Homework 16: assemble game elements

Homework 16
Assigned: Monday Nov. 10, 2014
Due: Sunday Nov. 16, 2014

Note the due date: Sunday instead of Thursday.

Each team will send Dan and I a blend file with their game. This file should contain a "text" element named README that describes what a player needs to know to "play" the game or move around. There should be no guessing for Dan or I.

Make sure you

-  pack your textures and sounds
- link or attach all required files
- create an archive of all necessary files, textures, etc. needed by the game. These should all be in the same directory as the main blend file or in a sub-directory (directory and folder are synonymous).

This homework will save you time in the last weeks of this course.

  Thanks!

     Gordon

Homework 15: self-assessment

Homework 15
Assigned: Fri. Nov. 7, 2014
Due: Fri. Nov. 14, 2014

In homework 12, you were asked to:

"present in the "notes" document, a list of tasks that must be accomplished by the different members of the team in order to take the game to a state that is "playable". Tasks can relate to esthetics, mechanics, story, interface, play testing, python, etc.

For each task, assign one or more people, and a time frame in which the task is expected to be completed. Each person in the team is to state that they have seen the list and approve of it."

---------------------

Please report for this homework on the result for each task that you took on for your team's project. Assess the degree of completion, whether your timeframes were realistic, what you have accomplished, how your task was incorporated into the game. You will be graded according to the degree with which your task was accomplished, and whether you self-assessed realistically. If you tried to accomplish the task but there were roadblocks that you and your team worked on, that will be viewed in a positive light. Explain any issues you had (if any). 

Homework 14: Indirect Control

Homework 14: Indirect Control
Assigned: October 31, 2014
Due: November 7, 2014

For this project, please describe the various ways that your game addresses the issue of indirect control. What elements of your game (characters, interface, scenery, art) contribute to the indirect (or direct) control of the player. The book discusses five categories of indirect control. Please address them, and add any other forms of indirect control that may apply to your game.

Please add in a separate blog what you have contributed to your team game during the past 7-10 days. This could be related to poster design, game document writing, object creation, script writing, music inclusion, or anything else. How have you communicated with your team? Email, face to face meetings, skype, telephone, etc.

Homework 13: Game Document

Homework 13: Game Document
Assigned: Monday Oct. 27, 2014
Due: Thursday, Nov. 6, 2014

In this homework each team will create their game document that describes the current state of their game. The material will be distilled from previous homeworks and from their notes document. The game document can create links, images, videos. Images are very strongly desired. Images and videos must be described. Any material not created by the team must be sourcde (provide a link of the source of that material.)  The game document should contain the following elements:

Desired Game Experience

Game Objective

Story (level by level) (probably 1 to 2 levels only)

Characters and their attributes

emotions, weapons, powers, etc.

How are points generated

List of puzzles and their solutions

Puzzle discovery (where, how, when, in what order)

Describe winning strategies (one or more)

Level maps

levels, buildings, rooms, corridors, building content, etc.

Anything else of relevance

Take snapshots of your various objects, of scenes of your game, etc.

Homework 12: team tasks

Homework 12: team tasks
Assigned: Oct. 15, 2014
Due: Oct. 23, 2014

In this "team" homework, the team will present in the "notes" document, a list of tasks that must be accomplished by the different members of the team in order to take the game to a state that is "playable". Tasks can relate to esthetics, mechanics, story, interface, playtesting, python, etc.

For each task, assign one or more people, and a time frame in which the task is expected to be completed. Each person in the team is to state that they have seen the list and approve of it.

You will be assigned a score between 0 and 100% on this assignment. A member of the team gets less than perfect score if he/she does not acknowledge acceptance of the list (or offers alternatives). The list must take into account the remaining time to complete the game (6 weeks) and the difficulty of the various tasks.

Example:

Construct a security perimeter using near or collision objects.
Time to completion: 2 weeks
Responsible: Gordon Erlebacher

Homework 11. Chapter 13: Interfaces

Homework 11
Chapter 13: Players Play Games through an Interface
Assigned: Monday October 13, 2014
Due: Thursday October 23, 2014

Please read Chapter 13 and answer the following questions:

Not all items apply to all your games. If does not apply, please explain why it does not apply.

1) Describe the user interface in your game
2) What role will the interface play in your game
3) Intuitive interfaces give a feeling of control. How easy (or hard) is your interface to master?
4) Will your players have a strong influence over the outcome of the game? Please describe? If not, how can you change this?
5) Players like to feel powerful. Do the players of your game feel powerful? How could this be improved?
6) What does the player pick up and touch?
7) Does the interface map to actions in the world? How?
8) How does your interface let the player see, hear and touch the world of the game? Could this be improved in order to make the game world more real to the player's imagination?
9) The idea interface is invisible to the player. Does your interface cater to the players desires? What are these desires?
10) Can your interface be used without the players thinking? Is it natural?
11) Assuming you can do what you want, how would you make your interface more natural?
12) What kind of feedback does your interface present to the player? What do the players want to know? How does the interface relate to the player's goal? Will it help achieve that goal?
13) Is the interface feedback continuous? Why or why not?
14) Please describe the concept of interface modes? Does your game have multiple modes? Please explain (Lens #60).

As usual, please state in your blog (separate entry if possible), your contributions to your team's game.

Homework 10

Homework 10
Assigned: Fri. Oct. 3, 2014
Due: Thur. Oct. 9, 2014

In this homework, you will use Blender to create one or more menus or score tracking relevant to your game. Combine this menu/score with animations for enhanced visual effect. Each team should provide at least one menu or score (the same person need not do both.)

Explain what you have done in your blog, provide images and a video illustrating your system in action [No longer optional.]

Blender file: (35 pts: menu/score + 15 pts for animation.)
Video: 20 pts
Images: 10 pts
Explanation: 20 pts

Please state what you have done for your team in this past week.

Homework 9

Homework 9: Chapter 11: Balance
Assigned: Mon. Sept. 29, 2014
Due: Thur. Oct. 9, 2014

For this homework, you will lead the chapter on Balance, pp. 171-205. In this chapter, the author discusses 12 different types of balance.

Assignment:
In your blog,  discusses balance and how it relates to your game. Consider all 12 types of balance. Some will apply, some will not. Provide examples within your game.

This homework is individual.

I will  grade your homework taking into account the degree to which you analyzed this chapter and transposed the concepts to the team game.

Please make sure to include in a separate Blog your contributions to the team game for the week. 

Homework 8

Homework 8
Assigned: Fri. Sept. 26, 2014
Due: Thur. Oct. 2, 2014

In this homework, you will use objects that your team has already accumulated (you may exchange objects) and create one or more animations that will be useful in your game. You should animate at least two of the following: location, scale and rotation.

Place your blend file in one of the document files that Danial made available and provide a link to it in your blog.  Also send it to us by email.

Your blog should also contain a description of the animation(s) you have constructed including pictures and/or videos. Also describe how your team plans to use it in your game.

File: 60 pts.
Blog description: 30 points.
What have you done this week for the team (blog entry): 10 points.

Homework 7

Homework 7
Assigned: Monday Sept. 22, 2014
Due: Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014

After reading Chapter 10 (Game Mechanics), please answer the following questions as they relate to your team game. Answers are individual and posted to your blog. The answers should apply to your  team game, as discussed at your meetings. 

The answers can be brief, but must be to the point, and expressed as full sentences and paragraphs. Make sure that each question is answered individually. Some of the questions cannot be answered without reading the book chapter. 

You can skip subsections 2 and 6: State and Chance. 

1. Is the space in your game discrete or continuous?
2. How many dimensions does your space have? 
3. What are the boundaries of your space? 
4. How many verbs do your players (characters) have? What are they? 
5. How many objects can each verb act on? What are these objects? 
6. How many ways can players achieve their goals
7. How many subjects do the players control? What are these subjects? 
8. How do side effects change constraints. 
9. What are the operative actions in your game? 
10. What are the resultant actions in your game? 
11. What actions would you like your players to do that they cannot presently do? (based on your current knowledge of Blender)
12. What is the ultimate goal of your game? 
13. Are there short and long term goals? What are they? 
14. How do you plan to make the game goals known and understood by the player? 
15. What are the foundational rules of your game? 
16. How are these rules enforced? 
17. Does your game develop real skills? What are they? 
18. Does your game develop virtual skills? What are they? 

The homework must appear in your blog, together with a statement of what you have done for the team this week. Optional: add video/images to illustrate your points. Each question has equal weighing. 

Homework 6

Homework 6
Assigned: Wed Sept. 17, 2014
Due: Thur Sept. 25, 2014

In this homework, you will build on the results of homework 5. Download additional objects or construct your own through modifications of objects you and your team already have, and create a scene where you incorporate the following elements:

1) Collisions between two moving objects
2) Ability to add and delete objects from the scene
3) Demonstrate the use of the collision or near sensor

Describe how you would use your set up as a part of your team's game. This does not have to be very involved, but please be creative.

Homework 5

Assigned: Fri. Sept. 12, 2014
Due: Thu. Sept. 18, 2014

In this homework, each one of you will build on the previous homework. You will download (or construct) at least 2-3 more objects with which you will use collisions, gravity, force to create a simple toy or game.

Please describe how what you have done

1) relates to your game
2) generates elements of fun
3) how you could make use of an extended version of what you have done to create a simple game with rules (just with your own objects.)

Could each of you please create a sidebar in your blog, with links to the blogs of your other team members. This will help both you and us.

Homework 4

Homework 4
Assigned: Mon. Sept. 8, 2014
Due: Thur. Sept. 18, 2014

Please answer the following questions related to game experience and game objectives, based on Chapters two (The Designer Creates an Experience) and three (The Experience Rises out of Game). Use your blog.

Chapter 2

• Forgetting about the game, think about your player. What are the experience(s) you want your player to have. 
• What are the essential element(s) of that experience. 
• Suggest a few ways your game might capture those experiences. 

Chapter 3

• Discuss a few ways in which you might include surprise in your game
• How will your game be fun? 
• Discuss the goals of your game (as it stands now).
• State your thoughts on how you will make the player attached to your game, or motivated to play the game. 
• What problems do you expect the players to solve in your game? 

In your blog, state your contribution(s) to the team game for the period of Sept. 8 through Sept. 15th. 

Homework 3

Homework 3

Assigned: Thur. Sept. 5, 2014

Due: Friday Thur. 11, 2014

In this homework, you will use the Blender game engine to move objects around using the keyboard. Download at least (could be more) two objects from http://blendswap.com (please register. There is no cost.) You are limited to 200 Mbyte download per month, which is more than sufficient.)

You are not allowed to use the keys A/S/D/W. 

Please make sure that the objects used for this homework are relevant to your game. Explain how your team plans to make use of these objects within your game. 

You are free to use, or not use, physics on your objects. Keep in mind, that if you use physics, your object will fall, due to gravity, although gravity can be reset to zero or to a small value to slow down the fall. 

There is a lot of freedom, so please be creative. Blendswap has objects, floors, houses, landscapes. Shares objects among team members. Explore. This is all in support of your game. 

Make sure that each one of you states in his blog his/her contributions to the team game. 

Homework 2

Homework 2
Assigned: Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014
Due: Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014

(All homeworks will be due on a Thursday night to be ready for next day class.)

Please read Chapters 23 and 24 of the Book of Lenses.

Answer the following questions:

1) When and where did you meet?
2) What did you discuss?
3) Did you take notes? Why? Why not?
4) Did you transfer the contents of the discuss to the computer?
5) Did you discuss the game document?
6) Did you pick a team leader. Why? Who is it?
7) Please describe briefly some initial ideas regarding the game you plan on developing.
8) State on your blog the contributions you, the individual, made towards the team game in the last week.

Homework 1: first blog entry + Blender Installation

Homework 1: First Blog Entry

Assigned: Mon. Aug. 25, 2014

Due: Tue. Sept. 2, 2014

Your first assignment is:

• Create a Blog at http://www.blogspot.com
• email the name of the blog to the gerlebacher@fsu.edu and das10c@my.fsu.edu
• Put gd2014 in the subject of the email
• create a video with voiceover (your own voice) describing the content of the video.
• upload this video to YouTube and copy the link into your blog
• alternatively, embed the video directly into the blog.
• Provide a description of this video in writing in the blog. 
• Create a second blog entry that contains one or more images created by you. Include descriptions of each image in the blog entry. 
• Find two games that you particularly like, provide links to them in the blog and state what you like about them.
• Install Blender 2.71 onto your computer. The download link can be found under Blender Resources and at http://www.blender.org
• To help you, use one of the software programs listed at
• http://fsugd.blogspot.com/p/useful-links.html

Grading: 

• Blog entry 1, maximum grade: 40
• Blog entry 2, maximum grade: 40
• Description of the two games: maximum grade: 20

Bring your computer to class so you that we can work on Blender together.