After actually making the game in Unity, a lot of changes had to be made to better suit what can be done without headaches. A lot of ideas, like the aerial attacks and a lot of aggressive enemy attacks, are too hard to implement in a tiny space. Especially with pitfalls around a small building roof. So, the is not as complex as originally planned, which is most likely for the best as it makes it easier to explain how to play, and can be put into more situations with out feeling weird. But, it also allows me to put in different types of interactions, dialogue is easy enough to implement into anywhere, before fights or just in specific spots, it adds a whole new layer at the cost of designing a text box, some new portraits, along with writing dialogue, but it will be worth it in the end.
That's the changes and realism that I had talked about in the last blog post, with some better or worse, even the basic components are a little different, with the speed a bit slower overall, and wall jumps being stationary acts (especially since it's the only way to really go to another level it needs to give players some time to do that. Wow, I didn't even think about how death would happen. Guess I have to make that too.
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For the last project of the year, we have to make our own game idea, our own prototype, and our own assets and coding. Seems like the catharsis of the entire course, but having big dreams does come at the price of being realistic. Why do realistic matter? If you were to make a deep combat system with multiple damage types and scaling, that would be difficult enough to plan, but implementing is an even harder job when actually assembling the game. This is usually where many parts of the GDD are revised. Not really during, since a couple good ideas will come just by playing it out in your head. But making them real is where stripping down specific elements comes into play. Aren't you supposed to make your game as complex as possible? Well, I would love it to be but I need a finished prototype, not a fancy one. I can just work on it over the summer if I really did like it. A good example is the transform weapons, I couldn't make twice as much of a move set if I wanted to. So, just making two types of attacks, and only one real type of aerial and ground attack, would make it consistently fun and manageable-ish as possible. Really simple yet enjoyable, that's how a small game should be. I've adopted this idea from different indie games that take a similar approach, particularly Momodora and Luna Nights, both of which are metroid-vania games that take an exploration and combat gameplay style. Inspiration is a good idea for people making their first game, then branch out into different types of ideas their own. So, video games are best done as bite-sized and enjoyable as possible, while having different types of inspiration as possible, to make an impression for your first game. A small look into Machine Girl, taking place before going out and delivering groceries in the Cafe. A simple objective in a simple place, perfect for a game demo. After a whole week of just UNITY CODING, I feel like Unity is actually really useful in terms of game design. At first, Unity coding was basically 3DS Max. Then after a bit of practice throughout the units, it's really easy to see how coding really affects game development. With spawning and destroying, to scores and controls, when used right unity can actually make some cool things happen. With 3D and 2D game development being quite integrated, it's a good start to actually making a game of any type.
So that's the retrospect, now I want to talk about game development in this space. I think it will be integral. Since our next unit is going to be making our own game project (I already posted what I have to the portfolio archives), a 2D game can use all of the elements in the first coding units. I already have a head start next quarter, so all I have to do is make an even worse exercise game in the meantime, hoof. So spending time indoors due to our current situation gives you a lot of time to not do graded schoolwork. But, also a lot of time to not only play different games I never bothered to play and take a crack at, specifically ones my friends always told me to play but never got around to. This is (an excuse for) valuable information to someone that takes game design and understands flow and mechanics in video games.
A good example would be GTA: San Andreas, loaned to me by my older cousin on PS2. A perfect example of an homage to 90s gangsta era films (which is the theme for this game in the series), and is what many would say is the best Grand Theft Auto game in the series. The strongest part of the game is it's simple objective, which has always been the same from the first game (as it says in the original GDD for the game), to steal cars. But with so much other objectives to do like different missions to do from different people, different abilities to train and improve your character, and the resources like guns and money being limited enough to matter but not hinder progress. It's is a stellar example on how to make an open-world sandbox game with character. But there's also other types of games, from tabletop games to ACTUAL sports, there are so many other examples to take from. Sports especially, ever since my dad made me play him in basketball, it is easier to really see the intricacies in rules and expectations, like how you must dribble in order to move, keeping the flow of the game since you need your arms at all times, and so people could steal the ball from you at anytime. having many roots that also connect to game design. Which comes back to the title, when you have an activity that is just so you can challenge something, 9/10 times you can apply game design principles to whatever you are doing. Cheese Quest is a flash game hosted on the Cartoon Network site, it is based on Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends, running from 2004 to 2009 with six seasons. The game itself is about Cheese being Cheese. What makes it different from other flash games is it's sheer simplicity, it's faithful adaption of the series, and it's addictive nature that keeps it fresh.
Play the game and finish it yourself, you'll see why. https://www.cartoonnetwork.com/games/fosters/cheese-quest-3d/index.html (this is a link to the game) The first thing to talk about is the levels, while along the way discussing tips and tricks to getting a higher score from the expert (that's me, I've been interested with this game since fourth grade). First step, always ALWAYS play in 3D. If you don't, you kill bunnies. The first level has platforming, which has simple moving platforms, pitfalls, rolling and bouncing obstacles, and collectibles. It's not demanding at any point in this section. The important parts are the lady power-ups (from that one episode), which is where you get much more points, and the horsey power-up from the dancing monkeys, which is the best part since the platforming is ACTUALLY kinda demanding. The best way to rack up points is to duck under the smiling coconuts with the lay power-up, then immediately jumping to get the points for dodging and kissing the coconuts. The second section has you rocket into space (on the horsey) and shooting weird alien things. This is where you have to use actual thinking. There are several types of aliens, each in increasingly difficult patterns, at first it's completely static ones, with some that shoot back at you. Eventually you have ones that come towards you, that do a weird pattern thing to collide into you, and ones that go up and down while shooting you. This is then used to combine certain enemies to make it much harder, a wall of static enemies with the other shooting enemies is a good example of difficult. If you put down enemies before they shoot they shouldn't be a problem, but there are times where you can't or you're trying to get a no-hit run. Shooting enemies projectiles don't give you too much room when there are more than two in the middle, so moving to either edge at the top or bottom is best. But, if there are projectiles on one or both edges, your best bet is to track what projectiles are there so you can weave in between (if you've played bullet hell games then this should be a cinch with the huge hit box that is Horsey Cheese). Shooting back is as easy as going up and down while spamming space bar, curtain fire kills literally everything, just don't run into any projectiles. Your shots are not at a specific interval when moving (kinda hard to explain but your shots are "placed" in succession instead of following the point where it came from), so you can form a sort of walled shot to clear horizontal rows of enemies, perfect for clearing all enemies and shooting aliens that shoot back. The boss battle, a flying cake (Cheese's mortal enemy), shoots a bunch of projectiles at you while flying around. This section seems hard, but if you use the projectile wall while being diagonal to the cake will make this battle kinda easy to cheese (pun not intended), just don't get cornered, weave out of there. Rinse and repeat to get the water horsey. The third section is where most people would give up and say "I give up, lol." You control the water horsey, but there are torpedoes and nukes (bigger torpedoes) flying towards you. Your horsey can eat the torpedoes but not the nukes, dodging either will still net you points. The worst part is how you take up half the screen, so the only torpedoes you can eat are on the bottom, and if you hang around the middle, you have to constantly watch the top so you can dodge torpedoes at the top. You have to do lots of resourceful procedures to get the most points you can without dying. The last stage is the bonus stage, where you fall into a bowl of cereal and dodge coco pops. it's self explanatory, the best I can say is to hang out where the cereal isn't. But, then you beat the game, Cheese announces his love for cereal, and you are given your score. So, the reason why this game is so highly rated by me is it's pacing, it's three different games that are different yet united. The first play through is one of the best experiences one could have, since the different situations are amazing when you don't know what's happening next, which is why I said you should play it first. At the end, it feels like a big adventure and like some ethereal, other-worldly piece of art, or that's what I feel at least. The other best part is the humor and references it has to the show it's based on, having Cheese as the main character gives it a surprisingly wide roster of material with it's horsies, monkey dances, and a cameo from Bloo making it very unique when it's mixed with it's retro aesthetic. The game play is also interesting, infuriating but that's what the intent was, or I think it was. The third section does feel very suck-y, but can you name a good water level in an NES era video game? This game is one of my most favorite things in the world, it's up there next to Trigun, Late Registration, TR-808 drum beats, and caramelized popcorn, It's that good. If you're interested in more shooter game things, then play Neptunia Shooter, based off the Hyperdemension Neptunia games, it's a fun shooter game that popped into my head while playing. So, what makes this THE flash game?
Obligatory Score: really cool my dude/10 For the past couple weeks, we have been learning how to use the Unity Engine, not over winter break fortunately. Unity is a game-making engine, which lends itself to being dependent on what you are making. In class, we're using the tutorial on Unity Learn, which is to say, kinda slooooooooooooow.
Mini-review for the videos, they are meant for people that's first time coding is with this program. With previous experience in script AND tutorial watching, the videos feel so drawn-out and obvious. Many steps can be condensed into one video, without losing cohesion, and I just do not enjoy them. The only important part is the information we need, and slow videos are good for understanding. The only part that felt like coding was the challenge, which was the only part we were really graded on, so that's fair. The software itself is very similar to 3DS Max, with it's 3D controls and axis based transformations, the only difference is the camera and modifiers, which are still similar. Now you can attach a camera to an object, instead of hook up points like 3DS Max animation, and assign keys for movement. The main difference between making a scene and a game is the coding, scripts are an integral part of making anything do something, more so than modelling. Almost everything is made because of it, making it the main focus of what we do in Unity. The software we use for coding is the default, Visual Studio. It gets the job done, it has each line and has text, it's not detrimental for coding to have the basics, especially with the average project being three scripts for one or two commands. So, starting out in already familiar territory helps in using Unity, while the tutorials are useful for people that either kinda know what coding should be or don't know any aspect of it at all. Altogether it is pretty fun so far. Back at the end of 2019, there were trailers for two games based on Persona 5, the Royal edition, which is a special re-release edition similar to the Golden or FES editions of Persona, and Persona 5 Scramble. A game that, at first, many people thought was a cash grab based on Persona 5. As more trailers were released, with cut scenes, character reveals, special attacks, and changes to the Warriors style that captured the original game's distinct style. Many people were convinced that Scramble would be worthy of being a sequel to what many people consider to be the JRPG of the decade. As of February 5th 2020, a demo was released for Persona 5 Scramble. Which releases on the 20th for PS4 and Nintendo Switch, in Japan only. In order to download the demo, or buy the game if you really want, you need to have a PSN account or Nintendo Account set to Japanese region, it should be easy to find from there. Persona 5 Scramble is designed after a Warriors game, with similar "beat up a bunch of guys" gameplay. ATLUS originally planned to make a whole Warriors series about all the Persona games. They decided to focus more on Persona 5 during development, and now Scramble is a full fledged Persona 5 sequel, with Joker coming back to Shibuya Ward and meeting up with the Phantom Thieves again. Persona 5 is also designed to be much more light-hearted than Persona 5, with it's world-ending plot and stories of corruption, so it's about the Phantom Thieves travelling Japan for summer vacation. The game starts after Joker, Ryuji, and Morgana are given cards by Alice Hiiragi, a popular idol that happened to be in the area. The cards have the keyword "wonderland" on them, and say to use EMMA, the new navigator app. A name, a keyword, and an app enter cause them all to find themselves in another shadow world in their thief outfits, with Hiiragi as it's ruler. Since anybody with the app can enter, and there are innocents having their soul gem things stolen by shadows, it starts with another plot similar to Mementos that the Phantom Thieves have to stop. Gameplay, alongside the 3D beat 'em up environment, has many mechanics from the fist Persona 5 to not only associate the two mechanic-wise, but actually add to fighting and make it truly feel correct. The major ones are skills, with the same elemental weakness format, all out attacks, which you get after you knock out enough enemies, and even attacks that seem very time sensitive, like gun attacks, which slow time and are quick attacks that knock lots of enemies out, and the "1 more" mechanic being a follow up attack after hitting a persona's weakness. It may seem like a lot, but if you've played the Persona games and understand the mechanics, especially in Persona 5, then it feels almost natural. These mechanics are amazing, the same tools for both games are translated well, and even new mechanics like environmental attacks, attacks from certain places that are oddly similar to the Arkham games, and chance attacks, which are basically miniature all out attacks, all fit together to feel like some alternate universe of Persona 5's release as a 3D fighting game, which is good, different is good. Later in the dungeon, you find a persona mask that Joker can equip, Pixie. When you next use your skills, you can now switch between Arsene's and Pixie's skills. Just like the games, you can switch personas and their abilities while you are queuing up an attack. Another genius change that is original to Persona 5, but is re-purposed to suit the game. Dungeons, also known as palaces or in this game Jails, are still the same formula. Except the platforming in previous games are now more fluid and integrated, due to the full 3D control being throughout combat and exploration instead of changing to turn based battles (which is still fun I'm not complaining), and there being new environmental attacks for ambushes. Party members still exist, I guess. Skull beats people up(what else would he do?), Mona occasionally heals the party while he beats people up, and Sophia, a new character that is an AI (not an android like in a certain game) with the Persona Pithos, also beats people up. It's a Warriors game so party members aren't going to be relied on heavily, although they are useful in drawing attention and healing. You can play as them later in the game, just not in the demo.
The demo ends a little after that, with the set up of another new character, Hasegawa Zenkichi, that's investigating the incidents happening and meeting with the Phantom Thieves, and explaining that these are not palaces, but jails, and with kings, not rules. Overall, it's a nice snapshot into what the game will bring, especially with personas being back in the game, which means even fusing can be a thing again, as seen in the dream sequence with Lavenza and a missing Igor. Positives
Obligatory Score: 3D/10 7For the past couple weeks, we have been finalizing our game for play. The long awaited step to making a game, or making an example of our gaming making potential. Which also means it's the one step that is not fully decided by us, but by people around us. This means that this is the first time we find out if our rules make sense with no explanation. This is the most difficult part to fully explain to people, as we made different mechanics that suited more to a video game, not a board game. This made it hard to really execute any game play, which I don't want to admit in the post-mortem, but we never had enough time or resources to remake certain parts, or make more than we realized. This is were we could've added a grid to the board and decide with how many moves we can make through what setting you had for the character. There could've been more pieces, especially for the boss and companion characters, but due to experimentation and unknowns as to whether we would use these pieces or not prevented us from making more, also I don't want Mr. B filling his schedule for pieces. We never had a way to show how much health was taken, given, or overall shown, it was just a number you felt. So may factors were made without explanation to ourselves for the most part. Not a good base for our game. Which would've meant, back to the drawing board, literally. If we were making a real game then this would've been the first draft, we work rework the whole combat system altogether, along with more use of the die in movement and a grid. The style we used was not what we planned for at all, since most of it was place holders, along with making multiple boards for different levels, along with different pieces, characters/cards, and different items. Not to mention the feedback we got for what we thought were good ideas, like the pieces (apparently one of them broke), the visuals which some saw and some didn't, and *sniff* the tiny weapons being unnecessary. But, that's the way of game design, people not liking it is good, since we know what is better, way better than having a good idea that means mediocre enjoyment. Our overall survey results, many were negative
After making a Game Design Document, you can now start building a piece of your game to show how the rest of the game will resemble. This is an extension of what a prototype is, since we are actually making one these last weeks until winter break.
This piece is a prototype, the first true incarnation of your game. It is a essentially board, with pieces to represent items and figures. This is very similar to an actual board game, although it may have rules that aren't bound to a board, like free movement, it's purpose is to represent a concept before any actual "work" is put into what will be the final game. This prototype will be very, very simple, since if you've already had a very clear idea planned out in detail that you know will work, then why make the prototype? But, such a thing doesn't exist, this is the where you can go back to really iron out issues you may or may not have know you have. Simplicity is key to fixing your game's foundation, with a strong foundation you can build anything out of it. The board and pieces aren't too fancy either, basic shapes that represent environments, along with figures (which we 3D model ourselves) that should be simple and to the point, to keep a very clear idea and to prevent it from taking literal days to print out. These pieces are very fun to play with, which is the point (cause it's a game). Next, the concept should be just as simple, not even the length of a full level (or whatever segments gameplay is split into). This helps to give an example of what your figures would do on the board, reinforcing the strong foundation. In the end, it's a landmark in development to have a concept that could work in this stage of pre-development, it's practically development at this point. This is what separates your game from a passing concept to a real project, very fine achievement. After you make a storyboard, you have a basic idea of the game. But, you can't start developing the game just yet, you have to resolve some discrepancies and inconsistencies with your ideal game. This is where the Game Design Document, or GDD, comes into play. The GDD tells anybody, developers or anybody not associated with the game, what the (initial) idea is for the game, in full detail. The full detail is very important, everything from what type of mechanics and features are in the game, to demographics and specific releases, it is the "hard and fast rules" when it comes to designing games. There are two types of GDDs, full 500 page bricks of paper that go into very fine detail of what the game will become, or one page visual pieces that are easier to follow. These are important since you need a game to be focused, to avoid any unnecessary or really out of place features. It's just as Mr. Bourgeois says, "if it isn't in the GDD, it probably won't make it into the game." After you make the Game Design Document, you need a prototype, a pen and paper example of how your game is truly going to play out. It's sorta like a storyboard, but you can physically go out and "play" it. The level is drawn on paper, and important mechanics are represented by some type of piece, it could be anything small enough to associate with in game items or characters. This is really important, as it can make sure you resolve any problems you could have with player interactions, since you have a guinea pig to test whether players will act well with the idea. These are the last steps until the game goes into development, after the Post Mortem, a reflection on what worked or what didn't work in your process. The Game Design Document Made From The previous Steps
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JamesHe aspires to be a game designer, let's just hope he gets there. He also happens to goes to DSA. Categories
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