IGB120 Reflective journal

Chengyang(Austin) Li

[chengyangli]

Assignment 3 Postmortem

In this project, our goal was to develop a game that is creative and fun. Through the joint efforts of the team, we successfully achieved this goal. Active exchanges and effective communication between team members are key factors in the success of the project.

Successes:

Teamwork: Throughout the project, team members showed great enthusiasm and initiative. Everyone actively expressed their opinions and made constructive suggestions at every meeting.

Creative contribution: Despite the lack of some materials, team members even hand-painted the required elements themselves. This eclectic and creative problem-solving approach ensured the smooth progress of the project.

Results display: The final work presented met our expectations. Everyone's contribution to the project cannot be ignored. We are very satisfied with the results of teamwork.

Challenges encountered:

Lack of materials: During the development of the project, we encountered the problem of insufficient materials. This forced us to rely on the hand-painting skills of team members. Although it increased the workload, it also stimulated the creativity of the team.

Performance issues: The game occasionally freezes. Although we have tried our best to optimize, there are still some technical problems that need to be further resolved.

Solution:

Hand-drawn materials: In the absence of materials, team members took the initiative to hand-draw the required game elements to ensure the progress and quality of the project.

Performance optimization: Although the game occasionally freezes, we have taken some optimization measures, such as reducing unnecessary animation effects and simplifying code logic, which have improved the smoothness of the game to a certain extent.

Lessons learned:

The importance of team communication: Through this project, we deeply understand that good team communication is the cornerstone of project success. Regular meetings and open communication channels ensure that the opinions of each member are heard and adopted.

Flexible response to challenges: Insufficient materials and performance issues are the main challenges in the project, but the team has demonstrated excellent adaptability and proposed and implemented effective solutions in a timely manner.

Future improvements:

Prepare materials in advance: In future projects, we will pay more attention to the advance preparation of materials to ensure that we have sufficient resources at the beginning of the project.

In-depth performance optimization: For performance issues, we will conduct more in-depth research and optimization to ensure that the game can run smoothly on various devices.

In general, this project not only achieved the expected goals but also taught us valuable experience and lessons. It's been a great honor to work with such a creative and collaborative team. We brainstormed together what elements could be added to the game, allocated each person's responsibilities, and worked together to develop this game. Looking forward to the future, we look forward to achieving even greater success in the next project.

[chengyangli]

Assignment 3 - Iteration and Changes

After several iterations and upgrades, the final presentation of the game is as shown in the video.

Here is a screenshot of the original version.

[chengyangli]

Assignment 3 - Playtesting

After everyone completed the basic development, we welcomed playtesting. Letting others play the game provides us with valuable opinions from the perspective of players, which is crucial for our later improvements and upgrades. During the testing process, we gained the following problems: The gameplay is unclear, and there is no clear tutorial to instruct players on how to operate. The sound of the game is noisy and cannot be adjusted, which greatly affects the gaming experience. The purpose of the overheating system and the combo system is unclear, and the meaning of these systems is unclear. The purpose of the game is unclear, and no clear goals are provided to players. There is no retry/play again option, and the game needs to be restarted to proceed to the next round. The shield car is not obvious and cannot be accurately identified.

In addition to the main problems mentioned above, there are also minor problems such as stuttering and key conflicts. This provides valuable suggestions for our subsequent upgrades and iterations and also helps us clarify the direction of the project.

[chengyangli]

Assignment 3 - Development Progress

Team formation and Task selection:

Fortunately, I joined a very active group during the tutorial. Everyone was very proactive and had their own excellent understanding of game design. In the project decision stage, everyone first shared their A2 results and gave a brief introduction to the game content. Then, through voting, we decided to use spin to win as the goal of our group's continued development. Although my project did not gain the support of my teammates, I think it is more reasonable for the group to choose a more complete game for subsequent development, and I personally like the unique game mechanism of spin to win. After getting to know each other, everyone discussed the possibility of subsequent development of the game. I proposed the concept of adding an overheating system and shielding enemies, and my teammates also proposed more abundant game elements and gameplay such as missile attacks and combo systems.

Development：

In the second week after the group was formed, everyone assigned their own development parts and started to invest in them. I was responsible for the development of the combo system, which aims to allow players to accumulate higher combos through coherent operations like fighting games. Encourage players to challenge themselves and break through themselves again and again through their excellent skills. During the development process, because there were no suitable resources, I chose free resources in the gdevelop library for development. By adding a new variable to count the number of combos and increasing the clock to calculate the length of the combo, if you go over three seconds without destroying an enemy you will start losing accumulated combos.

[chengyangli]

Assignment 2 Final

This is my Assignment 2 final!!!

[chengyangli]

Assignment 2 - Progress

It's time for the second assignment! I chose 'Hungry Chameleon' as my target without a doubt. In order to enrich the game content, I added different targets to hunt and unknown targets to be unlocked. I provided rules for the color change mechanism, changing the originally thought passive color change to a color change mechanism that is actively triggered by the player, and limiting it to the character's state. I also added a gold coin system to facilitate the player's subsequent upgrade of basic abilities (or the purchase of different skins?) At the same time, I considered adding attack events or hostile creatures to increase the difficulty of the game.

[chengyangli]

 Week 8 - Racing Development Post

Concept and Inspiration:

The idea for "Rush the Hour" came from observing the daily chaos of city traffic. We wanted to transform this stress into a fun and exciting experience. Our goal was to create a game that captures the essence of rush hour and turns it into a thrilling racing adventure.

Development Highlights:

Realistic Traffic Simulation: We aimed to simulate realistic traffic conditions that challenge and engage players. Creating AI drivers with unpredictable behaviors was a key focus. This adds to the game's unpredictability and excitement.

Dynamic Obstacle Design: Designing various static and dynamic obstacles was another exciting aspect. From construction barriers to moving vehicles and pedestrians, we wanted players to feel the urgency and quick decision-making required during rush hour.

Simple yet Engaging Controls: We chose intuitive controls using arrow keys or W, A, S, D, making the game accessible to players of all ages. The simplicity of the controls allows players to focus on navigating traffic and enjoying the game.

Boosts and Power-Ups: To add an extra layer of strategy, we introduced collectible boosts like speed and shield power-ups. These provide temporary advantages, encouraging players to use them strategically for optimal performance.

Vibrant Urban Environment: Creating a bustling city environment was crucial. We designed a vibrant, dynamic urban landscape that keeps the gameplay visually stimulating and immersive.

Challenges Faced:

Balancing Realism and Fun: One of the biggest challenges was finding the right balance between realistic traffic simulation and fun gameplay. We wanted the traffic to feel authentic without making the game frustratingly difficult.

Ensuring Smooth Performance: With so many dynamic elements on screen, optimizing performance was critical. We spent considerable time ensuring that the game runs smoothly on various devices without compromising visual quality.

Future Plans:

Expanded Levels and Environments: We plan to introduce new levels set in different parts of the city, each with unique challenges and obstacles. This will keep the gameplay fresh and exciting.

Customization Options: Adding more vehicle customization options, including aesthetic and performance upgrades, is part of our development plan. This will allow players to further personalize their gaming experience.

[chengyangli]

Week 7 - Racer Elevator Pitch

Title of the game:

Rush the hour

Elevator pitch:

In the bustling heart of the city, every second counts as you navigate through the chaotic rush hour traffic in "Rush the Hour." This adrenaline-pumping racing game challenges players to master the art of urban driving, weaving through congested streets, dodging obstacles, and outrunning rivals.

Primary Mechanics:

Basic Traffic Navigation:

Lane Switching: Players can switch between multiple lanes to avoid slow-moving vehicles and obstacles.

Speed Control: Simple controls for accelerating and braking to manage speed through heavy traffic.

Obstacle Avoidance:

Static Obstacles: Fixed objects like construction barriers and parked cars that players need to avoid.

Dynamic Obstacles: Moving obstacles such as other vehicles and pedestrians that add an extra layer of challenge.

Boost Collection:

Speed Boosts: Collectible items on the road that temporarily increase the vehicle's speed.

Shield Boosts: Temporary invincibility to crash through obstacles without slowing down.

Score and Time Management:

Time Trials: Complete the route within a set time limit to earn points.

Combo Scores: Chain together successful maneuvers like near-misses and high speeds to boost your score.

Simple Vehicle Customization:

Basic Upgrades: Upgrade vehicle speed, handling, and durability with earned points.

Cosmetic Changes: Change vehicle color and add simple decals for a personalized touch.

Why:

"Rush the Hour" was conceived as a response to the daily urban experience of navigating through dense city traffic. The idea emerged from observing the stress and challenges people face during rush hour, and transforming this often frustrating experience into a thrilling and enjoyable game. The goal was to capture the essence of rush hour traffic and turn it into an adrenaline-pumping, engaging racing game that players of all ages can enjoy.

Gameplay:

Arrow Keys or W, A, S, D:

Up Arrow/W: Accelerate

Down Arrow/S: Brake

Left Arrow/A: Move Left

Right Arrow/D: Move Right

Space for boost (when collected)

[chengyangli]

Week 7 - Asteroids Post Mortem

Post Mortem: Hungry Chameleon

Project Overview: During the development of Hungry Chameleon, I conceived a game that combined realistic elements with gameplay to provide players with a unique experience. The game is set in an urban environment, where players control a chameleon that preys on insects using its color-changing ability. The target audience is over 6 years old. The game aims to raise awareness of wildlife adaptation and ecological conservation in urban environments. However, due to a lack of available assets, the game remains at the concept stage and can only be presented through textures and hand-drawn pictures.

Successes:

Innovative concept: Combining realistic ecological elements with game mechanics to provide players with a novel and engaging experience. The unique abilities of chameleons add a new twist to the survival game genre.

Educational value: The game concept is not only designed to entertain, but also to educate players about the adaptation and ecological conservation of urban wildlife, which is consistent with its goals.

Challenges:

Incomplete development: The game was not completed due to a lack of available assets. This limitation prevented the project from moving beyond the concept stage, affecting its potential and performance.

Display limitations: Currently, the game can only be displayed through textures and hand-drawn pictures. This limitation affects the full display of the game's potential and effectively attracting players.

Lessons learned:

Importance of asset availability: Ensuring the availability of necessary assets and resources is crucial to the successful development and completion of the project. This experience emphasizes the need for thorough planning and resource management.

Balancing concept and execution: While having a strong concept is important, the execution phase is equally critical. Balancing these two aspects is essential to creating an engaging and complete game.

Future improvements:

Strengthen resource planning: In future projects, I will prioritize securing necessary assets and resources early in the development process to prevent delays and ensure project completion.

Prototype development: I will focus on creating prototypes using available tools and resources to better visualize and test game concepts before full development.

Expand testing scope: Even at the concept design stage, implementing a testing phase can provide valuable feedback to optimize and improve game concepts.

Conclusion: Overall, "Hungry Chameleon" is still a worthwhile concept project. Through this experience, I learned the importance of resource management and the challenges of balancing concept and execution. Although the project failed to move beyond the concept stage, it provided great insight into the complexities of game design. I look forward to applying these lessons in future projects to design more engaging and complete games while continually improving my skills and process.

[chengyangli]

Week 6 - Asteroids Development

Set-Up

When creating the Asteroid game, I faced a huge challenge in terms of materials. There were no suitable free materials for me to develop. I could only present the game content through hand-painting and textures. I hope that in the subsequent groups, I can try to develop this game and present it in its entirety. This is also the one I am most satisfied with the background setting so far. Although to some extent, I am not sure whether it still fits the category of Asteroid games, its design principle itself is indeed inspired by asteroids.

I hope that this game can present the impact of modern civilization on the natural environment. By bringing the player's perspective into the chameleon, hunting for survival in different urban contexts. This allows players to reflect on the impact of modern civilization on the natural environment and further calls on players to protect the environment.

[chengyangli]

Week 4 tut - Asteroids Elevator Pitch

Title of Game：

Hungry Chameleon

Asteroids Elevator pitch:

In a corner of the city, as you happen to step outside, you spot a hungry chameleon. Curious to witness how chameleons hunt in urban environments, you observe closely. To your amazement, you notice the chameleon's stealthy hunting technique. It silently lurks among walls and branches, blending seamlessly with its surroundings using its color-changing ability, patiently waiting for prey to approach. When a moth or insect flies by, it swiftly extends its long tongue, capturing the prey in an instant. This mysterious and efficient hunting method leaves you in awe, as if an unseen survival competition is unfolding even in the heart of the city.

Demographics:

People aged 6+

Genre:

Survival, Shooting, Action-adventure, Strategy

Concept Image:

Game Controls:

Arrow keys or w,a,s,d are used to control moving directions and space/mouse is used to control extend its long tongue.

Primary Mechanics:

Color-changing Gameplay: Players can control the chameleon as it navigates through the urban environment, utilizing its color-changing abilities to blend into the surroundings. This adds strategy and challenge to the game while allowing players to experience the unique hunting method of chameleons.

Urban Survival Adventure: The game immerses players in the bustling urban environment, testing their survival skills in the city. Players must navigate obstacles and dangers while utilizing the chameleon's special abilities to hunt for food and thrive.

Exploration of Biodiversity: Players will have the opportunity to explore the rich biodiversity of the city, including various insects, birds, and other animals. Through interaction with these creatures, players can learn about their survival tactics in the city and uncover the ecological mysteries hidden within urban environments.

Setting:

Chameleon moves around and catch the flying insect with its tongue to keep it alive.

Inspiration:

This chameleon game was inspired by a tutorial on how to make an Asteroids game. The game's top-down perspective and shooting mechanic made me think that it could be a combination of Catch-22 style gameplay and survival elements from Hungry Sharks, encouraging players to hunt for food to prolong their survival. The core concept behind the game is a reflection on the reality of wildlife being forced to coexist with humans in an ever-expanding modern society. What scenarios will we face when this coexistence becomes an everyday occurrence?

In this game, the player takes on the role of a chameleon that has to survive in an urban environment, which is not only a challenge of survival, but also an exploration of wildlife adapting to the environment and colliding with human civilization. The game simulates the difficulties of wildlife survival in human society through the chameleon's hunting process in the city, and also lets the player experience that with the acceleration of urbanization, the balance between human and nature is increasingly difficult to maintain.

In terms of game design, I tried to combine real ecological principles with gamified elements, so that players can enjoy the fun of the game and at the same time trigger in-depth thinking about the coexistence between human beings and nature. Through this game, I hope to arouse people's awareness of ecological protection and wildlife conservation, and to think about how to better protect our common homeland while promoting social progress, so as to realize the ideal state of harmonious coexistence between human beings and nature.

Reference:

image for Fishing Joy: https://www.gamezebo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/5021-image001.jpg

image for Hungry Shark: https://play-lh.googleusercontent.com/7W3YurVZ03qNpruL8Vr34PMClqCAKcfpzQQ65qdrnprAkp0g3Y0J-8krhBWCBKZyMZM=w526-h296-rw

[chengyangli]

Week 3 tut - Postmorterm on Platformer

In this platformer project, I learned how to use GDevelop systematically and gained a deeper understanding of the importance of designing games with players in mind. I'm really satisfied with the overall design concept because I successfully combined real-life elements with the game to offer players a completely new experience. Through the game, players can explore experiences they might rarely encounter in their daily lives, providing them with fresh feelings.

However, there were some shortcomings in the project. I found that I need to improve my control over game details, and I hope to enhance my design process in future learning. As a designer, I realized how challenging it is to create a game that truly captivates players. Achieving the ultimate gaming experience requires a lot of time and effort.

Technically, I faced some challenges. I overlooked the use of different layers, which made it difficult to display the score properly. Despite trying various methods like fixing the text position and limiting the distance between text and characters, I couldn't solve the problem. Eventually, I found relevant tutorials on GDevelop's website, which helped me resolve the issue. This showed my ability to solve problems and my willingness to learn.

Additionally, regarding user feedback, although I had my girlfriend playtest the game, I missed the playtesting session in the tutorial, resulting in insufficient feedback. This was regrettable because user feedback is crucial for improving the game and enhancing the user experience. In future projects, I'll explore more ways to collect user feedback, such as releasing test versions on social media or organizing small-scale game testing events, to gather valuable insights and suggestions.

Overall, this platformer project was a valuable learning experience. Through practice, I not only learned how to create games using GDevelop but also gained a deeper understanding of the complexity and challenges of game design. I look forward to applying what I've learned in future projects to design even more exciting and engaging games.

[chengyangli]

Week 2 tut - Platformer Development

Set-up:

I had my game basics set up that player can control the role moving left/right by pressing arrow keys(left/right) and space for jumping. I also added an enemy that moves around the block and can be killed by player through jumping over its head.

Development:

The goal I tried to achieve in GDevelop was to create a game experience with a Christmas theme. By replacing the game character with Santa Claus, using red and green houses as respawn points and gift boxes as rewards, I tried to create a festive atmosphere. In the process, I learned how to effectively utilize the materials in the repository and enhance the integrity of the game through hierarchical design. I gleaned important concepts about game design from reading Fullerton's Game Design Workshop, especially about the ideas of player-oriented design and iterative design. By understanding how to put the player at the center of the design process and improving game design through constant experimentation and feedback, I am better able to create game experiences that meet player needs and expectations. Taken together, by combining the readings and practical experience, I am able to better understand the core concepts of game design and apply them to real projects to create more innovative and engaging games!

Play Testing&Improvement:

To better design the game, I invited my girlfriend (who did most of the concept art) to test my game. The respawn point determination, gift collection and killing enemies were all successful. The main problem was that the character would perform endless falls when falling out of the platform, for which I tried a lot of things, including calculating the duration of the falling state, but there were still instances of incorrect determinations when performing character movement. For this reason I had to draw a line underneath the entire game area, and when the character collides with the line, it deletes the character and respawns at the start/respawn point. This completes the simple fall determination.

Demo of game:

[chengyangli]

Week 2 tut - Platformer

Title of game:

Santa's Delivery

Elevator Pitch:

Everyone grows up with the expectation of Santa Claus, who always hands out gifts to every child at Christmas time. But how does he do it? Here you will experience how Santa picks up the gifts and delivers them, as well as the dangers he may experience along the way.

Primary Mechanics:

Jumping: Jumping is one of the most basic mechanics of Santa's delivery. Players can make Santa jump by pressing space, which is the main way to solve obstacles, defeat enemies and obtain items in the game.

Collecting Gift boxes: In the game, players can usually collect gift boxes to earn bonus points.

Collision Detection: The game detects collisions between Santa and game elements such as obstacles and enemies to determine if a collision has occurred.

Defeating Enemies: The player can defeat enemies by jumping, usually in order to pass a level or get a bonus.

Why:

I know there are already very many games on the market with similar themes, and the decision to design a game like this was actually inspired by Takeaway Man. Whenever I pass by the City area or underneath an apartment building, I always see delivery guys, no matter how good or bad the weather is, they always try to make sure that the user receives the food/goods they want in a certain amount of time.

This also reminds me of the role of Santa Claus, who always delivers beloved gifts to children during the Christmas season. I hope that through the game, by combing the concept of Santa and delivery man, I can bring you into the perspective of the "delivery man" and make you feel the hardship of the journey through the game's level design.

Game Play:

The game is controlled by a, d for moving left/right and space for jumping.

Reference:

image of delivery man: http://wap.zjjm.net/zixun/news/246635b51836.htm

Santa's story: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/christmas/the-history-of-father-christmas/#:~:text=St%20Nicholas's%20fame%20spread%20throughout,which%20was%20St%20Nicholas's%20Day.

[chengyangli]

General Idea from Week 1

Through the first week of lecture, I've come up with some vague notions of game design that might be feasible. Considering my relatively unique cultural background, I'm considering the possibility of designing a game that incorporates aspects of traditional Chinese mythology. It would be entertaining and at the same time help players from different cultural backgrounds to learn more about Chinese culture.

Applying the concept stage in the lecture slide, I described the game I envisioned.

Brief description of the game concept: The Path of the God Tree is a casual adventure game that combines elements of traditional Chinese mythology. Players tap on the divine tree to improve their abilities, unlock equipment and pass levels with the goal of becoming the strongest in the heavenly realm.

Gameplay: Players mainly tap on the divine tree on the screen to gain power and unlock different equipment to help pass levels based on Chinese mythology. Levels increase in difficulty as the game progresses.

Why it's appealing: This game combines simple tap operation with rich Chinese mythology, which is not only relaxing and fun, but also allows players to learn about traditional Chinese culture.

Target Players: Suitable for players who like casual games and are interested in mythology, both those who want to play a quick game and those who like to go deeper into the story.

Player Character: Players start as an ordinary cultivator, with the goal of improving themselves by interacting with the God Tree and challenging different mythological stories, and ultimately becoming a top being in the God Realm.

Incentives & Rewards: By constantly improving their abilities and collecting equipment to overcome challenges, players can feel the joy of growth and progress. Every major achievement in the game will bring satisfaction to the player.

Genre: This is a casual adventure game that combines role-playing and strategy elements.

World/Background: The background of the game is set in a world full of traditional Chinese mythological elements, with a variety of mythological characters and divine beasts, adding rich colour and depth to the player's adventure. IN ADDITION: As I was nervously thinking about my game concept I realised that there was no tutorial for the first week.

[chengyangli]

#About me(Austin)

Hello! My name is Chengyang Li, but you can call me Austin. I'm currently in my fourth year as a Computer Science student, and I've found myself unexpectedly enrolled in IGB120. This turn of events, though unintended, has been a welcome surprise. Coming from a background in traditional Chinese education, where gaming is often viewed under a critical lens, it was refreshing to step into an environment where playing games is not just accepted but encouraged as part of the learning process.

Interests in Game Development

My journey into game development is driven by a passion for storytelling and innovative gameplay. I believe that a compelling background story paired with unique gameplay mechanics can significantly enhance the player's experience. It's not just about playing a game; it's about immersing oneself in a different world, understanding its lore, and interacting with it in novel ways. Beyond the narratives and mechanics, I am drawn to the act of creation itself. The idea of building something from the ground up, whether through coding or designing, excites me. It's a blend of creativity and technical skill, and I'm eager to explore this further.

Aims and Objectives

As I embark on this unexpected journey in IGB120, my primary aim is to bridge my computer science background with game development. I hope to:

Explore: Dive deep into the various aspects of game design and development, with a special focus on storytelling and gameplay mechanics.

Create: Utilize my skills in programming to bring unique ideas to life, contributing to the development of games that offer more than just entertainment.

Learn: Absorb as much as I can from the course, my instructors, and my peers, understanding that every piece of feedback is a step toward improvement.

Share: Engage with the community, sharing my experiences and learning from others' perspectives to foster a collaborative environment.

This course represents an exciting opportunity for me to merge my technical skills with my creative aspirations. I look forward to the challenges and triumphs ahead, hopeful that I can turn my ideas into something not just interesting, but transformative.