Homework 3: First Objects

Blender 9mm Pistol

UPDATE: I carelessly deleted the file of the original 9mm pistol when I decided to remake it into a better version for the game. This link now points to version 2 of the pistol which includes separate components and animations. Still, it looks almost identical to the original, I simply created it using fewer vertices so that it would be less resource intensive.  It now has a trigger, but still lacks a magazine and a proper barrel. The top of the gun is now separate.

This is a model I made of a 9mm pistol. It is modeled after a Taurus 24/7. It lacks a magazine and trigger, which would have to be animated separately. In fact, I regret joining the top section of the gun to the rest of it, since it would need to move in a firing animation. Still, I am proud of this as my first object, and it should be easy enough to create an improved version from scratch, having already done it once. In our game, we plan on having separate gun parts hidden across the game world, so I will probably need to model each component separately, and then make a model of a complete working gun. If the character finds all of the parts, which is optional, she will be able to use the gun in the end boss fight, improving her chances of surviving.

Homework 6: Elements and Theme

1. For each of the four elements of the Tetrad, explain how it is addressed by your game. If one of the four elements is not used, please state this.

•           Mechanics: Our mechanics will hopefully enhance the experience of exploration and mystery in our game. These include puzzles, deadly obstacles, a non-linear game structure, and the ability to collect important items which enhance either the plot or increase the player's chance of survival. The player should feel eerily alone but self-reliant.
•           Aesthetics: We haven't really started building the visual elements of the game yet. I think that we will be limited in the creation of convincing aesthetics because we don't have anyone who specializes in that area. It is probably the most daunting aspect of the game to me, especially since great aesthetics in games have always been very important to me. Ideally, though, the aesthetics of our game would be eery and isolating, also foreboding and ominous.
•           Story: Our story is a work in progress, but we have a good framework. It is a mystery about a scientist who caused everybody in the city to disappear while experimenting with a new technology or weapon. The player will find herself in the aftermath and be presented with what happened. The interesting story of how and why it happened (the events leading up to the event) will be revealed by journal pages which the character must find in order to progress to a final confrontation with the antagonist.
•           Technology: We have decided to give our game a 2D sidescrolling camera persepective. While this limits exploration, it is much more feasible for the scale of this project and it makes platforming easier for for the developers and the player. The believability of our world will be directly related to how well we are able to master modeling, animation, and texturing.

2. Do the four (or less) elements work towards a current theme? 

•           If it was up to me, there would be two main themes for the game: the fear of finding yourself alone, and the experience of solving a mystery. I think the team is on the same page, or at least close to being on the same page. I think that the separate elements of our game will work together well to reinforce these themes, keeping in mind my doubt about the aesthetics. I think, on the mechanics side, that making the game somewhat difficult and unforgiving (but fair) would go a long way.

3.  In your own words,  describe the meaning of a "theme", and how does it differ from an "experience" (see book for examples in Chapters 2 and 5).

•           I have always been taught as an English student that a theme is the central idea of a narrative. Games are more complicated than narratives, so the definition of theme must be different. I would say that a theme in a game is a central idea created by a combination of all of its elements. FOr example, if I wanted a cybernetic theme, I would have a futuristic story, futuristic aesthetic designs including art direction and score, a technological looking user interface, and high-end graphics. The mechanics could reinforce the theme by creating missions that involve using/fixing/destroying computers/robots/other technology.

4.  What is your game's theme?

•          I think the simplest expressions of our game's themes are isolation, exploration and self-reliance. They all kind of go together as one supertheme. For a game with similar themes, see The Last of Us  by Naughty Dog.

5. What are the elements in your game that are meant to reinforce this theme?

•           The lack of ordinary people in the city is a major story/mechanics aspect of this theme. The presence of traps and omnipresent danger could also contribute mechanically. Aesthetically, I think that we should choose a grim-looking color palette, but one that is unique. Perhaps the environments could portray sudden disappearance -- objects left in disorder where people were using them when they disappeared (crashed cars in the street, a vacuum cleaner left in the middle of a hallway, trays of food on the floor, etc. The journal pages and the pieces of a gun hidden throughout the game will contribute to the exploration theme in a mechanical way and will tie into the mystery/discovery aspect of the story. I hope that the character will be able to move freely back and forth between a couple of buildings to create at least some illusion of freedom//agency.

6. What is it about your game that you feel makes it special and powerful?

•  I believe our game is compelling because it will allow players to experience a sequence of events which is plausible and terrifying, but is unlikely to happen in real life. The game's experience should resonate with several human fears and longings, such as feeling isolation, desiring answers and accountability, building confidence and self-reliance, etc. The gameplay should also be excellent, thrilling, and satisfying.

Homework 4: Teamwork

Teamwork

1. It's hard to know if I love my game because we don't have it ironed out yet. We have a general idea of the narrative concept, but different ideas about how to implement the gameplay. We need to communicate more, hopefully getting all five of us on the same page soon.

2. I'm not sure whether the team loves the project. I havent met with the others enough to know. I know everyone is excited about what our game could be, but we all seem to be concerned that we don't have any experienced artists or modelers.

3. We are communicating well, but not enough. I still haven't had the opportunity to met Ryan in person. It is partially my fault for missing a class and a meeting which I wasn't told about because the team planned it after the class I missed and forgot to tell me about it.

4. The team wants to meet regularly on Fridays because they're all available, but I can't make it every Friday. I'm going out of town this weekend and a weekend in October. I'm not sure how to handle this situation, but I proposed attending the meeting this week via video or text chat.

5. We communicate mostly through the notebook, briefly before and after class, and sometimes by e-mail. Everyone seems to be respectful and good listeners. I like and respect my team members.

6. We must remember to keep the essential elements of our game: exploration, platforming, puzzles, and a mysterious atmosphere. Also, we must remember that story is important because it is our strength.

City-building Games

I found this really interesting village-based game: http://www.townsgame.com/

I know it's a popular one, but Civilization V is my favorite "city-building" (also nation/empire building) game of all time and I aspire to make a game even half as fun and addictive:
 http://civilization.wikia.com/wiki/Civilization_V

First Post!

Hi! I'm Jared. I love video games. I can't wait to design an engaging and innovative platformer with my team this semester. Follow my progress here!

I promise this video works, I just don't have anything on-screen for the first 40 seconds or so:

And here is a drawing of the island where most of my family lives, created by yours truly: