QuestMakers

We had our team bonding dinner and our first playtest this week and we received really good and actionable feedback from the players on our game mechanics and the overall feel of the movement in our game.

Apart from this, we got feedback on our first build and our narrative from our SME and a clear direction on what we can do for the final level. We started another 1 week sprint for the next playtest day on Tuesday and set our deliverables for that.

What we did this week?

Programming:

• Gameplay:
  • We implemented the basic attack function. Now the character can generate a small magic ball, and the ball can automatically chase the closest enemy in the character’s sight.
  • We improved on the dash ability, including fixing the dash distance, limiting the using conditions and changing the stamina system used by moving ability.  By removing the whole stamina system, we added three charges to the dash ability. The charges can only be refilled when the character is standing on the ground.
  • We implemented the craft attack and integrated the VFX with it. 
  • We packed our first game package and played it on the playtest night.
  • We adjusted some of the keys used to improve the game experience.
  • We implemented the interface for Damage system and completed Melee enemy behavior, made about half the process for mage enemy. Main progress this week for enemy behavior includes: visualization for AI, Smart actions: taking cover and strafing around player, and summoning lesser enemies.

Level Design:

• We blocked out a gym level for player traversal measurements, and playtested the level at playtest night.
• We worked on making the Act 4 of the level for the next playtest night.
• We also started work on the Act 1 of the level for our playtest night.
• Received feedback from SME regarding the gym metrics.

Art and VFX:

• Worked on a procedural column generator that can help with fast production. 

Profile adjustment

Levels of damage and variations

Detail adjustment for making LoD models

Detail adjustment for making LoD models

• Worked on the pillar and the wall block of the distant view based on this reference

Reference for the Distant View

Pillar

Block

• Currently working on using the Substance Designer to finish the texture with carving based on the references below. This material will be used for part of the roof in the distant view.

• Started an unreal engine optimization document.
• Worked on an ice attack vfx that can help with visualizing the craft skill. 

Production:

• We worked on defining the deliverables for our next sprint i.e. from this Wednesday to the Tuesday next week and what we should take to the playtest nights. We decided on taking the two acts of the final level for the next playtest.
• We also started working on defining what we are going to present in our 1/2s presentations.
• We defined our audience as teenagers and people from 15-30 years of age for the ETC playtest day after discussing with our instructors.
• We decided to take a quick survey of our playtesters from the next playtest to figure out more details about what actions gamers usually do as compared to non-gamers.
• We also decided to record the playtests from the next time so that we have a record of it for later use.
• We finalized our logo, poster and half sheets!

Some challenges we faced and their solutions

Programming:

Problems –

• Gameplay:
  • For the basic attack, it was difficult to make the magic ball chase the closest enemy well, because there are many elements that can influence the player to decide which one is the ‘closest’. Besides, it is hard to measure whether an enemy is ‘in the sight’, as there are many obstacles in the scene.
  • Making different types of enemies is hard as they have to share some behaviors while not sharing some others. Damage management was also a bit tricky, as players and enemies are not in the same place but need to access and convey information to each other to deal damage and receive damage.

Solutions to the problems –

• Gameplay:
  • Basic attack: not solved yet.
  • Made sub-behavior trees for behaviors, so a “sub-behavior” can be placed when needed for all types of enemies. For the damage system, we made both the player and the enemies implement a damage management interface, so they all share the same functions when it comes to death, take and receive damage.

Level Design:

Problems –

• The movement combos have a similar travelling distance. And metric rulers seem too close to each other.
• Playtesters used abilities differently than what they were designed for in some platforming sections. 

Solutions to the problems –

• We communicated with programmers to adjust some of these metrics and form rulers for specific movement combos.

Art:

Problems –

• We had problems deciding what we should focus on as the level design team was still working on the blockouts and the game mechanics which required VFX are yet to be implemented.

Solutions to the problems –

• We discussed with the team and decided a few props that we can start making for the final level which would be eventually required and also started working on the background scene for the level which will be visible as a vista to the player but won’t be playable.

Things we learnt –

• The metrics need to be ruled out more for a more visually different distance so there’s no confusion for players. For example,  do not force the player to use dash if the distance could be closed with double jump as well. 
• Platform for landing needs to be larger for safer landing to decrease the feeling of “maybe this is not the right move” from players.

Production:

Problems –

• We did not know what changes we should make in our game mechanics from the playtests that we conducted on Tuesday with some undergraduate students.
• They had different reactions to different button inputs and also some of the players did not use the sprint mechanic and some players did not notice the stamina bar at the bottom of the screen.

Solutions to the problems –

• We discussed with our programmers and decided to remove the stamina function from the sprint and jump and instead of a stamina bar, keep charges for dash mechanic so that it is more noticeable.
• We also decided that for our next playtest, we would try to use a controller instead of a keyboard and mouse and before the playtest, we would take a short survey of the player to differentiate between regular, hard-core and non-gamers.

Things to do for next week:

• Get directions and inputs from our instructors on what to include in our halvves presentation.
• Start working on our 1/2s presentation content.
• Playtest both the level blockouts and get player’s inputs on them.