Review of Related Literature

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter contains the review of related literature and related studies that contains relevant and useful information related in conducting and conceptualizing this study.

Related Literatures

2D, 3D and 2.5D Games

The gaming industry of today has reached new heights and successes over the past years. It truly had become a powerhouse industry and it sure would be for the coming years. With so much to choose from gamers of all sorts enjoy games through different platforms and kinds from 2D to the 3D games that now dominate the market and the concept of 2.5D games, a cross between 2D and 3D which are also being adapted now by many games.

With the advent of 3D games, 2D games may seem dated and obsolete but according to one of IGN.com’s bloggers in his blog post 2D Gaming Isn’t …(IGN,2011) nowadays 3D games may be the leading platform in consoles but 2D games still appeal to consoles like PSP and Nintendo.  2D games never really disappeared; as a matter of fact it allows game developers to preserve such game concept and apply modifications and features that would satisfy gamers of nowadays and also improve the quality 2D games itself.

Amir Sharar also cited in his blog article Flashback: Why 2D… (Sharar,2010) ten reasons why 2D game development should still be considered in the future and what 2D games would be when developers would consider developing so. The reasons are as follows:

·       2D game development is cheaper than 3D game development

·       The graphical processing power will favor 2D games and will give it a more dynamic look and would allow artists to create more movements for characters. 

·       Using of shaders to add  depth and realism to 2D images

·       Widescreen High Definition TVs are great for 2D games because it would allow players to see whole game environment further since HDTV’s can allow 16:9 resolution

·       Next generation processing power benefits 2D physics and AI allowing objects to move as freely as possible and AI characters to be more unpredictable and capable as well.

·       Return to real time audio synthesis

·       Benefits of being online, which may add a 2D game’s longevity and interest gamers.

·       2D games might mean less bandwidth if implemented online

·       Current controllers may improve 2D gameplay

·       2D games may be an acceptable risk in the industry because they can appeal to players who want easier gameplay and less mature graphics compared to 3D.

With the aforementioned statements to consider, 2D gaming still seems to be fit when it comes to market value and quality. But according to  Screwattack.com 2D vs. 3D…(Screwattack.com,2012) 2D games has its disadvantages that players do not want to experience themselves .That being said 3D games would seem more appealing to gamers since these games are visually more enhanced and well defined compared to 2D games.3D games also cater more genres and provides players the whole view of the game environment. But 3D games take longer time to develop and not to mention its control problems especially its camera functions since 3D games deal with multiple camera angles.  

But today’s game seem to have used both 3D and 2D perspectives. The emergence of 2.5D games allowed gamers to enjoy both the concepts of a 3D game and a 2D game as well.  As defined by an article written by Julian Robert entitled 2D Game Development… (Robert,2012) 2.5D games are kind of games wherein the 3D objects and elements lie on a 2D plane. According to an article written by Alec Barrett, The 2.5D Revolution (Barrett,2009) 2.5D games apparently are games that are made in 3D construct set in a single view are proven to be an effective platform because some game genres are simply not suited for 3D. Games that are considered 2.5D are Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure, Doom, Viewtiful Joe and Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project 2.5D Games(GiantBomb.com,n.d).   

Benefits of Gaming

          Jane McGonigal, author of the book “Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Change the World” said in an interview Could Gaming be… (National Public Radio, 2011) “Well, games seem to tap into the psychological state called eustress, or positive stress. You know, normally we think about stress as very negative. It makes us anxious or frustrated or burnt out. But it turns out that if we have chosen a goal for ourselves and if we feel in control of the work that we're doing, that stress is experienced very positively”. She also stated that “Games are doing a better job of provoking our most powerful, positive emotions, and also helping us build up remarkable social relationships that cannot only improve our real lives but also potentially help us change the real world. However McGonigal still encourages everyone to play games due to its convincing benefits but also insists that people should only play on controlled number of hours.

There are also indications that games aid students in their studies.  According to the Entertainment Software Association Games: Improving Education (ESA,2012) “researchers have found that video games have real potential as next-generation learning tools. Games use new technologies to incorporate principles crucial to human cognitive learning.” That is why the Department of Education (United States) fund institutions that practices game development to develop educational games, simulations , video games, virtual worlds and avatars that would serve as learning tools. In fact a game app that aims to reduce child obesity is already in the works as well as the game adaptation of the CSI TV series wherein the players learn to examine crime scenes and evidences, a game that aims to introduce to middle school children forensic sciences, also the game Budget Hero 2.0, a game where players learn to manage a nation’s budget.

 Some people might assume that playing video games are not good and almost always seen as an addiction but it cannot also be helped but see the benefits it gives to gamers. “Gaming improves creativity, decision-making and perception. The specific benefits are wide ranging, from improved hand-eye coordination in surgeons to vision changes that boost night driving ability” that is what the article of Robert Lee Hotz is trying to suggest When Gaming is… (Hotz, 2012).

An article written by Lea Lebrilla Top 5 Advantages… (Lebrilla, 2010) suggests:

·       Video games can be a new way of teaching, in this manner video games are being used as a teaching tool and is seen to help students improve academic skills and creative thinking.

·       It helps improve hand to eye coordination.

·       Video games are also known to be used as a tool in psychological therapy aiding patients to distract themselves from pain and unwanted sensations by diverting their focus and getting them entertained in video games.

·       Since most video games are goal oriented especially those games wherein the player is on a quest, it is believed to help improve one’s creativity in thinking as well as improve imagination.

·       Video games can improve one’s problem solving skills.

As some video games are logical in nature such as puzzle games and strategy games, it helps the player to enhance his/her critical thinking and sense of logic as he/she would come up with methods on how he/she would solve a certain problem in efficient and crafty ways. It is almost safe to say that the advantages of gaming are somehow recognized especially here in the Philippines where internet cafes are seen almost everywhere and the industry of game development are young.  According to Santa Rosa City, Laguna’s website article Video Games are… (Santarosa.com.ph ,n.d) video games instead of being one of the community’s growing problems can be an opportunity, “First there is the indisputable fact that the demands of game players and game designers have driven and paid for many advances in computer technology, creating benefits to countless other spheres of activity. Though all these claims also suggest to play games on moderation and still keep track of time, gaming has proven to people that when appropriately practiced and responsibly done then it can be a productive activity that would benefit many.  

Filipino Video Game Trends

Patintero Playtime

Zeenoh games released and introduced Patintero Playtime in November of 2011. It is an IPhone game app patterned to the traditional Patintero street game that most Filipinos know how to play. Zeenoh purposely designed this app in order for Filipino children who forgot to play the game and also for those who unfortunately missed the chance of experiencing the game itself Patintero Playtime for…(GDAP, 2011). Patintero Playtime offers a unique gameplay, though the rules of the original Patintero games apply power ups and human vs. human play are some of its amusing features. With this to consider, Filipinos are now more than ready to take on markets like the IPhone app store and others alike.

Sipa Mobile App Game

Sipa literally meaning “kick” in Filipino is one of Philippines’ many traditional games. It involves an object which is made out of rubber and washer sometimes a 5 centavo coin and a piece of candy wrapper. The objective of the game is to kick the object upwards as long as it takes without the object hitting the ground, the one who kicks the object the longest time wins.

Since this game is widely played by Filipinos in their childhood days the developers of this game Team Buthchokoy were inspired to make “Sipa”, a mobile app to show their love for the game itself and to cater their nationalistic efforts in introducing Filipino culture to the global market. Sipa according to their main website “The inspiration here is not just to develop a mobile game but to prove and inspire other Filipinos that even with limited resources and know-how, one can create something if you put your heart and soul for it” Every Filipino is…( Butchokoy.com, 2011).

Sipa also features different levels that show different landmarks found in the Philippine like the Luneta, University of the Philippines, Quiapo Church and Mt. Pulag. The game was featured in both television and on multiple sites and blogs, according to an interview by Tj Manotoc in TV Patrol one of Team Butchokoy’s leader Dale David “We developed this game most probably for them to be encouraged to play Sipa in the streets even sometimes(translated)” Larong ‘sipa’ patok…(ABS CBN News, 2012). Sipa is currently available in Apple’s App Store and in the Android Market as well.

          Tongits Game

Tongits is a card game that originated in the Philippines. It involves players to pair up cards according to suites, the objective of the game is to take turns drawing a card from a deck and releasing a card from a player’s hand until the player’s hand is empty. Since the advent of Poker app games on Facebook, developers reach out to Filipinos and made Tongits Wars. There is also Tongits game available on Adobe Air which was developed by Rico Zuñiga. The game can be downloaded as a trial version and is available for $15 for unlimited play. Zuñiga also made the same game using C++ and is playable on mobile phones according to Zuñiga  An Open Source…( Zuñiga,2011) “The biggest problem during those times was, you guessed it right, device fragmentation. Developers had to deal with different screen resolutions”. Even though the mobile game did not quite sell it led him eventually to develop Tongits in Adobe Air which became popular and sold to fans of the game.

Filipino made Games

Video games have already captivated Filipinos. From online games down to LAN games it truly caught the attention of Filipino gamers. But it’s not just the gamers who are trying to make a name from themselves, but also developers as well. Mon Macutay in his blog article Pinoy-made Video… (Macutay, 2007) mentioned 2 games that are made by Filipino game developers. Anito: Defend a Land Enraged was released by Anino Games is an RPG game for PC and features 16^th century Asia as its setting. The game won 2004 Role Playing Game of the Year in the 2004 Independent Games Festival. Another game that was developed by Filipinos was Terra Wars: NY Invasion released Ladyluck Digital Media. It is a first person shooter game that involves aliens as enemies. Unfortunately however for Terra Wars IGN had given them a 2 out of 10 review, according to IGN Terra Wars:…(Bitton, 2006) “Terra Wars is simply the latest addition to the horde of generic first person shooters available on the market today. Even though Terra Wars did not quite work for Ladyluck Digital Media but through the years they eventually worked with clients such as Activision, Ubisoft , Sony, EA and many more proving that Filipinos has already reached its potential in the field of game development. 

Preservation of Traditional Filipino Games

Every country has its own traditional game. These are games that originate from a country’s rich cultural heritage and are passed down from one generation to another. These games are also critical because these games eventually give them the sense of nationalism and be an essential part of one’s childhood. But some these games through time are being left out and worse forgotten. “Most of the traditional games and sports, expressions of indigenous cultures and ways of life contributing to the common identity of humanity, have already disappeared and those that are surviving are threatened of imminent disappearance and extinction under the combined effect of globalization and harmonization of the rich diversity of world sport heritage” says UNESCO on their article Traditional Sports and… (UNESCO, n.d.) .

Vera Misurcova believes that “Every game represents a certain content expressed in a fixed stabilized form. The themes of games encompass different phenomena from the nature as well as social life, most frequently from human work and entertainment” Implementation of Children’s… (Misurcova, n.d.). She believes that traditional games are essential to a child’s growth and well-being and sense of nationalism as well she stated that “children become first of all acquainted with the culture of their own nation and only in consequence they have the chance of coming into contact with other cultures in a suitable selection”.

Modernization really had taken its toll in countries especially in a growing country like the Philippines therefore compromising the trend in playing traditional games. According to the article by Gerard Anthony Naval Philippines try to… (Naval, 2007). Instead of the typical “larong pinoy” games that children are expected to play children instead are seen in internet cafes or in their homes playing digital games. There is indeed a need for the Filipino children to engage in these games once again not only to remind them or their cultural heritage but also to help them improve physically and psychologically. “Nowadays, kids do not engage in outdoor Filipino games as much as the older generation used to. “The kids of today need to spend time in playing such games as this not only preserved our cultural heritage but also helps children develop their physical and psychological skills”, Philippines try to… (Naval, 2007) claims Dean Hercules Callanta of the University of the Philippines College of Human Kinetics.

Aside from the aforementioned claims there is a non-government organization that aims to preserve Filipino culture and arts and that is the Magna Kultura. Spearheaded by Dickie Aguado he believes that “The proper approach in re-institutionalizing the games of our heritage back in the mainstream of society is to create a ‘school’ for teaching the way each and every game are played.  The passing on of the tradition of play must be formalized in a fun way among the new Filipino youth.  After learning the proper way to play it, they can enjoy it with their peers in school or in their neighborhood communities.” Keeping the Tradtional…(Aguado, 2011).

An article written by ABS-CBN news features Kabataan Party List representative Rep. Raymond Palatino being convinced that the Filipino youth are being urged by the commercial market to pursue western products and cultural practices. “This inevitably affects the existence of our very own Philippine games and sports, now considered by many as dying cultural legacies. It will be an utter loss if these Pinoy games will be completely gone in the future” Youth Group push... (ABS CBN News, 2011). That is why Kabataan Party list launched “Larong Pinoy” drive that aims to hold mini leagues for traditional Filipino games in small communities in order to boost its popularity among the youth.

Traditional Filipino games may have been forgotten and left behind by some due to the support they give to modern day games, products and culture but with the efforts of non-government organizations and other concerned citizens, preservation of such games can truly be achieved and may as well still be passed down in the generations to come. 

Tumbang Preso

Overview

Tumbang Preso is a traditional Filipino outdoor game that is played by young Filipinos with flip-flops and empty cans on the streets, vacant lots or on basketball courts. There are different claims on where Tumbang Preso really did originate, according to a group of students from Malayan Colleges Laguna on their short audio visual presentation regarding Tumbang Preso “It is said that this game is originated from the Scottish game called King of the Can ” Traditional Filipino Games(De los Reyes et al, 2012 ). But Gonzales,et al on their book MAPEH in Action I that the Tumbang Preso game is handed down to us by the Chinese.

Though there may still be clarifications to be made with regards to its true origin it is pretty clear though that Tumbang Preso is a game that involves the use of flip-flops as projectile, the empty can as a target and the elements of a tagging game that enables its players to chase each other around. According to Dru Bramlett’s short documentation on Tumbang Preso “Tumbang Preso is a street game usually played in the Philippines. It takes elements from tag and dodgeball to teach kids agility and strategic thinking” Tumbang Preso(Bramlett, 2010). PIGSSAI or the Philippine Indigenous Games and Sports Savers Association Inc. stated that “The principle involved is to hit and knock down the milk can with the "pamato," and for the IT to put back the can inside a small circle a few meters away from the toe-line. When a player is tag while re-covering his pamato, he becomes the IT.” Tumbang Preso (PIGSSAI, 2005).

         

          Rules and Gameplay

There are a number of rules that are being presented by different authors and institutions. Northern Illinois University is one of those institutions that conducted a study on Southeast Asian culture including Philippines’ traditional games. On their study Mga Larong Pilipino (Northern Illinois University, n.d) they stated that Tumbang Preso should provide a large throw away object preferably a flip-flop or a shoe called “pamato”. It can be played by 5-10 or more players and can either be played outdoors or in a gymnasium. According to them on a typical Tumbang Preso :

·         A player is chosen as the prisoner, guarding the empty tin or container.

·         The other players stand at the throwing line

·          They take turns throwing their “pamato” at the empty tin. Everybody will try to knock the tin down.

·          As soon as the can is knocked down, the prisoner must put back the can in an upright position before he can tag any of the players attempting to recover their “pamato” 

·         The prisoner then can tag the players while recovering their “pamato” within the allowed line only.

·         After each throw, a player must recover his “pamato”. Should he be tagged by the prisoner before he reaches the throwing line he becomes the prisoner in the next game.  

Dru Bramlett in her short documentation Tumbang Preso a.k.a… (Bramlett, 2010) states that Tumbang Preso is played by 9 players or less and stated the following rules:

·    Begin by drawing a circle on the ground and a straight barrier line   about 20 ft. away. All players will throw their pamato towards the circle. Those who throw the pamato too far or not far enough will repeat until one person is left. This person is “It”

·     The “It” will guard a milk can in the aforementioned circle while the other players will attempt to knock it over with their pamato  from the barrier line.

·     Players after throwing their pamato will have to retrieve it without getting tagged.

·     If the milk can is standing. The “It” can tag anyone attempting to retrieve their shoe only if the can is standing upright in the circle.

·     If a player hits the milk can & pushes it out of the circle, but it doesn’t fall over , other players may proceed in throwing their pamato at it until it does fall over. It makes no difference if you knock it over within the circle. However the “It” must place the pamato back in the circle in order to tag anyone once it falls.

·     Once a player is tagged. They become the new “It”.

The aforementioned rules are from the observations and study of foreign individuals that took interest in the game itself but there are also established rules as well in the Philippines where Tumang Preso originated.  A non-government organization called PIGSSAI or the Philippine Indigenous Games and Sports Savers Association Inc., “is an all-volunteer, SEC registered, non-governmental organization (NGO), dedicated to the preservation, revival, enhancement and promotion of all Philippine Indigenous Games and Sports, particularly Filipino Martial Arts and the Traditional Native Games.” PIGGSAI(Wikibin.org, n.d.). PIGSSAI have provided the following rules for the game Tumbang Preso, Tumbang Preso(PIGSSAI,2005):

·         An IT, the one to guard the milk can is chosen by throwing the "pamato" to the toe line by all the players. Whoever player whose "pamato" is farthest from the toe-line is the IT.

·             The hitters will line up at the back of the toe-line and at the sign of the IT, game is started.

·             The "pamato" must be retrieved immediately once the can is knocked down, otherwise once the IT has placed the can inside the circle, the one tagged becomes the IT.

·            When the can is hit and went off the circle but remains standing, the IT has the right to tag the hitter once the hitter leaves the toe-line.

·            The can maybe kicked or knocked down under situation No. 4.

·            If a hitter is not able to retrieve his "pamato," the others can save him by hitting the can.

Aside from PIGSSAI, Tumbang Preso rules are also established in textbooks. Gonzales, et al. in their textbook MAPEH in Action I stated 7 rules for Tumbang Preso Tumbang Preso (Gonzales et al., 2008):

·         Select the “It” or defender to act as the guard of the can.

·         Position the can in the center of the game area or home base.

·         The “It” will chase & tag anyone of the players.

·         When a player is tagged while the can is still in upright position, that player becomes the new “It”

·         The rest of the players then must see to it that the can is always knocked down by kicking or hitting it with the pamato.

·         The “It” must always put back the can in an upright position until he/she can tag a player who will become the new “It”.

Though rules of the game may appear different in some aspects it is pretty clear that a genuine Tumbang Preso game involves a defensive and offensive gameplay involving multiple players that require strategy, agility and quick decision making skills.

Existing Tumbang Preso Online Game

          Sipa and Patintero already have existing game adaptations as discussed in the previous review of this document regarding trends in Filipino games. Tumbang Preso on the other hand was already being made into a game playable online. Entitled “Tumbang Preso” , the game is Flash based game that is playable online through Kongregate.com and Muchgames.com both providing online Flash games to players. According to the game’s details it was developed in August of 2007 and it is developed by a Kongregate.com member with the username “halohalo”. The game itself is still subject for reviews.

          Though the game uses the concept of Tumbang Preso it still has a different gameplay compared to the aforementioned reviews which indicates that Tumbang Preso is a game that involves both throwing objects and tagging players while running unlike on this game wherein the gameplay is similar to a “whack-a-mole” game played in arcades only knocking objects by throwing flip-flops . This game has the following objective and gameplay:

·         There will be a number of holes in front of the player. On those holes both a can and a tarsier will pop out.

·         In order to proceed to the next level the player must hit only the cans using the slippers on a given amount of time. A can successfully hit is equivalent to a point but once the player hits tarsier the player’s score will be deducted.

·         If the player happens to hit the required number of cans on a given amount of time then the player proceeds to the next level but if the player fails to hit all the cans on a given time frame and the player will be asked to try again

Unity 3D

          Unity 3D is a game development software that is capable of developing games in 3D. It caters programming languages such as UnityScript, C#, Boo and JavaScript that most programmers find comfortable and easy to learn and master. Vervoort said “Right out of the box you get a pile of useful assets, plus a Terrain Engine, Physics Engine, Networking, and support for nearly every major file format imaginable. Unity also supports 3D sound, lets you write your own Shaders (to change the appearence of ingame objects), has multiple kinds of lighting (with flares, halos, cookies, etc), and more.Unity definitely does not lack in the features department” Unity 3D Unites Code… (Vervoort, 2008). Unity 3D could also export games in different platforms like Playstation, Xbox, Wii, Flash, Android, iOS and Windows.

Though focused on developing 3D games, Unity is proven to also be an effective 2D game engine. With a solid documentation and online support Unity 3D sure is a good game engine for developers to use. Unity 3D may seem to only cater 3D games but according to Ian Strandberg “Unity is not ideally suited to 2D games but it is far from crippled and its flexible nature and modular architecture gives it advantages you might not find in a 2D engine.” Why Choose Unity 3D – Part 2(Strandberg, n.d.) because Unity 3D also has easy to learn sprite management features that 2D game developers may find useful.

As for the level of difficulty in learning the software Maria Korolov claims in her article 5 Reasons to… (Korolov, 2011) that “It’s simple to use. There are no confusing menus or keyboard commands or other distractions.” and added that “Everything is mesh-based right from the start. Objects and animations are more realistic — and there is a wealth of material available, both free and commercial, in the form of mesh”. With the mentioned statements above it may be as well conclusive that Unity 3D is one versatile software and with the right knowledge and concept game developers and designers can now easily jump to game development in no time.

Synthesis

With the aforementioned reviews of related literature and related studies, the researchers are convinced that the proposed research study which is to implement a game adaptation of the traditional game Tumbang Preso will be implemented accordingly with the purpose of instilling the game’s fundamentals and principles to the consciousness of its players. Given that Unity 3D is free and has many technical features such as its built -in physics engine, scripting/programming functions and modeling functions that would cater the designing & development process of the game especially the game is proposed to be in a 3D perspective, not to mention the support features and tutorials that can be obtained from its main website and on other known Unity 3D tutorial sites. Also the researchers are convinced that this study will contribute to the preservation of traditional Filipino games and the researchers also believe that this study may bring the advantages of gaming mentioned in the related literatures regarding gaming and its benefits since this study aims to instill the fundamentals of the game to the players in way that the game itself would present Filipino characters, setting, storyline and most of all gameplay which will be accurately based to the Tumbang Preso rules being reviewed in this chapter.