Game Design

Tan Shin Yih (0334900)
Game Design

Assignment's blog link: http://shinyih1997.blogspot.com/2018/09/game-design-project-1.html
Week 1 ( 27/8/2018 )

On the first class, Mr. Kannan briefs us about game design and told us what we will need to know about game design. He also introduced what software that we will be using for this subject. Then, Mr. Kannan shows us some senior's work.

Mr. Kannan told us that it is okay to make mistakes, then only we will learn from mistakes. He asked us to play more game. Only we play others people's game then only we know, what is the target audience need now. He also asks us to do a lot of references for the game, so that we can design something that our targets audience likes, not only us.

Besides that, Mr. Kannan also told us some important thing of game structure. We need to treat all player as a freshman. As a designer, we couldn't expect everyone has the same level as us. We need to create a storyline to tell people what is the game for, and also set a goal for our player to know that what is the purpose for them to play this game and what will they get after play the game.

Mr. Kannan told us to play more game, whether online games or mobile games. Do a lot of research for the game character, style, sound, effect and others. Analyze what is the Pros for the game, find out what type of game we like and why we like the game. Find out what is good, make some changes and improve it to make it with our style.

Before class ended, Mr. Kannan asks us to discuss the work that done by our seniors. He asked us to figure out what is the Pros and what is the Cons for senior's work so that we can learn from mistakes.

1. Wish Upon a Star by Vivien Christian Cahyadi
( https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLZXlN49OF94rXaJS2Pz0x9cM0HQqsqKdB&v=3AfulZfxN9E )

CONS:
1. The enemy too easy to attack, the frequency of enemy attack is too less 
2. If the color of the character brighter then will be better to see

PROS:
1. A short storyline from the beginning let people know what is the game
2. The sound effect is good, the music is changing while the battleground also changes.
3. The art style is super nice, got details and background is nice.
4. There are also a foreground, mid-ground and background make the game more realistic.
5. Have pop up message for different mission makes people easy to understand what to do.
6. Show the goals of the game for the player to know what is the purpose.
7. Have interactive with a player like the small tower to attack for the Ferris wheel, the player can unlock box to push and jump on it.



2. Oni Hime gameplay
( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWjrcinE3qQ&index=2&list=PLZXlN49OF94rXaJS2Pz0x9cM0HQqsqKdB )

CONS:
1. The enemy is the same color / same element with the background, hard to recognize.
2. Doesn't have any background music, makes the game boring.
3. The background color is too dark and hard to see.
4. The life still full although the drop from a high place.
5. There are no goals for the game and the storyline just show at the ending of the game makes people confused. 

PROS:
1. There is an effect while the character hitting the enemy.
2. The frequency of enemy attack the character is just right. Monster is vivid and more offensive.



3. Tanuki Nin by LiamYueWei
( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QeDr0lfWc0&index=3&list=PLZXlN49OF94rXaJS2Pz0x9cM0HQqsqKdB )

CONS:
1. The color of the character and enemy too dull, hard to see. Should be the foreground brighter than the background.
2. No purpose od collecting the coins.
3. The enemy has a different form, but then too easy to kill.

PROS:
1. Have a simple tutorial and storyline for the user. simple and easy to understand.
2. The sound effect is so cute and nice.
3. The map of the game is details and nice, have a different style and level for the map makes interesting and not boring.
4. There is a different effect when attack and kill the monster.

These are the point we conclude during the class
1. Coin purpose
2. Color scheme
3. Challenges in the game
4. Interactivity
5. Goals/purpose of the game ( background story )
6. Rewards
7. Sound effect

I also checked out and play the game on the link that Mr. Kannan provides to us. ( http://thedesignschool.taylors.edu.my/gamezone/ ) There are also a lot of good references game that design by our seniors.


Week 1 ( 29/8/2018 )
Today, Mr. Razif show us 3 more games that design by our seniors. He told us that there is a lot type of games, we can design it as a mission base, puzzle type, or treasure.

1. Boo The Ghost - Nurul Aryna
( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5jw-ck1HDw&index=4&list=PLZXlN49OF94rXaJS2Pz0x9cM0HQqsqKdB )

Mr. Razif discus the senior's game with us. For this game, the character is cute, nice drawing, but then less interactive with the player, if the stars in the background can blink would be better. Besides that, the monster inside the game instead of make it just attack to the same direction, why not both side. And there is no storyline for the game, make people confuse what is the goals.

2. Beat Up - Aurelia
( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF0QaNHrESA&index=5&list=PLZXlN49OF94rXaJS2Pz0x9cM0HQqsqKdB )

I like this game design, the way she tells the story is good and the sound effect too. The tutorials show inside the game, so even the player is new to the game also clear how to play. The design style also simple and nice. 

3. Dungeon Venture - Kamal
( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8GUBh-VGWk&index=6&list=PLZXlN49OF94rXaJS2Pz0x9cM0HQqsqKdB )

This game is nice too. The font choice match with the design style. The game mapping is also quite challenging and interesting. But then Mr. Razif said that the way collect coin can be better, and also make different effect after killing the different type of monster instead of just changing the color.  

Mr. Razif told us to take note that there are a lot of things that we need to do for a game design such as character development, sketches for everything, walk cycle, enemy, environment design, color scheme, prototype, sound effect, mission, storyline, main menu, conclusion...


Week 2 ( 3/9/2018 ) 

Today, Mr. Kannan show us a google sheet timeline to let us clear about what to be done by each week. He said that it is not compulsory to follow it exactly same as the timetable but then we need to follow closely to the timeline so that we won't get panic when reaching the final submission.

Then, Mr. Kannan shows us a sample of game mapping prototype using a simple shape to make sure the infographic and legends clear. Mr. Kannan also explains to us what is L.O.D, Level Of Details and discuss the element of 2D and 3D games.

2D: texture sheets. sprite sheets, material/ shader. Both texture and sprite sheet should always have an equal dimension. (eg. 2x2, 4x4, 64x64, 128x128...2048x2048 )

3D: texture sheet, polycount, material/ shader.

Mr. Kannan also explains to us what is F.O.V, Field Of View. He tells us that in our design, there is always have a depth, foreground, middle ground and background. Mr. Kannan asks us to gather to the window and asked us which are the nearest thing that we see through the window. Then, he also explains to us the angle of the camera and focuses point of the camera also very important.

After that, Mr. Kannan told us that we need to divide the game development into 3 priorities.

P1: The most important thing in game design and the game cannot complete by this element.

P2: To support the game and make the gameplay richer.

P3: Nice to have, make the game visual nice and the touch-up process.

Mr. Kannan gives us an exercise after the explanation. He gives us a screenshot of a gameplay from the games Ori and the Blind Forest and ask us to list down the element that we see in the game and analyze what type priorities of the element we found.

The element that our classmate found in the screenshot:

Platforms - P1

Characters - P1

Power UP - P3

Environment - too wide to narrow down

Item - P2

Puzzle - not applicable to this level

Checkpoint - P1

The depth of Field - P3

HUD - P2

Portal - P3

Collectables - not applicable for this level

Rewards - P2

L.O.D - P3

Background - P3

Obstacles - P1

Week 2 ( 5/9/2018 ) 

For today class, Mr. Razif asks us to design a card game with using his the blackjack card he brings. We randomly separate into 3 groups and discuss with our classmate. Then we start playing a few card games that we played before.

While we playing the second game, with is everyone needs to count from A, 2, 3, .....,10, J, Q, K. You need to open a card to the middle when it is your turn. 

When the number that you count matches with the card you open at the middle, everyone needs to tap their hand on the card. The last person that put his/ her hand on the middle need to take all the cards to their hand and start the count again with A.

After we explain to Mr. Razif what are we playing, Mr. Razif tells us that actually there are few "level" to design a new game. For the lowest level is "copy". A lot of people wanted to design a new game within a short time the most possible thing that they will do is copying. People will take others game idea and change element and storyline of the game and make it as own. For the second level which is "improve" and "evolution", which is the method that Mr. Razif always uses. For example, Super Mario is running on the ground, maybe we can try to improve it instead of walking but floating.

Then, our group plan to improve the second game we play by changing the rules of the game. We decide to add on some rules, make it more complex and challenging. We change the rule of counting number into RED and BLACK. Players need to say red or black when reaching their turn and they only tap on the middle card when the color that they open match with the color they said and when it is EVEN number. The last person also needs to take all the cards in the middle. So this challenge to the player that they need to tap as fast as they can but then with the rules.

After every group finalizes their card game, then we all gather together and test play other's group game. Before the class ended, Mr. Razif explains to us that today's activity is to let us experience the process of creating a game. We also know that what is the important thing when we design a new game.

Week 3 ( 10/9/2018 ) 

Public Holiday.


Week 3 ( 12/9/2018 ) 

Today, Mr. Razif start to teach us the Unity software. We try to create a Cube and add components (eg. rigid body) to give some style to the object such as gravity. Then, Mr. Razif asks us to play around with the gravity and mass.

Then, we start to learn about coding. We can add code for a different object or for all object. In Unity, coding for each object is call script. Mr. Razif explains to us about void Start and void Update and also show us the result after adding the code.

This is the result after adding the code "Debug.Log("Updating Event...");"

Mr. Razif also introduces the integer to us and ask us to try to get the result after adding the code.

After we untick the cube object after adding the code, this will be showing out on the console.

Mr. Razif also shows us two type of code. We can choose either one to check on conditions. The calculation and the status will happen when the cube is disabled since we input the code in the Private void onDisable.

• Integer: this is the whole number, we can use it to count such as collecting coins in the game.                  ( eg. 1,2,3... )
• Float: this is for the number has decimals
• String: this is for letters ( eg. A, B, C... )
• Boolean: this is for true or false
• Debug.Log: to upload something
• Double slash ( // ): make the code disable or make a comment  to create a section
• Double quotation ( " "): input the words that will appear in the console.
• Private variables: belong to one object
• Public variables: can be shared with other object and the value can be change directly and will appear in Inspector.
• Operators: (eg. +, -, *, / , = ) put bracket for the section that need to execute first.
• Modulus ( % ): making division, to make alternate color.

Conditional statement:

• Larger than >
• Smaller than <
• Larger equal >=
• Smaller equal <=
• Double equal = =: to compare whether both values are same
• Not equal (!): to state that value not the same ( eg. x! = 5 )

Mr. Razif also teaches us some simple animation. We need to select an object, record then only rotate and move the object. We also learn to adjust the curve to adjust speed.

Week 4 ( 16/9/2018 ) 

Public Holiday. 


Week 4 ( 19/9/2018 ) 

Class cancel.

Week 5 ( 24/9/2018 ) 

Today, Mr. Kannan have one-to-one consult with us about our character, storyline and the grey box of our game design. Mr. Kannan proceeds with my idea and asked me to trace out my character with Ai or Psd and make the walk cycle.

Mr. Kannan explains to us that the grey box is the combination of the black box ( artist ) and white box ( coders/ programmers ). Mr. Kannan told us that grey box is very important in our game design development stage, so he asked us to create the grey box in unity with using a simple shape. He told us that after creating the grey box, then everything will be easier than without a grey box. We can count the scales between the gap of the players with the platforms.

This is the sample game prototyping of grey box that Mr. Kannan send to us.

Week 5 ( 26/9/2018 ) 

Today, Mr. Razif teach us how to code to control our player mode in the game. He shows us on how to make the player drop and control by the keyboard, how to jump, how to collect the item and also how to add effect to the item location after collecting the item.

Here is the code to make the keyboard control function. We can use the arrow left right or letter "A" and "D" to make our object move. Adding also rigidbody to the object to adding mass to our character.

This will be showing out on the console after we play the game mode and pressing button "A".

This will be showing out on the console after we play the game mode and pressing button "D".

This is the coding to control the character to jump with spacebar. We can also adjust how high the object jump and also how fast it will drop.

We also adding this code to make the object collecting item. Mr. Razif asks us to add the tag on both character and item to linked together. We set the Destroy(other.gameObject) to make the item disappear after the character pass through the item.

Besides that, Mr. Razif also shows us how to add the default effect to the item after the character collects the item. We can set the effect at the location of item or character too. Mr. Razif also shows us how to add two effects on one item and here is the code. We can also add our own effect to the game.

Before class ended, Mr. Razif told us that we can import our background sketches to the unity and also using the code that we learn today to make a simple prototyping.


Week 6 ( 1/10/2018 ) 

Today, Mr. Kannan has a one to one consultation with us for assignment 1. I showed Mr. Kannan my final character and also my grey box to Mr. Kannan. He asked me to continue with the art style and try to make it in Unity. Before the class end, Mr. Kannan asks us to make sure that we will confirm the art style and everything by next week. We will need to show the final character in digital form, foreground /midground /background design and also the simple platform of our grey box in Unity to him by next week. 


Week 6 ( 3/10/2018 ) 

Today, Mr. Razif showing us on how to create an item counter for our game using the game brain code.

By adding the counter, we can check the counter on the left top of the gameplay mode. We can also add the text to the counter. Besides that, Mr. Razif also guides us to import the drawing animation to the unity and also create the animation of turning coin. We replace the item with the coin and make the explosion effect to the coin.

Week 6 ( 8/10/2018 ) 

Today, we showed Mr. Kannan our progress of project 1. We explain our overall art style for our game for Mr. Kannan and show the grey box in unity to Mr. Kannan. Mr. Kannan asks me to explore more on the color. He asks me to try on adding some gradient color to the background and also tells me to try a different color and different element to create my background.

Mr. Kannan asks me to try to use the color adjustment tools to adjust the overall color tone. He also suggests me to use a different texture for the game platform so that the character and platform can be identified easily.


Week 7 ( 8/10/2018 ) 


Today, we had a consultation session with Mr. Kannan. We show the map improvement and also the character to him and get some feedback to make the changes.

Week 7 ( 10/10/2018 ) 


Class canceled.

Week 8 ( 15/10/2018 ) 

Today, we take turns to consult with Mr. Kannan about our game progression. We show him the platform and character that we create in the Unity and get some feedback from Mr. Kannan.

Week 8 ( 17/10/2018 ) 

Today, Mr. Razif teach us how to animate the character in the game mode. We use the element that provides by Mr. Razif and makes the animation for the character such as running, jump and idle.

We learn to add a new clip for different animation for the character. We also learn to adjust the keyframe to make the animation move smoother.

Besides that, we also add the animator and some script to make the animation works.

We also learn how to create the animation for the door when it detects player and taps the button can play the animation and make the player pass through the door. Then, Mr. Razif asks us to try to make our self a new script for making the door close after the character passes through.

I manage to make the door close after the character pass through the door by adding a new script "Door Trigger Close".

Week 9 ( 22/10/2018 ) 

MC.


Week 9 ( 24/10/2018 ) 

Class canceled. Changed to the online class.


Week 10 ( 29/10/2018 ) 

MC.

Week 10 ( 31/10/2018 ) 


On today class, we first follow the tutorial on our group that share by Mr. Razif that teach us on how to create a key and make it collectible. 

Mr. Razif also teaches us on how to make the key show only when a specific number of coins collected. Besides that, Mr. Razif also teaches us on how to make the key or special item have effect when it shows on the game mode.

Then, we also add an effect to the item when it is collected by the player. Mr. Razif also guides us on how to code the door that only can open when the key is collected.

Week 11 (5/11/2018, 7/11/2018 ) 

Midterm semester break, No classes.

The rest of the week we continue to coding our final game.