Homework 15

I have completed the health bar and it’s animation. I am working to implement it into our final game. I have also downloaded the ambient bird and cricket sounds. More weapons that our character will be able to choose from in the game have also been downloaded. I have not yet completed the animations for the breaking doors/windows and the attack animation. The attack animation has been difficult in trying to manipulate the player’s armature, particularly given the character was downloaded from BlendSwap and designed by someone else who’s already implemented animations associated with the object. The health packs and food packs have been developed.

The components that I am responsible for in the game based on our established schedule are also discussed in the updated Game Notebook. 

Homework 14.2: Team Contribution

This last week and a half, our team met after class and at Dirac library 2 to 3 times. Most of our discussion surrounded the game poster and more objects we needed to download from BlendSwap for our game. We also talked about ways to simplify our game.

I downloaded multiple items from BlendSwap for the game and also met with Harsh to brainstorm about ideas for the layout of our game poster.

Homework 14.1: Indirect Control

There are different ways in which indirect control is manifested in our game. A few ways are described below:

1. CONSTRAINTS
Constraints are introduced into our game in a number of different ways. One way in which they are enacted is in relation to the weapons available to the player. The player can choose from a varied but limited collection of weapons, and based on the enemy that is attacking, one weapon may be ideal over the other. For example a knife may be used against a ground enemy, however a flying enemy would be best fought off with the gun.

Also, when night falls, the player is given a choice to either fight through the night against enemies to find the father with a greater chance of undetected attacks, or to seek shelter and wait until the morning to continue the search effort.

2. GOALS
One set of goals in our game revolves around finding clues that help lead to the discovery of the abandoned father on the island. The finding of these clues can be used by us as the designers to direct the path of the player in his search. The player can still follow whatever path he or she chooses, but we know that most likely, the path determined by the discovery of the clues will most likely be followed by the player.

3. INTERFACE
The interface will in general not be a medium through which we exert indirect control.


4. VISUAL DESIGN
There are certain visual aspects that will be implemented in our game that will indirectly control what the player does in certain situations. One example is our use of color or radiance emitted from a door to distinguish it from others to signify that it is a door that can be entered or broken into. This may be used to distinguish objects or clues that may be picked up from random debris on the ground. 


5. CHARACTERS
The main indirect control method as it relates to our game simultaneously acts as the main objective of the game: Alexander's father. Time is against our main character considering the fact that the longer the player takes to find the father, the more likely the father will be in poor condition when he finds him. Aside from that, when the player finally does find the father, the player still realizes the priority of securing the father from vicious attacks by animals. For instance, on the way back to the boat, if the two are confronted by an enemy which starts to try to attack the father, we as the designers know that the player will immediately go to the rescue of the father, as he is capable of being killed as well.


6. MUSIC
We haven't established what music we want to include in the game, however environmental and ambient sounds will be used in the game for various reasons. Obviously, one reason is to give the game a sense of realism. Another could be to allow the player to use the sounds to be aware of a certain presence in his vicinity. For instance fast foot steps could signal an impending attack in which we as the designers would know that the player would probably choose a weapon to prepare to fight. Flapping sounds may signal an attack from above by a flying enemy. Slower footsteps may signal that the father is close, which would encourage the player to search in that immediate vicinity for the origin of the footsteps.

Music may very well be included in our game, given we find a good point of balance between the music and ambient noise. The type of music could be fast and adventurous sounding, subconsciously evoking a sense of urgency in the player to complete the main objective of finding the father.

Homework 13

On Thursday, November 6th, Harsh, Heather, and I met at Dirac library to discuss and edit our game poster and game document.

Homework 12

On Wednesday, October 22nd, Heather, Harsh, and I met at Dirac Library to discuss the components of the game that needed to be implemented to advance the game to a "playable" state. This information was posted in our Game Notes document. Some of these pending implementations include finding and inserting various sounds that will act as ambient nose and give realism to the game. Also, we will split up the implementation of various animations that will be integral to our game, such as breaking windows and doors, and entering buildings. We also discussed the mechanics of the game that needed to be implemented such as the character's movement when he is attacking enemies. We also discussed the beginning scene, the ending scene, and other aesthetics to be added to the game.

Regarding our established division of duties, I approve of the list.

Homework 11

The interface of a game plays an integral role in the attraction to and ease of playing a game. Some elements regarding the interface are discussed below.

1. The user interface will be simple and intuitive, that way it will not interfere with the gameplay, but flow seamlessly and enhance the player's experience. We are going to implement simplistic menus in which the player can choose to resume a game or start a new game, manipulate the sound levels, view controls, etc. An integral in-game element that is part of the interface is the health bar. 

2. The interface generally plays many roles in a game. In our game, the different ways in which the player interacts with the interface will all serve to help progress the player through the game, giving the player insight on the capabilities of the character in the game, helping the character navigate throughout the game world, etc.

3. It will be a relatively simple task to master the interface in the game. This will allow the player to be able to focus primarily on the decision making and action within the actual game and leave the interface to act as an aid to the player.

4. The player will have the strongest influence over the outcome of the game. The player's decisions will solely determine the outcome and conclusion of the game. The player has to make decisions about traversing the island and have to depend on the skills developed through experience to survive attacks by different enemies on the island. The player also has to find and make decisions about clues that may or may not aid his search for the father on the island.

5. The players will realize power in many different ways in our game. The inherent power introduced in the openness of the world is the most apparent. Also, the fact that the setting of the game is an abandoned island plays into this concept. Since realistically, an abandoned setting really reduces restriction, the player will feel the power of being able to basically go anywhere and use any resource he or she may find on the island while playing. To be able to access any car and drive where ever he or she wants to is another example of power. Finally, the use of weapons, which most players wouldn't have access to in real life, and the ability to fight of enemies introduces another dynamic to the realization of power in the game.

6. The player can pick up and touch a number of objects. These include weapons of varying sorts, vehicles, health items, food items, objects used as hints to find the father, the boat used to get to and from the island, as well as break windows and doors and fight animals.

7. Yes the interface helps to visually translate actual occurrences in the real world. For example, when the character is faced and attacked by an enemy, the realistic incident of getting hurt is illustrated through the health bar. If the player is attacked the health bar goes down, depicting that the player was injured. Finding and using a health pack will make the health bar go up, to illustrate the real world instance of someone receiving medical attention and being healed.

8. The interface of our game does allow the player to see, hear, and touch the world of the game. Of course there are always improvements that can be made to enhance the player's experience of the game as a whole.

9. The interface of our game will facilitate the realization of the player's desire to assume virtually complete control over the game play, keeping realism and available resources in mind. 

10. Our interface won't require much thought, but the player will benefit by learning the simple navigation throughout the interface. We will try and make the interface as natural as possible to promote seamless integration into the game.

11. Our game interface will be as simplistic and intuitive, and therefore, natural, as possible. If it were possible to use an actual joystick, whenever the character was attacked, we could make use of the vibration function of most controllers manufactured now for consoles. Also, when the character's health that has been diminished to the point where the character is near death, we could introduce a hazy affect to the camera to simulate the loss of vision and transition into unconsciousness until the character actually dies or regains health through a health pack, in which the haziness would clear up.

12. Our game will have many consistent instances of feedback. For instance, when the player comes to the door of a vehicle to drive to help him more quickly navigate the island, there will be a pop up on the screen telling the player what to press to enter the car and, after entering the car, on-screen directions on how to drive the vehicle. Also, when the player comes to a door or window that can be broken, or a door than can be opened, the interface will present a similar pop up stating which button to press to execute the respective actions. All of this helps the player in accomplishing the main goal of the game in retrieving the character's father.

13. The feedback in our game is continuous. Virtually every situation experienced and decision made in the game has a consequence, and these consequences are generally represented in the interface.

14. Basically, interface modes introduce the concept of remapping a specific control from one function to another, based on the specific parameters and situations in the game. Our game may have multiple modes, however we will try to implement as few as possible, so as to keep the game play as simple as possible.

Weekly Contribution(s): Discussed Game Notes document, downloaded items from Blendswap, looked for pictures and inspiration for poster.

Homework 10

The following pictures are of the development of the health bar that will be used in the game.

Initial health bar (with black background for clarity).

Half full health bar (after animation was finished). 

"Health" text added.

Heart symbol added. Completed look.

In-game visual of health bar.

This video illustrates the in-game look and behavior of the health bar.

HealthBar Blend File

Weekly Contribution(s): Completed health bar animation. Downloaded heart from Blendswap and resized to be used with health bar.

Homework 9

Balance is an integral component of any game. Various types of balance and how they are related to and applied in our game are discussed below.

1. FAIRNESS

Seeing as our game is symmetrical, there are ways in which fairness is manifested. For instance, animals can attack the main character more quickly, however the main character may use weapons against the animal to deal significant damage. These weapons realistically would not be available for use by the animals. Also, animals would be able to fend for themselves during the night time, where as our character would either have to find shelter and wait until daytime, or use an item such as a light or lit torch to do the same.

2. CHALLENGE vs. SUCCESS

As it relates to our game, the main, most difficult challenge would be to follow clues to locate the father on the island. However, the difficulties of achieving a task may vary depending on which objective is trying to be achieved. For example, when fighting enemies, trying to kill one of the flying bird enemies will be more challenging than killing one of the other ground enemies such as a dog. Let's say the player has low health. It would be more difficult for him to break windows and smash in doors than if he had more health. The player's decision making may also introduce varying difficulty. For instance, if the player decides to fight through the night to locate his father, he is prone to more surprise attacks (especially from behind) due to decreased visibility, and would probably sustain more injuries from these attacks than he would had he waited until the following day. Furthermore, deciding to fight through the night without the aid of a light or torch would make surviving even more difficult.

3. MEANINGFUL CHOICES

Choices are a crucial part of our game. For instance, throughout the game, the player will have to decide which usable items to pick up and which to leave; whether or not to find shelter or fight through the night to continue looking for the father; which path of many to take to find the father; etc. 

4. SKILL vs. CHANCE

There are many skills required for the player to successfully progress through the game. However, instances of chance are also present. The most prevalent manifestation of chance presents itself in the openness of the island. The character may choose one of many routes to traverse to find the father. However, beyond that, skill is the most important part of survival. The player has to be skilled to survive the malicious forces present on the island, such as the various animals and birds. Also, the player must have the skill to get through barriers, like breaking through windows and doors, and drive the various vehicles/boat when necessary.

5. HEAD vs. HANDS

Our game involves thinking and physical activity fairly equally. The main element of the game is to choose a path to find the father. However, while traversing this path, he is confronted with various enemies to fight against. He must also make decisions on when to fight given the time of day, when to nourish himself, and when to heal himself.

6. COMPETITION vs. COOPERATION

Competition and cooperation (at the player's discretion) are both exhibited in the game. The player is frequently and consistently in competition with the malicious animals and birds that he must fight to survive. However, the player may choose to feed, and therefore befriend, one of these animals. From that point until he completes the game or chooses another companion (in which case the former will again become malicious), this companion will help the player fend off various other animals.

7. SHORT vs. LONG

The length of the game is contingent upon the actions of the player. The length is primarily dependent on the path that the player chooses to take to find the father. Another secondary factor that influences the length of the game are decisions such as choosing to fight through the night to continue the search for the father or to find shelter and wait for daybreak.

8. REWARDS

The primary reward of the game is finding the father on the abandoned island. However, other subsidiary rewards may include the discovery of more significant weapons to be used to fight against the various enemies on the island or items that will aid in traveling the island such as flashlights, compasses, etc. Finally, getting the father back to the boat will result in the completion of the game, also a reward.

9. PUNISHMENT
Punishment is realized in a number of ways in our game. Based on the player's decision, going out at night to search for the father results in the punishment of having to fight against animals with impaired vision. As explained before, doing so will leave the character more prone to surprise attacks from the back in addition to head-on attacks of which he may or may not be aware. Also, diminished health affects his ease of breaking through windows or doors. If the character is severely injured, it takes much more effort for him to accomplish the previously stated tasks. Also, as items are used by the character, based on the type of item, that item may be depleted and may have to be reacquired elsewhere in the game.

10. FREEDOM vs. CONTROLLED EXPERIENCE
In our game, the character a virtually large amount of freedom. Given the proposed openness of the game world, the character has many projected paths he may take. However, the game won't be completely open so that it will remain manageable to develop. We will limit access to certain buildings and paths on the island. Also, the player won't be able to freely leave the island at various points. To enforce this, there is a specific area of the island in which the boat used to get there can be docked, and the island can only be exited at that spot once the father is found.

11. SIMPLE vs. COMPLEX
As mentioned above, the general openness of the island introduces some complexity, however we will introduce some restrictions to limit this freedom. Decision-making abilities also introduce some complexity, for instance the ability to decide whether to fight at night or seek refuge until the day time. Another complex element of the game is the use of hints used by the character to guide him in his search for his father. There may be apparent clues, or there may be items found that have nothing to do with the father's movement at all.

12. DETAIL vs. IMAGINATION
There are various details that we have incorporated in the game, such as the historical reference to Hashima Island, an actual abandoned island in which our story takes place. The player's imagination will come into play in instances such as the hints left on the island to lead the player to the location of the character's lost father.

Weekly Contribution(s): Worked on health bar, downloaded objects on Blendswap to be used in our game.

Homework 8

The following are videos of animations that will be incorporated in our game.

This video illustrates sliding doors, an animation that will be used when our game character enters or exits a building. Our character will be able to go into weapons shops, food stores, etc. for supplies to survive on the island.

SlidingDoors Blend File

This final video illustrates a door animation for a residential building, perhaps. Items may also be acquired from homes on the island by the main character to aid in the completion of his objectives.

OpenDoor Blend File

Homework 7

1. The space in our game is continuous.

2. Our game is 3-dimensional (3D).

3. The edge of the island after which we are modeling our game acts as the game boundary. Also, there will be boundaries introduced when the character gets to a boat and tries to reach the main land of Japan. Obviously, seeing as, in reality, the ocean really has no boundaries other than land masses, to keep our game concise and practical, we will introduce some boundaries in that part of the game.

4. The main character in our game has 9 verbs: talk, run, jump, climb, pick-up (items), shoot, attack, ignite (fire), and drive (car or truck). 

5. The character will be able to run on the ground object, whether outside or in a building; jump on the ground object or off another object; climb onto chairs, benches, tables, and other objects; pick-up items such as guns, knives, health, flash lights, and other survival items; shoot animals, birds, and other enemies, as well as windows and doors; attack animals and other human characters, doors (to open) and windows (to break); ignite fires on torches; and drive cars and trucks.  

6. Seeing as the island is relatively unrestricted, there are many paths to take to achieve the goal of getting to the part of the island with a usable boat to escape the island.

7. The character can control 3 subjects: car (or truck), an animal companion used for defense against other enemies, and the boat used to escape the island.

8. There are certain side effects that affect the ease of achieving an intermediate goal or the difficulty of the game in general. This may be experienced when the character is low on health. It will be more difficult for the character to accomplish small tasks such as breaking a window or door as easily or quickly as when he has more health. This may also be realized, for example, when the player decides to feed an animal that is trying to attack him. This results in the animal becoming loyal to the character and aiding in his defense from other enemies. 

9. Operative actions: the main character of the game is able to talk, run, jump, climb, shoot, attack, pick up items, and drive. 

10. Resultant actions: the character will be able to move around the island and pick up items for use later. If the character attacks or shoots an enemy (animals, birds, etc.), these objects will die; furthermore, if he drives into a door or window, these items will break. Also, the character will be able to ignite torches to see more clearly at night or in dark areas.

11. The element of fighting off animals and other enemies with weapons such as guns and knives is generally something that most can't do realistically. This is one of the main things that I would like for players to experience and enjoy in the game.

12. The main objective of the game is to survive on Hashima Island without dying against various adversaries, be they animals or other human opponents. This will be accomplished through the aid of items such as health items (if, through fighting enemies, their health is depleted), weapons, and shelter.

13. The short term goals consist of fending off attacks from enemies, maintaining health, finding food and shelter, and finding items. The long term goal is to continuously do the previously stated things to survive the island and get to a boat that will help the main character leave the island and travel to the main land.

14. The player will be introduced to the plot of the game in an introductory video. This will show the character entering the island, and a discussion of an item to be retrieved (constituting the reason that they are on the island in the first place) and brought back, which is contingent on the survival of the character.

15. There are a couple of essential rules in the game. The character must not let his health be completely depleted (i.e. die) before he reaches a boat to escape the island. His health can be regained slightly by eating/drinking or resting and more significantly by using a health pack. Also, the player is confined to the island until he reaches a boat at the dock.

16. The game ends if the main character's life is completely depleted, or in other words, if he dies. As it regards to the boundaries of the island, Hashima Island is in reality surrounded by a wall. This is translated to the game. Therefore, the character cannot climb the walls to escape the island. That can only be done by completing the main objective: finding a boat on the other side of the island to escape. 

17. Our game does develop real skills. The foundational way to survive the island is promoted by using resources and items to survive and traverse the island to find a way to escape. Decision making and problem-solving skills are developed as well.

18. There are a few virtual skills developed. These include combat skills and driving skills are developed. 

Weekly Contribution(s): This week, I downloaded more items that may be used in the game, including a knife and other weapons. Also, I worked on animations involving opening and closing doors that will be implemented in the game.

Homework 6

In these videos, I have downloaded a generic human character from Blendswap and also used the truck object from before that was also downloaded from Blendswap to create scenes depicting collisions.

In the following video, a collision between the human character and the truck are shown. Also, when the human object collides with the cube in front of it, the cube disappears. This could be incorporated in our final game to depict an item being picked up off of the ground.

In this next video, a wall is introduced by pressing the space bar to block the truck from hitting the human object. The cube object still disappears when the human object comes into contact with it.

Homework 5

Objects added/used: weapons (guns), light poles 

The gun will be used by the player as a defense against the dangerous animals in the abandoned city that will threaten the player's life. The weapons can be used to kill these threats or simply shoot at other inanimate objects within the environment. Being able to freely use weapons in a game always introduces excitement to gameplay. 

A light pole was also imported. This object will be duplicated throughout the city to add more authenticity to the cityscape. Whenever the player is driving a car in the city, he/she may hit/collide with a number of objects, like the light pole. If the player hits the light pole with the car at a significant speed, the pole will fall over, as it would in reality. By itself, the lamp just serves to enhance the city's aesthetic. However, it's interaction with other objects brings excitement and realism to the game.

Homework 4

Chapter 2:

The essential experiences and emotions we are aiming to design the game to evoke in the player(s) are:

- Excitement -- The game should be thrilling and interesting. 

- Fear/Anxiety -- We hope to successfully involve frightening surprises in the game. Other abrupt threats may be included in the game as well. 

- Triumph -- Of course one of the more important aspects of the game is to fulfill the main objective after some hardship and varying obstacles.

The open world should enrich the gameplay and present endless possibilities. 

The player should also find excitement in using the weapons found and freely using them throughout the game world, fending off various animals and other threats.

Fear and anxiety could be brought about in being unsuspectingly attacked from behind or above by various animals or other threats. In the instance of an animal attack from behind, the player will be able to hear the threat when it is relatively close. However, if the player doesn't act in time, he or she could sustain injuries from the threat and have to heal him/herself after the confrontation, given he/she survives. 

Chapter 3:

In addition to the previous example illustrating a sudden attack, another example could be entering a building and, while exploring or searching for items, the roof could abruptly collapse and the player has to react quickly to avoid injury.

As described before, most players will find satisfaction in being able to freely use weapons on various animals or engage in target practice using elements within the environment. Another fun aspect of the game is being able to drive the abandoned cars within the city and freely roam the city as recklessly as desired.

The main goal of the game is to survive and escape the island while combating various animals and other forms of nature that have overtaken the island and supplanted virtually all forms of civilization. We have decided to use the real deserted island of Hashima off of the coast of Japan.

We hope to successfully create a connection between the player and the game by appealing to human emotion and senses in a realistic environment. We want to essentially allow the player to live vicariously through the game and feel liberated to be able to live through exciting, even dangerous situations that would be far from ordinary in their everyday lives. A fantasy, in other words.

The main problem the player will have to solve is basically having to think about how to handle obstacles or survive if they were actually living the game out. They will have to find resources to help them survive, such as weapons, food, and shelter. Additionally, if they are hurt, they have to find first aid within a reasonable time period. They must use the objects and resources within the world to survive the island and get to the main land.

Homework 3

Game contributions:

Objects used: Cars/trucks, buildings (including office buildings, apartment complexes, high-rises)

Currently I have imported these objects (cars/trucks) into Blender and introduced keyboard controls to move the objects.

Truck: Character will use truck (or another accessible vehicle) to travel quickly around the world of the game.

City Building: Various buildings will be placed in the world to form the cityscape. Other buildings will be able to be entered (e.g. store, weapons shop).

Homework 2

1.) Harsh, Heather, and I met briefly after class on Friday 9/5 to discuss our game. We met again on Tuesday 9/9 to further discuss the proposed game genre, environment, and objectives of the game.

2.) During our meeting we discussed a number of subjects regarding the game, including a game genre, initial storyline ideas, features, and objectives of the game.

3.) The meetings were very productive in that numerous ideas were effortlessly flowing between the three of us. So in order for us to recollect these ideas and possibly involve them in the game, we all took notes on whatever we discussed, specifically those ideas that were collectively agreed upon as being definitely utilized within the game and design.

4.) The contents of our discussion in our meetings are also available on our computers.

5.) We briefly discussed the game document, however no significant decisions were made on it as of yet. I suspect we will start to develop the document within the next few coming days.

6.) We did not pick a team leader. We feel as though one is not needed, as we effectively and cooperatively establish and implement ideas.

7.) There was much discussed regarding the game during our two meetings:

Game genre:
Initially I came out with the idea of creating like a strategy maze game in which the objective of the game is to traverse huge cube platforms moving in various directions to get to the end of the "room" to progress to a naturally harder level.

Heather initially thought of a horror simulation game which would include a maze situated in a haunted house where the objective is to get out alive while facing numerous life threats.

Harsh initially expressed his interest in an action adventure game which would include items found while roaming the "world."

Eventually as ideas started to be just thrown around, we all decided on designing and creating a third-person, action-adventure survival game that take place primarily in a deserted city.

Game storyline:
Following from our solidified game genre, we then started to discuss the storyline. We decided the setting of the game would occur primarily in a deserted city, almost dystopian, whether on a mainland or on an island within miles of a mainland. The objective of the game may be to survive the city which has been overrun with vegetation, animals, and other threats and get to a human refugee camp or something of the sort. Throughout the city, the main character will be able to enter abandoned stores for supplies/food (e.g. a weapons shop for weapons, a grocery store for non-perishable food that has been left over and health supplies). Also the character will be able to use left-behind cars that still have fuel.

If we decide on the deserted island city, the object of the game will include surviving the same threats as described earlier and escape the island via boat to a mainland encampment.

8.) Personal contributions:
- Setting of the game: deserted city
- Storyline: possible natural disaster results in current state of the environment.

Homework 1.3: Favorite Games

The Final Fantasy series has always been a favorite of mine. In particular, I absolutely love Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy IX. Considering the former is the highest grossing RPG on the PlayStation platform, it's needless to say that it is an awesome game and franchise.

Final Fantasy VII:

I love the darkness and futuristic, urban feel of this game. The storyline is well developed, characterized by themes of love, loss, revenge, confusion, and triumph.

As far as the gameplay is concerned, the ATB system that governs the fights is regarded as one of the best of the franchise or any other RPG. It's fun and adventurous from start to finish.

Final Fantasy IX:

I love a game that helps the player escape reality. This game has a fantastical environment and themes coupled with a wonderful storyline that makes it an unforgettable experience. It has many of the same story elements as Final Fantasy VII, and yet is still so very distinct.

The storyline is enthralling and the gameplay and battle system (like its predecessor) are brilliant and seamless. Furthermore, compared to the previous games in the series, Square-Enix (then Square) accomplished huge improvements in graphics, especially with the cut scenes. All this was combined to birth a wonderful, captivating gaming experience.

Final Fantasy VII Website

Final Fantasy IX Website

Tekken:

My absolute favorite fighting franchise is and always has been Tekken. I love the vast array of characters and the fighting styles they bring to life in the gameplay: Karate, Capoeira, Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Kickboxing, and endless others. My favorite character is Marshall Law, who reminds me (and countless others) of the late, great Bruce Lee. A very close second is Eddy who brings the real Afro-Caribbean style of Capoeira to life.

Tekken Website

Homework 1.2: Hand Sketches

Angel Wings

Lotus Flower

Drawn By: Ashleigh Davis

Homework 1.1: Playing Pool Against a Merciless Adversary (My Computer)

This pool game against my computer starts off ok... Then defeat seems all but inevitable. But wait. There is hope yet. A number of foolish mistakes by my opponent allows me to resurface as the victor!

Muuaahahahaha!!!