Adam J Smith

Games in learning

2011-11-20T23:19:00.002+10:00

This semester as part of a course I had to do an assignment equivalent of a 10,000 word essay on any subject of my choosing.

I chose to do it on the use of video games in learning. Formatted as a PowerPoint presentation to be viewed individually.

Detailing the ways in which skills and new ways of thinking can be learnt through video games as well as some of the areas in which it is possible to learn from video games.

The end result came to a total of 66 slides and was awarded a Distinction (high marks). The presentation can be downloaded here.

Game Idea: Office building RPG

2011-04-08T20:58:00.000+10:00

RPG adventure game, in the style of Elders scroll, set in an office building.

Quests: surf internet instead of work, fix printer, fetch staple, shady meeting in parking garage, etc.

Promotions: Drone, executive, boss, etc.

Stats: urge to kill, suicide.

I will try and flesh this concept out better when I get a chance.

Game Idea: Nervous

2011-04-08T20:32:00.002+10:00

An 'unwinnable' dating sim.

A simple flash based adventure game, where the player has to chose from branching dialogue options. Some leading to positive progression, and others taking a very negative turn.

The story is basically a lonely guy lucks into a situation where he gets to drive a girl home. His choices determine whether she agrees to go out with him or flees then and there. The vast majority of choices leading to a Bad End.

Part gag game, part player torture.

Cartoonish and played for humour. As in reality there is no HUD, so the player has to chose wisely and pay close attention if they want to succeed. Kind of like a mystery.

Not dead, just sleeping

2011-04-03T09:45:00.002+10:00

It has been a long time since I last posted.

Since I've finished my Games Design course, I have been doing a new course in 「Teaching English as a Second Language」. However, this does not mean I've given up entirely. Even though I haven't had time to do anything, I've been thinking. I now have several ideas on how to make KanaKana work better as a learning tool.

For the time being, bullet point:

Racing game, Highway Hunter style. Letters appear randomly on the back of the car, and players have to match them to an oncoming gate with the corresponding kana.
Bullet hell game. Play has to fly their ship with similar conditions to above. Avoiding incorrect letter/kana combos, while matching the correct ones. Starts off slow with plenty of time to match and dodge, then gets faster.
Alternate Bullet hell game. A typing game. Player types in a letter to shoot down oncoming targets. E.g a = あ. Again, slow at first, then working up to insane.
Game show game, Root Beer Tapper style. Player runs along the bottom of the screen, running between 5 buttons. At the top of the screen is a TV displaying a kana. Players must select the correct answer as fast as possible. A good game for learning and practicing the basics.

I've also had an idea for how to get the typing to work. A script checks if a, i, u, e, or o is pressed then loads the correct letter image. Default is 'a' category. By pressing a different letter first, e.g 'k', the script can tell the images in queue to load that set instead. Then when a letter is pressed instead of a = あ, it will be k:a=か. Afterwards it returns to default. Possibly including 'del' to clear if the play hits the wrong key.

Hopefully I'll get some time to actually start working on some of these.

Alphabet You Bet

2010-11-08T23:27:00.002+10:00

Occasionally when I show people my concept for KanaKana, they will ask me if I plan on making the game for other languages further down the line. While this is a possibility, it probably won't happen until I've had a chance to study those languages and seen how they work.

That being said, I've had an idea for the first such spin-off.

Alphabet You Bet
A game designed to aid in helping Japanese people learn the English letter system.

It won't take much to make once KanaKana is ready. A simple palette swap at best. Replace the English menu with one in Japanese, and change the letter sets from ひらがな (Hiragana), カタカナ (Katakana), and Romaji (Roman letters, the alphabet) to UPPERCASE, lowercase, and カタカナ (Katakana, the foreign word system).

Both languages involve the use of two letter sets (as well as the home language letter set), so I won't have to monkey around with the code to get it to work. I have gone with another play on words (that no one will get) for the tile, to keep in line with KanaKana.

For now it's just something to think about, but one day I'll try and make it a reality.

Final week

2010-11-08T23:16:00.004+10:00

Time sure has shot by.

Not that long ago, I started this blog to document my work in my university course, and now that course has reached the end. I've done so much and kept so busy, but still it feels like I've only just begun.

It's hard to believe that it is over. Nothing left to do but wait and hope that I've done everything right.

Even after my course is finished, I intend to continue posting my work on this blog. I also plan on working on KanaKana until it is a finished game capable of being fun as well as being a useful study tool.

In honour of the occasion here is the link to a build of the game I will be submitting.
KanaKana final build

KanaKana in focus

2010-11-03T13:05:00.001+10:00

The long day is over.

I have managed to rewire KanaKana several times over. Out of the things I was hoping to do, I have managed to:

Add the option to choose which character sets are in use
Add a colour changing function
Add a letter set function
Add a decent menu (still needs work though)
Make the labels handle a lot better than before
Include a Splashscreen (the one up /|\ there)
Redo the help section to be a lot more accessible
Fixed the graphics on the tiles

Not bad for a single night's lost sleep.

After having it examined today, I've received a good number of suggestions on where I can improve it better:

Change out the Go board for something else (the grid pattern is distracting, especially with the different sized tiles)
I should move the score counts to the bottom of the screen and move the collected tiles into a cushioned area over the side so that the connects can be observed easier.
Add a review mode so people can study how the letters connect in greater detail.
Have it as an unlockable web as the player passed each set.
fix the new game menu, so that it is more clear what each option does.
Have the discarded letters appear as bonus pieces (we, wi, wu, ye, yi)
Give people a chance to review the characters to be learned, by having them appear more often.
fix the textures so that there isn't pixelation on some and not on others (get rid of the bevels)
fix the random colour issue (too many of the same colour appearing in random mode)
have completed letters disappear from the HUD (some sort of wipe)
fix the speed so the longer you hold the faster it goes
lessen the accuracy if this is going to be more than just a learning app
decide on an actual theme and start working from there.

A lot done, and a lot yet to be done. But first to sleep.

End run

2010-11-03T10:02:00.000+10:00

Reaching the end of my 24hr battle.

As I am running short on time now I shall be focusing on the art a bit more thoroughly. First up is the Helpscreen. I've received some complaints about how I had it set up before so not the are helpful visualisations included to help.

Hopefully I'll have this fully integrated as well as a proper splash screen by the time it's due.

At the crack of dawn

2010-11-03T06:00:00.003+10:00

Coming up on 6am now.

I somehow managed to make it through the night without going mad. I have made a lot of progress over the night, adding some features I knew I was in need of.

Here goes:

Added a colour changing option. Players can now select from 3 gameplay modes.
Pair (colour coded)
Mixed (random colours)
None (plain white)

Set it up so that letter sets can be changed in game by clicking on the Set display.

Fixed the options menu. Now the class swapping, colour changing, and set switching can all be done in the one place.

Added a random letter mode to the letter sets.

Still have a few things I'm going to try and fit in while I still have time but otherwise KanaKana finished. The main game is functional, there are options to adjust gameplay, and it has all the letters needed to learn Hiragana and Katakana.

2 minutes to midnight

2010-11-02T23:58:00.001+10:00

Approaching midnight now.

Have been working pretty much nonstop since this morning. I have gotten a fair bit done, but have spent even more time fixing the code every time it broke (pretty much when ever I tried to do something).

I did a quick test and discovered that 35 is the maximum number of tiles you can have on the field and still have it playable. (For an idea I'll have to look into later)

Setup a larger display picture for the highlighted symbol and added a set display. (Hoping to add the option of choosing which set to study)

A functional in-game menu.

The options screen still needs some work, but now you can choose which letters you play with.
Romaji (alphabet) & Hiragana (curvy one)
Romaji & Katakana (pointy one)
Hiragana & Katakana

While I have spent a lot of time rewiring the code, I think in the long run it will be worth it. The way I had it all laid out before was very limiting. Now coming into the final stretch I am hoping for some luck at getting the rest of the features in.

24hr Sprint

2010-11-02T10:00:00.000+10:00

Tomorrow is the beginning of the end.

I intend to have KanaKana ready for display by this time tomorrow. Henceforth, I plan on spending the next 24hrs sitting down in front of the computer doing nothing but work. Nonstop.

I will be starting at 10am (Brisbane time), being 00:00zulu. Hopefully I'll be able to show my progress throughout the day. Here goes.

KanaKana update:

Fixed the letter handler so it can now load all the letter sets.
Added a loading screen (doesn't show up to often ... if at all)
Optimised the letter textures to lessen load time
Fixed the problem with letter clicking
Letters clear as soon as they hit their partner

KanaKana Progress Report

2010-10-30T00:32:00.004+10:00

A couple of days ago I uploaded a build of the game to the language site Smart.fm, to have it tested. I got some very helpful advice on what needed to be done to make KanaKana work better. One of the biggest concerns was that more letters were needed. Therefore I have to go back and rework the letter handler (I'm keeping a back-up of the working script just in case).

Going through and creating the letters for each set has resulted in something quite startling though. There is 70+ characters in each set (hiragana, katakana, and english), luckily I've been able to lower the number of materials needed but that's still over 210 textures in use (not all at once thankfully). After I get everything working again I might need to worry about efficiency a bit deeper.

With some luck I'll have everything online before the deadline on Wednesday.

KanaKana Progress

2010-10-27T15:00:00.002+10:00

new KanaKana now with:

a fully functional HUD (some glitches excepted)

a New Game function

a display of which letter is selected

and sparklies when the title is selected (will lead to the About page).

On top of that, I've also fixed it so that:

arrows will disappear when their letter is destroyed
the player can click anywhere on the board to move a piece after it is selected (a bit iffy in the builds though ... will sort out ASAP)
the menu buttons will switch out for a Japanese word when highlighted and return to English when not

Made a lot of progress today. And today's not even over yet.

KanaKana Update

2010-10-26T22:32:00.003+10:00

After a little monkeying with the code and some issues of displaying text, KanaKana now has ... [drumroll] ... an actual heads up display, complete with functional buttons. The only button that does anything at the moment is the exit of course but it's a start.

The numbers along the HUD will actually change when I tell them to. At the moment all they do is cycle up, but it's a start. Once I get the different scripts talking to each other they'll actually have meaning. Might even try adding a clock.

Now just about all that's left to do is:

Get the scripts communicating
Set up the new game function
Set up the next level (hopefully so it will keep going)
Add a help-screen
And adjust some features

Anything after that is just gravy. If I get it running on time I'll be able to add more letters. With some luck, I'll have it ready for beta testing tomorrow afternoon. I've already got plenty of volunteers waiting to give it a try.

Kana Kana Update

2010-10-20T11:59:00.004+10:00

After correcting a few issues in the code, the basis for the game is finally ready. The player can now click on a letter and have it move in the direction they want it to. The pieces will move and gradually lose momentum. And each pair of letters is able to recognise when it has run into its partner. Now, I just need to add a menu and continued playability, but first an Art Pass.

Because my previous art style seemed a bit haphazard (and distracting), I have been advised to give the art style an overhaul before continuing. I am trying to give it a more Japanese feel by shaping the art around the game Go. Still have to adjust a few things, but I think that this approach is more suited to the game I am trying to make.

Not long now and I should have a nice little game to present (good thing too, time's almost up).

Kana Kana Update

2010-10-13T15:18:00.013+10:00

2 weeks left to get this game up and running.

I've managed to make a lot of progress today, but still have awhile to go before it is ready to play.

The game now has a proper title to work with. かなカナ(Kana Kana). Being that Kana is the name of the syllabaries in Japanese, and also a word meaning "I wonder" or "I think". A silly little pun that will need to be explained somewhere. Will be doing up the title screen when I get the chance.

Added a transparent sphere mesh to each letter to make them into balls. Also place a series of walls on the field with colliders on them to bounce the balls off.

Made it so that when a ball is clicked, an arrow will appear and rotate around the letter to follow the mouse. At the moment, the ball will move when clicked again but in a direction regardless of the mouse and with no loss of momentum.

Through use of some crafty coding I can now summon all 5 letter pairs to the field using only one mesh for all of them. I had to go back to using 5 separate materials for each letter (10 all up), but I should be able to go back to using texture swapping when I include the other letters (a half dozen other sets) by dividing them into sets.
Have also managed to set it up so that the letter pairs will recognise each other when they hit. They will then destroy and release a sparkly cloud of particles. In the end there will be some sort of score that is added to by this.

A lot done. Still more to come. This should be fun.

Status Update

2010-10-06T22:15:00.005+10:00

After much thought I have decided to focus towards the pool concept from my last post. By removing the typing component I am hoping to make it simpler for the people who never seen these symbols before.

What I am planning is for a half dozen balls to appear on screen (a pair of each letter set [kana & alpha]), the player then clicks the ball they want to move. The objective is to bounce the ball around the table and into its partner. This is done until there are no letters remaining. A side challenge would be to do it in the fewest clicks possible.

At the moment I should have all the code-base I need to knock together a functional prototype, just need to type it in. Right now I can summon a pair of letters to random positions on the field easily, adding more shouldn't present a challenge. After that it's just clicking and firing that remain.

I have also fixed the issue of needing multiple materials to texture (still need the individual letters as textures though), now all I need to do is figure out how to change colour via code and it should be set.

Kana Brainstorming

2010-09-22T19:52:00.003+10:00

Now that the project has a little momentum beneath it, it's time to start considering ways of making it a bit more playable.

_initiate_

Path 1: Bomb drop
Players click a section of the screen, placing a bomb. They then type a letter for that bomb to use. When the invading symbols enter the bomb's radius it explodes, taking out any symbols of the letter it was programmed with.
This would make it a kind of puzzle/strategy game, getting the player to work on clearing the screen with as few clicks as possible.

Path 2: Lasso pool
Not long ago I made a game involving using gravitational attraction to put an orb in a hole. This would be along a similar line of capturing a letter and luring it into the correct goal. Each goal would correspond to a letter set (a,i,u,e,o). Possible to even make it fit along the scope of billiards by having the player line up to sink the letter.
This would probably end up as a puzzle game, with the typing aspect removed in favour of matching the hiragana symbol with it's English opposite and then navigating the best way to get it in the hole.

_end_

I'll probably come up with a few more ideas in the next couple of days or so, luckily the requirements for most of the ideas I've come up with can be done using more or less the same code base. Therefore, I'll be able to build one then work others into a kind of arcade pack.

Kana Status

2010-09-22T17:12:00.007+10:00

Today I've had the chance to work on my personal project a bit more.

The player can now type letters to make the symbols appear (a = あ, i = い, u = う, e = え, o = お). At the moment, though, the symbol appears by the dozen and firing out the wrong end of the cannon at high speed, but that should be easily fixable when I get a chance to sort it out a bit.

Next up is getting the enemy letters moving in (will need to sort out the firing error first though). Then I just need to work out the gameplay a bit, so people who haven't seen these letter before will still be able to play.

I have also made it so only 1 mesh is required for the letters with the material switching for each. Before I had a separate mesh and material for each letter, meaning the full version would require upwards of 80 meshes and textures accordingly. Now I just need the textures and a single mesh (I'll have to look into some sort of group texture system if I want to lower it more).

Working so far:

cannon rotates to follow mouse
keyboard entry
material switching
correct symbol appears when letter is pressed

Kebablhu menu sprites

2010-09-22T10:30:00.005+10:00

For the past week or so I've been working on the menu sprites for Kebablhu. Simple little pixel assets to serve as menu buttons and cursors. Here are the finished products:

Personal Project: Game

2010-09-09T17:12:00.007+10:00

In the hopes that I will have something to show for myself come end of semester (it's getting too close for comfort) I have decided to try and make one of my game ideas on my own.

My Unity skills are a bit rusty, so it's going to be slow going for a little while (until I get back into it a bit). The main things I need to work on is 2-3 digit character entry, randomisation of symbols, material switching, collision detection, and some form of controlling which character sets are in use (k, h, s, t, etc.).

This project should be simple enough not to interfere with my other work, yet still stand a chance of being workable by the end of semester. Time to get started.

Kabablhu asset concepts

2010-09-05T16:18:00.005+10:00

Kabablhu is in need of some assets to populate the inventory. Therefore I've started work on some asset art.

First up, a lantern rough. Still needs to be coloured and tweaked.

Rough crowbar sketch.
I'll try for more later.

Game Idea: Lang-games

2010-08-28T23:57:00.001+10:00

Kanji card flip:

A simple card flip game using kanji and images representing their meaning. Played by clicking a card and then finding the matching meaning.

Kana scroller:
Played like DDR with symbols scrolling down the screen. The player then types in the appropriate 2 letter combo for each symbol. Gets faster the longer it's played.

Game ideas: Sparrow

2010-08-28T22:40:00.003+10:00

A flight/racing game where players take control of a sparrow.
Having flown in and gotten confused the little birdie must find a way out of the parking garage and back to the surface. Being careful not to collide with anything (especially windows), players must navigate their way through a maze of concrete and metal from a bird's perspective.
Done as either a FPS or with the camera positioned just behind the bird. Sparrow racing multiplayer event.

Kebablhu #2

2010-08-25T11:40:00.004+10:00

My basic knock up of the main menu for Call of Kebablhu. Very simple at the moment but I'm sure when the time comes we'll be able to make a more interesting display.

Aside from this I've also been working on tweaking the story a bit. Working out what items appear, and what happens when the player interacts with them.

Kebablhu #1

2010-08-24T16:25:00.007+10:00

I've finally managed to get a start in my section of Kebablhu. I am working on designing a HUD interface for the game. It needs to have an inventory, a use function, and anything else you might need in a simple Adventure game.

Thus presenting my rather shoddily-made (with msPaint!) menu concept.

In case you can't read it, the options are:

Stuff = inventory for items collected
Fiddle with = the 'use' function
Talk to = the 'talk to' function (very creative, I know)
Glare at = an option to glare at something
Pass out = the exit

I intend to go back an make with the pretty once I find out if this is the correct direction the game is taking. With some luck I won't have to use msPaint again for a very long time.

Status update

2010-08-18T10:10:00.004+10:00

Level 5 dead on arrival.

Moving on.

A new selection of games were chosen to be developed in its place.

The game I am working on now is titled Call of Kabablhu, a comedic little adventure game about one man's quest for a kebab.

An earlier build of the game was already written but recently lost. So we are starting from scratch to build the game anew.

Game idea #9 Train dash

2010-08-03T11:29:00.004+10:00

Riding a train. No ticket. Security is coming. Run.

Dash the length of the train using the arrow keys to dodge other passengers. Up to jump, down to duck, left and right to dodge. Stop moving and it's game over.

A simple game set in a confined linear space. The only option is to run.

Game idea #8 Grey cube

2010-08-03T11:18:00.003+10:00

Inside a cube, plain grey walls.
Bouncing a ball off the walls.
Painting the walls with the ball.
A game just in smearing colour across the walls while keeping the ball in motion.

Like handball but with pretty colours.

Game idea #7 Catapult

2010-08-03T11:08:00.003+10:00

A simple game where you fire a catapult at an apartment building, trying to hit people (with water bombs or such) as they appear in windows or on balconies. Just a quick game of mindless (good-humoured) violence.

Status update

2010-08-03T11:02:00.003+10:00

A week later and we've already hit our first pitfall. Enthusiasm for a major game has just about died. In light of this, another round of pitch will take place to decide what how to proceed. I won't mind working on Level 5 if it goes ahead. If not I'll try pitching one of my other ideas.

Level 5

2010-07-28T20:00:00.002+10:00

My idea for a game based off of our time as GFS students was chosen for our final semester project. Called 'Level 5', the game will be a comedic meta RPG with various mini-games representing the classes. Done from the perspective of a fictional student entering the course, and featuring the ~~surviving~~ members of the Game Design course as NPCs, the story will be a massive caricature of student life.

At the moment the game is still in the design phase, but everyone is really getting into creating the story. If things go well, we'll have a really interesting game to display. Full of Uni-life jokes and game references.

For now I'll be working on the design aspect of the game. Helping to nail down the story, decide on game mechanics, and generally get the thing to make sense. This week I'll try and write down a bio for my in-game character.

Game idea #6 GFS platformer

2010-07-28T09:07:00.005+10:00

A game based on our time as GFS students.

Either a platformer or fighting game, using members of the class as characters. The story (levels) would be based on the various trials and tribulations of going through the Game Design course in its first year

The art style would be using a very comedic 2d layout where all the characters are cardboard puppets (taken from photographs of the students). Played for laughs, I think the tale of the numerous times the course structure screwed us.

Game idea #5a: Langauge game redux

2010-07-28T06:53:00.004+10:00

A simple asteroids/shooter game using the first syllabary of Japanese, Hiragana. What happens is a symbol appears and to destroy it you have to type the correct sequence of letters (あ = a). This style should be simple enough for even those who haven't studied the language to keep up. A display at the beginning level will demonstrate which letters are in use, and each level will focus on a limited number of symbols.

Game idea #5: Langauge game

2010-07-27T22:40:00.003+10:00

In trying to learn another language (Japanese), I have noticed a stunning lack of language games that are actually fun. I think it would be an interesting experiment to try and make a fun one.

Awhile ago I came a cross a game with an interesting mechanic behind it, here. Essentially what happens is a steady stream of enemies march down the screen and are taken out by typing words, attempting to incorporate letters being provided.

A mechanic similar to this would be a big help in improving vocabulary skills when learning a foreign language. Even, if the end result is a Space Invaders type game with funny looking words in, it should still be an interesting game to play. Add a bit of fun to an otherwise difficult activity.

At the very least, I'd like to know how to import different character sets in to flash or unity.

Game idea #4: GPS racing.

2010-07-27T21:39:00.003+10:00

The GPS.

One of the most evil devices on the planet, it claims to lead you where you want to go yet takes every opportunity to get you lost. Applied to a desperate race across town this becomes a serious issue.

A test of how well the player follows orders by having the GPS flash directions that will lead the wrong way, prompting a hasty U-turn (just like a real GPS). Not every direction is wrong though, so being clever is crucial.

At the start of the game a path through the city will be highlighted, so the player to see where they need to be. Hints like street signs and graffiti will help the player decide when the GPS is lying and when it can be trusted.

Most probably suited for a top-down puzzle/racer, whether objective based (like pizza delivery) or just straightforward racing. For a unique twist the game style could be set on the inside of a GPS screen (see above).

Resumption

2010-07-27T21:07:00.004+10:00

4+ weeks of vacation have taken a toll. A steady cycle of cold-catching, sleep deprivation, and general apathy have resulted in total brain meltdown. I was hoping to have accomplished more during the break but there's not a whole lot you can do without a functional brain.

Now that Uni has gone back, it means I have to wake up all the old machinery and get back to work. Hopefully at the end of this semester I'll have something worthwhile to show from it. The first task of the week is to draw up some game pitches for tomorrow.
Luckily, I still have a few ideas kicking around in the old cranium. Just need to organise them enough to be presentable.

Well, here goes nothing...

End of Phase 3

2010-06-16T20:30:00.000+10:00

Today marks the end of Phase 3, and short of miraculous resurrection the end of Project Zombie. Next semester will begin with a vote on which games need to be continued followed by another round of pitching. I think overall Zombie has reached its peak.

My work on the project has included modeling characters, texturing buildings, designing menu screens, etc. (It's all listed on here). I'm interested in seeing how things turn out next semester.

Personal project #3

2010-06-16T10:53:00.006+10:00

Did up a spree of asset models so I can actually show something of my personal work. Will try and go back later to fine-tune the models and add proper textures. The focus of the moment is getting some models done.

Zombie 3 #7

2010-06-16T09:56:00.004+10:00

Did up the Help screen for the game.

Environment work #9

2010-06-15T15:01:00.004+10:00

It's finished.

This is the last of my Environments course (barring I fail obviously).

Despite what I was fearing, I didn't actually have to push it to the wire in order to get everything finished. I completed my scenes with 2hrs to spare. I'm sure there is still a lot that could have been done on them, but I'm happy with how they turned out.

In honour of actually having something nice to put there, I created a deviantART account to host the full scale images. Someone even favourited two of the pictures right after I was done uploading them.

Western Shore by ~Chaos624 on deviant ART

Dutch Hill Mansion by ~Chaos624 on deviant ART

Doorway Cave by ~Chaos624 on deviant ART

Environment work #8

2010-06-14T20:04:00.004+10:00

One day left.

I spent roughly 7hr straight sitting in front of the computer working on the Cave scene. I think it's shaping up quite nicely. Having a bit of an issue with the Uni computers having a different version of Photoshop than me, the file layers keep changing. Going to have to do final touch-ups there before submission. The final scenes will be A4 size so many of the details get cut in the lower quality ones I've uploaded so far, after they're finished I'll up the full scale shots.

Rendered layers:
'Shopped image:

'Shopped Beach scene, only have the touch-up to go on this:

What I've managed to get done on Dutch Hill, this one still needs a lot of work:

And finally an image that turned out well beyond what I envision. It actually has the power to fascinate if you stare at it too long. All hail the Crimson King!

Enivronment work #7

2010-06-10T22:25:00.003+10:00

Rendered all required layers for my two fully modelled scenes. Time to start Photoshopping.

Dutch Hill:

Western Shore:

PS started...
I actually like how this is turning out. Still need to add a few details to background, but it's shaping up. Can't wait till it's finished.

Environment work #6

2010-06-09T17:17:00.007+10:00

I've decide to put the Beach in Photoshop for the rest (only have 2 working days left to do modeling), so today I put my work into getting Dutch Hill up to code (even stayed late to work on it).

Hopefully, I'll be able to sit down and do the Photo-shopping over the next few days and spent Monday & Tuesday focusing on the Cave.

Zombie 3 #6

2010-06-09T15:44:00.004+10:00

Spent a good part of today doing up menu screens for the game. I think they turned out pretty well.

Main menu:

Game over:

Zombie 3 #5

2010-06-09T10:26:00.002+10:00

Finished modeling and texturing the HQ.

Environment work #5

2010-06-07T15:12:00.008+10:00

Getting into the final weeks now.

Did some serious work on the beach scene.

Approaching the final result from the looks of it.

Zombies build 3 #4

2010-06-02T15:06:00.004+10:00

Times running out. More texturing.

A touch-up on Tower 2:

Tower 3:

Started modelling the HQ:

Environment work #4

2010-05-31T14:37:00.005+10:00

With a little under 3 weeks remaining on this project I've finally managed to begin work on the third scene. Doorway Cave. Need to mess around with the lighting a bit more, do up some proper textures, and then the rest can be done in Photoshop.

Reference picture:

Screenshot:

Preliminary Render:

I think each of the scenes is shaping up towards actually being presentable now, just wish I had more time to work on them before I have to start rushing. So much to do so little time.

Here are the latest renders of the other 2 scenes:

Zombies build 3 #3

2010-05-26T14:11:00.003+10:00

More texturing:

Tower 1:

Tower 2:

Zombies build 3 #2

2010-05-19T14:37:00.007+10:00

Now that the work is becoming more streamlined I've been tasked with creating a design document outlining what it is we are creating. Here I go.

Design document

A rundown of the original concept can be found here.

Zombie is a top-down strategy game with RTS and tower defence elements. The object of the game is to control a squadron of soldiers in order to complete a set of objectives ranging from protecting the base from endless hordes of the undead to securing a section of the map. Using the mouse to move units, the player can construct walls, light towers, and offensive torrents. Gameplay runs along a day-night system where construction and repairs can be done during the day and zombies spawn at night.

Environment work #3

2010-05-17T14:07:00.006+10:00

Giving the beach a bit of a rest while I try and get skeletons of the other two scenes up. Today I'm working on the Dutchhill Mansion. A simple hallway render from inside the sinister haunted house. I've put a temporary texture on the floor and door to give example of where I'm trying to head with this.

Reference picture:

Screenshot:

Preliminary Render:

Personal project #2

2010-05-12T15:42:00.003+10:00

Here is the screwdriver I managed to model last week before the power died. Haven't had a chance to texture it yet or adjust the polys but it looks pretty good at the moment.

Zombies build 3 #1

2010-05-12T15:31:00.003+10:00

Onto build 3 then.

For starters I worked on lowering the poly-count of my Zombie as much as possible so we can spam the game with them. I got it down to 300 polys and decided not to mess with it too much more lest I have to start building the model again from the other side.
Accomplishing that, I am now working on texturing the other game models with James. Going for as simple as possible. The fire hydrant and the post box are actually the same texture.

Still a lot of buildings, etc. to be done though.

Technical Difficulties

2010-05-05T21:41:00.003+10:00

Today I was making good progress on each aspect of my work.

Did some work on my environment scenes, worked on lowering the poly-count on my Zombie, and even modelled up a screwdriver as part of my personal project.

Unfortunately, the power-grid for the entire area of Southbank went kablooie. Almost everyone lost what they were doing. I should be alright (as long as the files stayed clean) as I had just returned from lunch and everything was saved before I left. Won't know for sure until I get a chance to use a computer with Maya on it, but I pretty confident that everything's okay.

Important note: Always save your work. (just in case)

Environment work #2

2010-05-05T11:32:00.005+10:00

A bit more work on the beach scene. Stretched the ocean to the edge of the frame, and thrown a rough texture on the components. I've even included the door in this one, might need to position it better though.

Screenshot:

Render:

Enivronment work #1

2010-05-04T22:55:00.004+10:00

As another part of my course I am required to produce three environment scenes of high quality. Admittedly I've been a bit slow in getting started on them but I have finally begun the ball rolling today. I've decided to document this project here as well.

My goal is to recreate three scenes from Stephen King's Dark Tower series. The Western Shore (Drawing of the Three), Dutchhill Mansion (the Wastelands), and Doorway Cave (Wolves of the Calla). So far I've managed to start work on Western Shore without any major problems.

Reference picture:

Screenshot:

Preliminary render:

I didn't get a chance to finish stretching the ocean to the edge of the frame, but I think it is turning out pretty well. Now just need to get to work on the other two scenes and I should be headed in the right direction.

Phase 2 complete

2010-04-29T16:48:00.009+10:00

Yesterday marked the end of the second game development phase. Everyone had to present a build of their game and demonstrate where it is at. Everyone's games are turning out amazingly, come end of year we should have a good crop of fun titles for people to play around with.

The game I'm working on, Zombie, now has its first official build. Right now it's not much but a fancy point and stuff will happen kind of event(not to mention buggy as all Samhill), but at least it runs. On top of that my models are actually in this one. There is a copy of the build available here.

What happens, at the moment, is the player controls a group of 5 soldiers while 2 waves of Zombies charge them from both the bottom and top of the screen. The soldiers can kill 1 Zombie at a time but if the Zombies get to close the soldier will die. They can also build walls (that appear to be made entirely out of Twinkies) by placing a holder and moving over to it.

Now the major focus is on tweaking to find any bugs or places where sparkles (not literally) need to be added. So far I've found some pretty entertaining bugs which should be addressed shortly.

Here's a good one. Build a wall to close to the start point and the soldiers run past it and do their own thing (mainly skate around in circles):

Zombie build 2 #7

2010-04-28T10:41:00.006+10:00

After all the trouble with finding a new reference picture to work from, my home computer decided to kark itself (doesn't matter that it threaten to delete my files whenever I went to use it) so my work time was limited.

I've managed to finish model work on the soldier and now just need to texture him.

UV map

Texture

Render

Zombie build 2 #6

2010-04-22T22:51:00.004+10:00

I meant to upload this yesterday but forgot all about it. I kind of got distracted yesterday and didn't get as much done as I could have but this is a start at least.

Soldier unit.

This model should wind up being low-poly enough that modification won't be required too much. So far I've done the legs and torso for the character. Just need to add the arms and the head now.

Would have gone further with it but in a rare moment where windows didn't double check my actions, I accidentally deleted my reference picture. Baka. So now I have to go hunt down the picture (or something similar) before I can finish the model.

Failing that I'll just work from memory the next chance I get to work on it (doesn't help that my home computer likes to trash my files whenever it gets the chance).

Personal Project #1

2010-04-21T13:57:00.005+10:00

I have finally gotten around to beginning my personal project. The plan is to model up each item on the chart below using different textures and model qualities.

Item 1: Hammer

A simple hammer model. I will be doing up some other textures when I get the chance but for now it has a very 'toon' texture using gradients. First a low-poly, then a smoothed quality version.

Zombie build 2 #5

2010-04-19T14:35:00.006+10:00

The completed skeleton model with texture.

Zombie build 2 #4

2010-04-14T15:03:00.004+10:00

Now that the zombie character is done it is up to me to do up some more units.

First new character is a simple skeleton.

Zombie build 2 #3

2010-04-07T12:59:00.007+10:00

Zombie fully unwrapped and ready for texturing. May need to adjust the UVW map if the texture doesn't turn out right.

In-game scale example:

Zombies build 2 #2

2010-04-06T14:47:00.005+10:00

My efforts to complete my zombie were hindered by the threat that all my data had been erased by corrupted files, luckily it was just a problem with my home computer so I wasn't required to start over from scratch.

A closer to complete zombie.

Zombies build 2 #1

2010-03-31T12:37:00.008+10:00

Starting into the second round of Zombies and after some discussion, the team (Paul, Dan, and myself) has decided to angle the game in a new direction.

The game will be now an RTS/Tower Defense hybrid. The objective is to have a dual-play system which has a daytime and a nighttime component, during the day the player controls units to gather resources before returning to base in time for the waves of enemies attacking at night.

We have also brought James on board to help with the environments. With some luck by the end of this round we'll have something resembling a game to present to everyone.

My main role in this round is to create the unit models. First up is the Zombies themselves.

Asset modelling

2010-03-24T22:03:00.008+10:00

Aside from the major game projects, there is also the individual development angle in which we pick a speciality to focus on and work towards. For me that would be modelling. So for my personal project I'm going to be working on asset modelling.

For this I need to develop skills in speed modelling, low-poly modelling, and efficient texturing. Matt has recommended that I take a picture of a warehouse or something similar and attempt to model every item in the image with varying styles of texture, therefore I've scoured Google for some source images to work from (below).

I'm looking forward to this challenge as I tend to find modelling a fun and interesting task (just not the high end crap or viciously rigged animations). So if any of the groups need some assets done up for there games I'd be glad to lend my help. Hopefully by the end of the year I'll be a lot more skilled and have an impressive stable of models to demonstrate.

Prototyping phase complete

2010-03-24T21:12:00.004+10:00

Today marks the end of the first prototyping round.

Overall it was a rousing success, everyone's game is shaping up pretty well. There is lot of potential for all the ideas, and now that the first pressure test is out of the way it's time for the tune-ups to begin (or in some cases complete tear-downs).

Alright, on to the parts concerning me.

Blockets. Four-player rocket/jetpack fun. The demo turned out great, although my character models didn't wind up being used. It was simple, playable, and above all functional. The biggest problem was that it wasn't really captivating from a spectator perspective and there was absolutely no HUD to assist in gameplay. In preparation for the next step, James is planning on rewiring the code to function better ergo I have been advised to focus on Zombies while he does this.

Zombies. Post-apocalyptic RTS. The demo worked perfectly with our set goals of constructable buildings and movable units (many a wall charging kamikaze did appear). The main issue now is the need of a proper outline for how we see this game working, so over the next few days each of us is going to write up what we think this game should do and compare them on Monday.

That is essentially it, everyone survived the first blitz (or at least I think they did), so come end of year we shall have a fine batch of games to show to everyone.

Blockets Prototype #5

2010-03-24T13:29:00.002+10:00

All four players.

Player 1

Player 2

Player 3

Player 4

Blockets Prototype #4

2010-03-24T13:04:00.002+10:00

Fully textured Blocketman.

Zombie prototype #4

2010-03-24T10:38:00.006+10:00

Yet another model.

Outdoor shelter

Zombie Prototype #3

2010-03-22T15:45:00.004+10:00

Some more models including a fully textured version of the last model.

Pro shop

Residential house

Stylish golf cart

Zombies prototype #2

2010-03-17T15:59:00.003+10:00

A couple of renders of a building I am modelling and texturing for the zombie RTS. Should have the completed version up pretty soon.

Blcokets Prototype #3

2010-03-17T10:12:00.010+10:00

A couple of renders of the first Blocketman design. Simple 3D stick figure.

A few Jetpack renders. Jet and straps.

Some renders of the Launcher gun. A barrel, a scope, and some hand restraints.

Combined.

Blockets prototype #2

2010-03-13T19:41:00.004+10:00

I've managed to draw up some concept art in terms of various jetpack designs and a couple of rocket designs. Here they are:

Jetpacks. All that's really needed is a box, some straps, and an exhaust for the jet. There is room enough, design wise, for a great many things to be done. It may even be possible to design a unique style for each of the four players.

The fox rocket. Originally it started as a design for a simple rocket but soon evolved into something else. I like the idea of a powerup that fires a fox at the opponent. Possibly the homing missile.

The dragon cannon. Based off of ancient Chinese military artillery this would be the BFG of powerups, a single purpose shot of colossal power. The dragon head separates as a rocket and explodes with massive force.

I plan to discuss these with the group and see what they think.

Blockets prototype #1

2010-03-11T22:22:00.001+10:00

Blockets is a game involving four players flying around on jetpacks firing rockets at one another Smash Bros. style. For the prototype it was decided to just go for finish and make as much of the game as possible.
For my part of the project I will be working on the character design, which includes the character, the jetpack, the rocket launcher, and the rocket. Considering this is meant to be a fun little smash-em-up I feel the stick figure type characters used in the original pitch would work best for the overall game with the emphasis being on funny. Therefore the design will be kept as simple as possible.

Zombies prototype #1

2010-03-11T20:34:00.005+10:00

For the RTS prototype the main requirements are for a unit to be movable via the standard point-click-go-there method. That being the case means that we have plenty of room for expansion once we have the core mechanic set.
For the level layout we decided on something reminiscent of the classic Age of Empires/SimCity style layout overlooking the game pieces.

For the prototype level we decided on a section of golf course with walls and a few buildings such as a clubhouse and a nearby farmhouse, as well as a unit to move. For my part of the project I will be modelling the buildings and a very simple character unit.

Prototyping phase

2010-03-11T19:43:00.005+10:00

After yesterday's Game pitch, several ideas were chosen to be prototyped.

I am currently working in two groups to produce functional prototypes over the next two weeks.

Blockets, a fun little game involving jetpacks and rocket launchers; and an RTS based off of my Worldbreaker idea.

Game Idea #3: Cart dasher

2010-03-09T11:20:00.005+10:00

Everybody's done it, pushing the shopping cart around you kick off and ride it down the aisle. The wild rush of adrenalin as your rickety cart rockets down the aisle. The constant thrill of narrowly avoiding running down the pedestrians. The inevitable point where you either stop or flip the cart trying. This is cart dashing. This is life.

The object of this game is to get your trolley up to maximum cruising speed without crashing. As you move you collect items to weigh down the cart, if it's too light it'll flip over. As you progress down the aisle you must avoid collisions with stock crates, the shopping elderly, and rival dashers.

An over the top view angled just above the cart would work best as used in countless racing games. This game would work be developed for the iPhone and controlled by tilting the screen in the direction you want the cart to move.

Game idea #2: Pacman physics

2010-03-08T20:51:00.010+10:00

Pacman, the little yellow eating machine that roams a maze where physics bends in on itself. Whenever he runs up a straight alley he can see himself retreating into the distance. Similar to an effect used in the game Portal.

This object of this game is to amplify those physics by removing the top down maze and driving the player through a mindbending maze with ghost swarming around corners affecting aspects of the maze. Powerpellets in this game would serve the function of letting pacman pass through walls in pursuit of the ghosts.

Game idea #1: Worldbreaker

2010-03-08T19:07:00.012+10:00

The end has come and gone. The virus has spread. The Aliens have invaded. The zombies have eaten. And yet, mankind survived. The time has come to face this harsh new world, and take back what's ours.

Worldbreaker is real time strategy game of a type similar to Age of empires with scenarios based around various world ending catasthropes.

As leader of a survivor settlement the player must find ways to ensure survival whilst fighting dangers from within as well as outside. These dangers can range from collecting resourse to keep the people from starvation to quelling uprisings to fending off zombie hordes.

The most unique feature of this game is the need for creative solutions to problems such as expanding your settlement across a golf course in order to develop a farm within your defences or raiding a Twinkie factory for quick sustenance.

* Update: Opted for prototyping (10/03/10)

Game ideas

2010-03-07T21:40:00.006+10:00

I have several game ideas which I am toying with at the moment. I will post them here once I've organised them a bit.