We made a couple big hard decisions this week.
Feedback from class showed that not enough implementation had been done yet. A lot of theory work, design docs, mood boarding, and small jumps in mechanics. What we really need are implemented character models, the level to get into the game, and for everything to get all arted up.
Morale also isn’t super high this week, In our weekly meeting after class our discussion was of a solemn mood compared to how it normally is. Its not anyone’s fault specifically, our game needs a lot of implemented systems to prove its worth making, and we may not have focused on getting them done in the right order. In this long meeting we talked intensely about what needs to happen for us to have a chance moving forward. one of the biggest decisions made was also to drop the monster for a later point in development, and to focus on resource gathering and PvP.
my tasks this week mostly included building a rough draft of the level itself, and work with the artists to get a pipeline going so they can show off the work that’s been getting done. What i came up with is a 3 process system that involves creating the levels basic mesh and tunnels and walls for collision purposes. Then designers and artists can work together to place props for the walls and other features to make the level pretty. Step 3 is when I go in to the collision and edit it again to more closely match the art the art and design teams put in. this should allow for a great amount of detail and pretty objects, without requiring the computer to have to calculate a ton of collision math, since our collision mesh is so low poly.
This week I was able to build the entire level in Maya, and get it imported into a new scene in unreal this level is navigable, but doesn’t have the lighting or any game play mechanics, its just the level collision on its own. But I did show it to the artists, and go over the pipeline system i had come up with.
Hopefully with the next week or two, morale will go up, since we will hopefully be getting more and more implemented. getting sick really had a negative impact on work and ethic.
Production Blog 