So this is the schedule I have worked out so far. I based it off of the speed at which we've finished things so far. Let me know what you think since I don't yet have the best gauge of your time/abilities.
Week 1 9/19
Overall Goal: Get a rough prototype worked out.
Tech: Level editor/parsing is already roughed out. Get basic movement in for the character and begin “enemy” block movement.
Art: Concept character design and any necessary UI.
Design: Maybe create simple physical prototypes to test mechanics. Or simply write them out in detail on the PBWorks.
Week 2 9/26
Overall Goal: Evaluate results of prototype to discern what needs to change in the immediate future with the overall design.
Tech: Work further on gameplay mechanic implementation if it isn’t already done. Otherwise begin researching lighting techniques for the shadows and lighting.
Art: Begin work on the animations. (Walk cycles etc.) Concept any environmental flair we may need or want.
Design: Play around with the initial implementation of the gameplay mechanics and begin to write down any critiques you may have or what you think should be different.
Week 3 10/3
Overall Goal: Have a near definite vision of what the final game will be.
Tech: Refine gameplay and have the “enemy” blocks moving close to the way we would like them to. Recycle using the pooling technique or something similar to ensure best performance. Leave real optimization until the end though.
Art: Continue work on animations and any other needed art. Leave title screen until close to the end of development. This will probably lead to better ideas for it and it isn’t important yet.
Design:Start planning out some questions to ask external players so that we can begin to run play tests ASAP.
Week 4 10/10
Overall Goal: Run play tests and evaluate feedback to find what is/isn’t working.
Tech: Hopefully gameplay will mostly be nailed down and most of the focus can now be placed on making the game pretty. (Jumping if we have it.)
Art: Have the running animations finished without the transition or jump animations.
Design: Read through player feedback and run the play tests to get an outside perspective on the game.
This works for me! I've been using most of my free time to conceptualize/implement the required mechanics and code for the game to function. Just keep me posted with any assets you guys have and I'll toss them in and make sure they work as expected!
ReplyDeleteThis looks good. Also, I realize I am the least experienced member of this team but I am very interested in soaking up all I can from you all and doing whatever I can to contribute effectively. So far, since music/sound is something I'm fairly confident and familiar with I've been looking up rag-time music that we can either modify for the game or use as inspiration to write our own. But please, anyone let me know where you think I may be of use.
ReplyDeleteGo for it, Logan! If you have time to write music, please do. I always find that music written by a team member works way better than any existing music because you're writing for YOUR GAME rather than trying to find a match. If you want help writing/recording let me know, I love to write music for games as well :D
ReplyDeleteOk. I'll rough out the rest of this tonight/tomorrow morning. Thanks guys! Logan you can pitch in wherever you think you can do the most damage. Go for it!
ReplyDelete