Apple Interactive Concept

When thinking of an Apple interactive concept I considered the idea of designing a game based around the control of a paper airplane. My idea was that by using the touch screen on the iphone; the player would launch a paper airplane across an office and to control the flight of the plane by tilting the iphone, using the gyro + accelerometer, and land it in the in-tray.  I didn’t choose this idea for a number of reasons; firstly; after some research I discovered there are many paper airplane games one of which my housemate owned on her new iphone 4 called paper pilot. Paper pilot used the tilting technique to control the plane but the goal is to collect all the paper clips on the level as fast as you can although there is no time limit. In paper pilot the control of the plane was very easy and you float around endlessly so there is very little to challenge you. After play testing paper pilot I found it very boring and believed my idea was better as it would have posed more of a challenge as you have to make it to the in-tray before you hit the ground.

After this play test it occurred to me that the iphone is overrun with too many meaningless time wasting simple games, just looking at the endless list of games on the phone made me want to try something a little more complex. 

Digital games are an expressive art form often expressing the culture of the time they’re made. I have tried to make my game concept of modern times.

My game is based on a cynical view of world. Urban culture today is often one of fear; phrases like ‘don’t walk down that road at night’ are all too common in modern urban society. Urban society is full of muggings, break-ins, vandalism and not forgetting random violence of strangers looking for a fight. After living near the town centre of Ipswich all my life I have witnessed this sort of behaviour first hand.

In Urban Hero I’m hoping to capture this culture and exaggerate it for effect. The character you play in Urban Hero is the guardian angel of a dark city overrun by crime and evil doers, the police are restricted by rules and are unwilling to put themselves in any real danger. As the Urban Hero you patrol the streets protecting the innocent searching out violent thugs and destroying them with a variety of weapons or unarmed.   

Primary Research

I have never owned an iphone but know a few people who do including my housemate who owns an iphone 4. The after using the iphone 4 I compared it to using the previous model and found i preferred the iphone 4. This because the iphone 4 has increased power so you don't worry about the game your playing slowing and an HD screen so they look clearer. Iphone games have a tendency to be very addictive yet normally very simple like doodle jump or touch grind, however their are more complex games like Prince of Persia.

My experience with the iphone 4 has made me want to choose it as the product for my game to be designed for. This is because of its power and HD screen, I am aware the ipad is also strong in these areas but I want my game to be handheld because I want the controls to be in a location so the player can play the game using their thumbs. The ipad is too big for me to achieve this.

Character Development – Urban Hero

To develop my character I took inspiration in real life trying to make him look like a normal person so the player can relate to him. I did this by using my jacket in his design and then to give him the sinister assassin look I took inspiration from Ezio in Assassins Creed 2. My reasoning for this being that I wanted the Urban Hero to be seen as a dark avenger.



This a my first concept drawing of my protagonist character the Urban Hero