Homework Task 21/9: Inventory Item Evaluation.

Homework Task 21/9: Inventory Item Evaluation.

The inventory item I have chosen to evaluate is the 'Gravity Gun' from Half-Life 2.

The functionality of the Gravity Gun allows the player to pull objects that are out of reach towards the player. It can be used for solving puzzles, deconstructing an item to help you escape a room or it can be used for combat. It doesn't just pull things towards you, it can also launch things away from you. So essentially it can be used as a weapon if the player is struggling to find ammunition. The item has been rendered in 3D and it appears to be in the style of sci-fi realism/cyberpunk.

The item is suited to the style of the game world, considering the environment is both realism and cyberpunk. The device fits well into the idea of evolved earth technology. The materials that it is made up of do not relate to the materials that the antagonists (the 'Combines') use, as their technology is much darker and alien. The Gravity Gun looks like it was designed by humans out of materials familiar to earths resources.

Personally I think that the Gravity Gun looks fine the way it is. How ever, if I had to change something it would be the colour scheme. I am quite partial to changing the metal exoskeleton to purple-black. And the lights that run up the barrel to a neon blue. This is just down to personal preference.

Minecraft Inventory Evaluation

Minecraft Inventory Evaluation

Minecraft uses a utility belt inventory which means that the game world continues to run whilst your inventory is open.


The controls can be changed in minecraft, meaning that the inventory can be opened up using the settings that the player finds most comfortable, but when the player first spawns in a new world the control button for the inventory is set to 'E'. Once the player has access to his/her inventory, they can search though their items by using the mouse cursor. To use items the player must click and drag to select an item to a hotbar sectioned off from their inventory. They can store up to nine items in this hotbar and can switch to different items by rolling the mouse wheel or pressing a number on the key board that the item coresponds with, for example if I wanted to select the torches (the items on the far right of the hotbar) I would press 8. The user can also craft minor items in the crafting grid on the right from their avatar, such as torches, crafting tables, wooden planks etc. If the player has a piece of armor in their inventory, they have the ability to equip that piece by dragging it to the correct slot next to their avatar. (e.g if you have a helmet you drag it to the top square).

The player only has thirty six slots in their inventory (including the hotbar). However if the player fills all the slots they do not become overencumbered but crafting and mining becomes obsolete. The player can stack items however, most items stack up to sixty four, however snowball buckets and enderpearls can only stack up to sixteen, also tools, clocks and compasses cannot be stacked. The player can split a stack in half by right clicking an item and you can organize your craft items by holding 'left shift' and right clicking. A handy feature includes the ability to auto store items whilst you have a chest open, this is done by holding 'left shift' and left clicking an item in your inventory, the item will automatically be sent to a slot that is free in your chest, and vise versa if you want to automatically assign an item from your chest into a empty slot in your inventory.

I think that the inventory can be frustrating sometimes.Especially if I am being chased by a creeper and I don't have anything to defend myself with in my hotbar. But I can understand why the developers made it this way, it helps the player improve in preparing themselves. You can't blame the developers because it's your fault you got killed.

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim Inventory Evaluation

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim (PS3 Controls)

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim utilises a weight based inventory which you can interact with by pressing the circle button whilst on the game screen. The player is given four catagories in which then can:

-Check their skill progress
-Equip magic abilities/shouts/powers and check their active effects
-Check a map to see their current location or set quest markers
-Equip/drop/favourite items

Once the player has chosen a catagory, they can navigate using these controls:

Skills

The skills page is home to all the catagories and abilities that the player can gain experience in utlising. They can navigate through these different catagories by using the left annalouge stick (L3 stick) and then zoom into a specific catagory so that they can view skills that they can unlock.

Map

The player can view their location/quest markers in Skyrim by using the map. The L3 stick allows the player to scroll throughout the map of Skyrim. If the player is inside a building they can view their exact location by pressing the square button but they can use the triangle button to find their current location (if the player is in the building the triangle button will only show them where they are on the map, a map of the building will not be shown). The player can view their quest log and change quest markers by pressing the 'Start' button. You can also zoom in and out of the map by using the L2 button the zoom out and the R2 button to zoom in. If the player feels as though it is nessecary they can place their own destination marker by pressing the cross button. You can also pan the camera using the R3 annalouge stick.


Items

The player can use the L3 stick/D-Pad to navigate through the different catagories on the items window. After selecting a catagory by using the cross button/the right D-Pad button/moving the L3 stick to the right, the player can now see a list of items. He/she can scroll through these items by pressing up or down on the L3 stick/D-Pad and can return to the catagoric list by pressing the left button on the D-Pad/moving the L3 stick left.You can equip an item using R1/L1/cross button. If you are equiping weapons you can use R1 to equip a weapon the your characters right hand and L1 to equip another weapon to your characters left. Pressing the cross button to equip a weapon will automatically assaign it to your character's right hand, which I found unessecary. You can drop items using the square button and you can also favorite items using the triangle button.

The inventory controls a couple of aspects within Skyrim.

Skills

The more the player uses different skills the more his/her sttributes level up. The Skill window records all the expierience the player gains from using these attribuutes. I found this a much easier way of managing my goals and preferences instead of having to choose a limited ammount of skills like in Oblivion. Skills gain their own levels but cannot reach over level 100, I believe this is to help the player explore different types of skills and have more variety in their skill tree.

Items

The player cannot hold an unlimited ammount of items. The player will become over encumbered when he/she reaches the maximum capacity of weight. The amount of weight your character can hold will increase the more you level up your stamina.

The player can access their inventory by pressing the circle button whilst on the game screen and can use the L3/D-Pad to navigate inbetween Skills, Items, Map and Magic.

I like to use the inventory to gather my thoughts during the game. It's a place where I can relax and plan out my next attack on the enemy. But sometimes, It feels abrupt and it cuts me from the game world, perhaps this is because the game becomes so intense that when I press the inventory button, I fall back into reality. However, I think the layout is organized, and I like the option that I can catagorize the items that I use frequently into my 'Favorites' menu.

The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker Inventory Evaluation.

Unit 5: Inventory Evaluation

The Legend Of Zelda: Wind Waker.

Wind Waker uses a menu based inventory which stores key items that the player collects after exploring dungeons and completing quests.



 The player can navigate though the inventory by controlling the cursor with the analogue stick. And assigning the selected item to the action buttons 'X,Y, R and Z'.

There are two windows of inventory. The first window is where the player can select items that they have found and use them whether they be for combat, solving puzzles or catching fairies in empty bottles. The second window navigates the players progression throughout the game. Items that are activated by the game cannot be used whenever the player feels like. This window also logs all of the songs and heart pieces that the player collects.

The inventory controls what items can be used and what items can't. Because of this the player cannot use random items from his environment to complete puzzles and defeat enemies. The player is forced to explore the game and fight to claim an important item, that way they can make progress in puzzles and combat sequences.

The player is able to activate the inventory by pressing the 'Start' button. The player can then use the analogue stick  to select the item that he/she wants to use and uses the action buttons to assign them to the action buttons 'X, Y, R and Z'. They can use the 'R' trigger button to switch to the second inventory window to evaluate how much progress they have made by checking their heart pieces or how many melodies they have learned. They can then use the 'L' button to switch back to the key item inventory. To return to the game screen they can press the start button.

The inventory is laid out into sections for the player to choose from;
-Items used at sea
-Misc items
-Storage for potions, fairies etc.
-Bags
-Projectile Weapons
-Items you can use to find hidden secrets (They may also be used in combat)
This way the player can pause in between game play and focus on their next move in a calm and quiet environment.

Personally I like the inventory. I believe it forces the player to explore, which is fundamentally the Zelda franchises strongest point. Exploration gives the game it's feel of adventure and excitment, and the results of this exploration element can often become a hunt for a treasure map or even a heart piece, which also makes the player want more!

My favorite games.