Game Development // Task 1: Game Proposal

1.9.2023- 29.9.2023 (Week 1 - Week 5)
Britney Chow Pei Jun / 0350043 / BDCM
Game Development
Task 1: Game Proposal

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LECTURES/EXERCISES

WEEK 1

In this week's class, we are required to review a game made by our seniors.

Fig 1.1; Reaper Test Game; sauce: TDS Gamezone;

Although the graphic of this game does not feel as good as the other game in Gamezone. However, it is still nice as it uses simple shapes and design, the colors used in the game does not feel very out of place, the background also feels alright, but for my first time playing this game, I did not know about the environment of the game. Furthermore, the music chosen also able to fit in to the game itself. The story of the game is nice as there's a goal behind it. Due to the limitations the developer faces, there won't be more to the story. Moreover, the movement of the character is slightly "slippery" as it sometimes slipped even though players stop controlling the character. Fighting system in the game is also a little tricky. Despite that, I think the game developer did a great job in making the game. 

Fig 1.2; Certificate; 

I have now become a Grim Reaper. Overall, the game is really great, the user interface of the game look simple yet able to make players understand the instructions, the game shows challenge as players really have to try out a few times to get to the end, while a lot of the mechanics of the game seems simple, I believe it is not as easy as it seems. 

WEEK 2 

In this class, our lecturer lectured us on the basics of game development and also how to generate ideas, no matter if it's on game or something else. 

Fig 1.2; Game Design Slide; Week 2

My notes:

Game Dev Components:

• Game Art
  • Focuses more on the aesthetics of the game
  • Eg: Environment, Character designs and UI/UX designs (Play Design).
  • For TDS: Characters, Environment, Props (interactable(s), decos,)
• Game Design
  • Process of designing the content and rules
  • Design of gameplay, environment, storyline and characters.
  • Envisions how a game will work
  • Required skills: artistic, technical and writing skills
• Game Technology

Elements of A Game:

• Story
  • How what happens
  • Affects someone
  • In pursuit of a difficult goal
  • How he or she changes
  • Story Spine/Spline:
    • Exposition
    • Conflict
    • Climax
    • Resolution
• Gameplay
  • Challenge
    • Making it difficult for the player to achieve the game objectives
    • Using different types of enemies, obstacles, terrain, environment and more
    • Adding punishments
  • Strategy
    • Should be able to think of a solution to overcome the difficult situations
  • Chance
    • Make the game more fun to play
    • Help prolong the life of the player
    • In various forms, most of time it’s in the form of “Rewards”
    • Giving advantages to players to overcome the level
  • Choice
    • Common in RPG where you have dialogues in the game
    • The choice will affect the ending
    • Nice to have in the game as to not make it too direct (only shooting or only solving puzzles)
  • Luck
    • Luck can be programmed
    • Does not present all the time
    • Triggered when players are “stuck”
    • Some sort of bigger “rewards”
    • Eg: Chance of appearing is higher when player health is low.

Fig 1.3; Game Ideation; Week 2;

My notes

Game Ideation

• 4 Methods:
• Brainstorming
  • Disadvantages: Some people are reserved
  • In a group, this will affect the end result
• Brainwriting 6-3-5
  • 1 person creating an idea and pass it around, others can add their own ideas or modify.
• Scamper
  • Substitute, combine, adapt, modify, put to another use, eliminate, reverse
• 3(I)
• Incorporate / include
• Improve
• Inverse/invert

Class Exercise: 

Create a game using the above ideation methods:

Fig 1.4; Game Ideation Class Exercise (Group Project); Week 3;

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INSTRUCTIONS

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PROGRESSION

In this project, we need to start brainstorming ideas for our game. First, I think that doing some research will help me in getting ideas. Below is my game proposal

Game Proposal: 

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FEEDBACK

Specific Feedback:
Your first idea will be quite difficult to do as you mentioned "parkour", the coding part will be difficult since you need to do something like sticky walls, hang on the wall and more. The second idea seem more doable. 

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REFLECTION

For this module, I'm actually very excited in making my first own game. I have a lot of ideas going on in my head on how exactly I want my game to be. Since young, I have played games and I thought perhaps I can take the games I have played as a reference to the game that I want to make. However, when it really comes down to think it with full details and whatnot, it can proved to be very difficult. I would often find myself stuck on some stuff, for example, whether I can make it or not, or will it meet my expectations, will I have enough to complete so many things? And to be really honest, 14 weeks to make a game completely from scracth is very difficult, and plus we also have other modules that we need to busy ourselves with. While completing this project, I have numerous times think that game developers are really amazing to be able to develop really good games even when the time is short or when they are limited in their resources. Fortunately, my lecturer helps us a lot in refining our game ideas, he gives us good suggestions on how to improve and we changed it according to his feedback and also to our own preference that would make it better. Thus, even with the difficulties that I have faced in this project, I think that it's a very interesting experience. 

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