Now that we starting to get used to each other, it’s time to hone in our level concept. This week we worked on our gold spike and settled more on a game concept with the help of our project instructors.
Gold Spike:
A gold spike is a playable sample of the technical tasks that will need to be accomplished to create a game. In other words, we’re making sure we know how to use a pen before we write a paper. We divided task to create a gold spike that would help us understand:
- How to translate design documentation into game mechanics
- How to upload 3D assets into Unreal
- How complex the blueprint programming system is in Unreal
- How can we implement simple game mechanics i.e. NPC interaction, projectile attacks, walking, running, jumping, rotating the camera, etc
- How to upload 2D assets into Unreal
- How to connect 2D UI assets to game mechanics
- How to create simple VFXs in Unreal
From out gold spike we found answers to our questions as well as some new questions we need to answer. For example, when implementing some game mechanics using the blueprint system, we found that referencing the blueprint system while designing the mechanics works best for our team. This means, that whoever is programming the game mechanics needs to work directly with the designer during ideation. We also found perforce issuses and had to figure out how to import textures into Unreal.
Level Concept:
We gathered out thoughts and presented these to story and level vcincepts to our Project Instuctors:
Atlantis overarching Story or Background:
The last thing you remember is being knocked out but Splugorth warriors. You wake up to a violent alarm. To your surprise there is a parasite clinging to your chest. Looking around you realize that your in some kind of bio-wizardry lab. The commotion might be your only time to escape, but what could cause such an emergency that they leave you unguarded?
Quest Concept:
- Leave the mutation operating room using your new parasite powers (Tutorial Level)
- Find a way out of the lab while rescuing other prisoners along the way (Main Level)
- Fight mutation gone wrong that causes the emergency (Reach Goal)
Vampire Kingdom overarching Story or Background:
After years of vampire hunting, our protagonist is captured and tortured by a group of vampires. As his final punishment, the vampires turn him into the thing he hates most; one of them. On the last day of the ritual, he kills his captors and escapes. Now a halfling, he plans to complete one last mission; to find and kill the vampire lord of Tula.
Quest Concept:
- Tutorial Level: Search the Vampire Camp (day time, exploration, gather clues & weapons)
- Main Level: Infiltrate the Tula Ruins & locate the sleeping vampire lord (dusk time, puzzle and exploration)
- Boss Fight: Battle the Vampire Lord (night time Intense combat)
From theses two stories, out Project Instructors thought it would be best to choose the Vampire Kingdom concept. That was our favorite anyway!
Next Steps:
Week 3 is quarters! Quarters is an opportunity for project teams to get feedback from all the faculty. Groups of 2-4 faculty members spend 15 minutes with each team while they explain their progress and help the team with any blockers.