Bernie

Bernardine Choi n11188073

[bernie3356]

 Assignment 3 - Postmortem

Playtesting has been an invaluable part of the development process, offering firsthand insights into how users interact with our game. It revealed important aspects of the player experience and provided essential feedback that helped guide improvements and enhance overall quality.

Working on Shadowy Friend as a group project taught me the importance of collaboration and communication. By consistently sharing updates and assigning tasks based on each team member's strengths, we were able to meet expectations and deliver results efficiently. As one of the programmers, I learned how to identify and troubleshoot visual bugs and refine the mechanics I implemented. Collaborating closely with the other programmer helped me resolve technical concerns and build confidence in addressing challenges.

Our team’s designers, responsible for the art and animations, were also highly communicative and supportive. They adapted their work when necessary to align with gameplay needs, showing great flexibility and teamwork.

Overall, IGB120 has been an engaging and rewarding unit. It has deepened my understanding of core game design principles, the structure behind effective gameplay, and the value of iterative development through playtesting. I now have a stronger foundation in both the creative and technical aspects of game development.

[bernie3356]

Assignment 3 - Iteration and Changes

To enhance gameplay, visual design, and user experience, a number of significant adjustments are planned in response to the playtester's input and playtesting sessions. Iterative development has shown where improvements may improve clarity and deepen participation.

Visual and UI Improvements

Although testers expressed satisfaction with the main art style, they pointed out that greater ambient variation was needed. We (Group 17) intend to incorporate ornamental components such as flowers, grass, and backdrop animations. In order to make gameplay more intuitive, a user interface will also be built that will clearly indicate controls, objectives, and item interactions.

Gameplay Refinement

Early puzzles were deemed too easy, according to feedback. In order to solve this, we're adding features like timed levers, shifting platforms, and vanishing traps, as well as making the problem more challenging. These will put the player's timing, reflexes, and planning abilities to the test.

New Mechanics and Depth

There are plans to create new level concepts including "gravity inversion" and "dual-perspective" puzzles. Later on in the game, these elements will provide diversity and difficulty by enhancing spatial complexity and strengthening the narrative's connection.

Narrative and Collectables

We'll incorporate hidden collectibles, such as story-based mementoes, to promote exploration. These will strengthen story engagement by revealing more lore and a hidden conclusion.

Polish and Accessibility

Character animations will be improved, opponent feedback will be enhanced, and shadow portal capabilities will be expanded. Additionally, quality-of-life elements including improved audio cues and a level selection menu will be included.

According to Tracy Fullerton's design ideas, these modifications use an iterative, player-focused approach with the goal of producing a more fulfilling and engaging experience (Fullerton, T. (2019)).

Reference: Fullerton, T. (2019). Game design workshop: A playcentric approach to creating innovative games. CRC Press / Taylor & Francis Group.

[bernie3356]

Assessment 3 - Game discussion

One feature that caught our group's attention during our session was the flower interaction system, which was based on Tracy Fullerton's ideas of player-centric development and iterative design. Fullerton (2019), suggests that in order to identify both planned and spontaneous behaviours, game designers need pay close attention to how players interact with systems. The flower in our instance was designed to function as an early teaching tool by providing control instructions, gameplay tips, and important conversation. Through trial and error, one player was able to learn the controls while completely avoiding the flower. This led to a beneficial discussion regarding our onboarding process.

Fullerton's focus on playtesting as a tool for discovery is consistent with this surprising behaviour. It turned out that although our lesson mechanic was theoretically sound, it was simple to overlook because it was optional. We thus started looking for ways to better direct players towards it, whether by using lighting, subtle environmental clues, or changes to the level design that highlight the mechanism organically without affecting from immersion.

On the other hand, a person with little gaming knowledge struggled with a platforming phase. This supported Fullerton's contention that games ought to be made to accommodate a wide variety of players, including those who are unfamiliar with the genre. It inspired us to think more inclusively about how we frame early problems and convey affordances.

Motivated by these findings, we plan to improve by adding a user interface that emphasises interactive elements and prominently shows the game's controls. Players who might overlook optional instructional components like the flower mechanism are supposed to benefit from this innovation. We hope to increase accessibility and guarantee that all players have the information they need to participate in the game successfully by making key interactions more obvious through user interface design. This strategy is in line with Fullerton's focus on developing user-responsive systems, in which design components complement one another to improve player guiding, story delivery, and general engagement.

Reference: Fullerton, T. (2019). Game design workshop: A playcentric approach to creating innovative games. CRC Press / Taylor & Francis Group.

[bernie3356]

Assessment 3 - Playtesting

My group and I went to the playtesting party and managed to find students to conduct our game.

My role during the session was to take notes on feedback and comments related to the game. Since the environment was quite noisy, I positioned myself as close as possible to the participants in order to better hear and capture their input. Despite the challenging conditions, I made an effort to document as much relevant information as I could. For future sessions, I plan to participate more actively by conducting user experience playtesting in a quieter setting. Additionally, I intend to make audio recordings of the sessions to ensure that no valuable feedback is missed.

During the playtesting session, we encountered a few unexpected bugs and glitches that affected the gameplay experience. In addition to technical issues, it was also interesting to observe the different ways participants interacted with the game. One player managed to bypass the flower mechanic entirely, which was designed to provide important dialogue, control instructions, and gameplay hints, yet still figured out how to play the game intuitively. This highlighted the potential for players to miss key narrative and instructional elements if not guided properly. Another participant struggled with jumping across a wider platform gap, taking a noticeable amount of time to succeed. This was likely due to her limited experience with video games, which emphasised the importance of considering varying skill levels when designing levels and tutorials. These observations provided valuable insight into how players of different backgrounds engage with our game and highlighted areas for improvement in both design and guidance systems.

[bernie3356]

Assessment 3 - Progress 3 (My progress in the group)

14/05 - Version 3 - Fixed (the transparent platforms) but when the transparent platform respawns the platform isn't strictly the same size

15/05 - Version 4 - Fixed transparent platform respawn sizing and mechanics for all levels, R button for both player and shadow to reset the game and only the player can walk through door to go onto the next level

20/05 - Version 8 - Lever, box, lamp, shadow portal + teleport mechanics working, copied and pasted sounds to all levels Need to fix level 4, it's possible but a bit difficult… I think my box mechanics or transparent platform needs be fixed Perhaps add an end scene after level 5? Need to fix up on level 5. Add flower mechanics for lever, lamp and in level 4 to explain to players

21/05 - Version 8.1 - Made level 4 easier by adding a block and fixed level 5

I added level 6 as an end screen, can make it look nicer if needed

22/05 - Version 9.3 - Kept platform in level 4

Version 9.4 - Deleted platform in level 4 but Shadow is allowed to stand on the box, the spike can stop the box from moving

Both has changed push and jump animations, would need to fix when player is on top of the box animation. Flower image needs to be changed and fix so Shadow can read too. Bunny hopping doesn't really work well. The points for angled platform needs to be changed.

[bernie3356]

Assignment 3 - Progress 2

In my group, I was assigned as a programmer of our game.

We were slightly behind in our game development progress as we were meant to start playtesting during our workshop.

As we only had the main mechanics of creating the shadow, swapping to shadow and enemy behaviour working (Started by our other programmer:

Firstly, a team member and I dedicated our efforts to constructing and designing our tutorial that will highlight the essential mechanics intended for the entire game. Alongside this, we outlined the design and gameplay elements planned for future levels to ensure a cohesive experience. Another group member also worked on playtesting materials, including a playtesting script, survey, and a questionnaire.

Tutorial:

The team members prepped materials to support user testing, such as a structured playtesting script, a feedback survey, and a detailed questionnaire.

[bernie3356]

Assignment 3 - Progress

Our team has redefined the original idea and implemented our project as seen in our part A submission.

Short summary update:

X statement: Shadowy Friend is a 2D puzzle platformer about swapping places with your best friend, Shadow, to get through obstacles in a lost world.

In this game, you play as a silent wanderer in a forgotten space. Leave a Shadow where you stand, switch between the two player characters and swap locations with the Shadow to solve spatial puzzles, avoid dangers, and see where your journey leads.

This game’s target demographics are for players who enjoy platformer games with simple controls and puzzle lovers who like smart mechanics.

Slightly adjusted one page and one sheet:

Therefore, our group (Group 17) has structured our MVP and task allocations for each group member. We outlined a game development/playtesting timeline to ensure our team aims to meet set deadlines.

[bernie3356]

Assignment 3 - Group Formation and Team Discussion

Created a team last week, where we shared each group member's one page and one sheet. We discussed and agreed that out of the type of games (e.g. platform, asteroids and racing games), we choose to do a platform game. The reason is that asteroids and racing games were limiting whereas the platform type games had more freedom in creativity and interesting mechanics for creation. In the end, we decided that Shadowy Friend was the best choice. As it had distinctive mechanics and design that shown potential and deemed possible to construct for a group project. See below of team member's one sheet and one page:

Consequently, my group was assigned playtesting roles (playtest conductor, playtest note taker (comments), playtest note taker (events) and external playtester (Part C)). This was to ensure our group's direction for the upcoming playtesting sessions and equal contribution to our assignment 3.

[bernie3356]

Assessment 2 - Final Design (One Page and One Sheet)

[bernie3356]

Space Race - Development

I apologise for the laggy recording

[bernie3356]

Racer Pitch - Space Race

Set in outer space, Space Race is a fast-paced 2D arcade-style racing game. A rocket ship is controlled by the player as it races dodges four AI opponents. The objective is to stay alive as long as possible while dodging rivals and opposing projectiles. One life is lost when the player collides with another rocket; if you lose all three, the race is over. To obtain benefits like speed increases, shields, or life restoration, gather powerups.

X Statement: Drift, dodge and conquer in a gravity-free race across the stars, much as Wipeout did in space.

Theme: Future racing that is competitive and emphasises risk-reward collisions, precise handling, and shifting interstellar environments.

Genre: 2D Arcade Space Racer, Sci-Fi Survival Racing

Primary Mechanics or Mode of Gameplay:

According to Fullerton (2019), effective games provide engaging experiences based on precise, well-defined basic mechanisms. Space Race prioritises player mastery and reflex-driven engagement.

Player controlled rocket vs four AI rockets in a 2D top-down scrolling space race

No energy drain, all attention is on dodging and racing

Colliding with AI rockets results in one life, for a total of three lives

Powerups appear at random, including shields, speed boosts, extra lives, etc

Survive as long as you can while outrunning and outmanoeuvring opponents

Audience

Ages 8 to 30, fans of fast reflex games, arcade racers, and space adventures.

Game controls:

Up arrow - Thrust forward

Down arrow - Slow down

Left arrow - Move left

Right arrow - Move right

E key - Use power-up

Spacebar - Boost (short speed burst)

3 Unique Selling Points:

Three-strike survival

Every collision with an opponent results in death; to win you must survive three strikes or fewer.

Space mayhem in 2D

You have to dodge, weave, and speed at precisely the proper times in this face-paced, chaotic space racing game

Powerup technique

Gain the upper hand by strategically gathering and utilising powerups; shields, speed increases, and additional lives can rescue your race

Reference: Fullerton, T. (2019). Game design workshop: A playcentric approach to creating innovative games. CRC Press / Taylor & Francis Group.

[bernie3356]

Zombie War - Fixed error

Error has been fixed by adding a small wait time. Now added more zombies, background change and enlarged the Lives text.

[bernie3356]

Zombie War

Errors are now fixed

By using code to change the scales, wait times for animation changes, including when the zombies are shot dead.

[bernie3356]

Zombie War - Error 2

Scale of the zombie sizing is fixed. However, occasionally due to the zombies being scaled down the initial zombie pops up big then changes down.

[bernie3356]

Zombie War - Development

Challenge: Zombie sprites are too big and the gun for the cursor is too small, need to change the scale

[bernie3356]

Asteroids Elevator Pitch - "Zombie War"

The cursor is the player's weapon in Zombie War, an arcade-style zombie shooter. Complete accuracy without the need for movement keys. As waves of small, lady, big zombies approach from all directions, aim using the cursor and click to fire the bullets. With a contemporary zombie twist, Zombie War embodies the essence of original Asteroids in a quick, hectic, and brutally straightforward manner.

X Statement: "Cursor survival game meets the mayhem of asteroids replaced with zombies"

Genre: Arcade Shooter and action survival

Primary Mechanics / Mode of Gameplay:

Move cursor: Aim the gun

Left cluck: Shoot bullets

Number keys (1, 2, 3): Activate special powers collected in-game

E key: Rescue a human if one is nearby

Survive increasingly difficult waves of zombies

In accordance with Fullerton's theory of "easy to learn, hard to master" design, the gameplay is based on simple onboarding with layered depth.

Setting / Style:

A post-apocalyptic city warzone featuring overrun cityscapes, destroyed streets, and shadowy alleyways. The aesthetic combines spooky, 2D zombies with tension. It has an action-horror arcade feel to it because to its vibrant yet gritty graphics.

Audience / Demographics:

Casual to mid-core players that like zombie-themed crisis, shooters with a throwback feel, and fast-reflex difficulties. Perfect for gamers 13 years and over who want quick, addicting play sessions, intense gameplay, and easy controls.

3 Unique Selling Points

Mouse only combat - Simplified gameplay using just a mouse. Simple to play, challenging to master.

Diverse zombie types - Small zombies swarm, lady zombies walk unpredictably, and big zombies consume more damage. A new layer of strategy is added by each category.

Power-ups and rescue system - Accumulate temporary abilities such as quick fire, freeze blast, or an explosion that clears the screen. Rescue stranded people to receive rewards and bonuses.

Reference: Fullerton, T. (2019). Game design workshop: A playcentric approach to creating innovative games. CRC Press / Taylor & Francis Group.

[bernie3356]

Playtesting results