Work Preparation:

This week, we’re focusing on some house cleaning tasks following the content freeze from last week. This gives us the opportunity to reflect on the semester and write a post-mortem. Additionally, we’ve created a game trailer that highlights the enjoyable aspects of the game.

The only in-game feature that we are still working on this week is the game title screen. Derek drew an amazing menu background, featuring the vagrant approaching the giant’s mansion. 

Game Menu

One of the main in-game features we’re working on this week is the game title screen. Derek has produced an incredible background scene for the menu, depicting the vagrant and their companion, Nib, journeying through the wilderness towards the giant’s mansion. The mansion looms in the background, emphasizing its immense size compared to the tiny figures of the vagrant and Nib. This effectively immerses players in the game’s narrative and world. On the menu page, players will also find the game title displayed, along with buttons to enter the game.

Trailer

This week, we’ve also created a game trailer to showcase the work we’ve accomplished this semester. Unlike typical trailers, this one, more like a gameplay video, offers a more comprehensive view of the game. It begins with the storyboard, introducing the game’s narrative, and then progresses to clips showcasing its highlights. The trailer follows a linear gameplay narrative, revealing the objectives and concluding with the final scene of lighting up the furnace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cePv9HeL1Fs

Post-Mortem

This week, we had the opportunity to come together and reflect on the entire semester, acknowledging both the successes and areas for improvement.

Some aspects that we believe went well include:

• The final project features a complete game loop that is engaging to play and has received positive feedback from players. This solid foundation could serve as a basis for future development and launch.
• We conducted numerous playtests throughout the semester and sought feedback from industry professionals, facilitated by GDC, referrals, and support from faculty.
• The team is well-balanced, with members proficient in various skill sets, allowing for effective multitasking to meet the project’s needs.

However, there are areas where we can improve:

• Despite the wealth of interesting ideas generated during the semester, the need to quickly select a design direction after Quarters, in order to present something substantial at the Half presentation and GDC, limited our ability to experiment and test innovative concepts.
• While the game has a stunning art style, including innovative light technology, the lack of a core game loop at the beginning of development slowed our progress early in the semester. Additionally, the art style and top-down perspective somewhat constrain the level design.
• With a small team of only five members, all individuals are involved in the game design process, often working cross-functionally (e.g., producers also contributing to design, artists also involved in narrative writing). To enhance transparency and ensure everyone remains informed, we recognize the need for more formal meetings.

By addressing these areas for improvement, we aim to further enhance the development process and overall quality of our project.

Progress Report:

• Finished the post-mortem
• Finished compiling material in the GDrive
• Prepared for final presentation
• Polished the trailer
• Bug fixing
• Weekly blogs