Character Attachment Update 05/02/2020

Character Attachment Update 05/02/2020

So recently, I have gone full steam ahead on the development of the new iteration of my title. I am now in a place where I know what must be done in the near future, as well as almost ready to play test this iteration and gather feedback on its progress and potential. 

On the 22nd January 2020, I uploaded an update video to my Youtube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn8wdHah-QtRX-O5fQrOy0A?view_as=subscriber) 

about my progress on the game so far. In this iteration, I was just beginning to explore the potential of the new 3D system. I had implemented a fairly simple yet largely unimplemented inventory system and had implemented 2 powers, that of teleportation and invisibility. Although functional, they were largely useless in this iteration, but their control and the use of them has largely stayed the same, even though their uses are now becoming clear. I had not yet begun exploring AI in this iteration and so the AI seen in the video just does what it was told to do at that moment, which was to find a random point and move to it. This video can be found here: https://youtu.be/EBIdAT1xWs0

On the 22nd January also, I posted some further progress, showing my inventory gaining some functionality. In this progress update, the player was able to pick up weapons and use them, although with unlimited ammunition and no consequence to firing the weapon. This update served as a showcase of the small progress in between videos and allowed me to keep track of my progress in order to learn and develop the layout of what was to come. It can be found here: https://youtu.be/i8mIR_r8A2c

On the 29th January 2020, I released a new video, showcasing my AI coming together. In this iteration, the player is able to attack the AI, which will do its job until it spots the player, when it will begin its charge towards them. This iteration was incredibly satisfying, however the players abilities were still largely useless and the AI much too simple to become the main enemy of my title. On top of the AI, I had also implemented looting into my game, allowing the player to access enemy inventories in order to take their weapon. This video can be found here: https://youtu.be/DC3EPHo-3z4

Today is the latest update to my YouTube channel and the game has come quite far since the last update on the 29th. In this iteration, there is now a Main menu, character creation scene and the beginnings of a level designed to test the players abilities. This level will be the basis of my play-testing and will give me the opportunity to see how players interact with their character, both in appearance and the intuition of their abilities. On the Character Creation, the player is able to choose the initial appearance of their character, picking their skin colour, outfit style and colour and whether they have accessories such as shoes and gloves. This will be carried into the game, meaning they can play as a character they have created, a key part of my initial idea for character development. On top of the new developments, I have gone back and improved and built upon those systems which I started with. The AI has had a face lift, making it more intelligent and reactive, as well as more challenging. An added level of gore has given the game a much higher sense of satisfaction. I went back to my inventory and implemented 2 new weapons, as well as improving my UI to have prettier icons and higher fidelity images. I have added simple functionalities which were missing, such as the ability to change the fire rate of weapons. On top of all of this, is the new level. Although simple, it gives the player the opportunity to test one of their abilities and its potential to make traversing a level different. This ability will be key to my title, as it will offer me the opportunity to make the levels interesting and add puzzles involving jump distance and reaching places the player may not realise they can reach.  This update can be found here: https://youtu.be/z3iQsXtNBVI

Now onto the future. I have allot to do and I am feeling more confident everyday in my ability to complete these varying tasks. In the next week, I wish to finish this simple level in order to serve the purpose of offering this iteration to new player to play-test and mess around with. Adding a second half to my level which showcases the invisibility power and its use to evade enemies who are too challenging or are too great in number to face head on. Once play-testing has been done, I will work immediately on fixing any major issues in the game play, before moving on to the new developments I wish to add. In plan with my titles aim to explore character development, I will need to add further opportunity to develop the characters abilities. This will come from the ability to upgrade the players powers, making them more effective and making them cost less to use. The blink/teleport ability will receive possible upgrades to its distance and cost and the invisibility ability will receive upgrades to its efficiency and its ability to fool enemies who perhaps are designed to detect the player when using it. 

After this, I wish to begin implementing new powers, as well as a story to my game which will tie the player to their character on a level deeper than just controlling their appearance and abilities. Additionally, the player will need new and different levels to explore and test their abilities on.



After speaking to Josh and Jim today, it became clear that the reasoning for my character development needs to be relayed clearly. Knowing that the players story and the reasons they have their powers is often essential to a viewers ability to become attached to the player, I need to look at how my title will use these ideas to make itself stand out. After initial play-tests, I need to begin focusing on how my players possible paths will be set out to the them and the consequences of their choices down these paths. I could potentially use a kill count, to impact the players key stats and later ability to enter certain areas. Perhaps if all the player does is kill, they become more demonic and evil, whereas sparing the AI and sneaking past them will give them hero status/abilities in a similar vain to the Infamous series of games. Alternatively, using Stranger Things story, the player will go through the game using their abilities for good or bad and will receive rewards based on what paths they choose