Researching
Author
Hi I'm a new hopeful game designer. I don't know any programmer but right now that's not important, here's why.
I had this idea for a while of what could be a possiblity. Now your thinking, great, YET another guy telling us he has an idea for the best game ever. Not at all,, in fact it might just suck..but getting off topic here...
The point is it needs research and lots of it. I needall the infomation I need on Feudal Japan. The question is how. Now before you say go to the library and search online,that's fine but it doesn't help.
I was reading in Electric Gaming Magazine a few days ago and they had this interview with the guys who created this new game coming out called Gun. And one thing they mentioned was how much they went into the old west and everything to create the basis of the game.
It's the same here, I want to know how to do mass-researching for gaming that takes place during a different time. i don't want to just go a library and say "I'm looking for books on Feudal Japan" no more like:
I'm looking for these books/magazines/articles
This book (because it dates the history of the Japanese)
This book (it goes into the shogun farming, economy, stuff that would be important to remember becaue it would help flesh out the details of the game.)
And speaking of details, that's what I want to flesh out for this game and to give if anything a small idea what it was like.
Andhow to write this stuff down and have it make sense and darawn maps you can build later on a 2d or 3d mapping screen. get the idea. Hopefully SOMEONE will understand what I'm talking about.
And thanks in advance if anyone decides to help me.
Thanks alot!!! :)
And this is my intro. Hi I'm new thanks for letting me in, etc.
I'm not sure I understood the reason why you don't want to go to the library and ask for books about the subjects you are intersted in?
I think that's exactly the way one should start out to get a grasp of how much and what kind of information one can get like that. If you don't know at this point exactly what you are looking for, then no one can help you either. That's why I don't see why you shouldn't go to the library.
I think that's exactly the way one should start out to get a grasp of how much and what kind of information one can get like that. If you don't know at this point exactly what you are looking for, then no one can help you either. That's why I don't see why you shouldn't go to the library.
Saying you want to do research without using a library is like saying you want to run without shoes. Really silly and painful. And like running you probably find it painful anyway so you can't see the big difference between doing something the right way and doing something the wrong way. Some people like running though. And like running some people like research. They work in the reference section.
Go to a library, preferably a university library. You almost certainly don't need to be a student; my university lets anyone check books out, just not for as long as a student can. If you're young you may need a parent to help you out there. Find and go to the reference section and explain to the person working there that you want to find out about a particular topic they can help you a lot on how to look up the stuff you want to know. So go to the dang library and tell them:
I'm looking for a timeline on this Feudal Japan.
I'm also looking for information about their farming, economy, ecology, etc.
That's all reference people do ALL DAY. They wait for someone like you to go to them and ask a question on how to find a particular topic. What you're doing is asking US the questions you should be asking the reference desk. Hope that helped.
Go to a library, preferably a university library. You almost certainly don't need to be a student; my university lets anyone check books out, just not for as long as a student can. If you're young you may need a parent to help you out there. Find and go to the reference section and explain to the person working there that you want to find out about a particular topic they can help you a lot on how to look up the stuff you want to know. So go to the dang library and tell them:
I'm looking for a timeline on this Feudal Japan.
I'm also looking for information about their farming, economy, ecology, etc.
That's all reference people do ALL DAY. They wait for someone like you to go to them and ask a question on how to find a particular topic. What you're doing is asking US the questions you should be asking the reference desk. Hope that helped.
Quote:Original post by ckun
The point is it needs research and lots of it. I needall the infomation I need on Feudal Japan. The question is how. Now before you say go to the library and search online,that's fine but it doesn't help.
Why not? It's basically the only way to research.
Quote:
It's the same here, I want to know how to do mass-researching for gaming that takes place during a different time.
By going to a library and find books. [wink]
Quote:
i don't want to just go a library and say "I'm looking for books on Feudal Japan" no more like:
I'm looking for these books/magazines/articles
This book (because it dates the history of the Japanese)
This book (it goes into the shogun farming, economy, stuff that would be important to remember becaue it would help flesh out the details of the game.)
And there you go. You know specifically what you're looking for. So go to the library, and ask for books on these specific issues, instead of just "Feudal Japan".
The trick is just to know what you're looking for. That might take a while to figure out, and you might have to start out researching something very broad, before you even know what to look for specifically.
But go and talk to those reference people nobodynews talked about. There are people at the library whose job it is to help you find the exact things you need.
Author
I'm not saying I don't want to use the library. What I'm saying is I wanto to use the library with the infomation so I KNOW what to look for.
Is that being more specific?
Is that being more specific?
Author
Quote:Original post by ckun
I'm not saying I don't want to use the library. What I'm saying is I wanto to use the library with the infomation so I KNOW what to look for.
Is that being more specific?
I REALLY want to make this game and am willing to take the steps to complete it. So the library's a must. It's just running in there like a chicken with it's head cut off isn't really the best solution...
Author
Quote:Original post by ckunQuote:Original post by ckun
I'm not saying I don't want to use the library. What I'm saying is I wanto to use the library with the infomation so I KNOW what to look for.
Is that being more specific?
I REALLY want to make this game and am willing to take the steps to complete it. So the library's a must. It's just running in there like a chicken with it's head cut off isn't really the best solution...
I think we got off on the wrong foot, sorry. I DO want to make an game nd research it. A misunderstanding happened that's all.
you know you can edit/delete your previous posts, right? [wink]
No need to keep quoting your own posts.
Anyway, the problem is that there isn't really any other way to get started on your research.
You've already presented some more or less specific questions you'd like information about. So go to a library, and ask the people there to help you find something about those.
You're right, running around like a chicken with its head cut off won't solve anything, but no one says you have to do that.
You already know what you want. And the people at the library know how to find stuff.
So go and ask them if they can help. Maybe just tell them that you want to make this game, and so you need to study a bunch of specific things about Feudal Japan. Then they can probably help you narrow it down a bit, and help you get started.
They're trained for this sort of stuff, it's their job. The rest of us are just, well, running around like a chicken with its head cut off. We won't be able to help much. [lol]
No need to keep quoting your own posts.
Anyway, the problem is that there isn't really any other way to get started on your research.
You've already presented some more or less specific questions you'd like information about. So go to a library, and ask the people there to help you find something about those.
You're right, running around like a chicken with its head cut off won't solve anything, but no one says you have to do that.
You already know what you want. And the people at the library know how to find stuff.
So go and ask them if they can help. Maybe just tell them that you want to make this game, and so you need to study a bunch of specific things about Feudal Japan. Then they can probably help you narrow it down a bit, and help you get started.
They're trained for this sort of stuff, it's their job. The rest of us are just, well, running around like a chicken with its head cut off. We won't be able to help much. [lol]
Learn to take notes, lots of them.
With such a topic as "Feudal Japan" you're going to have lots and lots of notes, lots of specific dates and important events. You're going to have lots of minutae that clog up every aspect of your daily life until you begin to believe that you ARE in fuedal Japan and all of the rest of reality is just a cruel daydream.
You need to go and basically read everything you can, and take extensive notes, read books and then read the things mentioned in their bibliographies. There is no better way than that. If you don't know specifically what you're looking for, then you have to get broader before you can narrow it down.
There should be tons of information about your topic, afterall, we're talking about a culture with thousands of years of documented history. Just start looking, read what you can. Just like with learning to program, you might read three books about C++, and all of them will cover some of the same topics, but that reinforcement only helps your retention and understanding of the topic you're learning.
So go get yourself a notebook or ten and a library card, and have at it! Best of luck!
Vopisk
With such a topic as "Feudal Japan" you're going to have lots and lots of notes, lots of specific dates and important events. You're going to have lots of minutae that clog up every aspect of your daily life until you begin to believe that you ARE in fuedal Japan and all of the rest of reality is just a cruel daydream.
You need to go and basically read everything you can, and take extensive notes, read books and then read the things mentioned in their bibliographies. There is no better way than that. If you don't know specifically what you're looking for, then you have to get broader before you can narrow it down.
There should be tons of information about your topic, afterall, we're talking about a culture with thousands of years of documented history. Just start looking, read what you can. Just like with learning to program, you might read three books about C++, and all of them will cover some of the same topics, but that reinforcement only helps your retention and understanding of the topic you're learning.
So go get yourself a notebook or ten and a library card, and have at it! Best of luck!
Vopisk
You're not running in there like a chicken with its head cut off.
Just go there and ask for information about feudal Japan, if you think that you don't know the exact details of what to look for in the beginning. This is the "pre-research" to have a look over the material and see what you should concentrate on to be able to understand enough to concentrate on specific parts - then you know better what exactly to search for. That way you will have a better clue on where to get this information. It might even require some kind of experts in Japanese history, who knows. First, off to the library you go. :)
Just go there and ask for information about feudal Japan, if you think that you don't know the exact details of what to look for in the beginning. This is the "pre-research" to have a look over the material and see what you should concentrate on to be able to understand enough to concentrate on specific parts - then you know better what exactly to search for. That way you will have a better clue on where to get this information. It might even require some kind of experts in Japanese history, who knows. First, off to the library you go. :)
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