And, We’re Back!
When we last left our heroes, the team was dispersing to attend GDC and partake of spring break, using the opportunity to spread prototype kindworks cards around different locations. Already, the cards have received 25 total hits across 3 general areas. A few have even received hits in different locations, suggesting that passersby took it upon themselves to move around the cards.
During the past two weeks time, the team’s Halves Presentation has been taking shape, and art, design, and programming have all been moving forward. Work on the Web interface for all of the pages has been ongoing, and there is an asset for nearly all of the pages. A Site Map has been created and is being used as a shared reference point between programming and art. The design document for the experience has also been substantially expanded.
What’s Next?
The team is scheduled to present their work to this point at Monday afternoon’s Halves Presentations, so efforts at the tail end of this week have been directed towards preparation. The weekend will also be used for further rehearsal.
Once presentations are complete, the focus will return fully to production. It will be key that technical challenges be resolved and the programming completed in the next couple of weeks so that a functional Web site exists to support playtesting initiatives. Currently, the database has been set up, but the FTPS server is not compatible with the Joomla framework, so we are in the process of switching to an FTP system. Thanks to the assistance of Steve and Jon, as well as all of Terry’s work, this issue is being addressed as quickly as possible. The completed Site Map and Web art assets will prove instrumental in being able to develop the Web site swiftly.
Looking ahead, the team has a playtest planned with the CMU buggy event on April 20, and also will be able to test with the Boy Scouts of America via the client’s connections to the organization. The testing will give the team an idea of how players utilize the Web site features and whether the Calling Card mechanic is effective in drawing people to the experience. Based on findings, the features, content, and card aesthetic will likely be tweaked.
It should be an exciting road to the finish line, and the team is gearing up for a rapid production pace over the coming weeks. Feedback from Halves also will aid greatly in the team’s second-half progress. Thank you for reading, and expect another update at the end of this week!
