Week11

Its the final week and here is the result, my print followed by my reflection essay.

Kyle Parrino
Advanced Level Design
Spring 2011


Reflection Essay

    This quarter in Advanced Level Design I will say that I learned a lot, but that I expected more. It

was just like taking Level Design but in a different engine. I learned more about game engines in the

class than I did level design, I would have preferred taking it more advanced in UDK than starting over

from scratch in Unity. I did like the opportunity to learn the basics in another engine to expand my

chances of finding a job by having more experience, but it seems that to properly utilize Unity I would

need a crash course in Java Script otherwise there's really no way to fully utilize its ability to create

your own attributes and with such little time to create game assets concept and plan there is no time to  

even take in the basics of Java Script and test it. I had to make something so basic and simple because I

knew I wouldn't have time to learn to write script, implement it, test it and get it all working. 

    Overall I would say that the class was good if it were to just teach the basics of Unity but it

didn't really “Advance” much passed level design. I enjoyed the time in class I had fun working on the

project but I don't feel that I accomplished as much as I should have. I want to say that if I wasn't

required to have some sort of organic shapes to the environment that I could have geared it more

towards stuff that I like. I would have liked to of been able to focus more on the actual design of the

level and game play than the asset style I'm required to have. While on the topic I would like to make a

suggestion for a texture class just for game art students for game safe textures and how to manipulate

them after importing into the engine. While taking both team production and advanced level design I

realize that there is a large lack of experience amongst a large majority of the classes in the texture

process of game assets.

    The game level I made didn't come out fully how I wanted it to most of the ideas I had for it



went to team production considering how similar the ideas ended up being, I felt they better suited that

class would use my ideas to the full extent where on my own they wouldn't have been nearly as flushed

out. I admit most of my work time was spent on team production projects I have been more enticed by

that class since were working as a group, I also feel I learned more working with a group than on my

own because I pay attention more to how they do something and am able to break it down on

improving my own work.

    All in all class was fun I came out with some experience in Unity, some more game assets, and

some more knowledge on what I need to look into if I want to expand my knowledge of programing in

Unity.

Week 9

Memorial week, did not meet in class.

week 10

Last week being a holiday week i didn't post, for the last 2 weeks i was working on the look and feel of the level, it was somewhat of a headache seeing as max 2012FBX exporter and unity didn't get along. here are the results of the level with textures.

week8

This week final meshes were to be placed into the game space.

Week 7

This week was concept art. I did what I could for the temple and since I was able to capture most of the room in 1 piece i left the 2nd for the different elemental symbols.

week 6

This is a print for my current progress with the project, so far I have basic functionality for all the triggers now its time to bring the story into it.

Week 5

This is the placeholder layout for the game level after seeing it set up like this i might change how the rooms with the emitters are designed.

Week 4

 The flow chart above is pretty self explanatory from the storyline, player looks for the relics activates all 4 of the elements receives the archives and then the exit is revealed.

This map layout is more detailed then the prototype (of course). There are a lot of light sources I figure they will either be from torches or from the elements in the rooms, to add some more curiosity to the space I might make the flames from the torches different colors. It would help the player keep track of what side of the temple they were on before then everything seeming the same, and the player running to every room, every time, to activate the element from the relic they had picked up.

week 3

 This is the paper prototype above, further down is a digital version.

Surveys

This week was time to do the paper prototype, I first do mine in photoshop to get a good idea of the final product. i decided to go with a modular design but will be making it more organic by adding in the alien tech. from the roof i would like to have hanging wires and tubes and each of the 4 corners to represent the different elements.

Week 2

Game Prototype Project 1: Design Document - Worksheet

GA422 Advanced Level Design

Instructor: Celeste Masinter

Game Title:Alien Aztec 

Student Name: Kyle Parrino

Target Audience Concerns and Interests:

Inspiration for organic forms and structures (example: viruses, cells, flowers, insect forms) :

High tech – Alien technology -

Game Space History/ Story:

The game space is going to be a variation of an alien ship, and an Aztec temple. Originally it was going to be just an alien ship but I wanted to go more original, the adding of the temple could give it more interesting texturing and open ideas to the story.

The story will be about an alien race that didn't live here on earth but that started the evolution of life on this planet. The point of the game is to explore the temple and figure out why earth was chosen. I would like to add in effects leaving behind hints that the aliens gave us the elements that exist on our planet.

Limitations on the Game Space/ Project Scope:

The game space will be limited to 1 large floor with a secret passage that leads to the goal. The goal is to learn why earth was chosen and why the human race instead of another species being dominant.

Player Goal:

The players goal is to find the archives left by the aliens.

Player Motivation (How do they know the goal exists in the level, and why do they care?):

The player stumbled into the temple unaware of what it was but in trying to find a way out finds evidence of the aliens and decides to search for whatever he can find.

Start Emotion: (How does the player feel when they first begin to explore/ interact with the space?)

As with any game the first emotion I want the player to feel is curious, that they want to explore the area around them and figure out what there is to expect.

Finish Emotion: (How does the player feel when they achieve the goal/ reward and finish the level?)

I would like the finished emotion of the player to be to want the story to continue.

Maze/ Platforming Mechanics (Full Description – How does the player get from start to finish, in

order to experience the emotional transition?):

I want the platforming of the game to be for the player to only be able to continue through the temple as they find each objective.

Due to project constraints, you can only use 10 - 15 structures in your prototype level. What will

these be?

I won't be 100% certain what I want to have in the level as objects until I start concept art but I do like the idea of having some sort of tubing hanging from above and possibly some intricate columns that resemble french curves.

Art Style:

The art style I chose is going to be like Giger's art work, but more techy.