Thursday 11 October 2018

My final HND Project Specification

Project Specification 

The Project: Named "The 4 Tales"
(UNREAL ENGINE GAME)
5 HORROR LEVELS EACH WITH A DIFFERENT STORY AND PLOT

Influence: The game “Affected”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlvPcaMzpzY

I like how this game has focused on the stereotypical (scary) environments that aim to scare you. I like how each one focuses on something slightly different from the other.
What I would like to do is give each of my levels more of a story that the player can get hooked on while still making the game scary.
I also want the levels to have reasonable playing time which doesn’t make people choose the next level straight after. I would like to aim for a good story and a scare factor.
The reason I would like to do a game like this is because I’m into horror games, I like how people can react to them and you can clearly see if the game is good or not.

Game type: Story teller
Genre: Horror/puzzle

This game will have 5 different horror stories and environments that are stereotypical.
The House  – You’re a kid and home alone, you hear a suspicious noise and go to investigate. You notice a creepy old doll that you’ve never seen before with foot prints leading to the basement. As the kid you can explore the house and find out the dark secrets the house holds. The more you find out the angrier the doll gets... make sure you find out all the secrets before its to late.

Abandoned building level 2 – its mid night and you’re working as a security guard Update 1. Removed

The Forest – you have decided to go camping and you’ve ended up getting lost. A whisper in the woods tell you to collect the mysterious objects. Another whisper tells you to leave the forest which one will you choose.
The forest has two similar choices of gameplay (Collect or Escape). In which both are avoiding the enemy.

The School – you decided to do extra hours of work after school when you’ve noticed no one’s around. While walking around the school you notice strange appearances and whispers about a girl who use to go there. Find out what must be done in order to stay alive 
Objective (Wake up) - interact with loud objects around the school

The Theme Park  – You’ve received an invitation to go to an old theme park which all your friends are going. When you get there no one is around and you’re on your own. When suddenly you hear a scream and go to investigate.
Objective: Locate your friends, without alerting the crazy clown.

Who's doing it?
I will be working by myself while making this project. I will get no help and all the work will be mine.

Target Audience?
The target audience is gamers aged around 15+ due to the game having some horror aspects. The game wont have to much graphic content which is why its not 18.

Sketches:
Each level will have a character that the player will try and avoid. The characters will have some link to the story which will make them unique in there own way.

The environments are stereotypical horror environments:
The House
The Forest
The Circus
The School

Each environment will be unique and large, with the task of finding objects or a way out.

Why am I doing this project?
I'm doing this project as I feel that i'm able to show my creativity in writing and designing. I love horror/puzzle games that have some story behind them. I wanted to create a game where the genre is something i'm passionate about. It will also give me the skills I would want to make future games like it.
One of my favourite genres is horror, so to make one would be a lot of fun and interesting to make. I’ve always liked the reaction people give when playing a horror and I feel it’s the best genre for a reaction. 

Time scale




















HND Project Update

HND Project Ideas Update:

1. Sci-fi (The Experiment)

Update 1: This is 1 of 2 project ideas that I’m considering. I personally love the plot and I feel the story could be very good. I also like how I could change it up a little as I go on as it’s a sci-fi game.

Update 2: My reason for not doing this project is that I want to focus on a game which id enjoy but also learn the important aspects of a game that I would want to make in the future. I also feel it’s one of those games that could go horribly wrong if it doesn’t work out. Also having the experience that when I created an action/adventure game with a group we still struggled for time. Which shows me I wouldn’t be able to finish this project.

2. Horror/thriller (The 5 Tales) - My final project idea 

Update 1: I have narrowed it down to 1 of 2 project idea.

I have decided to narrow down the levels by 4:
The house
The circus
The forest
The school

The reason behind this is I feel having to make 5 individual different stories would be too much. I chose these levels as the house and school could have similar props that I could create making it easier. The forest would be an easy one due to me not needing to use Maya much. For the circus I’m either considering it to be indoors so I don’t have to spend a long time on the environment, plus I could take some “killer klown” props for the environment.

Update 2: I have chosen this as my project. My main reason is I would love to make a game that involves puzzles/riddles that will tell you a story. I know I also get bored very quick so having 4 different small stories to tell would be fun for me to do. It would also give me the chance to focus more of my creative side, than just code.

3. The killer klowns game add on/remaster

Update 1: I will not be designing the killer klowns game due to the many problems I feel the game had. With what I had in mind, I would have removed most of the game and I realised that I would be basically designing a brand new game. It’s also been a long time since I designed the game so the code would be very hard to understand or even locate. I do think it was a cool idea, but it was going to be too easy (if I left the game how it was) or too hard (recreating it from scratch).

4. A mixed 2D and 3D platform game

Update 2: I will not design this game for my project due to it being a genre that I would have no passion doing. It’s neither a game I would enjoy playing or designing. I also feel it could be too easy for a final project as i already know how platform games are made.

5. A game you can make choices

Update 1: I do like this idea as a project but I need to be honest with myself on the fact I wouldn’t know where to start. I’m aware that the game would rely heavily on code rather than design, which I know i'm better at. I would honestly love to make a game like this but realistically wouldn't know what to do. 

Thursday 4 October 2018

HND Project Specification

UNIT 4: Project Design Implementation and Evaluation


Project ideas:
 KILLING LOWER CLASS FOR A BETTER FUTURE (SCI-FI GAME)
(UNREAL GAME)
Game type: FPS
Genre: SCI-FI/ACTION/HORROR
Target Audience 16+

Plot: In the far future where resources are running low and the population is increasing the government has had to take a drastic measure of insuring the best future for their world.
Originally the government decided to create “Tunnels” which can teleport anyone to the destination which they have paid to go. They decided to use this device as way to take certain individuals to an unknown location where they would be experimented on in order to gain a new resource which the world is dependent on.
The main player is someone that isn’t of high class and has won a ticket to travel through one of these tunnels, unknowingly will be teleported to an unknown place where he would be killed and experimented on to make new resources which the city needs.

Main Aspects of game:
Some sort of choice (ending) / cool environments / AI voice or companion / Story Driven / Different controls i.e. driving, walking, flying. / Shooting.

The game will have choices, 2 different endings, a horror aspect and a plot twist to the character
(Changed Controls/Genre)
Instead of it being a FPS the player will only be able to interact and run depending on what they need to do. – Ideally this would be much easier as it removes the gun mechanics.
(Making the game become a story teller rather than an action game could improve the game in some aspects as my design skills are better than my coding)
The reason I would like to make a sci-fi game is that I believe the future is limitless and the fact you can implement your own future and make the game come alive is amazing. I like how the game would have no rules on theme, design, logic etc. It also lets you be as creative as you want, which I really like as I’m much better at art and design than code.
I like the plot and not many games have gone in a similar direction. I like how it won’t be too much of a task as it’s a very open plot that could develop in a range of ways. If I remove the FPS aspects the game would be a lot easier to design, however I would like to create a game that involves you attacking AI.

(UNREAL GAME)
5 HORROR LEVELS EACH WITH A DIFFERENT STORY AND PLOT
Influence: The game “Affected”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlvPcaMzpzY

I like how this game has focused on the stereotypical (scary) environments that aim to scare you. I like how each one focuses on something slightly different from the other.
What I would like to do is give each of my levels more of a story that the player can get hooked on while still making the game scary.
I also want the levels to have reasonable playing time which doesn’t make people choose the next level straight after. I would like to aim for a good story and a scare factor.
The reason I would like to do a game like this is because I’m into horror games, I like how people can react to them and you can clearly see if the game is good or not.
Game type: Story teller
Genre: Horror/puzzle

My target audience would be 16+ due to it being a horror but not including anything to graphic that would make it into 18+
This game will have 5 different horror stories and environments that are stereotypical.

House level 1 – you’re a kid and home alone and you’re actually in a nightmare

Abandoned building level 2 – its mid night and you’re working as a security guard

Forest Level 3 – you have decided to go camping and you’ve ended up getting lost

School level 4 – you decided to work do extra hours after school when you’ve noticed no one’s around.

Theme Park 5 – you’ve broke into an old theme park and decided to explore

Obviously the environment or plot could change or be different depending on my thoughts and development.  
These will have similar controls… however the story and the environment will be different.
I could also decide to focus on one environment and one big story line rather than telling 5. This could be good as the player would be more invested in finding out the story.
One of my favourite genres is horror, so to make one would be a lot of fun and interesting to make. I’ve always liked the reaction people give when playing a horror and I feel it’s the best genre for a reaction. I also feel telling a creepy story or giving a plot twist to a game would be great and give it that bit extra which most games need. This is my favourite idea of them all as I feel it has more variety of gameplay and lets you experience different versions of horror.

(UNREAL GAME)
THE KILLER KLOWN GAME (RECREATED)
Game type: Third-person action
Genre: Adventure/action
The target audience will remain at 16+ due to no manger changes on graphic content
I will remaster the killer klowns game that I did two years ago. Making the controls and graphics better. I will also fix all the problems I had with my game and make the game better overall. As the game is basically finished I will make the game flow better through the environments and fix any major bugs that it had.

FIXES: Walking animation / Cancel Attack animation / AI attack animation / Loading Times /
CHANGES: Players HUD / Tips / Controls / Environment size and layout / Environment Links / Some minor colour changes / Lower Poly count.
ADD: New Environments / New AI / Sounds / Weapons /

Main focus:
Adding a story / better gameplay / Immersive sounds and effects

I might consider changing it to a FPS as I believe a simple step like this can help me fix a big problem with some of the character animations.
I would like to create this game as I’m a perfectionist and I would love to have it finished and working at the standard I would want. By reworking on this Killer klowns game, I am aware that I already have a basically working game, but ill more likely either add on to it or use it more like a template. The Film Killer Klowns wasn’t anything special, however I do like the plot and how maybe giving it a few changes a good game could come from it.
One of the biggest problems we had was not linking our environments together. One moment we were in a snowy mountain the next at a mansion covered in lava. We also struggled showing a story so adding them would be great.  

(UNREAL GAME)
A MIXED 2D AND 3D PLATFORM GAME
Game type: Platform Game
Genre: Adventure/puzzle
Age 13+ due to some difficult puzzle levels and no graphic content.
I would like the game to be either 2D which can be changed to 3D depending on what the player would prefer. I think having the chance to play a platform game in two different ways would be cool and fun for people.
This game will involve the player aiming for a high score before either time runs out or they die.
The game won’t have a story and will mainly be straight forward for the player. The game will aim for young teens + as some puzzles could be seen as difficult for Youngers. If I was to change the target I could make it so have to complete levels, rather than try and reach a high score.
The design of the game would more likely be bright and with a colour scheme for example like portal or Mario.
I would like to create a game like this as I would like to put my own little twist to the game genre. I feel these type of games are easily made in some aspects but can fail to standout which is why I’d like to create a platform game that involved having to use both the 2D and 3D aspects to solve puzzles.

(UNREAL GAME)
A CHOICE GAME
Game type: Telltale game
Genre: Story based
Age 16+
Main focus:
The story / the choices
This game would be a thriller that lets you choose your fate. The game will have multiple endings depending on the choices you made. The game will have two main endings either good or bad depending if the player dies or survives.
Some of the games decisions won’t actually affect the ending but will be used to make the game seem more immersive.
I’ve always liked the idea of making a game that gives you choices. Even the smaller of choices for me makes me like the game more as I feel like it’s my decision where I end up.