Watch Us Make A Game Using "Unreal Engine 3"

[videogamestashbox.com]

Summery:
1. At this point in the writing pipeline the writing team takes the segments of the "experiences timeline" defined earlier as "acts" and describes how the story connects the different experiences that makeup the gameplay plot points.
2. One video where we discus possible changes to make in the setup(backstory) that will allow for a more expansive setting to work in.


Set Up

Deep in space there lies a planet whose surface is completely covered in water. It is known as Nun. Though the planet itself is uninhabitable, the two moons that orbit it, Isis and Osiris, are home to diverse and industrial populations. On Osiris is the Serekh group. They are a corporation which creates entheo-black, a substance which essentially turns one into a living dead. The inhabitants of this moon have become addicted to entheo-black. They call themselves the Blessed, and have dedicated themselves to Serekh with religious zeal. Also on Osiris is a race of aliens who came to the moon centuries ago known as the Sphinx. They serve as a major fighting force for Serekh. On Isis is the Scorpio mining company, which mines resinium, the most sought after material on the two moons. Only Isis has a vast enough supply to be mined, and the Scorpio mining company has a monopoly over it. Resinium is used to power new technology, and it is the main component of entheo-black. Also on Isis are Harkhebi Research, a company who is constantly developing new technology; and the Ibis, a group of mercenaries under contract by Scorpio. With the monopoly on resinium, Scropio controls both Harkhebi and Ibis, along with all trade on both moons. But with the shift of the moons alignment, how long will their control last…

Prequel: Growing Tensions in Trade

Over the past decade Scorpio has increased the price for resinium, making it harder for the Serekh group to continue producing its vast amounts of entheo-black for the masses. Their board has decided to enter into negotiations with Scorpio in order to bring down the price of resinium in exchange for a percentage of entheo-black to be traded in order for Scorpio to sell to the population of Isis. Scropio’s board has seen the effect entheo-black has had on the Blessed, and knows of the religious zeal it has created within them. They fear that if they were to agree to the deal, the dispersal of entheo-black amongst the inhabitants of Isis would lead to the same religious zeal, and all loyalty will be given to Serekh. Therefore they decline Serekh’s offer and the price remains the same. Enraged by Scorpio’s refusal, Serekh decides they must take action. They begin to call upon the Blessed and the Sphinx to amass a force to invade Isis and take over the resinium trade. Ibis spies on Osiris catch wind of Serekh’s plans and report them to Scorpio. Scorpio calls on the aid that is owed to them by Harkhebi and Ibis to build a force of their own to counter the invasion. As an appointed officer of the Isis force, Vando is a Set (one of the personal soldiers of Scorpio), must begin training with all soldiers (Set), mercenaries (Ibis), and prototype heavy armored fighters of Harkhebi (Scarabs).

Act I: Nun Awakens, Change of Plans

As both Serekh and Scorpio work to amass and train their forces the moons begin to align with the poles of Nun. As a result a massive gravitational force builds up at the poles, causing all the water at the equator to shift towards the poles, revealing massive amounts of land. For years the Blessed have watched Nun as part of their religious practice, and they notice the new landmass. They send a scouting ship to the planet, which discovers a myriad amount of resinium buried deep in the ground. When the report returns Serekh decides to instead send its forces down to Nun instead of to invade Isis. When the Ibis spies find out about the redirect of Osiris forces they report back to Scorpio. The board realizes that if Serekh mines enough resinium, Scorpio will lose its monopoly and profits will plummet. They decide to send their forces down to Nun and eradicate the Osiris force, as well as to mine as much resinium as possible to add to their stores. Once the force has landed, Rozel, an Ibis Scout is sent out to survey the land and report back what she finds about the Osiris force’s positions.

Writing Team meeting:



The meeting lasted longer: (power ran out on the camera)

The Writing Team sits down to make some changes to the story. At this point we had the outline of experiences and the point where the gametypes(experiences) are placed in the plot line. Now we are filling out the details of the story proper on how one point in an ACTs plot line leads to the next. After this we can drill down on the dialogue that happens after completing any given experience listed in the plot line.

The story was Matt's baby and after completing a first draft of the Setup, Prequel, and ACT 1 he stops; coming to the conclusion that while he likes his story he doesn't feel that it offers enough room for gameplay. I gave the same feedback posted prior, that there are areas where gameplay could go that offers more room for gameplay such as ACT 4. I also mention as pointed out in the previous post that the game is turning into an "us vs them" story instead of multiple factions vying for control as originally proposed in the premise. We then come up with a new back story and setup that allows for the expanded gameplay options I proposed.

 

[videogamestashbox.com]

That's it for today next update 2/4/2016
(BTW, typically I add/edit stuff I forgot after the initial post so I suggest from time to time to see if I've made adjustments to prior post.)

Note: We are coming up on the end of the "Writing Team" pipline material that was recorded. There are about two more post before another major transition point. We will be going down the center "Programming Team" pipeline and staying there for the remainder of the recorded material.

 

[videogamestashbox.com]

Summery:
1. I talk about issues dealing with the input system and the mounting need for documenting the steps needed / already taken in the development process.
2. Two videos discussing the above

General work day



A brief mention of why the previous video was so short. I was also working on input issues at this time attempting to make custom inputs. This is also one of the first points where it really hit me that a formal administrative process needs to be laid down. Here I go into ideas on the topic of administrating the production process...basically coming to terms with the role of being a producer in addition to design & development.




I decide to go home because I couldn't find the source code. I also wanted to do input test on the dual shock controller.

 

[videogamestashbox.com]

That's it for today next update 2/5/2016

Tomorrows post maybe the last of the daily post. There is a lot more information but I have to put it all in order which may take a bit. Then I also have to add some kind of description of whats being discussed in the video for those who don't want to watch the entire video or skip to a certain time stamps(topics) in the video.

 

[videogamestashbox.com]

Summery:
1. I throw out an idea for a possible backstory revision about mining security companies fighting each other instead of the proposed miners revolting
2. I give the writing team some reference material to help give a clear example of the size of the proposed interactions.
3. This is also the point were I originally started to formally layout the development pipeline because of the growing complexity of development.
4. Two videos discussing the above.

Writing Team meeting:

0:00 - 13:04
Randomness & updates

13:05 - 21:25
The first half of this video is me explaining the revisions made to the story after Matt came to the conclusion that his story didn't provide enough room for gameplay. The back story was changed along with the water world premise. We went with two worlds instead of three as the backdrop.

21:25 - 44:50
The second half is me laying out the scale of the encounters. Before it was being presented as a huge war between worlds. I wanted to ratchet down the scale by having it be a series of conflicts between private security companies in the employ of corporations.

44:50 - 57:06
Lastly I show where I formally laid out the development pipeline. This bleeds over into the second video below....




The cut off part at the end --> "Once you define the situations inherent to some experience, the dialogue writer writes the script/dialogue for how each situation will play out."

0:00 - 14:08
Here I continue speaking about the the development pipeline giving a brief discussion/explanation of what it is and why it is..

 

[videogamestashbox.com]

Important Transition Point
This is the point where we transition from the "Game Premise" Phase to the Programming Team Pipeline starting with the "Gameplay Concept" Phase.

Note: Understand that the ART, Programming, Writing, and Audio Teams all work in parallel. So when I say "transition" it's in relation to these posts.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Layer n        |  Slice n              |  Slice n+2 |  Slice n+3 |  Slice n+4   |  Slice n+5  |  Slice n+6   |  Slice n+7   |
*              |                       |            |            |              |             |              |              |
*              |                       |            |            |              |             |              |              |
*              |                       |            |            |              |             |              |              |
Layer 3        |  Slice 15             |  Slice 16  |  Slice 17  |  Slice 18    |  Slice 19   |  Slice 20    |  Slice 21    |
Layer 2        |  Slice 8              |  Slice 9   |  Slice 10  |  Slice 11    |  Slice 12   |  Slice 13    |  Slice 14    |
Layer 1        |  Slice 1 <--StartPoint|  Slice 2   |  Slice 3   |  Slice 4     |  Slice 5    |  Slice 6     |  Slice 7     |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               |  Character factions   |  Weapons   |  Armor     |  Game types  |  Overworld  |  Vehicles    |  Story       |
World(setting) |  Object:              |  Object:   |  Object:   |  Experience: |  Object:    |  Object:     |  Story:      |

The first slice is going to be the character itself. Starting with the character we begin gameplay development.
1. We are going to go with defining the "Gameplay Concept" Phase of the pipeline properly with "moment diagrams"(I.E. what happens when *insert action* is taken).
2. Those "moment diagrams" will be written down in plain english text
-------------------------------------
3. We enter the formal software design & development pipeline starting with the "Concept Analysis" Phase and working our way down to the "Implementation" Phase.
(SEE: center pipeline on chart below)

This maybe the end of the daily updates:
I wanted to transfer all my content over to coli, which I've now successfully done. From here I'm going to finish the initial plan I started two years ago of uploading the development process online so people can see what is involved on a nut & bolts level. The reason It may take longer is that I have to put the videos in an order that makes sense, provide written documentation of whats going on, and update some of the charts. While they were all taken in chronological order the order of the development process wasn't in order. As a matter a fact most of everything between "Project 1" and "Concept Analysis" Phases on the map above was done after the fact; when we understood the importance of documenting them.

 

[videogamestashbox.com]

While I'm putting together the next batch of videos and content to post feel free to ask any questions revolving around whats been posted so far. Also from time to time I may go back an update some post for clarity. Especially the post with videos. I prefer to have some kind of synopsis of whats going on and when, instead of just throwing out a bear video. Anything that has a bare video is a candidate for me to go back and update.

 

[videogamestashbox.com]

General Update:

I've been getting material together for the most part. This part is a bit different then all the ones before it. The previous post were pretty much done and consisted of previous work with some notes on the side for clarity. This small section consist of work I should have done but didn't. So I have to find time to do it.


What I'm doing now:

1.Taking the gameplay elements on hand......

2. Make permutations

3. Define a categorical subset of permutation

4. Give a written description of each permutation in the subset.

Bodies’ Components: Enables the identification, survival, traversal and/or manipulation of the environment.

Head - Done (1)
1.Hits to the head deal double damage and cause velocity to go to zero.

Torso - Done (1,2,3,4,5,6,7)
1.Hits to the body cause velocity to go to zero.
2.High damage hits cause body to collapse.
3.Hits while in air cause body to collapse.
4.Hits to the body cause change in rotation. Change is scaled based on damage * momentum
5.Change in rotation due to impact indicates direction hit from.
6.Crouching during impact decreases change in rotation due to impact.
7. Moving during impact increases change in rotation due to impact.
8.Hits from the side require 25% less damage to cause collapse.
9.Hits from the back require 50% less damage to cause collapse.
10.Hits while crouching require ##% more damage to cause collapse.

Legs- Done (1,2)
1. The orientation compared to direction of movement effects speed.

• a. running backwards reduces speed by 50%
• b. running sideways reduces speed by 25%

2. Moving on inclines fluctuate speed. % of flux based on the incline.
3. Sprinting will increase speed, (crouch+jump)
4. Sprinting doubles damage requirement for collapse,
5. Can’t shoot while sprinting.
6. Crouching immediately after landing increases distance possible to safely fall.
7. Crouching during landing decreases distance possible to safely fall.
8. Crouching immediately before jumping increases height possible to jump.


Inventory:

armorstructure = absorption/100
armorweight = armordensity*armorstructure


Body Armor- Absorbs damage before the body does. Alleviates impact strains on the body, at the disadvantage of putting weight strain on the body. Done (p1,p2,p3/n1,n2,n3*)

Positive effects
1.Reduces rotation change due to damage taken.
2.Reduces push back. (Momentum exchange)
3.Stops velocity from going to 0 when hit.

Negative effects
1.Reduced speed based on amount of armor worn and it’s absorption amount.
2.Reduced max jump height(jumpz) based on amount of armor worn and it’s absorption amount.
3.Increased falling speed based on amount of armor worn and it’s absorption amount.
•Falling speed is kept the same while distance possible to safely fall decreases. Gravity is dealt with in terms of map zones. Not sure how to deal with gravity of a single actor. Note: velocity can be independently adjusted for each pawn but when the default gravity(zone) changes the velocity change needs to(some how) be accordingly scaled.


Powered Armor- Armor that produces an independent shield that absorbs damage before the armor or body does. Done (p1,p2,p4,p5,p6,p7,p8/n3,n4,n5,n6,n7)

Positive effects
1.reduces rotation change due to damage taken.
2.Reduces push back. (Momentum exchange)
3.Stops velocity from going to 0 when hit. **rethink/drop**
4.Shield has no weight.
5. Shield regenerates.
6.When in high power mode (walk||crouch==true) shield has 100% absorption
7.When in low power mode (walk||crouch==false) shield has a max armor charge of 150.
8.Reduces/negates damage when head is attacked.

Negative effects
1.Time(energy) limit on use.
2.Time(energy) depletes faster when in high power mode.
3. Armor of activating device determines rate of shield regeneration
4. Armor of activating device determines max charge of shield
5.When in high power mode (walk||crouch==true) shield has a max armor charge of 90.
6.When in high power mode (walk||crouch==true) charge slowly decrease if charge exceeds max.
7.When in low power mode (walk||crouch==false) shield has 25% absorption.


Weapons/Ammo- Any weapon or ammo carried on the pawns body and the strain associated with carrying it. Done (p1)

Positive effects
1.Convenient access to weapons.

Negative effects
1.Reduced speed based on amount of weapons carried and there ammo amount.
2.Reduced max jump height(jumpz) based on amount of weapons carried and there ammo amount.
3.Increased falling speed based on amount of weapons carried and there ammo amount.
•Falling speed is kept the same while distance possible to safely fall decreases. Gravity is dealt with in terms of map zones. Not sure how to deal with gravity of a single actor. Note: velocity can be independently adjusted for each pawn but when the default gravity(zone) changes the velocity change needs to(some how) be accordingly scaled.




Health: The details of this part of the design are not satisfactorily fleshed out and balanced yet.

Healing- Done (None)
1.Any healing item or ability increases bodies’ max health(EXDMUT- max health)
2. Higher the difference between max health and health the quicker health regenerates.
3. Health regenerates when 75% < Stamina <= 100% of 100 health or max health if health>100
4. Feign death (collapse) state gradually increases health/max health(rate * 2).

Damage-
1.Max health goes down

Stamina- Done (None)
1.Max stamina = health.
2.Stamina increases while standing still or collapsed(rate *2).
3.If stamina > health stamina gradually decreases .
4.As movement occurs Stamina goes down.
5.20 Stamina points recovered cost one health point.
6.20 Stamina points recovered raises max health one point.
7.The extent of speed reduction on inclines scales according to Stamina.

• a.75%< health< 100% of 100 health or max health if health>100 (No scale)
• b.25% - health - 75% of 100 health or max health if health>100 (scale)
• c. 0%< health < 25% of 100 health or max health if health>100 (Weapon down, stamina increases *2, Max health point cost *2)

8.The extent of Jump height(jumpz) reduction scales according to Stamina..

• a.75%< health < 100% of 100 health or max health if health>100 (No scale)
• b.25% -health- 75% of 100 health or max health if health>100 (scale)
• c. 0%< health < 25% of 100 health or max health if health>100 ( Scale, weapon down, stamina increases *2, Max health point cost *2)

9.If 0%<stamina < 5% of 100 health or max health if health>100 collapse.

Note: reword 7,8,&9 in terms of Stamina instead of health.

 

[videogamestashbox.com]

Right now I only have to chart out permutations and descriptions for...

Body: and Health:

At first all the above was done mentally then written down. The point of the permutation charts is so that other team members can see it and give feedback before writing everything down. I didn't understand the necessity of this until later in the development process. So before I go any further I have to do what I didn't do at that time.

After this the rest should be fairly straight forward to post. I.E. I don't have to go back and do any work.



It's also taking me awhile because I'm working on promoting my business & Indiegogo Campaign. I wake up checking email & tweets then goto bed writing Emails and tweets. So it's hard to find time. Though the point of the business is to fund independent software development so when everything goes through I'll have more time and resources for this kind of thing.

 

[videogamestashbox.com]

Damn, I really need to get back on this thread Damn you life I was enjoying making this ....................

 

[hex]

Should be stickied really, how often does something like this occur? So much info.

Fred.

 

[Olu Dara]

 

[Hater]

 

[Mowgli]

Howd your game turn out?

 

[videogamestashbox.com]

Howd your game turn out?

Thanks and Damn, I didn't even realize it had been so long since I did an update!
The game is playable(It's at a state of a what extra layers of gameplay do I want/need to add) ...I was about to play it the day before yesterday actually. The point of this whole thing is to give people a clear idea of the process from top to bottom more so then a game to play(though it is playable).




What I said before still holds true.....

Right now I only have to chart out permutations and descriptions for...

Body: and Health:

At first all the above was done mentally then written down. The point of the permutation charts is so that other team members can see it and give feedback before writing everything down. I didn't understand the necessity of this until later in the development process. So before I go any further I have to do what I didn't do at that time.

After this the rest should be fairly straight forward to post. I.E. I don't have to go back and do any work.



It's also taking me awhile because I'm working on (Building onto)promoting my business. I wake up checking email & tweets then goto bed writing Emails and tweets. So it's hard to find time. Though the point of the business is to fund independent software development so when everything goes through I'll have more time and resources for this kind of thing.

I'm actually looking to start a youtube show that highlights black gaming media & personalities... (I didn't want to do a review, preview, play through, etc. show *oversaturated*)
Whenever black people start something it's hard to get noticed in the mix of everyone else. I want to consolidate then highlight & interview them.

That said I still want to get back on this project. I'd actually like to make a dedicated website that does this.
I.E. breakup game design into specific chunks(Post) and let people comment on each of them as I go through the development process and they play through iterations of the game.


Thanks again for asking about this and bringing it to my attention ...I didn't know it had been this long between post