For our current unit for AGAD, we had to put together our fire hydrant and outpost that we made in the last quarter along with our level in Unity.
Sounds really basic, but this is actually kinda cool in my eyes, since this is pretty much what assembling a video game is like. Just another step in the game design process we actually get to put our hands on. The problem is that is takes a lot of work, miss one piece and the whole thing just looks off. I already learned this the hard way from the Outpost Project, I didn't get to put a texture on my water tower so it's just looked really really out of place amongst the wooden beams and concrete towers. Which also comes to another problem that is mostly my fault... I didn't make the fire hydrant. This comes back to the whole structure of the GAD class that makes it a little unbearable. The additive style of projects makes it so if you miss one piece, you're going to have to make it up in some way. You have to be doing them anyway, but you can't really get them all so you're stuck in a weird place sometimes, thank god Mr. B is pretty chill on some things. Trying my best not to go more off a rant right now, so I'll just say that we're doing more real work for game design.
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The last assignment we had to do was to make a game. A short simple platforming game that was actually really open ended, as long as it was textured and playable then it's all good. We didn't even have to submit the code and game, we just needed a video so no weird coding errors (everyone starting out has them) can be actively looked for. Sounds like a fun project, and it actually really was, considering I thought I'd never actually finish it. For one, the open ended part was really important, as long as our objects were textured, we can move, and we can jump on platforms, it's all right. So the best way I could think up an idea was, oddly enough, just looking through the Unity Asset Store had a lot of finds (for free). The one that really made me want to make a moon gravity game was a Planetary Walker script, it basically made the player stick to planets Mario Galaxy style. The second was a model for this small astronaut, he/she was short so it was easy to platform with, along with the fact he came with a walk animation meant all I needed to do was add a walk/jump script and two levels at that point. The funny thing was that I did all of this in one day, I wasted my time talking to Judah for the first week. But I actually really do enjoy this project because it really does feel like I made something, albeit pretty small and doesn't work half the time. whoooooa
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. 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. |
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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