Newsletter 6: February 20th
Overview:
This week the team began a push towards a minimum viable product which can then be playtested. Using the feedback we got from last week we are implementing the primary features of our game, iterating our UI and finalizing the art for the mini-games.
Prototype:
This week we have a build with the journal feature implemented. While the art is still placeholder and the UI is not fully fleshed out we have the journal working in tune with the flow of our overall gameplay. Currently building off the implemented photo taking mini-game the journal ‘unlocks’ a new animal when successfully completing the photo taking mini-game of that animal.
We have also fixed a few bugs and used this prototype to feel out what works and what doesn’t especially with the maps.
The build can be downloaded like last week:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0gyQphBXokCbWpyVnAyX18ySHc&authuser=0
and can be installed onto any android tablet to experience it.
Game Design:
As part of nailing down the mechanics and feature set of the game we have started playing out paper prototypes of our two system-based mini-games so that our team can become fluent with the specifications and balance that the design requires. We also had our adivsers play through these paper ‘builds’.
The design team has also been breaking down the assets required.
Art – UI Design:
The artists have been working on creating the various art needed for the mini games that is in tune with the art style that we as the team has chosen.
Below is the work done by Tiffa in making the background for the photo taking mini game:
Bing has been working on making the interface for the game as a whole and has been creating sketches while constantly communicating with the designers so as to make it exist seamlessly with the rest of the game.
She is working on shifting these designs into a digital format that can be easily tested and integrated into our game without much hassle.
Programming – Game Architecture:
The programmers this week have been implementing the system type mini-games now that we have better understanding of the flow of these games. They have also finished the journal as can be seen in the above linked build.
The team has also ironed out some of the details for the overview map system as we were considering various types of implementation for this ‘zooming map’ functionality and after sitting down with the whole team, we have been able to give our programmers a clear vision for how the maps can be implemented.
Production:
There is not much to say here apart from things are flowing smoothly right now. We do have a hectic week coming up next with most of the team being away at GDC (games developer conference) which is followed by spring break. So we need to plan out how to use the next week in the most effective way possible and also to figure out what can a be accomplished in the upcoming free weeks.
We have also signed ourselves up to make full use of ETC playtest day on February 28th for which we will be attempting to create a working version of the entire flow of our game.
On another note – our Posters and Half-cards have been delivered:
With regards to content experts we have also sent out several emails without much response to people and now will begin to call them up to check their availability. Our primary need for content experts is to helps us in finding interesting and perhaps region specific inter-dependant wildlife relations along with ensuring the validity of the content we are disbursing via our game.
Moving Forward:
With a lot of details getting ironed out this week, a lot of next week will involve getting things done and preparing the working version of our game for the playtest day. We are also working to get the proper documentation necessary to playtest with our client school. This week will also be our first push towards our next major milestone – 1/2s presentations. So keeping all of these factors in mind next week will be a major one during which we will try to implement as much as we can.