Week 10: Playtest and review

This week has been play-testing to ensure that all the necessary player feedback is getting put into the game. Since last week we had come up short with implementing a variety of feedback for Necromanager.

Taking that feedback from others we created a list and from that list, I've been updating and play testing to review that the intended feedback has been put into the current builds.

In addition to that review I've edited the game video reel script for our producer to ensure that the script reads well. Taking out words and re-structuring the sentences to improve flow and style to highlight the key aspects of our game.

Next week: Alpha pass and continuing to Beta

Week 9: Comedy and Modular Houses

Headlines/Item Descriptions:

The week I've been working on adding to the list of headlines that will display at the end of each night based on player performance. The layout of the newspaper GUI consists of side headlines and main leading story. The side headlines are there to add comic value to the newspaper, while the main header is used to reflect the players performance.

Item descriptions for the final asset needed descriptions that would be short, informative, and funny. Working in tandem with another designer to populate the list. The list was reviewed and approved by and planned to implement all the selection before alpha.

Modular Houses:

Working to make assets to populate the exterior area of the graveyard, I was tasked with creating modular house pieces to use. I made six modular house pieces, export the individual fbxs and pass them off to be use in engine.

Next Week: Preparing for beta

Week 8: Working on the Polish

Items:
I've been working on creating simple and understandable descriptions for the in-game items. Ensuring that any player can read it and know immediately how it can be used in Necromanager. At the same time I'm attempting to maintain an element of the humor our game employs.

Tutorial:
Have created this new room asset to be a standalone level that will be the standard demo for our game. The basis of the level has been created and pass to the programming side to add the necessary code and avoid issues.

Levels Pieces:
Working to re-arrange a few asset to give players space to move through each room pieces. Planning to re-work them again when the proxy for environmental art is in place. Additional looking at issues caused by a newer rooms and working to correct them.

Next Week, More Polish Still!

Week 7: New Level Variants & Tutorial Level Dev

Looking at add variety to our random generation system with new room variants. Attempting to provide the balance of space to move through w/o blocking possible room connection pathways. As well as maintain an appropriate number of grave to get it challenging.

Additionally while working to develop rooms, I've been working with Tim and Matt T to create a tutorial level for players. The block-out has been established, the direction and necessary pieces are known. Now it is just a matter of putting it in engine.

Side Note the Unity Repo has been giving our team an issue with art asset missing meshes and textures. Creating an annoying time re-connecting the pieces together. But, finally the system has been updated and the issues with our builds have been corrected. The beautiful art has implemented at last, and it looks stunning. All the pieces are coming together with the deadline speeding toward us.

Next Week: polish, team reel, and upcoming feature lock plan.

Week 6: Push toward new levels

Last week was the digitizing of concept sketches for various aspects of Nercomanager. Since those concept documents are now at a solid point, the move toward adding new levels/room pieces is in full swing.

Well some of the sketches will not transfer well, I will be pulling the parts that will and attempt to recreate specific aspects using the current environment assets we have in place. So the one road block that I had run into was re-establishing the test branch and making sure that all the asset I need were complete and available.

With the help of Devon and Matt T. we establish the working pipeline to get the new levels in progress and implemented later. Now my tasks it the creation of the new room pieces, and while I'm doing that I will be running separate test to see where we can push the assets and rooms.

Next week, level/room update and progress.

Week 5: Digitizing the Concept Docs

To help communicate the design process to the team, I've been working to digitize the documents. We the idea in the mind that it can be easily reference and shown to various team members without the need of a walk through.

Progress with the docs: Currently the process is taking a time to digitize all the documents and make sure that it communicate the necessary information at a glance. So as of now there are currently only a few complete digital versions on the documents.

But each iteration of digitized documents is an aid for the future iteration of the game. With the successful greenlight presentation our concept has a lot of polish to implement and these documents are going to a be tool to tailor our concept direction.

Week 4: Updating engine version and Programs

The paper sketches are ready to be digitized for the team to review. With that in mind the updating of the Unity engine and installation of appropriate programs that are to be used for digitization is a must.

Working to do this while creating a branch folder to maintain structure and avoid possible issues with corruption in the subversion. Beyond that I have been reviewing the juice list and aiding a few bits of information still necessary before we review the finalized list.

The future plan is to review the list and mark the completed tasks so far, keeping in mind the need to iterate on the soon to be complete art task from the list.

So the immediate task is to review the previously assigned art tasks and suggest/make necessary changes to fit the theme as well as the setting on the game.

Week 3: Juicing The Game

At the suggestion of another team member, Kevin, I watched a video called "Juice it, or Lose it." The conclusion of the video presented the idea of that to make a game seem new and provide a better experience, just required added visual and audio improvements.

The presenters used breakout as the example, and walked the audience through their step by step process of visual and audio addition that changed the entire feel of the game.

So, taking that idea I began to create a living document for Necromanager. Breaking down each section of the game into smaller elements that can benefit from visual or audio additions to help promote the intended experience.

With the list the designers have a direction to pursue and communicate with the rest of the group to aid in creating the overall intended experience.

Week 2: Level Sketches (rough difficulty numbers)

This week was another round of level sketches, working with variables in the attempt to find a balance between all the elements. The basis of this initial varied difficulty level drafts the focus on three elements (number of graves, number of connecting rooms, and total number of room per area).

The issue that was identified as the higher difficulty were created, was that the number of connections will greater reduce the combinations of area shapes that can be produced.

While I'm working on the paper sketches at the moment to identify how the difficulty scale will effect built rooms, Devon is working on establishing a base line numbers for each component so when the levels are built in engine the total random generation system will be a controlled random generation system.

Necromanager Part II: The New Team week 1

Week 1: The team has grown from 4 to 11 members, bringing a new ideas and needed skills to help bring the game to the ideal state.

Jumping back on for week 1 was a hectic start filled with early clustering, to compartmentalize the large team into manageable size for individual tasks. For my week one task the GUI was the focus, reviewing existing UI the cluster set forth goals and a direction to work from.
The team had a brief meeting on Thursday to set the sprint goals for the GUI tasks.

In the meantime, i'll be individually creating early paper sketches for the level concepts. Reviewing player skills and abilities that to possible tailor levels to emphasize their use. While other concepts are just purely interesting ideas to present to the team for possible future iterations.

It is all rough at the moment, giving the team a starting point and momentum to re-engage and focus back on the development of Necromanager after our break.