Update 09/01/2020
Update 09/01/2020
Over the last few months I have had a few issues outside of university that have led to a severe slow down in progress on this project. However, I will be again moving back to Preston either on the 12th or 18th January and intend to spend as much time as possible working on this project in order to get to where I wanted to be at this stage, which is admittedly very far behind what I was intending. This blog post will be a culmination of the work I have done recently, talking about all the progress I have made in depth after so long without updating my blog
The last few months have offered me the opportunity to recieve feedback on this project so far. From this, I have received some interesting feedback about potential improvements I can make, as well as suggestions as to the direction of this project moving forward. So let me begin with the feedback I have received and how I think it will be useful to look at implementing this in my game. Whilst I offered my friends and family what I had available to test, I also gathered some information about their last experience with character development, whether in games or not. This has given me some useful information about what makes character development and connectivety achieveable.
On 12th December, I playtested my title with 4 of my friends in Manchester. Although we are all similar in many ways, we have all been recently interested in several different things. As such, their feedback was quite varying. The playtesters used this version of the game (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtVlHYf_Ssk)to play and had as long as they wanted to explore the inventory/upgrade interfaces and mess with the combat before giving me my feedback. Here is a link to view these forms:
https://msuclanac-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/mforshaw2_uclan_ac_uk/EnuJNmITULVAjXKcoVavL3kBxEajBl5vlzsP6q-rN2NoCg?e=l78uVl
After receiving this feedback, I began to look at ways I could improve the experience for players. One of the biggest things that was discussed was the aesthetic of having the player 2D but the environment 3D. Players didnt seem to like this and although I do find it to be a unique and oddly satisfying point of view, I agree that it is limited. Indeed from working with it over this module, I have found it tedious. I began looking in my spare time for a possible solution to this and may now move into a 3D environment in my next iteration, as that seems to be what players will find more appealing. Another piece of feedback was to get a level made and ready so that I could begin giving players the opportunity to test the game properly. That was what I began next and although progress has been slow, I have now found all the asset packs I think I will need and have a good plan of what my levels will look like. Transitioning through multiple environments, my game will take the player across a map split into 4 different areas. More on that later on. Finally, it was almost unanimous that I focused too much on throwing as many options as possible at the player and most of them didnt seem to enjoy this. Therefore, began to look at different ways I can implement player progression
Having looked for sometime at a way I can implement the character in 3D, I found an asset pack on the Unreal Marketplace that I feel will give me the opportunity to do just that. At the beginning of this course I was worried about the implementation of animation and such in 3D. However, this pack and its features will allow me to do quickly and robustly, allowing me to get on with the development of a story and abilities for the player to use. I look forward to potentially using it in my next iteration:
https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/advanced-locomotion-system-v1
I have now begun the implementation a playable level into Unreal 4 and so far I am having some really good results with it. Using asset packs I have found on the Unreal store, my game worlds are becoming fully realised in 3D. Altthough right now it is interesting to see these environments from the top down, I do agree that they would look better from a more ordinary point of view. Although I havent done much on this level, I have now could a pretty thorough plan of what needs to be done next in the Levels.
Fig 2: As you can see from these screenshots, the implementation of this level is coming on nicely and I hope to have completed it before the end of next week
Fig 3: The outside of my scene has a variety of objects which make the scene feel unique and lived in.
The last few months have offered me the opportunity to recieve feedback on this project so far. From this, I have received some interesting feedback about potential improvements I can make, as well as suggestions as to the direction of this project moving forward. So let me begin with the feedback I have received and how I think it will be useful to look at implementing this in my game. Whilst I offered my friends and family what I had available to test, I also gathered some information about their last experience with character development, whether in games or not. This has given me some useful information about what makes character development and connectivety achieveable.
On 12th December, I playtested my title with 4 of my friends in Manchester. Although we are all similar in many ways, we have all been recently interested in several different things. As such, their feedback was quite varying. The playtesters used this version of the game (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtVlHYf_Ssk)to play and had as long as they wanted to explore the inventory/upgrade interfaces and mess with the combat before giving me my feedback. Here is a link to view these forms:
https://msuclanac-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/mforshaw2_uclan_ac_uk/EnuJNmITULVAjXKcoVavL3kBxEajBl5vlzsP6q-rN2NoCg?e=l78uVl
After receiving this feedback, I began to look at ways I could improve the experience for players. One of the biggest things that was discussed was the aesthetic of having the player 2D but the environment 3D. Players didnt seem to like this and although I do find it to be a unique and oddly satisfying point of view, I agree that it is limited. Indeed from working with it over this module, I have found it tedious. I began looking in my spare time for a possible solution to this and may now move into a 3D environment in my next iteration, as that seems to be what players will find more appealing. Another piece of feedback was to get a level made and ready so that I could begin giving players the opportunity to test the game properly. That was what I began next and although progress has been slow, I have now found all the asset packs I think I will need and have a good plan of what my levels will look like. Transitioning through multiple environments, my game will take the player across a map split into 4 different areas. More on that later on. Finally, it was almost unanimous that I focused too much on throwing as many options as possible at the player and most of them didnt seem to enjoy this. Therefore, began to look at different ways I can implement player progression
Having looked for sometime at a way I can implement the character in 3D, I found an asset pack on the Unreal Marketplace that I feel will give me the opportunity to do just that. At the beginning of this course I was worried about the implementation of animation and such in 3D. However, this pack and its features will allow me to do quickly and robustly, allowing me to get on with the development of a story and abilities for the player to use. I look forward to potentially using it in my next iteration:
https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/advanced-locomotion-system-v1
I have now begun the implementation a playable level into Unreal 4 and so far I am having some really good results with it. Using asset packs I have found on the Unreal store, my game worlds are becoming fully realised in 3D. Altthough right now it is interesting to see these environments from the top down, I do agree that they would look better from a more ordinary point of view. Although I havent done much on this level, I have now could a pretty thorough plan of what needs to be done next in the Levels.
Fig 1: My 1st Level as a Basic Photoshop Render
Fig 4: The asset packs I have found do offer me the opportunity to work with a variety of objects and clutter I may not otherwise have thought to use. This increases the immersion of the level I think
Fig 5: I have already begun moving back through the level, filling it out with appropriate assets. The next step after this will be to add functionality and story to the level, in order to make it an interesting experience for the player
One issue I have with this level is the fact that I had to cut away the mountain and not add a ceiling to my map, in order to successfully use the top down perspective. By reverting to a more traditonal camera angle, I can not only increase the fidelity of the visuals, but also make my title more immersive and entertaining.
I also took the playtesters I had through the plot and story I was now developing:
Based loosely on Stranger Things and the tale of the Deathly Hallows from Harry Potter, I wish to introduce a number of other worldly encounters. Each of these encounters will allow the player the opportunity to not only witness the use of a power, but also learn it in a rewarding way. To defeat these encounters is to gain their potential. In order to do this, the player will begin their journey through the game as normal. Picking up weapons and armour in order to improve their chances of survivability. However in encountering these interdimensional enemies, the player will have the opportunity to learn a skill they can then improve through skill points. This means the player will continue to have the same tolerance for damage and such, but will slowly become less vulnerable as not only their abilities improve, but also the weapons they are using.
The next steps of this level design will be to implement a story to the game. In doing this, I will be able to address another part of the feedback I received. The use of upgrades and how at the moment it is quite overwhelming to players. This is what my plan for the next iteration is to be. Using the time I will have more efficiently this time, I hope to create at least 4 levels, which will allow me the opportunity to introduce 4 abilities. After discussing these powers with playtesters. I came up with 4 scenarios in which to introduce 4 powers.
The first scenario will be at the beginning of the game and offer the player the ability to quickly learn how the title is going to progress. Witnessing an attack by a demon, the player will soon realise that it is able to 'blink' around the room quickly, moving between enemies with ease in order to strike them down before they can react. This enemy vanishes for a little while, leaving behind a player with a new ability. At the end of the level, the players ability to use this power effectively will decide whether they can defeat this first enemy.
The second scenario will be in the next level. Coming down from the mountainous base, the player will approach a checkpoint which has been burnt to a cinder. Upon closer inspection, the player finds a fire demon who lashes out at the player. Using their new ability to teleport short distances, the player must find a way to avoid the barrage of flames. However after defeating this enemy, the player will find that they know possess a fiery defense capability.
Coming to the bottom of the moutain, the player will enter a forest, where they will quickly learn that the fauna is not acting of its own accord. Attacked by regularly docile animals, the player soon realises that a new beast has its hold over the region. Using their ability to teleport and manipulate fire, the player must take out this master of the forest, in doing so learning their ability to control others.
Finally, the player will reach a small town. In this town, they will find evidence of a rift between dimensions opening up and will also happen across a 4th being, using its ability to cloak itself to hunt prey through the streets. Using their new abilities, the player must overcome this troublesome monster, in doing so learning themselves how to cloak against enemies sight.
I feel these 4 scenarios are interesting in a few ways. Not only will the player be rewarded for quick thinking and combat efficiency, but they will also begin a journey with their character, learning their new skills together and seeing them at work before being able to use them themselves. Not only this, but it offers me the opportunity to develop levels with clear objectives and possibilties in mind. For example, traversing the side of a mountain with the ability to teleport short distance, can only lead to hijinx such as freerunning down steep and dangerous paths. This will give me the opportunity not only to showcase my ability to give a character meaningful progression, but also showcase my ability to design levels around mechanics.
I feel that although I didnt make great progress in this part of my project, I still learnt valuable lessons which I can apply to my work going forward. Taking a more traditional aesthetic will serve in making the game instantly more immersive to most players and by reducing the amount of options I give the player, I also reduce the amount of confusion and blank-minded implementation which cost me valuable time this time around.
Relatability is a term I see coined allot when discussing character development. And having a character that is able to quickly become proficient in every weapon and also increase their health quickly, makes it not only hard to design in a balanced way, but also in a way which breeds a healthy and relatable link between player and character. For that reason, I decided to look at how my new 4 skills: Blinking, Fire Manipulation, Mind Control and Cloaking could be implemented and designed around, making them upgradable and ultimately rewarding to use. Many games use systems that give players special abilities. For example, Skyrim broke ground with its use of Shouts as powerful but not abusable abilties, such as pushing and freezing enemies. In Skyrim, using this ability activates a cooldown state. Similarly, the new Star Wars game Jedi: Fallen Order, slowly introduces players to their abilities through flashbacks and lore related training scenes. This makes the characters journey a part of the players, as they too seamlessly learn the new abilties with the player. In this title, the player has a bar of energy that depletes when using these abilities or performing power attacks. This makes efficiency with these abilities rewarding.
In keeping with that sudden inspiration from Skyrim's system, I decided to have a look at creating a baseline UI for the new upgrade system I could use:
Fig 6: My Powers UI template, with its Portal like centre making it eye catching and the use of simple yet effective icons to display their effects. By clicking these icons, the player will be taken to their upgrade trees, where their areas of effect, cooldowns and power can be improved.
This change enables me to more efficiently hone the players choice into that of their chosen playstyle. You may be able to see the influence of Harry Potter coming through in these powers. When discussing them with one of my playtesters, I realised that the Harry Potter series has many wonderfully exciting and powerful powers in it. Teleportation, invisibilty, element control and of course mind control or as I recently found out could be called Menticide. I did consider the ability to instantly kill a target or to confuse enemies, but found these abilities to be more interesting and unique from each other. Each one offers a different playstyle, which works right into my hands.
Here is a link to the latest video I have of my progress so far. The player is now able to experiment with what I have so far in the part of Level One I have completed:
So the plan moving forward. The work I have done developing the levels and inventory/upgrade systems will not be wasted. At this time however, I feel it best to follow up on my feedback and head down a more traditional viewpoint. This will be a quick process with the new movement system. Using the good start I have on my first level, I want to begin creating puzzle like ways of traversing the map, in order to give the player uses for their new abilities. Using the assets packs I now have available to me, it is a case of building these amazing levels in order to give the player a sense of purpose.
Timescale:
1 Week: Work on redoing my previous work in a 3D viewpoint with the new system. Add the inventory and pickup system and then begin implementing the first ability, blinking. Once this is implemented, I can work on making the UI for the abilities and add functionality to their use and improvement. Then revisiting the 1st levels plans, I can look at how to work out giving the player interesting opportunities to use them.
1 Week: Improve all that I have done so far in this new viewpoint. Looking on my research, it is obvious that I could streamline this project significantly, making user friendly interfaces more important to me than giving as much information as possible. In order to make looting possible, I will have to tweak my inventory system, making it more about weight than inventory space. This will give the player more freedom when picking up items. My ammunition system is very complicated too. Although advanced and realistic, it takes away from the experience due to the player needing to pause and enter their inventory to reload. This can be streamlined into a much simpler and therefore more fastpaced and enjoyable system
1 Week: Playtests on the 1st level with the new camera angle and improved mechanics of customisation. Find out what people think and then continue to implement this feedback into my project. I would also like to begin implementing my research into methodologies of design, making sure my reasonings for asset placement and included mechanics are logical and relatable.
2 Weeks: Work on the 2nd Level and on implementing my feedback, in order to make my game progress in a meaningful and appropriate way. Character development needs to be on the forefront of my mind and so far, I have barely scratched the surface. Much more work will need to be done if I am going to make my goal of becoming well versed in mechanical character development.
1 Week: Additional Playtests on this second level, with the new mechanics in place. Gather this feedback and plan on how to implement it into the title.
At every stage of this plan I will update this blog with images and videos of how the improved idea is coming along. The work has only just begun on what I hope can be a very rewarding project. I am about passed the difficulties I faced in late 2019 and can now move forward focusing solely on my wellbeing and this project.
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