Game Design Document

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Link to my Game Design Document that I will be changing every week as I progress with my game and make final decisions. --> https://www.dundoc.com/project/4781/oboli7vfwz

Unity Tutorial 5

Hi There

So this week I dived into "Brackey's Unity tutorial on his tower defense project. I am currently as of today on episode 7 titled "camera" which I'd assume is for the user to navigate around the map I'm yet to watch it. 

As I searched YouTube for tutorials based on tower defense on Unity, I only found 1 other reliable source and that is "InScope Studios". His approach is more like what I'd like to approach but the mechanics and information from Brackey's tutorial is still helpful. 

I haven't started InScope's tutorial yet but will indefinitely and I will look someone else for a third perspective on Unity with the same genre. May that be Vimeo or Dailymotion etc....

Each tutorial on both channels average around 10-25 minutes depending on the subject. So as of now those two tutorials and one other is where I find the influence and knowledge to implement into my final product also. 

I've learned quiet a bit with Brackey's videos so far in terms of shortcuts with commands with the keyboard and the coding involved with Visual Studio for values and movements with objects and characters.  

So over the weekend I will continue to watch both and find another view and then rewatch next week as I start to create my game for help and revision. I want a basic foundation of how this game will look with these guys and make my own changes on the way. 

Brackey's Tutorial 

InScope Tutorial 

Games GDD

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This week's reading was obviously on "Accessibility" with game design. I get that factor of the workload. It was a good in depth read for a more understanding. I've only noticed these situations with any product the last 2 years as I've been creating projects it's range of audience has to reach as many as possible to give everyone a change to play without problems. 

I've always seen these settings in games. First thing I do when I open a new game is I check the settings. To configure the game I haven't played yet to my style whether it's volume of music or subtitles at most. 

I've also seen recently other players just experiment even with the accessibility, trying out other colors for icons and symbols and huds too. Sometimes other colours go better with the style of you or the game other than the designer's perspective. 

I get the responsibility for including this in our games, I will consider it for sure.   

Unity Tutorial 3

Finished product from the tutorial 

I enjoyed creating this scene in Unity's Game Engine. To be able to implement code
to cause actions is exciting knowing you aren't just creating objects without life. That's why I am excited to create my game for my main assignment.

I've done similar work in the past although it wasn't created to move but to look like itself and that was being a clock. So in terms of modelling I knew already what is what like to create it but to add code into a game engine like this is my first time and I'm happy with the outcome.

Looking forward to the next tutorials also, I learned certain code for the movements required for the hands and also childs involving lists. I didn't know they same settings can be set to numerous objects of the previous if known as a child. Might be helpful in the future.

Games MDA

Having a more field of depth in terms of readying yourself and your game for consumers is the most important factor. After this weeks reading I have more width and knowledge about those factors now. Hearing and reading experienced members of game designers in their field of work talk about such thing in so much depth brings awareness and consideration towards our assignments.

I enjoyed this reading as anything about this topic doesn't bore me, Knowing what to look for to advance your knowledge about creating games is ever more helpful. I never heard of the MDA term til today. Knowing the capabilities that can be done under these 3 topics and which should be valued more with your time is essential basis for the foundation of game making.

I will try my very best to implement these factors into my game.

https://gamedesignconcepts.wordpress.com/2009/07/13/level-5-mechanics-and-dynamics/

This link is a seperate blog based on the same topic I am currently in the process of reading also due to the even more depth of conversation based on MDA and feedback. 

Game Idea Research

Conclusion:

I've decided to pursuit the idea of a tower defense game. I reckon most other people will pick first person shooters or adventures but I want to create something in the same category I grew up loving and that is strategy/tower defense/building game. They basic mechanics I will include is as follows; 

Source

These are the mechanics I will like to interconnect with my game. Off course they will be manipulated to suit my end goal. 

My influence of style will be "Plants vs Zombies" in terms of look/aesthetic. It will be animated/cartoon based and off course that will be the only influence for that game. 

I would like to set a plain field of that you can place your towers anywhere and upgrade them to best suit your approach of play and the detail will be high on the attackers in terms of style and information. 

I will be following "Brackeys" youtube tutorial as off late and will try to introduce other tutorials of different perspectives on tower defense. 

That is all I have this weekend. 

Games Elements and Discussions

Opinion on the reading this week:

I thought that read was always necessary in my opinion. Having the world around the character seem involving and engaging and having an higher purpose is a good approach to have. I've definitely gave that some thought when I come to terms with me creating it. I don't just want to do it for visual elements but to be also interactive, to have motion and meaning to help evolve and tell that story also that I am trying to tell.

Ingredients like weather change or map movement can give emphasis on that at least, depending on your idea of the game narrows it down to your possibilities and imaginative creation. Knowing to take a step back and give everything a think of having a purpose I will note on it for further projects.

Other Articles where I found interest:

http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/AndrewErridge/20181004/327885/Building_a_Multiplayer_RTS_in_Unreal_Engine.php

http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/JustinReeve/20180919/326814/Realism_and_Legibility_in_OpenWorld_Level_Design.php

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/328059/Leaving_the_comforts_of_linear_design_behind_to_create_the_first_Assassins_Creed.php

First link brought information regarding how developers remain consistency with MMO games with their methods of math and peer to peer data information. I didn't comprehend how dependent a multiplayer server can rely on an individual player's computer or device. Multiplayer games having worrying data usage and the factors that hinder the performance determines on the players based on a peer to peer server. This information can be helpful in the future if Game Development is the move forward. 

Second link brought the attention to detail about mental mind mapping for the player, What does each place contribute to your journey and how ground based the idea is. The example "Breath Of The Wild" was used and was convincingly shown how mind mapping occurs with simplicity. Placing significant structures close to towns and having biomes splitting the districts is a unique approach to have. 

Third link brings understanding on a subjective manner using an example like Assassin's Creed. Controlling the player's movements in a open world game but not limiting their options of progression onwards in the game. They'd highlight crucial places to go and kept on track with some cutscenes to provide flow and movement in 1 direction when chosen. The developer of the game gave an example of emphasis on this subject with giving the players the iconic action now of a "Leap of Faith" to gain access suddenly on a lower level on the map for fluency. 

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It's an consideration to have for sure. 

Brainstorming Game Ideas

For my first idea;

 I would like to create a narrow driven based puzzle game. A character sets out on a path to engage in activities like puzzles, riddles and mysteries regarding multiple varieties of subjects. This will be a 3D environment with layered levels and maps with as much detail as possible.

This map will have multiple terrains/biomes (Snow, Forrest, Desert, Swamp) as I will attempt to mix science with history. They will interactive with each other in the map layout and with the activities the character.  It will be as simplistic as possible in terms of design with Unity's graphic engine for my sake as I do not want to think overboard of it and it ends up being uncompleted.

The goal is to teach the user with the mysteries and puzzles of facts they may not know and possibly learn more about their character as progress continues.

Second Idea: 

 This will be a 3D environment character ventures throughout a small town sprinting between building and building to avoid killer birds. The Character is delusional when he wakes up in a small common shop. Each building will have unique tools and weapons to help this character better to understand what is going on and to defend himself. These birds are carnivorous and can kill your character when swarmed and stay away from windows.

 Birds can still be attracted to food (seeds) or other meat. Weapons will include to fend off the birds will be flare guns, flash lights, other light sources and incendiary shotgun rounds . Flash grenades and smoke grenades also include if I can. The character picks up collectibles if he chooses to remember why he's here or what his purpose is. It will only be based in a town so one open level. 

Third Idea:

This will be a 2D based game where you are a hexagon. You've been separated by your group where you belong with the other hexagons in this asymmetric world that constantly changes with you journey back to your group. You've to decide how to get home with the map having multiple pathways which not all end well and will change everything you respawn. 

There will be multiple levels each gets more difficult than the last. You will have abilities to change into different shapes to gain access to hidden safe pathways or possibly other rewards if you do come across these abilities they will be rare. As mentioned this world will change to fight against you so you journey throughout this world in all forms: upside down, backwards, downwards and there maybe events that cause you to hover and avoid objects. 

I might avoid this predicament but i might include customization to the shapes too so everyone can play differently I'm not too sure yet. 

Fourth Idea:

This will be a 2D based game also. I've blown this way out of the park 😂😂😂😂. I want to create a tower defense game based on the human skin. You're goal is to defend waves of bacteria from reaching the bloodstream and causing traumatic infections and viruses. There will be multiple types of bacteria with stronger health and speed and will cause more damage. I think this can be educational if played by kids it can help them notice and identify bacteria and what treats them. 

The defending towers will be food types and symptoms for each pacific germ/bacteria. Other towers can hurt other germs more than others. To make it interesting also every 3 rounds or so the germs will drop a tactical map if they are killed showing how they will attack every round so you can organise you towers. For example trade in 1 tower for the other and re organise them. You will be able to re place you're towers as the germs will have different routes towards the bloodstream. 

If you don't kill the germ holding the map he will surpass you and you won't know what's coming next to prepare therefore it gets chaotic. I will try a more delight approach so it will be colourful and PG friendly. 

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I can honestly say I'm looking forward to this assignment. 

 

Game Design

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OMG!!! That was alot of reading and harder to do when you're tired 😂. Once again this week I am amazed about the subject of conversation here. The gaming industry can be quite over saturating at times especially with the same genres been pushed every year, It's an annoyance. I haven't delved into the history of games in those times and that much detail. It's awesome how people over the years have always tried to improve and even different countries and nations competing for the better games with simpler titles.

Before today I didn't even know the term euro game existed, I thought board games where board games and where more suited and targeted for physically skilled based like Chess. To have their own category and argument to strike better teachings and learning of longer games with as even more interest and to discuss about attention span shortening as time goes on. Also simplifying the creation for the designer as they only focus on the design for the most time.

I do agree that even now times are difficult to create something that isn't influenced or parodied by something else with familiarly. Original ideas are hard to come by but aren't necessarily impossible, Even a intermediate mindset for storytelling can trigger some unknown ideas. It's experimentation and you should always expect to fail but don't work towards it. It's a process of learning even if it's generic with a big franchise name or title involved with it. Smaller indie games and independent companies do and can make "game changing" projects. 

Tips and tricks for the process of avoiding common problems with creating online platform games has helped, My approach will be more subtle, will have more heart and passion that what I was planning for it.