Stranger Games – Group 11

Introduction

For our game design project, our group decided to remediate the Christmas lights scene from season one of the hit TV show Stranger Things. We decided to make a puzzle strategy game using Game Maker Studio 2 where we use the Christmas lights on the wall to decipher a message. While our group did not have much coding experience, we truly enjoyed the game design process. From making the sound effects and sprites to developing the frame-by-frame game functions, we got to set foot into the challenging world of game-making.

Source: Stranger Things season 1, episode 3

Why Remediate Stranger Things?

When brainstorming game ideas, our group wanted to create a classic puzzle game with a complex background. After reviewing a few movies and TV shows, we landed on Stranger Things: a TV show that remediates the timeless game Dungeons and Dragons. In the specific scene we chose, a young kid by the name of Will has gone missing from his home. Later, it is discovered that he is trapped in the “Upside Down”, another world that exists beneath Hawkins, Indiana. While trapped in the “Upside Down”, Will tries to communicate with his family by interacting with different electronic items in his house (traversing worlds). At first, his family thinks it is an electrical issue but his mom, Joyce, later finds out that it is Will communicating with her. She decides to set up a wall full of Christmas lights, each light representing a letter of the alphabet. Will uses this wall to send messages about his whereabouts.

Through this scene, our group decided to make a puzzle game where one deciphers a message using the light wall Joyce created in Stranger Things.

Game Design

In terms of game design (led by Diego), our idea was pretty straightforward. Our idea was to develop a three-part cryptic puzzle. The first part of the game focused on understanding what the lights on the wall indicated. We went about this by developing a two-room platform where the player can switch between the light wall room and the living room. In addition to the two rooms, the player is also given a text box with 26 text slots. Each text slot corresponds to a letter in the alphabet. As well, each light on the wall corresponds to a letter in the alphabet (but the player has to figure this out). In the living room, a variety of items lay around and will shake. On top of the shaking, the lights on the wall would brighten up corresponding with the letters in the name of that item in chronological order. For instance, if a lamp shook, the first light on the wall would turn on as it corresponds to the letter “a” in lamp. The player must figure out the relationship between the items, the lights, and the chart. Once they fill up the chart and understand that the lights represent the alphabet, they are free to move on to the second part.

In the second part of the game, Will turns on the lights to communicate various words that are part of a phrase. The players’ job is to use their knowledge of the light wall to decipher the words Will is trying to tell Joyce. The player must type the correct word into the text box in order to move on to the next word. Once all the words are properly guessed, the player can move on to the last section of the game.

In the last part of the game, the player must take the words from part 2 and put them in the correct order to decipher what Will is trying to say. Once the player puts them in the correct order, the game ends.

Art Visuals

In addition to the game design, we also had visual sprites and audio produced by Amelia. The intention was for all the object names to cover each letter of the alphabet, so we came up with a list of 10 common household items that held the letters A-Z. Each item had to be drawn separately from the backdrops and to make a sound when shaken by Will, so we drew several of these items and sourced sound clips that correlated with each object. We then hand-drew the two 2D game backdrops – the living room and the Christmas lights display – in a style we found fitting for the era of the show. Stranger Things is set in the 1980s, and the cartoons of the time often featured marker and outline-based drawings, which we incorporated in the style of the object and background drawings. We thought it would be fitting to have a visual remediation that matched the visual media of the characters’ temporal setting, especially as the protagonists are middle-schoolers who would be watching cartoons. We also studied the clips of our remediated Stranger Things scene to try and match the rooms as closely as possible (ex. the pink floral wallpaper behind the Christmas lights). 

Background Music

The music was the most difficult artistic element to create, as we wanted to take inspiration from the Stranger Things theme, but still create something inspirational out of it. We followed a theme and variations, in the form of ABA, where we took the main Stranger Things theme and remelodized it in different lead lines throughout the A sections. We swelled in and out treble and bass elements so that the music would not feel stagnant, even with the same repeated harmonic construction. 

We then added an original B section that we felt broke-up the repetition of the main theme, but still kept it in the same synth-based style of the A section. We made the B section more harmonically complex and introspective than the A section, reflecting the game’s original intention of being a puzzle-solving experience. We also wanted the B section to reflect Joyce’s worry over her son, Will, in a way that the A section isn’t as capable of. The synth sound we used for the lead line is based on an FM radio, which is indicative of their communication between the two dimensions through artificial means (and the Walky-Talky and radio elements which were integral to our original game-design). 

The piece then returns to the A section, which allows the piece to repeat over and over (as often occurs when playing a videogame…the track can’t just end at its 5-minute conclusion) without any jarring re-start. We also added some little sparkling, high-frequency synth hits in this second A section that reflect the twinkling of the Christmas lights on and off. We felt that the composition both reflected the 80s-instrumentation style and pulled elements from the original Stranger Things theme in a way that suited the goals of the game the best (in musical remediation). The music isn’t meant to be the focus of attention, but instead an integral background element that helps provide necessary atmosphere.

Challenges Faced and Remodel

While we wanted to develop this game with Game Maker Studio 2, we, unfortunately, were not able to. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, our team had to remodel our game design and build our project with Twine since we did not have any coding experience. Jamaal led our efforts by creating a “choose your own adventure” game along with the script and video trailer! The new game concept follows the same storyline as our original game design with an emphasis on the plot surrounding the Christmas light scene. The player is tasked with picking various potential storylines within this scene. In order to beat the game, the player must select the right storyline options that lead Joyce to Will’s location.

Twine “Strange Games” home screen

What We Learned

Throughout the game development process, our group learned a lot! Our biggest takeaway from it all is that there is a lot of work that goes into making a video game. From the game design and script to the coding and audio/visuals, a lot of hard work is required to make a game work. Additionally, we learned about the importance of collaboration. Everyone has to play their part in order for the game development process to work. If one person falls short, it sets the design process back a big step. All in all, video game development requires a team effort where everyone must contribute their strengths. There are so many moving parts in the design process and each part is just as important as the next.

Closing Thoughts

While we were not able to create the game we wanted, it was fun exploring video game development. For all of us, this was a new, fun, exciting, and scary experience that we are glad we got to experience. Being able to work on all the moving parts of a video game and seeing what it takes to put such a production together was also pretty eye-opening. Anyways, while this isn’t a finished, polished product, we hope you enjoy our game!

Game link: http://jamaalfinkley.vudigital.net/Media/StrangerGames.html

– Amelia, Diego, and Jamaal!

How The Battle Royale Gaming Experience Created a New Social Environment During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In the midst of my senior year of high school, the world shut down. As I recall, NBA star Rudy Gobert started the domino effect that lead to the COVID-19 national shutdowns. Quickly, my high school years came to an end (although I am not complaining). Like many people around the world, my friends and I suddenly had a LOT of free time on our hands. Being stuck indoors, there weren’t a lot of things for us to do together besides play video games. Not just any video games though, battle royale video games. More specifically, Fortnite and Call of Duty Warzone.

For those who haven’t played these games, the basic premise is simple: you and a large group of other players are dropped onto a map and must fight to be the last person or team standing. Along the way, you can scavenge for weapons and supplies, build structures, and strategize with your teammates. It’s a fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled experience that can be both thrilling and frustrating.

One of the things I love about these games is the sheer variety of experiences you can have. Sometimes, you’ll drop into a match and be immediately taken out by another player before you even have a chance to loot a single weapon. Other times, you’ll find yourself in a heated battle with multiple players, each one trying to outsmart the others. And then there are those rare moments where you’ll make it to the final circle, heart racing as you try to outlast the remaining players and secure the victory.

Even with the variety of good experiences, there’s nothing quite as frustrating as spending 20 minutes looting and scavenging, only to be taken out by a camper hiding in a corner. Or worse yet, being killed by a player who seems to have an unfair advantage, whether it’s due to hacks or simply being better than you.

Fortnite Gameplay Shot

But despite the frustrations, my friends and I kept coming back to these games. There’s something addictive about the rush of adrenaline you get when you’re in the thick of battle with your friends, knowing that your survival depends on your skills and a bit of luck. But there was more than just the adrenaline that made it fun.

What made playing these games with my friends so fun wasn’t necessarily the games themselves but the new social environment that was cultivated through gaming during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since we were all stuck at home, gaming was one of the few ways we could really connect with each other. What once was lunchtime banter soon turned into roast sessions over the mic on Play Station party. And battle royale games, like Fortnite, required constant communication between you and your friends to win. So naturally, my friends and I would talk and game for hours and consistently look forward to doing it all again the next day.

Because of the pandemic, battle royale games inadvertently became a new form of interactive social media. Everyone was always online playing. Even when my friends weren’t on, I would join a random squad in Warzone or Fortnite, only to end up chatting and joking with new people for hours. The games were just a new medium for social interaction with friends and random people from around the world.

Call of Duty Warzone Gamplay Shot

Since then, the new battle royale video games have not had the same pull as they once did. People are always complaining how they miss the old Warzone and Fornite and how they feel like the new battle royale games lack the “fun” and “thrilling” aspect of the old games. Personally, I think people miss the social interaction these battle royale games once had during the pandemic. Not the content.

With life back in motion, people don’t have the time to play games as frequently as they did during the pandemic. As well, people are back out socializing in person! So it makes sense why the thrilling interactive aspect of these battle royale games have died down quiet a bit.

While at times I miss the gaming and social culture of battle royale games during the pandemic, I certainly do not miss the pandemic itself.

-Diego

Morality: A Human Experience in the Realm of Video Games

“What are you doing? You can’t do that to the poor animals, Diego!” my sister would yell as I hunted livestock for food on Minecraft. In my eyes, I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong. I was simply surviving the harshest winter known to a pixelated game (yes, I ALWAYS played survival mode). 

As a young kid, Minecraft shaped my gaming addiction. The combination of creativity and adventure packed into an open-world sandbox was a breath of fresh air. You could build whatever your heart desired. From residential neighborhoods and farms to Yankee Stadium and Hogwarts. But what one doesn’t realize at such a young age is games indirectly immerse themselves in human experiences. One of the most frequent human experiences seen in video games is morality. Games like Minecraft, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Fallout 4 are excellent examples of games that implement morality. Each game uniquely approaches morality, providing players with a rich moral landscape to explore.

Minecraft gameplay shot

In Minecraft, players are free to create, explore, and build their own world. While the game has no explicit moral system, it provides players with the tools to shape their own morality. For example, I would either collaborate with my friends to build cities or simply use TNT to blow up their prized creations out of spite. This freedom of choice makes Minecraft fascinating as players can explore their moral bounds through interactions with nature, animals, and other people.

Red Dead Redemption 2, on the other hand, takes a more narrative-driven approach to morality. The game takes place in the Wild West, where players control an outlaw named Arthur Morgan. Throughout the game, players are faced with moral decisions that impact the story and the relationships they have with other characters. The game’s morality system is nuanced, with choices that are not always black and white. With Red Dead’s honor system, when players do good deeds, their honor level goes up as they are well respected. When players do bad things, their honor level goes down and they are seen as outlaws. Needless to say, my version of Arthur Morgan was always seen as an outlaw (stealing the train was too much fun). 

Red Dead Redemption 2 gameplay shot

Finally, Fallout 4 takes a post-apocalyptic approach to morality. The game is set in a world that has been devastated by a nuclear war, and players must navigate a world filled with moral dilemmas and ethical quandaries. The game’s moral system is based on a reputation system, where players’ actions impact their reputation with different factions. This reputation system creates a unique moral landscape, as players must consider not only their own ethical principles, but also the consequences of their actions for the wider community. 

Fallout 4 gameplay shot

Going back and playing each of these games made me question whether the moral choices we make in video games are aligned with the moral choices we make in life. Each of these games, to an extent, enters you into different realms of human existence with varying plots and roles. Everything that is experienced through the game, like farming in Minecraft or trading goods in Fallout 4, can be experienced in real life. Does that mean our morals influence how we play or does the digital escape into the Wild West alleviate us of our moral bounds? I believe both can be true at the same time.

These large games intentionally allow you the freedom of choice to explore not just the depths of the game but also the depths of the human experience. No matter how noble or how horrid your actions may be, in the world of video games, they are welcomed and accepted (to an extent). Each scenario presents an opportunity to either mirror your morals or do something out of your comfort zone. Hence, while I would never steal a train in real life, I damn sure will in Red Dead 2.

Additionally, the added freedoms of such games allow each player to experience every possible outcome associated with their moral choices. Just like in life, your choices have consequences. Through these experiences, players are more likely to connect with a game and uncover the unique details and side stories that would not be apparent if they stuck with the main storyline.

So, if you ever panic and question your morals when it comes to gaming, realize games like Minecraft, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Fallout 4 were built for you to experience both the moral and immoral implications of your choices. As much as I love animals, I had to survive the Minecraft winters somehow. Sorry vegans!

-Diego Gomez Lopez