Week 01
In this week we had our first class of ICT 2. In our class we were going to be writing the cycle report for the first cycle of the project. Logically or for most of the case rather, the project from ICT1 will be further continued in ICT2. However, for our team, we supposed that we had completed (our part) the project in ICT1. Since there were 2 teams choosing to work on this project (FAK project), the client has decided that the project would be divided into 2 part. My team's part was to create an application whose objective was to parsing the XML patent data to CSV file.
Since we had completed our current project in the last ICT class, Prof. Roberto Dillon gave us time to think about a new project.
After we have decided to work on a game project, we then talked about this to Prof. Dillon, and he gave us choices. A choice was to work on Prof. Dillon's game project, and another one was to create and work on our own game project. He had two projects and he explained the game projects to us. He then gave us time to think about this.
Week 02
After we had a discussion, we ended up deciding that we would like to work on our own project. We also discussed the game which we would make. We came to an idea where we would like to make a turn-based game like a chess game. However it is different from chess where the two players would battle instead of taking other's place when meet. We then met with Prof. Roberto and he gave us input and suggestion to make the game interesting. Since our project involving a game, Prof. Roberto said that we needed to write a game documentation. He also explained what should be written in the game documentation since we haven't written one yet. He gave us the game documentation sample and also gave us time to learn and write one. In this week, we finally submitted our 1st cycle report.
Week 03
In this week, we were further discussing about our game project, who's in charge of what etc. I am as design director (since I haven't learnt how to use Unity3D), Nicholas as programming, and Roberto as project manager and he also helps us in both creating the design assets as well as do the programming.We were also considered Prof. Roberto's suggestion where there is no players placed in the scene, the user could actually place a player to any tiles in the scene (as long as it is still in the team's area).
Since we were going to be implementing this game with Unity3D, this week, we started searching for the 3D assets for the game. These include the character models, weapons, animations, etc. We also decided our theme which is Humans vs Undead creatures. We then searched the assets to properly fit our game theme.
This week we also did the workshop tasks which were milestone list and report.
Week 04
In this week, we were supposed to submit our 2nd cycle report. In this week, we also had to submit the game documentation. We divided the work where I wrote the half of cycle report 2, and Roberto did the other half as well as helping Nicholas making the game documentation.
I started finding some inspirations to create the poster of our game. This includes the game logo.
In this week, we decided to purchase the character 3D modellings, since animations are also included in the purchase.
Week 05
In this week, we would be having a presentation. We divided the tasks to write/create the presentation slides.
On the early days of the week, I started to create the poster of the game. The design was basically simple. Since this game involving one team vs another team, I made also made the poster based on that where all characters in one team posing, and all characters in another team posing as well. I decided to create a basic background where blue represents the humans team and red represents the undead creatures team. The position was simple based on the importance of the character. For the humans team, I placed the king in the front and bigger than the other characters. This implies and guides the people to think that that character is the important one. For the undead creatures team, the characters are basically designed based on their important level. For instance, the king character has crown and the lowest important character is just a basic skeleton without any accessories and other fancy items.
We indeed purchased the character modelling, but it didn't include the character's photos. So I manually screenshots every character posing an idle animations to create the poster.
The logo of the game was simple which was basically a moon-like to add/apply the war feel to the logo and game titled place on it. Additionally, I also added a line ornament to touch up the logo.
In this week, I also started writing the project scope statement.
Week 06
In this week, we learn about quality management where we think about metrics to be used to check the overall performance and usability. We are required to write the Quality Management Plan document as well as quality metric and quality check list.
I started to find inspiration to create the splash screen of the game by looking through the game splash screen of the game in my mobile phone. I firstly think either the poster of the game becoming the splash screen or our group name.
Week 07
In this week, I decided to create a splash screen with our group name, Flaming Uranium. So the inspiration came from the group name itself, which is flaming and uranium. For this task, I needed to look up for some tutorials on the internet on how to create and add a fire look of words.
Firstly, I added the effects to the word including the outer and inner glow, satin, and colour overlay. This make the font looks alive. I then added an fire effects to the font using Liquify filter feature on Photoshop. Using this feature, it will add the twirl effect of the fire to the font. Afterwards, I basically searched for a random fire photo on internet. After finding one, I put only the Green element of the fire picture on the top of the each letter of 'flaming' and customise the fire to make as if the fire and 'F' letter are one. I repeated to add the fire to another letters.
Week 08
In this week, we learn issue log and risk register. This week we were also required to submit our cycle report 3. Since, Roberto and Nicholas were changing the game play quite a bit, they intended to change the game documentation as well. So I did the cycle reports and Roberto would check and try to modify and/or add if there's something that I missed.
After finishing the flaming for the splash screen, I started to work on the Uranium part. In this part I basically added uranium effect to the word where the colour of the word would be like green uranium glass.
In this week, Roberto and I started to create our questionnaire as our survey which will be done next week.
Week 09
In this week we learnt to create a work breakdown structure. I started writing the document based on the works/tasks we did.
To make the splash screen to be more appealing, I added the animation to both words, flaming and uranium. I basically created the animation based on the satin effect. I played along the satin effect and it somehow makes a cool effect. Using Photoshop, I created bunch of layers and then created an animation using them.
This week, I also started to create the menu of the game. I firstly searched for some inspirations to make the menu and its items include background and buttons. For the buttons, I started to create some effects and applying them to the font of the buttons. However, it didn't really look good. Hence, I decided to apply just a simple colour for the font and a gradient colour for the block of the buttons. They are 4 buttons and I decided to divide the buttons into two colours to make more attractive. They are blue and red based on the colour that represents each team which I did for the poster.
The background is also based on the colours that represent the teams.
In this week, we delayed our testing and will do the testing and survey next week instead.
Week 10
In this week, I created another game assets which are card information for each characters. I decided to differentiate between humans team's card and undead creatures team's card. The brown colours for humans team and purple colour for undead creatures team. In this card there will be a character posing picture in the top/higher part and character's description in the bottom/lower part. In the top part, there will also be a health value/point and the attack/strength value/point for each character.
Earlier, I have also created the character's icon such as health, attack for short-ranged weapon, attack for long-ranged weapon, defence, and magic resistance. However, only health, short-range weapon, and long-ranged weapon are used in the card descriptions since we think, it will be too crowded if added them all.
In this week, we also did the survey and some of our classmates had tried our game.
Week 11
In this week, I continued to work on the menu. I wanted to make the menu where humans team on the left side, undead creatures team on the right side, and they are facing each other. The buttons and the logo will be in the middle.
To make this happen, I had to screenshot all of the characters again in the Unity3D. I just simply rotate and set the transform of the camera to give the side look of each characters. After I screenshot all of the characters, I then put them together where basically the king of the team will be dominant than the others.
Week 12
In this week, we presented our game in front of the class. To enhance the user experience, we intended to add the sound effects and background music to the game. Early this week, I searched for the background music and the sound effects on the internet. However, it seemed I found only few of the sound effects would actually fit the game.
Since this game involving undead creature, I searched the sound effects of other game. Since there was only a DOTA game available in my computer, then I decided to look up and find matched sound effects to each of my characters.
Basically the sound that I searched is
- Short-ranged weapon attack
- Short-ranged weapon attack impact
- Long-ranged weapon attack for bow
- Long-ranged weapon attack impact for bow
- Long-ranged weapon attack for gun
- Long-ranged weapon attack impact for gun
- Special sound effect of lava golem since the attack is greatly significant
As well as each of the characters attack sound, pain sound, and death sound.
For the background music, I found a match background music from other game which is Rohan.
What I did
Overall, I did most of the design part of the game, excluding the character models and its character. I created other game assets such as the card character information, the splash screen, the game icon, the main menu and its item etc. I also searched all of the sound effects to enhance the user experience.
What I enjoy
I almost enjoyed everything that I do in this project. It was also because I haven't used Unity3D and we decided to make me do the design part.
What I found difficult
I seldom found difficulty in designing the game assets. Perhaps, designing something that I haven't done before. For instance, I had to look up on internet on how to create the fire effect font.
What really worked
Since, my job is to create/design the game assets, everything that I designed works pretty well.
Next time
Something that I do differently next time is to create more and more appealing and interactive game assets. Prof. Roberto Dillon also suggested to create an element in some of the chess tiles. Something like strengthens them or weaken them. Or even something to slowed down their ability and stuff.
