining forces with the largest comic book publisher in the world - DC Comics - we can bring this new anti-hero and his tale to an even wider audience of comics fans and gamers alike."

"We're blown away with what Sierra and developer Radical Entertainment have shown us of PROTOTYPE, and know with absolute certainty that this will make for a terrific comic book," said Hank Kanalz, VP & General Manager, WildStorm. "PROTOTYPE's back-story, visuals and gameplay are stunning, and we have every intention of bringing those core pillars to our book because this is a great opportunity to expand on the world they've created, and build something new and interesting for comic book fans."

PROTOTYPE delivers a fresh take on open-world games, with key features separating the game from the rest of the pack, including the anti-hero main character Alex Mercer and his deadly shape-shifting abilities, a stunning representation of New York City circa 2008 as the backdrop, and 'Deceive or Destroy' gameplay allowing players the choice to either blend in with the population or fully unleash Alex's deadly powers. With Radical Entertainment behind the wheel using their innovative 'Titanium' game engine, and touting a catalogue of successful titles including the highly acclaimed The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, Simpsons Hit & Run and others, PROTOTYPE is aligned to be the ground-breaking open-world/action experience gamers have been waiting for.

PROTOTYPE is planned to release this autumn for next-gen console systems and the PC, and is currently rated "RP" (Rating Pending) by the ESRB. For more information on PROTOTYPE, be sure to visit the official game website located at www.prototypegame.com.

Bennison leaves the window open for multiplayer opportunities post-release as DLC, but hints that Prototype would have to do well at retail for them to pursue it. That should comfort those who are interested in paying, say, $70 or so for your games.

Inside The Mind of Prototype's Alex Mercer [Team Xbox]

Verdict? It's 1960s Playboy magazine centerfold sexy: a bit dated for real use, but alright to look at for its historical significance.

eBay Listing [via gamelife]

Jamil Moledina, the executive director of the annual Game Developers Conference, kicked off his GDC blog last night by announcing that Jesse Alexander, the executive producer of TV show Heroes, will be giving a talk on creating each season of the show.

How Heroes Are Made: A Collaborative Approach to Serialized Content in a Transmedia World will look at how Alexander uses game development processes to manage the writing on Heroes. Sounds pretty interesting.

Moledina also unveiled in his blog that Tim Bennison and Eric Holmes will be talking about their upcoming game Prototype and how they are trying to produce gameplay that mimics true behavior.

Sounds like this GDC will be as much a must see as ever year's is.

Director's Cut: Save the Cheerleader! [GDC Director's Cut]

Sierra today announced that they are working on a new title for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 which they describe as a "new kind of open-world game, featuring a rich story line of conspiracy, deception and deadly shape shifting action."

The game is being developed by Radical Entertainment, the folks behind Crash of the Titans and Scarface, and tells the story Alex Mercer, a man haunted by his past, fighting a secret war in New York City. There's action, there's conspiracy, and there's that deadly shape-shifting action, which is auto-hot. Apparently this shape-shifting power will allow the lead character to morph into people he meets in the game and steal their skills or powers. Let's hope you get to play as that guy.

Hit the jump for the press release.

Sierra Entertainment and Radical Entertainment Raise the Bar on Open-World Games

LOS ANGELES (August 10, 2007) - Sierra Entertainment, a division of Vivendi Games,
today announced PROTOTYPE™, a completely new kind of open-world game, featuring a rich story line of conspiracy, deception and deadly shape shifting action.

Developed by Radical Entertainment, a critically acclaimed developer of open-world games, PROTOTYPE tells the story of Alex Mercer, a man haunted by his past, fighting a secret war in New York City. As the action spirals out of control, a conspiracy tied to his origins threatens the future of mankind itself. Mercer's amazing shapeshifting powers allow him to become an exact replica and steal the skills or powers of anyone who crosses his path.

PROTOTYPE debuts on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Microsoft's Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system and PC in summer 2008.

"Radical Entertainment has a strong pedigree of critically acclaimed, best-selling open-world games, and Sierra Entertainment is excited to see them craft an original game that has already fired-up the imaginations of press and gamers alike," said Martin Tremblay, president, Worldwide Studios for Sierra Entertainment. "PROTOTYPE represents the strength of Sierra Entertainment's internal studios and our commitment to creating original and exciting games."

"Radical Entertainment set out to create the most dynamic video game character ever imagined. From free-form movement to over-the-top combat action; PROTOTYPE can climb or wall-run across any surface, jump 30 stories high, and destroy anything that crosses his path," said Kelly Zmak, president of Radical Entertainment. "Our team at Radical has built upon the technology that drove our previous best-selling games and now has the freedom to dream big and imagine a powerful character in a sprawling city like New York, cloaked in a conspiracy and ripped from today's headlines."

While we don't have loads of fancy images for your enjoyment, we do know that gamers will play a wall-running superhuman who can slice people in two, grow a shell-like shield and emit spike from the ground—all while enjoying the backdrop of New York. Thank a human-mutating virus for the need of endless mega ass-whoopings, along with the ability to absorb characteristics from NPCs. Look for the title Winter 2008 (if that tentative date holds).

We loved Crackdown. If Prototype is just more of the same, we'll be happy enough. For Xbox 360 and PS3.

Prototype revealed: Crackdown killer? [image via gamespot]

If going those 20 rounds of Wii boxing just aren't getting the pounds off as quickly as you would like, check out these babies. This photo is fan created "prototype", but it could mean that very soon you could enjoy all the benefits that weights can offer your Wii workout routine in a convenient branded package. And not only can they help work up a sweat, but they'll match your Wii as well, assuring that anyone who witnesses you doing your routine will not only know that you are a complete geek, but they'll also be impressed by your coordinated peripherals. Flynn De Marco

Wii Weights Make Gaming a Workout [Gizmodo]

The design of the Wiimote has continued to subtly change through the prototype and Kotakuite Randy was classy enough to send us a link to this image, comparing the earliest prototype with the latest. it's like one of those before-and-after ads for Hoodia, with a fatty on one side who, across the black dividing line, becomes a supermodel on the other.

Outside of a sveltening, the biggest change is obviously the speaker that they've added, as well as some relabeling of the buttons, probably for clarity reasons (it's hard to write instruction manuals when you've got two buttons designated by the same letter). Randy also noted the small clip hole to accommodate a wrist strap. FLORIAN ECKHARDT

Image Grabbed From Here

The guys at gaming site lowdown411 have come into posession of a rare, prototype Xbox 360 faceplate. Last May, Microsoft previewed a buncha plates. Some of them have made it to retailers, while some haven't, including this one. A faceplate with "CONSOLE" on it that you put on your Xbox 360 console. Geddit? Humor so dry, I need a glass of water.

More Images Here [lowdown 411]

Microsoft is trading mouse pads for dance pads. The software maker's research unit has whipped up a prototype email program that lets users scroll and delete with their feet. Called "StepMail," the program uses a pad somewhat akin to Dance Dance Revolution's.

"There's a whole bunch of things that we do with our hands and feet, but computers have never really been one of those," says MSoft's Kevin Schofield. The project's webpage reports that the average heart rate increased 19 percent while using the StepMail program. How did users feel? Taking a keyboard break was "popular."

Sounds neat. If this prototype ever see the light of day and doesn't cause sore calf or thigh muscles, it's a winner. 'Cos the last thing hardcore computer users need is more cramps.

Full Story Here [ZDNet] via GameSetWatch