Task 1 - Game Design Document

25.09.2024 - 23.10.2024
Michael Chan Henn Loong / 0363611
Game Development / BA of Design (HONS) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Task 1 & Exercises

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LECTURES

Week 3
In week 3 we started our first lesson on Unity, Dr. Razif gave us some time on playing around with the components, mass and stuff in the unity and taught us how it is easier to make all these now comparing to the old days as Unity provides us the physics needed for the gameplay to work as in their generation the physics are codded by their own very hands.

Fig 1.0, First try Unity, 18.10.2024

I'm getting hands-on with Unity for the first time, experimenting with the interface and basic features that Mr. Razif taught us in the class. Adding in rigid body provides the subject physics like gravity pull.

Fig 1.1, Collider Component, 18.10.2024

Adding a collider to the object to detect collisions and enhance gameplay physics. With collider the square can stop on the platform without a collider the square will fall through as in Fig 1.0.

Fig 1.2, Adding mass to the square, 18.10.2024

In Fig 1.2 I’m adjusting the mass to make the physics more realistic for objects in the game. I found out with different mass there will be all sorts of results too.

Fig 1.3, First try Catapult, 18.10.2024

Fig 1.4, Final try Catapult, 18.10.2024

As for these 2 its actually my tries on making the catapult, I mean the bar fell off but it still get the job done right ? so I guess its a mission failed successfully. I personally like the second catapult more as it seems more like it ? like the thing flew high dropped down looking heavy as hell feels more like a catapult to me.

Fig 1.5, Front fast(Left), Front slow(Right) , 18.10.2024

So this is the example of the vehicle after adjusting the speed of it.

Fig 1.6, Speed code, 18.10.2024

This is where I'm adjusting the speed of objects with , ensuring the car mechanics respond accurately to the inputs.

Fig 1.7, left / right animation

Fig 1.8 , Direction codes (left), Rotation codes (right)

I'm adding directional animations and rotation codes to improve the car's movements.

Week 4

In Week 4 we have another lesson on Unity learning on how to implement basic gameplay. As usual Mr. Razif sent us the drive link and followed Mr. Razif instructions on how to insert the codes and stuff.

Fig 2.0, Left, right and shooting

In this Fig I'm testing out whether the left right controls and shooting codes are working.  

Fig 2.1, Projectiles out of bounds

As Mr. Razif said in class we need to control the items we use in the project like after shooting the projectiles if we don't destroy it, it's going to keep flyting and as it accumulate our system will not be able to stand it. So in the right image showing how the code is inserted to destroy the projectiles.

Fig 2.2, Animals out of bounds

I've also added in the destroy object script into the animals to prevent them from keep running outside the map.

Fig 2.3, Sorting animals into element

In this image it showed on how I insert the animals into their own elements so that its possible for the spawn manage code to work.

Fig 2.4, Without spawnpos

Fig 2.5, With spawmpos

In Fig 2.4 & 2.5 we can see the difference of using spawnpos and without it. Without spawnpos the animals will only spawn in one line but with spawnpos they will form randomly on the map.

Fig 2.6, Own spawn

And with the own spawn we no longer need to spam the button manually to spawn the animals we only need to apply the script to all the animals and adjust the time of the spawning and they will spawn on their own.

Fig 2.7, Edit Collider

Here we are editing the collider for the animals so when we shoot our projectiles the codes can sensor it and destroy the animals.

Fig 2.8, Game Over & Code

In the Pdf sir sent us also taught us to put in a game over code in case the animals got passed the character without being "destroyed" in the console there will be a Game over letting us know that we've lost the game.

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INSTRUCTION

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As I missed out the first class of the Game Development module I have no idea what happened. So I messaged my friends to ask for more information on what happened during the class, and I get to know that this semester is going to be hard and stressful due to both Experiential Design and Game Development shouldn't be taken in one same semester as they both consist a lot of work so they told me Sir Razif recommended us to drop either one. Well we'll see how things go and decide whether I'm dropping the module. 

So after asking my friends I knew that in Sir Razif gave us an exercise on analyzing an existing game in the link he provided and submit it latest by Sunday 1159pm.

EXERCISES:

-Week 1: Critical Analysis of an existing game

So I got the link from my friend and took a look in the website, didn't know there's a dev zone like this in Taylor's it's my first time knowing this and seeing how everyone is making games here make me feel energetic to go through this module too

Fig 1.0, Taylor's Design School Game Dev Zone , (9.09.2024)

So I chose Adam's Nightmare by Matthias Lim Shou En and tried out the game for a bit. From my POV its a traditional platform game with puzzle solving mechanisms the controls are easy to execute and the controls are easy to understand too, there's not too much of complicated mechanics just moving around, puzzle solving and some pull push actions.

Like other platformers movement and jumping are centerpiece mechanics in Adam's Nightmare. These parts seem simple and lack the refinement and smoothness found in most indie games. The basic mechanics depletes the complexity of the gameplay and while puzzles are present they fail to bring further challenge to the player which lowers enduring participation.

The task of grabbing items and manipulating levers in the puzzle solving improves the ease of the conventional platforming approach. But I think it could have offered more challenging or varied challenges. The challenges often stick to recognizable patterns that will boring to some players.

The game has a simplified or maybe minimalist visual that gives off the "Limbo" or "Inside" vibes but even the game has simplified visuals that suit its theme well, it declines to explore all its potential. Platform games usually succeed through colorful and varied landscapes that stand out against the character's story. The game's bleak scenery and low-quality textures showing that more polishing are required.

Fig 2.0, Adam's Nightmare by Matthias Lim Shou En ,  (9.09.2024) 

Fig 3.0, Adam's Nightmare by Matthias Lim Shou En ,  (9.09.2024)

And there are also few bugs that I've encountered while playing the game such as shown above in Fig 2.0 & 3.0 in 2.0 the character can run straightaway to the opposite of the land without using the boat and not sure whether it's my controls problem or anything the boat wont budge. In 3.0 My character fell out the map and I cant restart the level which I needed to refresh the game and start all over from stage 1 again. 

Overall I think Adam's Nightmare provides a strong base for new developers and is a good project for first timer. With more knowledge and skills it can be turned into a potential indie game.

Task 1: Game Design Proposal

Progress-

So I started with browsing through my steam account library checking out what games and genre are actually suitable for me to take into account and use it as a reference to create my very first game of my own. I personally likes game that provides different ending, choices and probably more "Dark" themed and souls like game. Our final project would be to create a 2D platform game so I went through most of the 2D platform games that I've played before and came out with 5 references or maybe I would say inspiration that I'm using for my proposal.

So attached below is my references and ideation of the three rough proposal.

So this is the proposal I made, these 3 idea's story are more emotional rather than being some sort of  "shounen" or hot blooded story as I personally prefer this sort more, and due to the liking of soul based game I'm planning to make the games more souls like maybe like Blasphemous that is mentioned inside the slides. So it might be something like the MC only consist of 3 health for each level or some sort of thing like that.

Below is the final slides for task 1

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGUPtUpOlQ/f_Mf8hxtQ5_E9ahshDK4Og/edit?utm_content=DAGUPtUpOlQ&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

I made the canva slides quite simple most of the details are in the google documents this canva slides only serves as a presentation slides for me.

And I've also noticed that Mr. Razid asked us to record the presentation video with our face cam on I've tried using the canva presentation plus recording function but after i recorded for 4/5 times it still pops up with the error thingy and my presentation just goes to waste.

Fig 3.1, Canva face recording error

So I didn't really recorded my face in the presentation but only with audio and here's the presentation or the game proposal.

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REFLECTION

This is definitely my favorite module this semester, and I’m absolutely loving the process of understanding game design. The fact that I’m learning how to develop a game myself feels like one of the best opportunities I could ask for, especially since I’m aiming to work in game related job one day if possible. I decided to make a sad, dark vibe game because it’s one of my personal favorites. It allows me to create a emotional story and game concept, where I can add strange and creative details as I see fit.

A reminder for my future self would be to stay realistic about my abilities and keep in mind what can actually be done within the given timeframe. There are many more mechanics, ideas, and details I wanted to include in the game proposal, but I held back from overloading it who knows maybe I'll get to continue further developing this for my FYP or major project. 

Overall, I’m really happy with my progress so far and excited to turn this into a fully functioning game. I just hope I can finish everything on time while balancing my other modules. I’m expecting this to be both a fun and challenging learning experience.