{"id":402,"date":"2026-03-15T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-15T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/?p=402"},"modified":"2026-04-13T08:38:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T08:38:32","slug":"week-8-gdc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/week-8-gdc\/","title":{"rendered":"Week 8 &#8211; GDC"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\">Week 8 happened during the GDC week, so the team was mostly away. Due to this situation, our focus was on preparing and sending out the pilot playtest build based on the first graybox prototype, while also collecting as much outside feedback as we could. Even though it was a lighter production week in some areas, it became an important testing week as we were able to run two pilot playtests and get useful feedback on the current experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Weekly Focus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-large-font-size\">\n<li class=\"has-large-font-size\">Prepare and send out the pilot playtest build<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-large-font-size\">Conduct pilot playtests and collect feedback<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-large-font-size\">Identify the biggest experience problems to tackle next<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Progress Update<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-text-annotation has-medium-font-size is-style-text-annotation--1\"><strong>Tech<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-checkmark-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Focused on bug fixing and improvements while preparing a build for pilot playtest<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Added pause-menu buttons<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Improved shrine and incense visual states<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Fixed the mist meter issues and initialized the meter more cleanly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Fixed camera reset on respawn<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Fixed additive scene-loading issues with mist zones<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Continued dealing with visual issues around transparency and multiple mist zones, which still looked harder to solve than expected<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-text-annotation has-medium-font-size is-style-text-annotation--2\"><strong>Art<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-checkmark-list has-medium-font-size\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Continued working on enemy design<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Continued working on environmental design<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-text-annotation has-medium-font-size is-style-text-annotation--3\"><strong>Sound<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-checkmark-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Improved looping music behavior after death<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-text-annotation has-medium-font-size is-style-text-annotation--4\"><strong>Design &amp; Production<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-checkmark-list has-medium-font-size\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Prepared pilot playtest supporting materials<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Sent out the pilot playtest invitation to the faculty<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Conducted an in-person playtest with guest players with the help of a friend from another team<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Collected feedback showing that the immediate goal and intended path were often unclear<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Noted that players generally understood enemy avoidance more than the actual target or progression<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Received feedback that the mist was readable in concept, but slowing the player automatically made the experience feel less controllable<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Identified that the overall experience still felt too easy and not stealthy enough in its current state<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Notes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">This week was about using the break to test the current build and learn from it. The two pilot playtests were valuable as they showed us that our current build still had major issues with goal clarity and pacing, and the overall stealth experience was still quite weak. In particular, the feedback made it clear that the project was not yet delivering the tension or gameplay depth we wanted, which gave us a clearer direction for what needed to be improved next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Next<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-large-font-size\">\n<li class=\"has-large-font-size\">Improve the overall play experience<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-large-font-size\">Rework clarity around goals, navigation, and mechanic communication<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-large-font-size\">Continue working on Section 2 graybox<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Media<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Pilot Playtest Demo\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/meh9H_214dA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a579c8f913e8&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a579c8f913e8\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-id=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_talks-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-405\" srcset=\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_talks-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_talks-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_talks-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_talks-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_talks-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">GDC Talk &#8211; Split Fiction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a579c8f91765&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a579c8f91765\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"771\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-id=\"404\" src=\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_exhibition-1024x771.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-404\" srcset=\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_exhibition-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_exhibition-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_exhibition-768x578.jpg 768w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_exhibition-1536x1157.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_exhibition-2048x1542.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">GDC Exhibition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a579c8f9198c&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a579c8f9198c\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-id=\"403\" src=\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_concert-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-403\" srcset=\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_concert-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_concert-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_concert-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_concert-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GDC_concert-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">GDC Concert<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Overview Week 8 happened during the GDC week, so the team was mostly away. Due to this situation, our focus was on preparing and sending out the pilot playtest build based on the first graybox prototype, while also collecting as much outside feedback as we could. Even though it was a lighter production week in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blogs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/402","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=402"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/402\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":439,"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/402\/revisions\/439"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=402"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=402"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/questweavers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}