I would have to say Gardens of Time
is an interactive game. If the player
isn’t actively completing the quests and searching for the hidden items then
they will not get anywhere on the game.
The point is to find the hidden objects.
This leads to completion of the quests along with some minor
decorating. Gardens of Time also
requires interaction with other people who play the game. This is important for completing some of the
quests such as visiting neighbors and building the Wonders.
The principle of risk taking is loosely
found in Gardens of Times. The player has
the ability to replay scenes as long as they have energy. This allows them to take risks by using the
clues. Then the next time they play the
scene they don’t need the clues because they already know where the hidden
objects are.
Gardens of Time also demonstrated
well-order problems. Each new quest
builds off of a previous one. For
example one of the first quests is to visit Lulu. She is the neighbor all players have in
common. This character was created by
the inventors in order to demonstrate the helpfulness of having neighbors in
the game. The neighbors can be used for
several things including collecting gifts, sending energy, and helping build
Wonders. The next quest in the series
could be visiting five neighbors and collecting rewards.
Challenge and consolidation is also
one of the principles this game incorporates.
Chapter 1 starts with less difficult searches. The number of items you must find and the difficulty
of finding the items increase with every story and chapter. The player must master one story in order to
reach the next and continue to the next chapter. Each search is a little more difficult and
must be played several times in order to receive the stars required to help the
player move on and complete more quests.
The “Just in Time” and “On Demand”
principles are also found in Gardens of Time.
Each time a new quest, chapter, or story is unlocked the player is given
a little more information they will need.
For example in Gardens of Time as the first few stories are unlocked a
different in-game character is revealed.
This allows the player to slowly learn about the game and its
characters. These characters help
throughout the quests and stories. They
are intended to help the player become more familiar with the background story
the game presents.
The principle of “explore, think
laterally, rethink goals” defiantly applies to Gardens of Time. In order to get higher scores and unlock new
chapters the player must master the chapters that are available. This is done by playing the chapter over and
over. The more you repeat a chapter the
better you become at finding the hidden clues which leads to higher
scores. Higher scores lead to completing
and unlocking new quests. The entire
process allows the player to explore and think before heading to a new
chapter.
I hadn't considered risk taking as a principle that applies to Gardens of Time until I read your post, but I agree with what you said. Replaying a scence, and depleting ten points of your energy, can be a risk. You are hoping to do better and earn more points, but there is always the chance that you won't. And, by depleting your energy, you might not have enough to complete another level, and you'll have to wait until you aquire more energy, which can take awhile.
ReplyDeleteYour understanding of the game and as it relates to these principle is quite evident. Like Abigail, I had not considered risk taking as a principle that applies to Gardens of Time, but after reading your post, I agree that it definitely is a principle.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought about the energy in Gardens of Time being considered a risk taking factor until your post. However, I agree. It took me about five times running a scene before I felt that I could do it with any speed and by then, I was out of energy. Once, I revisited the scene later, I'd forgotten where half of the stuff was.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement on the principle of “explore, think laterally, rethink goals”. After every stage and level of the game, the player must rethink their goals towards completing objectives.
ReplyDelete