Homework 10 - Inventory Menu

This menu is our game's inventory menu.  It will contain all the items that the protagonist will carry throughout the game-play.  The way the menu works is like two arm-pouches.  The left menu contains smaller items, such as smoke bombs, flares, keys, etc.  The right menu will hold larger items, including an EMP gun, a first aid kit, etc.  To view the menu, the player will press the "R" button.  The menu will then appear within the player's visor.  By pressing the "A" button, the left menu will rotate to the right.  By pressing the "D" button, the right menu will rotate to the left.  The inward-most item is what will be used by the player.  While the inventory is not view able,  The "A" and "D" buttons will be the action buttons in order to use the selected items.  The limitations of eight slots, four if you are counting for each arm, will create the debate withing the player's mind as to what items should be used for discarded.  

Note: The multicolored menu to the left is, currently for noticing the rotation only.  This may be modified at a later date.

Homework 9 - Twelve Kinds of Balance

Fairness:
The game is a asymmetrical game in that it is one player against an army of AI drones.  To create fairness, the AI drones are simple in motion and utilize no items, while the player can manipulate his or her own movement with dexterity and use items.
Challenge Vs. Success:
We increase the amount of AI drones that guard the mainframes with each succession of hacked mainframe.
The player will go through "tutorial areas" quickly, allowing the player to learn necessary skills quickly.
 Meaningful Choices:
The player will have to decide the best routs to reach the mainframe areas.  They can either be quick with high risk of being seen, or slow and stealthy to avoid detection.
Skill Vs. Chance:
While the AI drones are placed in specific locations, chance is created when the player's choice of distraction is effective or ineffective.  It could stun the AI drones, or it could draw more in.
Head Vs. Hands:
This game is more about the thinking and planning aspect, though Hands comes into play if the player is discovered. He or she must run away and find places to hide and evade the AI drones.
Competition Vs. Cooperation:
At the current moment, the game is single player.  Therefore, there is not any form of competition or cooperation at this time, aside against the AI drones.
Short Vs. Long:
With the game including a single map, and with the goals being straightforward, the game should not last excessively long.  However, play-testing must be done in order to discover if this is true.
Rewards:
The rewards of our game include the ability to explore, the closure of completion, and unlocking details of the story line.
Punishment:
The forms of punishment against the player include exciting risks, shaming after failure, shortened play, setbacks, and resource depletion.
Freedom Vs. Controlled Experience:
At the beginning of the game, the player receives a visor that trains the player and describes missions.  This is a part of a controlled experience.  The player, however, can chose in which way they may perform the mission.  They may take different paths, use different items, etc.
Simple Vs. Complex:
The game in its current format is complex in that the player must undergo difficult situations in a puzzle-like manner.  What our team is trying to use to simplify the game is the visor that gives clues throughout game play,  though less over time.
Detail Vs. Imagination:
Our game will include subtitles instead of voices, and a sky-box instead of a whole city.

My Progress this Week - Week 4

This week, I created buildings for the game.  I also began to design the robot for the final scene.  I then drew plans for how the doors will look.

Homework 8 - Animation

In the game, the player will fly a hacked helicopter across the city.  The character will be challenged by a swarm of robots, which in place stands a growing robot.  The helicopter will be able to move in all directions, though it will have to swivel around.

Link to my model:

https://drive.google.com/?usp=folder&authuser=0#folders/0B_lvir2c0U85M1Vsa1VGRE15Y0E

Homework 7 - Ch 10 Answers

1) Is the space in your game discrete or continuous?

It is continuous.

2) How many dimensions does your space have?

It has three dimensions.

3) What are the boundaries of your space?

The player can not freely fly or swim.  Therefore, the boundaries will include the sky, bodies of water, and walls.

4) How many verbs do your characters have?  What are they?

The characters have six verbs.  They are the ability to walk, jump, crouch, communicate, shoot, and drop item.

5) How many objects can each verb act on?  What are these objects?

The verbs can act on three objects.  They can act on the player, the ally, and the enemy.

6) How many ways can players achieve their goals?

So far, there are two ways to achieve the final goal.

7) How many subjects do the players control?  What are these subjects?

The player can control three subjects so far: the protagonist, the side-character, and the virus.

8) How do side effects change constraints?

Victory in the game is achieved by stealth.  The more an enemy spots you, your detection meter will increase.  The stealthier the character is early on, the more likely he will be undetected later.

9) What are the operative actions in your game?

The operative actions include move left, right, forward, and backwards.  They also include a left arm item and a right arm item.  The player can communicate with the headset and other characters.  The player can also duck-and-cover.

10) What are the resultant actions in your game?

The player is able to explore the world, and avoid enemies.  The enemies can be stunned with stun items.  The player's health can regenerate.  Passageways are opened as well.

11) What actions would you like your players to do that they cannot presently do?

Be able to use the Oculus for the game-play.

12) What is the ultimate goal of your game?

To watch a final cut-scene, which changes based off of decisions made in the game.

13) Are there short and long term goals?  What are they?

The short-term goals are to protect the female side-character and upload viruses into mainframes.  The long-term goals are to obey the missions set by the visor screen, discover clues move along the story-line, and enter the final cut-scene.

14) How do you plan to make the game goals known and understood by the player?

The plan is twofold.  It includes obeying the missions given by the visor and discovering clues that reveal the history within the game.

15) What are the foundational rules of your game?

The player must insert viruses to checkpoints without being discovered.

16) How are these rules enforced?

They are enforced by a "Stealth-bar".  It increases from blue, green, yellow, orange, and red.  When it shines red, the player is introduced to a fade scene that shows the character being swamped by AI Zombies.

17) Does your game develop real skills?  What are they?

Yes.  If the player has a good eye for space and detail, the character can hide in hard-to-be-seen locations.

18) Does your game develop virtual skills?  What are they?

Yes.  They include hacking and park-ore.

My Progress this Week - Week 3

This week, I made progress on the robot design in Maya.  I also downloaded sketches of buildings to use in the development of the structures in my team's game.  I also learned how to animate objects, and am learning how to use skeletons in Maya.  I am in the process of learning if the skeleton will transfer into Blender.

Homework 6

The scene that I selected is a helicopter shooting at a robot.  The enemy virus will be taking over the robot body near the end of the game.  The player will be shooting from a helicopter in order to destroy it.