So it’s time once again to let you know what we will be up to this week, by posting our “sprint of the week”, “project plane of the week”, “to-do list of the week” or just simple our focus area (work) this week. As last week this week will focus much on programming. On Wednesday we have a “game presentation” and we will show some gameplay of the game to some people in the industry. So there’s a lot of things that should be done before that.

Code
Make more AI patterns
Adjust player control (revive)
Enemy generator true triggers
Camera kontroll Concept (2d)
Menu & GUI (animation)
Particles

Level (2d)
Finalize level 1

3d
Make animations for foes

Narrative
Fraps animations for sound effects

Other things
Start to work on presentation
Sketch for trailer for GGA
GGA boot
Game play presentation

Today I finished writing the last level. Yeehaa! As usual I can’t say much about it, hence spoiling the goods. But some interesting new story elements have been brought in, as some new events in the game play. These events will hopefully give the players a taste of what our definition of hack n slash is all about. I really do have high expectations of this game. Everyone has been working their /&%¤# off so far and we still have A LOT more to do before releasing PoH.

Now we’re in production phase (major sprint 4), most of the concepting is done, the major tools are done, the game is up and running on the white box and so on. No it’s mostly putting everything together and making a game.

This week sprint looks like this:

Code:
Collision and basic physics
Player control and basic game play
Also continue work on Shaders, GUI, interface, particle effects

2d:
New versions of some of the enemies
Level 1 done

3d:
Continue making enemies

Narrative:
Should be done by the end of the week
Story and patterns for every enemy

Other things:
Test normal maps
New ingame pictures
Game presentation for the “game panel”

Because of lectures and misjudgments of our animations, we didn’t make last week sprint goals. We’ll make it up this week instead, which means working 10+ hours/day

This week sprint looks like this:

Code:
Physics and collision system
AI system

Graphic 3d
Animate all characters with textures
Model enemies for level 1-2Artists
Make list of all the enemies

Level
Sketch on level 5
Continue building levels
Make level shares list

Narrative
Continue as usual
Trailer
Suggestions for the next trailer

Level editor
Implement scripting according to schedule
2d menus

By the way, the spring seams to have arrived : )

As I learned about the narrative structures in films at the University while studying to become a screen writer, I mainly worked with linear narrated structures, much like any film. For some reason it felt like linear structures were the only stories I could or would write. Computer games showed me another way around a story. The non linear structure like many computer games worked. As you are in control of your avatar anything can happen. He or she as its own protagonist can fill lots of gaps, without breaking any narrative “rules”.

It’s fun and it’s different writing for a computer game, than writing a script. It feels like I’m working backwards. Normally I would start with figuring out the plot etc. Now I have to build the plot into our game and not the other way around. And I have to say “I like it”. It’s weird but it’s fun.

As I’m writing the different challenges on the level plus story I just fill in info on my template. It’s simple and efficient. E.g. challenge 1, 2, 3 etc. followed by, info on mobs, environmental aspects and what is the main challenge. It reminds me of a call cheat, or a treatment.

The point that we’re at now …
There’s a lot going on right now. Everyone on the team got their hand full of things to do.

Nixi drawing

The programmers (Johan and Jakob): Just got the game engine running on the Xbox 360 and is right now trying out the level editor for the game.

The artists (Nixi & Dwarf): is up to doing concept art for all the enemies and environments.

3d artists (Jona & Tobias): will shortly start to make 3d models of enemies and objects in the game

The Narrative (Stoff): Is writing the dialog and the environments.

Me (Me): I’m just chilling and sleeping :p Not really I’m running this blog and will try to get some exposure for our game. I’m also involved in the music and the SFX in the game.

It’s time for our second “game panel presentation” next Monday (20th of October). Håkan, Stoff, Nixi and I (Jens) have been struggling to get it together these last days. We thought that is would take about 3 days to make, but right now it seems like it will take about the double, so no partying this weekend : (

Anyway, … This time the presentation will focus on “Concept” and getting “core things” down on paper. We will be presenting things like: Core Values, USP (Unique Selling Points), target group, risks, quality assurance and so on. We will also present basic stuff in the game such as gameplay, game characters, basic visuals, concept art, narrative and things like that.