Homework 10: Interfaces

Homework 10: Interfaces
Assigned: Thur. October 27
Due: Thur. November 15 (new date)
Late homeworks will not be accepted.

Read Chapter 15 of Book of Lenses 2nd Edition, or the appropriate chapter in the 1st edition.

Answer the following questions in your blog:

1) list ten examples of interfaces between people and the real world.
2) Give an example of a good interface between player and game. Explain why it is a good interface
3) Give an example of a poor interface between player and game. Explain why it is a poor interface

When answering 2) and 3) above, refer to the book chapter to justify why the interface is either good or bad. What principles of interface design is the game using or not using?

Homework 9: balance

Homework 9: balance
Assigned: Oct. 20, 2016
Due: Oct. 27, 2016

For this homework, please read chapter 13 (Game Mechanics Must Be in Balance, book 2nd edition) (about 35 pages). The chapter describes 11 aspects of balance that often come into play and must be thought about in games to provide a good experience. Address each of these aspects as it relates to your own team game. Homeworks are individual. If a particular item does not apply, say so. Each item must be addressed, and the answer should use complete paragraphs. We will not accept telegraphic style.

Homework 8, from Blender to Unreal to Git

Homework 8, from Blender to Unreal to Git
Assigned: Thur. Oct. 13, 2016
Due: Thur. Oct. 20, 2016

In this homework, each of you will create one (or more) object(s) in Blender that will be a part of your team's game. You have total freedom in the creation of this object. In your blog, describe the function/role this object(s) plays in the game and how it will be used. Include at least two pictures of your object: one when the object is in Blender, and a second image of your object in Unreal.  Import your object into your scene in Unreal, "push" your Unreal project to your git repository, and finally, provide a picture with all your team objects in your scene in Unreal.

In summary:

1) create one or more objects in Blender (15 pts)
2) Import these into Unreal  (15 pts)
3) Describe how these objects are used in your game (use your blog). The description should be in English prose, with full sentences/paragraphs. (20 pts)
4) Include two pictures of your objects (one in Blender, one in Unreal) (15 pts)
5) Upload your Unreal project to Git (git push or use the Desktop interface) (20 pts)
6) Once all the team members have uploaded their project, "pull" your project from git, and take a picture of all the objects within your scene.  (15 pts)

Each component has equal importance in the scoring of this assignment

Homework 7: populate git repository

Homework 7: populate git repository
Assigned: Thur. Oct. 6
Due: Thur. Oct. 20

Over the next two weeks, each member of each team will have created assets using one or more programs (photoshop, Blender, Unreal, Audacity, etc. ). Import your personal assets into Unreal (via one or more maps/scenes), and update the team git repository. At the end, you should all have the identical Unreal Project on your laptops.

Homework 6, Git repository

Homework 6
Assigned: Oct. 4, 2016
Due: Oct 6, 2016

Git is a source control framework that allows a team to share game assets. We will discuss source control as it relates to Unreal on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. To prepare, please do the following:

1) Create an individual Git account. at http://www.github.com .
2) Create a team repository.
3) Add team members as collaborators on this account.
4) Post your account name and link to your repository on your blog.

Homework 5, Game Assets

Homework 5, Game Assets
Assigned: Thur. Sept. 29, 2016
Due: Thur. Oct. 9, 2016

With the pitch document written and presented, it is time to start developing the game. To this end, each team member will choose to develop a small component of the game. Of course, task assignments will be the results of a team discussion. These tasks are left up to the team member. Examples of valid tasks are the building of a game asset (HUD, object, arg, music, game mechanic). The assets need not be implemented in Unreal, but they must be implemented in some program (Photoshop, Blender, Unreal, or yet another.) Please describe in writing what you have done in your blog, and how it relates to the team game. Provide pictures and/or video to support the description.

You will be graded on 1) the implementation, 2) the description, and 3) the images/videos that you  provide.

Homerwork 4: Pitch Document

Homework 4: Pitch Document
Assigned: Sun Sept. 18, 2016
Due: Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016

Please create your pitch document, and email it to us by Sunday night, September 25th. Read the book section, chapter 2 on Experience, which is crucial to game design.

The guidelines for the pitch document are:

1. Cover page: Title of project and group members.
2. Executive summary (1/2 page max): Briefly describe the game in two paragraphs.
3. Game Description (7 page max): Describe the game in greater detail. (Label and include
    a. Overview: (1/2 page max) Big picture of the game, main quest, main players, etc.
    b. The Quest: (1/2 page max) Describe the quest in further detail, obstacles, rewards, and the final objective. Is the game broken into levels or intermediate stages of gameplay?
    c. Main Character: (1/2 page max) Describe main character, powers, change with gameplay, firstperson, thirdperson?
    d .Sketch of Main Character: (1 page max) A sketch of the Main Character.
    e. Opponents: (1/2 page max) Describe main opponents, intelligence, attack, hide, or evade?
    f. Sketch of Opponents: (1 page max) A sketch of the primary Opponents.
    g. Environment: (1/2 page max) Description of the environment in which the game is played, outer space, urban, futuristic, etc.
    h. Sketch of World: (1 page max) A sketch of the level in which the game is played.
    i. Menus: (1/2 page max) initial menu screen and any options include a sketch.
    j. Controls: (1/2 page max) Describe interface (up, down, run, shoot, fast, slow).
    k. Sounds: (1/2 page max) Describe background sounds: music, footsteps, Vehicle, Door, etc. 


4. Summary (1/2 page max): This is the final sales pitch. Include a brief summary that would make someone want to buy your game!

Homework 3: Unreal first steps

Homework 3: Unreal First Steps
Assigned: Tuesday, Sept. 13,
Due: Tuesday, Sept. 20

Create a basic scene with Unreal starting with a blank slate (you may use the Starter Content, if you wish.) Add at least one light, a camera, and a few objects. Beyond that, use your creativity. The homework is individual. Describe what you did in your blog, including snapshots of what you did.

You are required to create a standalone executable of your project and upload it to dropbox, google drive or other repository and provide the link in your blog for retrieval by one of us. The executable should be for windows 64 bit.

Homework 2, Due Sept. 15, 2016

Homework 2: Team Meeting
Assigned: Sept. 8, 2016
Due: Sept 15, 2016

Have a meeting (face to face or electronic) with your team, start planning your game (experience, storyline, characters, etc.) and report on this meeting on your blog.

Homework 1, Aug. 30, 2016

Homework 1: First Blog Entry

Assigned: Tue. Aug. 30, 2016

Due: Tue. Sept. 1, 2016

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 gd2015 in the subject of the email so that I may easily find it
• create a video with voiceover (your own voice) describing the content of the video (using for example Open Broadcaster Software)
• 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 the following software onto your computer: 
• Unreal version 4.12.5
• Gimp (or another software to manipulate images. Might be used for format conversion and texture manipulation)
• Audacity (for sound editing and format conversions. Alternatives are also accepted.)
• Blender version 4.77 (in case modeling is required)
• You can use information at the following two links to help you out: 
• http://fsugd.blogspot.com/p/useful-links.html
• http://fsugd.blogspot.com/p/blender-resources.html

Grading: 

• Blog entry 1, maximum grade: 40
• Blog entry 2, maximum grade: 40
• Description of the two games: maximum grade: 20
• Software installation: no grade. 

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

Final Game Document

Final Game Document, due Wednesday Dec. 9, 2015

In the midterm, the game document had to contain the following elements:
- game objectives
- game experience
- goals
- rules
- art (show images of the different characters)
- action of the different characters (main and auxiliary)
- list all objects in the game (static or not) and their role
- All elements of the tetrad.
- Balance, curves of interest, use of space. 
- Show and explain the HUD and provide pictures. 
- Describe sound and special effects. 

For the final game document: all the above must be included, plus the following:

- some screenshots of your game. Each scene should be represented.
- Any art not mentioned in the midterm document.
- descriptions of all puzzles (if there are any) and their solution
- any mechanics not described in the midterm game document
- any additions to your game that you did not have the time to consider. (optional)

==============
The elements above will all have approximately the same weight.

Final Game Presentations

The final presentations are on Dec. 1 and Dec. 3 (Tue. and Thurs.) Each team will create executable that run on Windows. We will runs these on the classroom computer on both days. These executables are due by 10 am on Tuesday Dec. 1.

The presentations will be chosen at random. Each presentation will be 15-20 min (including questions). The poster is a part of the presentation.

The final game document will be due by Wednesday (midnight) on Dec. 11.

Midterm: game document update

Midterm: game document update
Assigned: Thur. Nov. 5, 2015
Due: Thur. Nov. 13, 2015

Part 1 (Midterm)
Please update your game document to reflect the current state of your game. The game document should include game objectives, game experience, goals, rules (if any), story, various art (show images of the different characters), explain the actions the different characters (main and auxiliary) can take. List all additional objects (static or not) present in your game, and their role (if any). All elements of the tetrad must be considered. Discuss balance, curves of interest, use of space (all elements important to game design.) If the game as any menu or HUD, please explain and provide pictures. If there is sound and/or special effects, please explain.

Also provide the contributions of each team member to the game.
This game document will be updated for the final presentation (final exam) at the end of the course.

Of course, you have been updating the game document as you went along, so this is simply an update, and cleanup of the document.


Part 2 (Poster, not graded yet)
Please prepare a poster (using your software of choice). You are designing the cover of a DVD jacket, so include a title, and any additional text (optional). The image should reflect your game, including color schemes. The poster is a combination of screenshots or artistic depiction of a scene in your game (realistically rendered or not). You will present this poster in class (5 min each team) and get criticized by the others. These criticisms will be included in a second version of the poster to be presented along with your game at the end of class. We will make these posters for you.


Part 3 (Timeline for the rest of the course)
Please give a timeline of what your team has to do (with each member's planned contributions) between now and the end of class to complete the game you plan to present (as opposed to the idea game you'd like to make). Keep it realistic.

Class Participation 6: Create a puzzle

Class Participation 6: Create a puzzle
Assigned: Nov. 3, 2015
Due: Nov. 10, 2015

We have now a storyline, a layout, and basic elements of our class game.
You are to create a puzzle (one point per puzzle for a maximum of 2) involving the following elements: jumping, boulders, the lava. The puzzle should be in the form of making it more difficult to achieve the game objective, moving along the path, picking up shards, etc. Explain how the puzzle fits into the game, and how the puzzle should be solved by the player.

Homework 8: game analysis

Homework 8
Assigned: Thursday Oct. 29, 2015
Due: Friday Nov. 6, 2015

Repeat homework 6, applied to your own team's game. The analysis is individual and done on your blog. Address the following issues:

1) the Tetrad
2) Balance
3) Emergent properties (check the book out)
4) Interest curves (check out the book)
5) Explain the reasons you like or dislike the game and relate this to Game Design issues. 

Put this in your Blog. Each game will count for 50%.  Each of the 5 subtopics will count for 10 points (for each game), for a total of 100 possible points.

Do not forget to state your contributions to your Team's game and what you plan to do in the following week.

Homework 7: Setup Source Control

Homework 7: Setup Source Control

Homework 7
Assigned: Thursday Oct. 22, 2015
Due: Friday Oct. 30, 2015

Setup a repository for your game and host it online. Every team member should make at least one commit. Use descriptive commit messages about what you are including or have done.

Put your repository URL in your Blog.

Do not forget to state your contributions to your Teams' game and what you plan to do in the following week.

Homework 6: Analyze two games

Homework 6
Assigned: Friday Oct. 16, 2015
Due: Friday Oct. 23, 2015

Analyze two games (one that you like, and one that you do not like, or like less). Address the following issues:

1) the Tetrad
2) Balance
3) Emergent properties (check the book out)
4) Interest curves (check out the book)
5) Explain the reasons you like or dislike the game and relate this to Game Design issues.

Put this in your Blog. Each of the 5 subtopics will count for 20 points (for each game), for a total of 100 possible points.

Do not forget to state your contributions to your Teams' game and what you plan to do in the following week.

Class Participation 4

Class participation 4
Assigned: Tue. Oct. 6, 2015
Due: Tue. Oct. 13, 2015

Design on paper, a HUD that is suitable for the class game. The HUD is composed of text, scores, useful information, and sprites that fit with the decor of the game. Take a picture of your HUD and put it in your blog, along with explanatory notes describing the meaning of the various elements as it relates to the class game.

Each HUD will count as an additional bonus point. Maximum of two bonus points.

Homework 5

Homework 5
Assigned: Oct. 1, 2015
Due: Oct. 8, 2015

In this homework, we ask each of you to create a blueprint that will does something useful for your game. In your blog, please include snapshots of the blueprint, of the constructor (if used), of your object within the game, and an explanation of its planned use.

The blueprint should contain at a minimum the following components:

1) a static mesh  [20 pts]
2) one or more arithmetic operators [20 pts}
3) the blueprint must transform the object in some way (scale, translate, rotate) [20 pts]

We will assign 20 pts for the writeup and 20 pts for the images you include.

Team Homework 1

Team homework: video
Assigned: Thur. Sept. 24, 2015
Due: Thur. Oct. 1, 2015

 This is the first video team assignment. In this assignment, the team will create a narrated video the presents the status of their game. This might include a description of the game, showing some assets, describing what you have done, any demo of mechanics, artwork? You might state problems you are encountering. The video must be at least 5 min long, but no longer than 10 min. Describe the four elements of the tetrad as it applies to your game. Please state in your blog, specific contributions of each team member, and expected contributions in the following week.