Blog 3 - Use Cases

5. 5.1) The player input in Gears Of War are that first the game has to be loaded up. This is done by turning the Xbox 360 on, signing in to your gamer profile, opening the disc tray and inserting the game, closing it again and then waiting for it to load up. Once you see the title screen, the game asks you to press start and a menu is then displayed. The options that come up are single player campaign mode, multiplayer, options and other things. What you choose depends on the player input required. For example if you go to the options menu then you have to move option bars around and change settings, but if you choose campaign mode you will actually be playing the game. The options menu is navigated using the analog or directional buttons, and the B and A buttons to confirm your selections or to go back to a previous screen.

The player input is fairly simple in GoW. The left analog stick (LS) is used to move the character around, and the right analog (RS) is used to move the camera around the character and for a precise aim with some weapons when you press it in. The left trigger (LT) enables you to go into aim mode, the right trigger (RT) shoots your gun or throws your grenade, the right bumper (RB) is used to reload your weapon, start pauses the game, the directional buttons let you choose a weapon from the ones you are carrying, the Y button focuses the camera on and lets you see where your other team members are or if they have been injured; the B button performs a melee attack on your enemy or chainsaws them if you are equipped with the lancer; the A button lets you take cover, recover from a bleed-out, jump over obstacles, go into sprint mode and perform a roll; and the X button lets you pick objects up, such as Cogtags and ammo and also lets you heal team-mates if stood near them. Combinations of buttons pressed enable you to do other things as well, such as pressing LT and Y at the same time gives your team orders, and pressing the RS with the RT button will let you shoot with a more precise aim.



In multiplayer games over Xbox Live you can use your headset to communicate with other players. This is also a form of player input.

5.2) The game object interaction in GoW can be seen all around the enviromnent. Weapons and ammo are strewn over the floor for you to pick up and use, doors can be opened or smashed open, team-mates need to be healed if they get shot and be ordered around to tactical positions, almost every surface in the game can be used as some sort of cover if you press A near it; Cogtags of fallen soldiers can be collected for achievement points; grenades can be used to blow objects and enemies up; levers can be activiated; the specialised car can be driven in one of the levels; lifts can be activated and used in certain levels; the Hammer of Dawn can be used when you call up Anya on the radio and tell her to activate it; the main character can push certain objects such as cars to use as moving cover; multiplayer characters over Xbox Live can team up with you and be your enemies; in Annex, a multiplayer game mode, you have to secure areas of the map by standing at specific points. You are interacting with this specified area when you are standing in it.

5.3) The display system in GoW provides a good visual display for the user when they are playing the game. The main menus are simple and easy to understand, the HUD in-game is basic; you have your life bar, your ammo count, your crosshairs, your inventory when you press the direction buttons, the line which the grenade will be thrown when you equip it; the use of red when you are dying/bleeding out; the way it goes grey and freezes when you press Y to view your team-mates; the little tutorial pointers that tell you tips about the game; the indicators that tell you what button to press; and the way there is no mini map to show where the Locusts are adds to the drama.







5.4) The Audio Interaction in GoW is especially good because of all the sounds of war that have been captured. When you are in the middle of a firefight you can hear bullets flying past your head, unseen explosions occuring all over the level, things flying in the air and bits of building being destroyed. The character audio is good too, with the Locust's heavy breathing and Marcus' war chants. The eerir music adds to the suspense, both in the main menus and in quiet and dark parts of the game. The user can also add their own audio by playing on Xbox Live and using the headset. The NPC's also tell you things if you are not sure where to go next, like "shouldn't we check over there?" or something along those lines.