Week 14 marked our final full week of development, focused primarily on refining the experience, completing final deliverables, and preparing for the end-of-semester presentation and documentation.
Final Refinement and Narrative Framing
A major focus this week was shaping how we would tell the story of the project itself. The team worked through multiple drafts of the final presentation structure, aiming to clearly communicate both the design evolution and the research-driven foundation of the game.
Alongside this, we continued polishing the build by:
- Refining the tutorial integration into Round 1 gameplay, including screenshots and step-by-step onboarding
- Finalizing key UI adjustments for clarity and consistency
- Preparing supporting materials such as the historical context video
Final Deliverables and Documentation
To support the final presentation and post-mortem, each team member completed a process write-up covering:
- Their role in the production pipeline
- Research process and reference materials (including Shang Dynasty sources)
- Design decisions and iterations over time
- How their understanding evolved throughout the project
- Reflections on what they would change if restarting the project
These write-ups will feed into the final video, presentation, and design documentation, helping consolidate the project into a cohesive retrospective.
Final Video Structure
In discussion with faculty, we finalized the structure of the final video deliverables:
Trailer (1 minute)
- Hook
- Historical context
- Gameplay highlights
Extended Version
- Hook
- History and research background
- Gameplay overview
- Design and development challenges
- Reflection and takeaways
This structure ensures a balance between accessibility for external audiences and depth for review and documentation purposes.
Team Updates and Final Implementation
Throughout the week, the team focused on stabilizing and completing final systems:
UI and Design
- Final UI pass completed collaboratively by Yilin, Mingrui, and Boreas
- Adjustments made to improve clarity, especially around interaction flow
- Final changes planned for the Start Ritual button and tutorial layout
Programming and Interaction
- Haru continued refining drag-and-drop behavior to feel more natural
- Implemented final fixes for interaction and UI consistency
- Scheduled integration of the intro video and tutorial events
Narrative and Systems
- Mingrui finalized ending states and narrative punishments
- Continued integration of narrative structure into gameplay flow
- Worked closely with the team to align tutorial timing with gameplay beats
VFX and Audio
- Continued integration of VFX timing tied to ritual states
- Audio and visual feedback systems were aligned with tutorial events
Art and Models
- Junru completed fixes to 3D models and environment assets, ensuring consistency across the final build
Tutorial Finalization
A key focus of Week 14 was finalizing the tutorial system as an embedded gameplay experience. The tutorial was structured into two core instructional phases:
- Introduction to ritual manipulation and card placement
- Introduction to the Li Qi system and its role in outcomes
The goal was to ensure that learning happens through gameplay rather than outside instruction, reinforcing the immersive nature of the experience.
The team coordinated closely to map:
- When tutorial events trigger
- How long each instruction remains visible
- When tutorial elements fade or transition into gameplay
Final Week Focus
By the end of Week 14, the team’s focus had fully shifted toward:
- Final presentation structure and storytelling
- Stabilizing the build for demonstration
- Completing supporting media (video, documentation, write-ups)
- Ensuring the experience communicates clearly as a museum-ready interactive prototype
Week 14 served as both a conclusion to development and a transition into presentation. With systems stabilized and documentation underway, the team moved into final showcase preparation, bringing the project to a cohesive close.