conclusion

well time for the wrap up of my game idea it was fun had its ups and downs but for the moment its in hiatus. so its been chalanging all in all it was a good experiance i mean seeing how long it takes just to make a small level let alone an entire game so thats one of the things i did learn that im not going to go off by myself and make a game =) but that it requiers team work. well what i learnt to really sum it all up comes down to a few things firstly how to make an object in your level suit the enviorment as well as the adjacent textures for example making objects small so that my textures suit each other without having massively noticable gaps in the terrain allso the time it takes to produce, texture and place 3d models one more thing which is a very strong level enviorment challenge is i learnt on how to make items that are in my level flow with one another i mean its one thing to go off and make a heap of assets and then plonk them in a level but to do that and make the level realistic in appearance and in graphical design i mean you can go off and make a diamond chair but you wouldent place it in a cafe in town well that really sums it up anything else really is just increasing my word count and placing rubbish in so this is matt out.

Well with some thought on the Main “Bad Guys” was thinking a wolf kind of beast as you may of seen with some of my previous borrowed concepts so I started to move on to make my own the one of the beast standing I didn't like to much because my initial idea for the beast was a four legged monster with the ability to run very fast and some of those gnarly teeth so I have gone with the second idea I think the armour made from a bone like substance makes it a little more plausible for a space monster anyway that’s what I’ve decided for the monster of yea so I don’t forget the beast has a smoke effect it emits whenever it is alive like a black smoke substance no reason just thought it would look cool like the first beast I uploaded to the monster blog.

Controls

Ok well I hadn’t really put any thought into my controls purely because I just assumed that it would be standard fps controls with weapons on numbers, move the wasd keys and left click for reload so I put some thought into it and well I figured that rather my game would be an rpg style instead of the fps which I originally intended it to be. So I put some thought into it once again and came up with this. I based it off the game oblivion and fallout 3 because for the style of game i thaught it to be very effective i was originally going to base it around a half life life control system however this was not sutiable for my genre and was very restricting as far as invintory was concerned.

Gui and invintory ok so the gui and such are fairly easy the gui is standard fps layout but with the old style object bar down the bottom very simulare to wow in a way as for your invintory it is allso a bit like wow with the ability to add weapons and armor and veiw stats at the same time nothing really else to explain.

As far as hud/gui is concerned health will be displayed as a old health bar i do not enjoy the use of the red tint on the screen, there is no backing for this development just personal prefrence. damage will be dealt realistically simular to fallout but much more exstensive where a wounded limb will inhabit the player of all or most movment. Invintory will be simular to world of warcraft where you click and drag weapons and armour onto the players silouet or image.

Sound

Ok so I was thinking abit about sound for my level like ambiance as well as lighting and things like that and well a little while back I drew up some maps for lights and things I’ve yet to get allot of information onto the blog mostly because my scanner is incognito, anyway so most of my time has been spent on texturing so not much has really come along nearly finished the subway and well I'm falling behind glad the texturing is done was hard enough getting textures ow yea I forgot to mention that all the assets used so far are 100% made and owned by me pretty proud of that well won’t be for much longer there are allot of assets I have made that I haven’t published I guess I better get the list of what I’ve done up and the see how well if fits into the scope of my level.

ok back to the sound of the level ok so in the subway the only noise after you get off the train really is only the low humming of an echo of the station tunnels and the every now and again drop of water so really i cant map out the sounds only because its all ambient now for my upper level once again its a simulare problem i cannot map it out because the saound is nothing but ambience the sound of birds chirping and the soft wind of a dead quiet city and a few very distant alarms ... fire alarms anyway thats all there is for sound i mean if i where to make the whole game deffinatly the sounds i am using for ambience now would have a place eg the fire alarm but in this small design scal they cannot be used in the enviorment.

The Top side

Ok so i have decided to start work on the uper level of well my level, the small shopping complex and the towers that make up the level. for the moment im going to avoid modeling the train because i have attempted a few times and the object that it is makes it hard to model as well as the fact i need to be able to be inside the train well ill get to that soon going to make a quick layout of the top side then im will start my model list.

ok so the top side well ive decided to make it a little more natural then first intended, because the first idea i had was smack in the middle of the city now was thinking of being on the outer side of the city on a river bank or beach of some description heres a small scribble of what i think it should look like =)

DUH!!!!

Ok so i have solved my subway dellema, it was a simple and yet hidden problem somthing i over looked a few times so here it is, the problem was that i was saving the images with a low "DPI" and so no matter how big the textures where they where still shotty at best all well its all fixed have nearly gotten the subway done need to do the upper street soon first need to map it out and the to model the buildings well cheers.

Ok so I have done some experimenting and have realised that it will be better to just make the segment of the whole subway one piece this does sacrifice on quality a little bit but performance wise it is allot better and I don’t have any problems with gaps in the planes once it gets imported into unity. So one segment is modelled and the train tracks are as well I also need to do a seat so ill get some reference for it now. While I'm doing that I might model the pylons that will give the subway its believable structural integrity. As far as seats were concerned I was thinking of a combination of the three below with possibly less wood panels to reduce pollies a quick estimate of the object and I have calculated it to be around 300 at the maximum pollies well I am going to model it now and see how many I can make.

Subway solution

Ok so I’ve found a solution for the subway if I make each wall independent of each other I can then apply each map this allows me to use a smaller uvw because each wall takes up the entire space of the renderable area however this will increase the amount of verts I have and possible slow performance, I will have to test this and see how it goes.

subway problems

Ok so I started to model the subway well there’s a problem, in order to save on polys I decided to make the subway section one single object this is also going to help later because I can reuse the same track section to create a new level in the future anyway I was then going to texture it with a uvw unwrap, well the problem is that the uvw unwrap is of a smaller size then my textures and by shrinking them I lose the quality of the originals and then the overall texture comes out looking horrible and if I increase the size of my uvw unwrap it increases the size of the file almost tenfold, lol last had it at 192mb. So I'm going to try increasing the dpi and messing with the file size and see what happens.

First level priority list

Ok so I was doing some level design and have made a blue print of sketch so now I can start with my item list, I will proceed by making an item priority list. I need to get a few items modelled ASAP before I can do any more on the level. So here is the priority list.
Priority List








So the very first level of my game is somewhat simple consisting of only a few items I may add some more items to the list once I have the majority of it modelled and implemented into the scene however that is the bare bones of it right at the moment.

ok here is the priority list for the top side of the level consisting of the entire terrain allso i was looking into what else to add to my terrain however i was not able to think of anything without over crowding the level besides some textures like spray paints ant things for the subway walls anyway the second priority list.

The First Level

Ok further thought into the first level I was thinking the train tracks or a train station but was leaning towards the subway environment because I'm heading towards a horror game and I think that the first encounter with the monsters should be in a dark area so that you can come in terms with their attacks speed and ability. So with the subway chosen I was coming into terms with the flow of the level to start off you would be on the train as it pulls into the station the lights go out you hear screams then the train stops you have to follow the train through the carriages until you get to the front carriage in which you get onto the plat form meanwhile there is no one else on the train and only their empty clothes and phones left you come out onto the plat form where you see a man being pulled under the train from the platform looking to investigate you realise that there is nothing there, running away you reach the stairs where you go to the surface layer and realise that there is no one in the direct area looking for any local populace going to the top floor of a medium sized building you realise that there is no one else left in the city seeing smoke rise from a distance you soon move into action to see what the problem is.

Ok I was thinking about the game again and was thinking that rather than a black out in the train a solar eclipse this would explain the multitudes of people missing I forgot to mention before that the monsters that had grabbed the people in the train are unable to touch light this is the reason for the black out our solar eclipse because this will give the dark environment in which I desire. As for the first attack on the train I wanted a sudden quick flash of darkness this will I think freak the player out because the train would be travelling at a normal rate then suddenly the blackout then the train rolls to a stop just outside the tunnel giving the player the first glimpse of the well carnage.

So I was thinking of a monster to put into the game I was really thinking that the monsters had the ability to “hide” in the shadows and would have a Smokey appearance about them I found an image that shows this Smokey appearance however I do not like the design of the monster but i found an image that shows the build that im looking for in my moster as shown below.

My Game

1. Using some of the techniques discussed in this chapter, begin developing a concept foran original game idea. Discuss the central theme of your idea, and the methods you usedto bring your idea into existence.

Ok well the other day well about say 3 weeks ago I and my crew where going home via the train anyway the lights happened to cut out whilst we were in a tunnel and the cabin was in complete darkness well I added the comment “and the lights turn on and all the people where gone” which really spawned my game idea. Ok so my game idea first the story lets imagine that all the lights on the train go out and then when they turn back on all the people on the train have disappeared and the train has the look of a war scene between beast and man claw marks on the roof, floor and wall blood sprayed in all directions and I was thinking for adding some theme that would make these monsters distinct in nature but also increase the well scare factor and I thought wouldn’t it be weird if all the clothes of the victims were left behind, I thought that this was a good idea because it would show the multitudes of people that had gone missing as well as add an eeriness to all the levels and seeing a shopping mall filled with clothes that used to be people would kind of make me sit on edge so I figured it was a good tactic to well fake fear.


OK so this is extending on from the story after some thought and plot hole searching I’ve come up with my idea ok so let me start. Coming home from university or work you are catching the train talking to your friends having a laugh talking of the topic of the day the soon to occur solar eclipse of the earth from a fast passing meteor back your usual routine you move aside for the commuters of the train hoping you’ll be able to get off at your stop to catch your forwarding train. Just as you point to your friends the occurrence of the eclipse you head into a tunnel with a sigh of anguish of every commuter on board as you seem to miss the occurrence, heading thru the tunnel into central station you hear the operator announce the upcoming station and some gibberish about some quiet zone then a sharp cut off of the power and a silence for no more than a second light flickering back to life and the train rolling to a stop inside the underground station. Looking around you realise the commuters of the train station have all disappeared wondering what has happened you run for help forcing the doors of the carriage open until you reach the station still no one, suddenly the power cuts and you are left alone standing in the dark subway walking slowly to get out you come across one of the beasts standing on the subway seat you fall over climbing backwards as it inches towards with a low growl of the lungs, you in panic put your flash light to see what the monster is in an instant of the light touching its skin it ducks for cover hiding in the shadows with only its glowing eyes visible.

After the encounter you run out of the station to discover the carnage of the cars as they crashed together from an absent driver, then the game begins for you to find out what happened to everyone.

What I was thinking as far as story line goes is that the monsters are actually advanced aliens ... =) now bear with me yes its getting a little out there the planet they came from was of high carbon dioxide ozone allowing it to store heat and block out the sun as well as having a high psi so that’s a good reason for them to exfoliate the gas substance from their skin as they hide because of the lack of pressure. Now the comet as you don’t find out later is actually a cesspool of alien or foreign organisms that when contacted with from a larger organic being will piggy back on the organisms body eventually sending the occupant insane will cause massive rages and attacks on everything in sight so what the aliens where doing where following this cesspool around and when it came in contact with a occupied world they would kidnap the infected leaving the immune or seemingly immune behind and would cure them in their ship later returning them to the planet, unfortunately they did not warn you so for the entirety of the game you effectively kill the bad guys =).

3. How does a game’s genre affect the way its levels and environments are
designed? Choose one level from three different games—each from a distinct
primary genre—and compare how these levels are designed with regard to
setting, goals, puzzles, and risk–reward system.

As my previous post used three distinct games of different styles I will refer back to those three games as my sample for this question.

Game environments – All game environments are determined and designed for the games play, otherwise the game would either be too difficult of would be frustrating to play for example: very rarely would you make a strategically based side scroll game because it is very hard for this game to succeed and to be easy to play. It is for this reason allot of thought goes into designing the environment for a game or level.

Pac man and COD 4 – pack man and COD 4 share some similarities with game design and level construction as they are both fast passed action games although of different genres they both still need the same game genre this is because the game is fast passed and requires the player or user to think about the games objectives rather than the level. Both games require small simple levels that are easy for the player to understand and are unlikely to get lost in, this is because the games are fast based and if a player gets stuck because they are lost or are unable to follow the level in a fast manner the game will become slow and somewhat boring, let’s face it take the action and speed out of an action game and all you are left with is a boring shell of a game, how often do you really listen to the talking in an action movie, when was the last time you sat down and said the commentary to that action movie was very good and it is for this reason action based games have small simple levels so they can enforce that fast game play to the user and really show off their game.

Either game once again can be compared to goals and risk to reward system, either game’s risk is that the game will stop abruptly due to a death or loss of life in each game you take the risk of starting the level again or losing the game completely, and as is the risk similar so is the reward each game has as a reward an increase in level and a higher score and as the reward also allows the user to get directly back into the fast game play.

On the other hand a game like star craft where the game play is rather slow and strategic, levels and risks are different. Star craft has a slow game play so the levels can and are designed to be more confusing and difficult because the player is expected to stop and think about the levels design in order to achieve victory. The risk of this slower game is not a loss of level but more often than not a loss of troops or resources causing the game to be prolonged and become more difficult as the level progresses.

2. Play three games—one from the 1980s, one from the 1990s, and one
released after 2004. Compare and contrast how levels and environments are
designed in all three games.

Pac man – simple top down view 7 to 8 colours small maze level.

Star craft – more complex in the use of maps semi maze like, consisting of 32 colours and more, maps having a simple layout but garnished with terrain goodies and neutral NPC ornaments and cannon fodder. Every level has either a back drop or a lower level that is inaccessible in accordance with the level such as lava, empty space of a crevasse.

Call of duty 4 – levels are small and generally box shaped very high in detail and consists on many terrain extras such as rubbish, creates and bins, every level is small and consist of a small obstacle course like maze that has many options as to where the player is able to travel in order to complete the game and or mission. The game although having allot of flexibility in game play options is very liner.

Comparison- All three games have a similar attribute when it comes down to game play although differing in style of play and genre they are all tied down to a box like level in which the player is confined to play within its bounds, also they are bound to encounter a maze like setting in almost every level some more discrete then others but still very much present. Some similarities between pacman and COD 4 are that either game although graphically different are both set to a very simple map in which the user spends less time on problem solving and more time on game play, as apposed to star craft where the game is rather slow so the player has more time to use the maze strategically to their own advantage.

Question one

1. Imagine that you are a level designer working in the 1980s. Knowing the
limitations associated with this era, what type of game would you develop?

Ok so I have looked into some popular games and consoles of the time well of the 1980s and have seen a general trend amongst games that almost all games that where of any popularity during this time where in fact side scroll based games such as “Sonic” and “Mario” these two games also show a good indication for what type of consoles where the most popular of the time. The two most popular consoles of the 1980s where the “Nintendo Entertainment System” and the “Sega Mega Drive”, knowing what I know now with the development of Nintendo and the sum what diminishing influence of Sega, I would design a game for the “Nintendo Entertainment System, however during the time the Sega would of been the desired choice to develop for being that it possessed five more colours over the 56(useful colours) that the NES could generate on screen at one time so going on the basis that I am developing a game for the time period I would develop for the Sega mega drive.

Ok so I have chosen a side scrolling based game for the Sega mega drive, now I need to decide on a genre. Well for the genre I was thinking a blue echidna, chasing after golden worms that are curled up into a circle shape and I might call him Gonic... ok seriously I was looking into some of the different genres and came up with a list of the most frequently occurring and most popular,

• Adventure Game
• Puzzle
• Strategy
• Arcade shooter

The most common genre I came across was the side scroll based adventure game, now not to put another pea into the stew pot I was thinking on staying away from this genre although popular it is a risk of a flop as it would be another game on the shelf of hundreds so I was thinking a side scroll based game however a arcade shooter a fast game with minimal colours allowing for more special effects and flashes. Furthermore for my genre it would be a wise choice to base the game on historical events or current trends so as far as wars go there where two major conflicts during the 1980s these where the cold war and the Iraq war I’ve decided to base my game on the Iraq war as this has more influence over me in today’s age then the cold war and producing a cold war game that is unique would almost be impossible because of the volume of games.

Mike most side scroll based games I would put you in the position of an Iraqi soldier pitted against the “Enemy” outnumbered and out gunned with many aesthetically pleasing affects and explosions, the controls will be simple left, right, jump, crawl and shoot also with the possibility of a special attack or combo hit of some description.

In summary I would design a game suitable for the Sega mega drive. It would be side scroll based, arcade shooter game with a story line of the Iraq war.