Week 10

We have succeeded in creating a reasonable prototype in Unreal Engine 4, and since we have already used Gamemaker to demonstrate out level design, we felt that it would be best to use the UE4 prototype to show off our mechanical design.

We aim to have a playable prototype ready for the presentation in week 12, but if we struggle to find time to implement all of the things that we currently plan to, then we may have to settle for demonstration in the form of screen-capture videos.

We have continued to keep the game design document and technical design document updated as we add new features to our prototype, and we will hopefully be well equipped to spend most of our time developing the prototypes rather than having to catch up with unfinished work in the documentation.

So far in the UE4 prototype, we have configured the movement of the ball. By default, the player can only control the direction in which the ball spins, so the position of the ball is only controlled by the ball coming into contact with surfaces and having friction with those surfaces. We have added a push force on top of this, so that the player can control the ball's position while it is in mid air. We hope that this will make the game less frustrating for players by providing them with more constant control as they play.

Week 9

Our level design has been focused on more than the prototype, because it’s one of the most key elements of the game. Completion of documentation is a big task too, so there are lots of things to check. The game prototype should probably be the next thing that we focus on. Once it is out of the way, then we can focus more on other tasks.

Our meeting with the producers involved some discussion with regards to the prototype. We described how we have been using Gamemaker to develop the prototype video so far, purely as a way of demonstrating our level design. We now intend to create a prototype using Unreal Engine, as we would like to show what the exact look and feel of the game will be.

This may mean that we should shift our attention from prioritising the completion of the prototype video showing our level design in Gamemaker to a better, more accurate prototype created using Unreal Engine.

Week 8

Despite what was said in the previous internal meeting’s question section, the group has now agreed that there is no reason why we should not create some kind of template that would be applied to each level. We decided that the levels that have been designed so far should be analysed and adapted so that the process that the player must follow in order to complete the levels follows the same basic structure across every level. The difference will be in the specific mechanics that are used, and creativity comes from how to make this same structure does not become obvious to the player.

After this is done, we can continue to design more levels, which will include more unique abilities and interactions. Each team member will ensure that any changes made to the level template are updated in the game design document.

When analysing each level that has been created so far, we should seek answers to each of these questions:-

• What kind of task must the player complete in order to pass each stage of the level? (e.g. object interaction, specific form interaction, skill challenge)
• In what order must these tasks be completed?
• How are these tasks made obvious to the player?

Week 7

We have made steady progress with our level design and the development of the Gamemaker prototype. We have a process for drawing up storyboards for new level ideas, and then using those storyboards to create playable versions of levels in Gamemaker.

All unfinished work from previous meeting has been completed and steady progress has been made on work assigned for this week.

Everything is on track to be completed in time for the next meeting.