This will probably be my last entry for the unit, the thought of going to INB380 and the amount of work that have to be put seems daunting but interesting nonetheless. I

Still have the video and storyboard to fix as well so yeah this would be the wrapping up for the blog.

Game Description and Critique

Overground ideas was based simply as "the future sport of rollerblade racing game". These rollerblade itself would have a sort of "boost" mechanicsm attached to it for instant surge of speed. Players would be racing around the game world trying to outskill and outrun their opponent. Instead of doing this alone, like most racing game, players actually have to cooperate with another teammate using the grappling moveset. This actions can be used as both offensive and defensive style of play.

The gameworld is pretty vibrant and cartoony so that both children and adult alike could enjoy the game without actually focusing much on the graphics.

Area 1

Area 2

Area 3

Some of the objects such as rail and boxes are meant to be interactive where player could actually interact to it and even as a meant of hindrance to them.
The ultimate goal is to give the player a simple yet pleasing look of the world that match well with the character they were controlling.

In terms of critique, character lack of facial expression and missing of ingame powerup would be the top of my list. 

Granted that the player will constantly be looking at the back of the character, still it feel a little off when the camera was facing the front of the character (or if the player actually lose the game), yet the model will still be seeing stand and smiling his life out. 

Regarding powerups this have to be discussed again as we do actually wanted to implement an item to help the players (nothing fancy like in Mario Kart) with a sufficient quick boost. Unless we could find a way around it, the game pretty look just like a simple "car race" where player doing it repetitively.

Conclusion (Reflections)

Question taken directly from the Assigment 1 pdf file.

 What was your overall assessment of the process, and the outcomes?

All this time, for the past 3 years, we were learning the pipeline and process of game development in theory and memorizing some of the terminology for exam. Those shit doesn't really counts till an individual actually sits down and actually bring those theory to the ground and use it to practice. It's has been really an eye-opener, getting good feedback week in week out and fixing things accordingly not because of an individual satisfaction but for the game.

Working with people with different language and diverse skills just make things better, Everyone have a role in the process, going back and forth just to make everything looks right. At times it could be so frustrating when you had to re-do a certain process all over again and again till you get it right.

An artist should not just be drawing without understanding the limitation that programmer facing due to the engine and vice versa. 

Think this process that Laz and Alex had set up for the team really shown what we had now in the game. It really feel "real" to the real world work experience if that even make any sense.

 What role did you play/tasks assigned that was least satisfying to you?

This might sound a little strange but given a choice,  I didn't even want to be the Lead Artist or anything to do with drawing actually. I would prefer the role as a game designer and helping a little of the artist stuff here and there. I was also actually aiming for the PM role as well but after looking at the team composition and the team skill-set I knew right away I had to do it and take the lead in terms of art. 

The thing that annoyed me the most was "babysitting". I know its not part of the process in the game-development but it does feel like I am doing this to an individual. I love to help and share the skills I knew with the team so that we could make the game better. 

Disabilities is not a mean of an excuse to not understanding and learning new stuff. I seen and work with people who has it worse and yet doing stuff better than me. 

Granted he wasn't an artist at all but that is the same for our game designer who actually learn asap by himself just to ease the artist burden. Thats teamwork.

This happens throughout the whole semester and i mentioned it in details on the blog itself.

While I do not want any of my team to fail, I can't be wasting time next semester fixing and unwrapping others shit stuff over an over again. The best thing is each time a question was asked the reply I will get "I cant...blah blah.." to an extend it peeves me  a little when I ask for an assistance to download a simple mp3 background music!

 What were the tasks undertaken that most used your skills and abilities?

UNREAL engine. No brainer here. New stuff, new platform and really confusing. Thank goddess i do have a little understanding in scripting and could actually work things out on my own without troubling the programmers too much.

Another worth mentioned off is getting back to 3D. I have not been doing any 3D works for the past 4 years, this was why I started the job earlier than my other team members as I need to retrieved all those skills and shortcut mantra back to my brain.

 What were the lessons learnt with regard to time management, task planning and team processes?

Crucial. Time and time again we found ourselves in deep shit because the PM didn't actually assigned us dedicated timing. In fact he did nothing at all. The team pretty much waited to get our ass-fXXX bad in the ass in desk critique, feeling miserbale, work like mad dude to prove people wrong on the next desk critique. That's pretty much how the team time allocation goes. I HATE IT.

I already told the team in the face now, we are going to plan for INB380 right after monday presentation. 

In fact I am actually thinking of taking dual role which already feel crazy enough but someone have to do it or we will face the same issues again where we wasting time re-doing task and even left unsure what to do next.

 What plans do you and your team have for the next phase of development of your project?

BIG. This going to be in steamlight and kickstarer!!! LoL.. nah I'm just pulling one leg.

In due seriousness there a massive stuff we need to redo. In fact some of it have to broken up again from the ground and build it up all over again.

• Character currently have certain holes that need to be fixed (i mentioned in details on previous blog)
• The character physics have its flaws as well so we will be looking in to that
• Networking
• Implementing 4 characters

Will have to work as really hard for this. I even was planning ahead that I should have all 4 polish characters model out before 380 even started with some animation for them

Reflection of the day: While some of this event occurs in the team seems maddening, I really believed I am working with a group of skillful people with "weird" personalities. 

The class conducted by both Laz and Alex itself is rewarding. The way the feedback was layout to each team had never been degrading but it feel encouraging and keep us on our feet to never slow down our progress even for a week.