Mechanics of pong
Barton, m. and Loguidice, b., 2020. Gamasutra – The History Of Pong: Avoid Missing Game To Start Industry. [online] Gamasutra.com. Available at: <https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3900/the_history_of_pong_avoid_missing_.php?print=1> [Accessed 15 September 2020].
The paddles must move on up and down within the playable area to allow players to stop the ball from entering the goal.A control scheme is need to allow the player to control the paddles and reset the game when needed for example using w and s for the left paddle and the up arrow and down arrow for the right paddle,the paddles must be a different colour to the background.A ball is needed that collides with the paddles and barriers at an angle so the game can function,the ball will need to be a different colour to the background.We need a scoring system that is visible using graphics so we know who is winning and once the required score(for example reaching five points) is met by a player then they win,the score would start at zero for both players.Once a player wins we need a way to reset the game so a reset button that when pressed resets to the game to its default state is required.The ball should make a sound on collision.When the ball is scored it must be put back onto the paddle of the losing player to give them a chance to catch up with a way to launch the ball of the paddle.There needs to be a theme for the game so that new things can be added to the game.
Pong became popular with the people because it was incredibility simple to understand as all the you have to do is use paddles to stop the ball from hitting your goal,the home version helped the games popularity as it was the first time people could control what they saw on their screens,this new experience quickly hooked the masses and so pong became incredibly successful. The games difficulty curve made it an enjoyable and rewarding experience.Since it was a two player game it meant that people would play the game with friends and family which people enjoyed as it added a sense of friendly competition.
tch.io. 2020. My Library. [online] Available at: <https://itch.io/my-collections> [Accessed 21 September 2020].
Modern versions of pong have added in new mechanics and changed the game play for example some have changed the physics of the ball such as changing its speed or collision physics,some made it a one player experience and some changed the playable areas size or add obstruction into the playing field.Obstructions add a lot more skill and unpredictability to the game which can make it more fun.Some modern versions have changed the games appearance for example some have a bright neon colour scheme or they change the ball paddles and background to match the theme of the game,for example a pong game with a theme of sci-fi could replace the paddles with shields and the ball with a laser for example.Some modern versions of pong are very ambitious such as Pong Quest which turns the game into a dungeon crawler rpg were the battles are a game of pong that have a hp system instead of a scoring system,not many modern versions have dared been as ambitious as Pong Quest so it is one of a kind when it comes to Pong.
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