Showing posts with label DD3992. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DD3992. Show all posts

Thursday, 11 October 2012

DD3992 - Games Honours Project Plan



Project Plan


For my honours project I am going to focus on expanding my skillset in Game Design and Level Design. I have decided to create a playable game set to music. The project will be made using the Unreal Editor package (UDK) which will be my primary focus across the module. The game will be rhythm based requiring the player to react to the music in order to progress/score well, this adds the illusion that the game is being powered by the music itself. The game will have a simple aesthetic relying on geometric shapes with colour and light instead of textures – however if I do find myself ahead of schedule developing the aesthetic will be something I can focus on. Because I am focussing on design I will be outsourcing the music of the game, preventing me from indulging in the music production and neglecting the design. This project will tremendously help further my skills. As I have never undertaken anything this advanced in UDK before I will begin prototyping the level earlier than I usually would, so that I can face any obstacles as early as possible. Breaking the song down to a quantifiable level, beat by beat on paper will be essential to matching the game to the rhythm of the song.

Aims for the Project


·         Learn how to use UDK well to further my future career in the games industry
·         Develop my skills working with music games, something I wish to pursue
·         Create 1 working, polished level in UDK
·         Create a game that fits and flows to the music
·         Appropriately source the music that provides the backbone of the game
·         Create a level I can showcase at the end of year exhibition and ultimately for my portfolio

Intended Actions

·         Research:
o   Look into different music games and how they incorporate sound
§  Look at mechanics
§  Visuals
§  Presence of traditional elements like narrative
§  The styles of music and how that affects the style of game
o   Find appropriate tutorials for UDK and any techniques I am not familiar with that I will be using.
·         Key Decisions:
o   Decide how the game will be played
o   Decide upon audio style of the game
o   Decide upon the visual style of the game
·         Blog creation:
o   Keep a blog documenting progress, research, references, thoughts and analysis


·         Music:
o   Deconstruct the song into loops and sounds so that it can be implemented easily in-game
o   Create a timeline of the song (1 pixel = 1 beat) to go alongside the paper plan of the level, in order to accurately plan where to put the beats to hit.
·         Prototypes:
o   Create simple prototypes on paper simplifying the song down to primitives (1 beat = 1 block of graph paper)
o   Create UDK prototypes and tech demos
o   Develop a UDK prototype and build up to the final product
·         Final Product:
o   Create a finished, polished level

Deliverables

The files will be presented digitally on disc and the game will also be produced to be shown at the end of year exhibition.
·         A polished playable game with at least 1 working level
·         The game presented appropriately for exhibition

Date
Task
09/10/2012
Assignment 1 Hand-in – Project Plan
16/10/2012
Begin simple prototypes in UDK and on paper
23/10/2012
Start deconstructing chosen song for implementation within UDK
30/10/2012
Continue deconstructing song and prototyping
06/11/2012
Finish song deconstruction – make 2D plan of the song to aide level design
13/11/2012
Make simple 20-30 second gameplay slice implementing the song elements
20/11/2012
Design the level plan in Photoshop matching to the 2D music plan
27/11/2012
Finalise level plan begin implementation to UDK
04/12/2012
Experiment with UDK texture/light effects
11/12/2012
Continue implementation of level to UDK
18/12/2012
Finish UDK level design and complete anything for Christmas holidays
08/01/2013
Integrate 2D music plan into the 3D level design in UDK
15/01/2013
Integrate 2D music plan into the 3D level design in UDK
22/01/2013
Integrate 2D music plan into the 3D level design in UDK
29/01/2013
Finish integrating 2D music plan into the 3D level design in UDK
05/02/2013
Replace character placeholder with simple character
12/02/2013
Once audio/gameplay is polished begin working on aesthetics using the light and texture tricks I identified along the way
19/02/2013
Continue working on aesthetics and lighting
26/02/2013
Continue working on aesthetics and lighting
05/03/2013
Implement any matinee’s, camera movements etc
12/03/2013
Finish aesthetics of the level
19/03/2013
Add special after-effects or post processing to improve the quality look of the game.
26/03/2013
Finish the level – package if possible
02/04/2013
Start work on banners (or other way of presenting the level for exhibition)
09/04/2013
Finish the presentation of the level
16/04/2013
Assignment 2,3,4 Hand-in – Blog, Portfolio, Digital File for banner

Monday, 8 October 2012

DD3992 - Progress Presentation









DD3992 - Games Honours Project Plan Draft



Project Plan


For my honours project I am going to focus on expanding my skillset in Game Design and Level Design. I have decided to create a playable game set to music. The project will be made using the Unreal Editor package (UDK) which will be my primary focus across the module. The game will be rhythm based requiring the player to react to the music in order to progress/score well, this adds the illusion that the game is being powered by the music itself. Because I am focussing on design I will be outsourcing the music of the game, also preventing me from indulging in the music production and neglecting the design. This project will tremendously help further my skills. As I have never undertaken anything this advanced in UDK before I will begin prototyping the level earlier than I usually would, so that I can face any obstacles as early as possible. Breaking the song down to a quantifiable level, beat by beat on paper will be essential to matching the game to the rhythm of the song.

Aims for the Project


·         Learn how to use UDK well to further my future career in the games industry
·         Develop my skills working with music games, something I wish to pursue
·         Create 1 working, polished level in UDK
·         Create a game that fits and flows to the music
·         Appropriately source the music that provides the backbone of the game
·         Create a level I can showcase at the end of year exhibition and ultimately for my portfolio

Intended Actions

·         Research:
o   Look into different music games and how they incorporate sound
§  Look at mechanics
§  Visuals
§  Presence of traditional elements like narrative
§  The styles of music and how that affects the style of game
o   Find appropriate tutorials for UDK and any techniques I am not familiar with that I will be using.
·         Key Decisions:
o   Decide how the game will be played
o   Decide upon audio style of the game
o   Decide upon the visual style of the game
·         Blog creation:
o   Keep a blog documenting progress, research, references, thoughts and analysis


·         Music:
o   Deconstruct the song into loops and sounds so that it can be implemented easily in-game
o   Create a timeline of the song (1 pixel = 1 beat) to go alongside the paper plan of the level, in order to accurately plan where to put the beats to hit.
·         Prototypes:
o   Create simple prototypes on paper and UDK from the start
o   Develop a UDK prototype and build up to the final product
·         Final Product:
o   Create a finished, polished level

Deliverables

The files will be presented digitally on disc and the game will also be produced to be shown at the end of year exhibition.
·         A polished playable level
·         The game presented appropriately for exhibition
·         My progress blog

Date
Task
09/10/2012
Assignment 1 Hand-in – Project Plan
16/10/2012
Begin simple prototypes in UDK and on paper
23/10/2012
Start deconstructing chosen song for implementation within UDK
30/10/2012
Continue deconstructing song and prototyping
06/11/2012
Finish song deconstruction – make 2D plan of the song to aide level design
13/11/2012
Make simple 20-30 second gameplay slice implementing the song elements
20/11/2012
Design the level plan in Photoshop matching to the 2D music plan
27/11/2012
Finalise level plan begin implementation to UDK
04/12/2012
Experiment with UDK texture/light effects
11/12/2012
Continue implementation of level to UDK
18/12/2012
Finish UDK level design and complete anything for Christmas holidays
08/01/2013
Integrate 2D music plan into the 3D level design in UDK
15/01/2013
Integrate 2D music plan into the 3D level design in UDK
22/01/2013
Integrate 2D music plan into the 3D level design in UDK
29/01/2013
Finish integrating 2D music plan into the 3D level design in UDK
05/02/2013
Replace character placeholder with simple character
12/02/2013
Once audio/gameplay is polished begin working on aesthetics using the light and texture tricks I identified along the way
19/02/2013
Continue working on aesthetics and lighting
26/02/2013
Continue working on aesthetics and lighting
05/03/2013
Implement any matinee’s, camera movements etc
12/03/2013
Finish aesthetics of the level
19/03/2013
Add special after-effects or post processing to improve the quality look of the game.
26/03/2013
Finish the level – package if possible
02/04/2013
Start work on banners (or other way of presenting the level for exhibition)
09/04/2013
Finish the presentation of the level
16/04/2013
Assignment 2,3,4 Hand-in – Blog, Portfolio, Digital File for banner