Homework 1: first blog entry and software installation

Homework 1: First Blog Entry

Assigned: Tue. Aug. 25, 2015

Due: Tue. Sept. 1, 2015

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 4.8
• 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 4.75 (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. 

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.