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GAME DESIGN IV
( NO AI WAS USED IN THE WRITING OF THIS PAPER )
WEEK 1 WEEK 1
2026! We now have an entire year to work on a single game as our capstone. I am over the moon about this. The previous projects felt like they had ended right before I could begin to flesh them out and polish them. I would like to develop all basic systems required for my gameplay loop and to develop a solid understanding of my aesthetic direction before the end of the first semester. This is a big task for 12 weeks, so I must work efficiently to make the most of my time.
This week I will plan out the systems of my game and go over an exciting opportunity I received.
I feel a great deal of frustration that I cannot even begin to scratch the surface when relaying my thoughts, experiments, conversations, and research through this rigid form of documentation.
All I can do is provide an overview of what I have explored, researched, and created throughout each week, also why I have done so.
But you must know that this is not where my creation ends...
It is with me as soon as I wake up; it follows me to the kitchen when I eat breakfast. It is especially present when I shower and as I'm drifting to sleep. Though I am unable to show you this through documentation or a screen, for that matter, I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
An entire visual diary of notes
This is my planning for all aspects of my game (graphical intentions, systems design, gimmics/hook, environmental concept art, balancing, UI design, ETC..) done over the first 6 weeks. It makes more sense for me to arrange notes like this in a single place.
I have been given an incredible opportunity! Someone from Studio230 in Ponsonby has asked if I would like to exhibit my game in their very unique space... https://www.studio230.nz/
The space is an enormous empty room with ramps that blend the floor and walls together. This creates an effect which makes the corners of the space almost unperceivable, resulting in a dreamscape-like illusion. With only a single projector calibrated to wrap the room in any visuals/sound that can be displayed on a computer. These people have successfully catalysed an urban sandbox for play, representation, and creative exploration.
Throughout the year as I create my capstone game, the plan is to design an interaction system that can be utilised in this space. There are many ways to do this through things like motion tracking, wired controllers, or a paired phone app.
If I do manage to create this, I will port “Newer Zealand” to my new interaction system upon completion, allowing me to exhibit it in a more contemporary context, which is exactly my goal going forward in my career.
I understand it may appear huge in scope, but there is no external pressure forcing me to make this work. This can be used as a way to break free and experiment within the project.
QUESTIONS IN CLASS
Q – What area of game design or development are you most interested in joining?
A – I would like to be an independent game developer or someone who has a strong role in the creative design process for larger projects. What does that look like for me? I don't know. I don’t see it in black and white. It is very possible. I won’t be a Toby Fox, Scott Cawthon, or Edmund McMillen type developer. But instead, someone who is working in a more contemporary space. All I know is that I love the world, I love technology, I love things that are new and boundary-breaking, and I would love to continue playing through the act of creation until the day I die. What ultimately decides my entrance into the industry is the first group of people who are willing to witness what I have to share.
Q – Do you want to go indie? Or would you be happier working in a larger team?
A - Absolutely Indie, Ideally starting by myself and eventually expanding into a very small team. 4 holy children of the universe. We will share a similar vision and goal. We will see the act of creation through the same lens. The 4 horsemen of the slopocalypse. A gifted programmer, a gifted audio technician, and someone else who is like me. Possibly another for marketing and business.
Q - What skills would you like to improve, learn, or refine this year?
A – I want to make the first steps towards entering a more conceptual space within game development, bridging the gap between physical and digital.
I want to improve my asset creation skills, scaling up from a PS1 style to something closer to a PS2 style. Cleaner UV wraps, higher quality textures, and poly count due to more detailed extrusions of meshes. Not in normal map or occlusion map territory yet, but one step away from it.
Q – Is there any software or pipeline you want to get better at or learn?
A – I want to continue improving the animation pipeline I developed last semester by creating 2D NPCs from single images found on Google Earth. I do this using the Photoshop timeline and perspective warping/cutting and flipping limbs of iconic anonymised archetypes to create animations which I believe hold an innocent quality and serve as expressive observations.
WEEK 2 WEEK 2
I will solidify exactly what I intend to explore primarily during the project, as well as further researching the games that inspire my project.
EXPLORATION
What I will be primarily exploring through this project is the space between reality and digital simulation by creating assets and eventually full environments based on real world locations and objects using Augmented Reality glasses (Xreal One Pro). I am also using digital simulation as a way to express my individuality, and the way that I see the world, which I believe will be a common theme in influential art over the coming decade due to the advancements of creative technology. Obviously this project isn’t designed to be a commercial success. It is using almost entirely copyrighted imagery. Though it is a lengthy process to prepare it for the game engine. I am far more interested in exploring this medium in a contemporary or boundary breaking way.
RESEARCH OF OTHER GAMES
Stick rpg
Growing up in the early 2000s, this game and its sequel strangely changed my life and my taste in interactive media going forward. It somehow managed to hold a gameplay loop that mimicked the American dream, or the capitalist wasteland that is the West. I would spend hours simulating a life in this tiny stick town purely because it felt like it was me. and I had all the freedom I could ask for within this world.
It miraculously achieved this through simulated jobs, gambling, stat increases, home buying, drug dealing, and energy management! If anything is the blueprint of my game, it is this.
Something that feels magic about this inspiration is that the creator Skye Boyes ALSO designed this in his 3rd year of university. It was his first game that really caught on, and this was 23 years ago, which is my age. These types of coincidences are overwhelmingly serendipitous to me. Sadly Skye has since passed. It feels like the stars have all aligned in a very special way, and I hope to continue his legacy by adapting this extremely niche genre in a modern way.
Half life 2
I will be attempting to recreate the intuitive manipulation of physics objects in Source games like Half-Life 2 or Garry's Mod. I'm doing this because my last game of the same theme, Tamaki Time Loop, had a notable lack of interaction with the world. While watching the Half-Life 2 developer commentary, they mentioned facing the same issues and their way to combat it by adding an all-encompassing sense of interaction with everything! If you shoot a wall, it must show the impact; if you attack someone, they must react, and the same goes when interacting with objects. Every input must have an output. It is like the game Marco Polo; if you call out "Marco," you want to receive a "Polo"! Otherwise it would be a very unsatisfying experience. This also solves the design question of having an inventory. Instead, using a physics system, the player will move objects around the physical world just like in real life with the opportunity to carry multiple objects in vehicles or trolleys.
- Q - What is the basic concept of your game? This can be very rough such as a theme, mechanic, or experience you are interested in exploring. Type of experience:
A - Newer Zealand is a sandbox capitalism simulator themed around NZ with an early 2000s aesthetic.
Q - What kind of experience are you aiming to create for the player (e.g. thoughtful, tense, playful, narrative-driven, experimental)?
A - I aim to create a playful, rhythmicly routined, sandbox game. I want each player’s experience to be slightly different and to provide the opportunity to express yourself through different life styles creating emergent gameplay, represented through your character stats.
Q - Who is the player, and what do they primarily do in the game?
A - You play as a depressed homeless poly addict who is determined to become the prime minister of New Zealand in order to save their pet pig that got taken by the Auckland council. players go from rags to riches experiencing the housing, cost of living, and mental health crisis'
Q - What do you imagine the player spending most of their time doing?
A - Simply put, the game is a loop of bettering yourself in exchange of energy(happiness), then using your new stats/qualifications to move up in the world, expanding money and stat increases even further, all while making sure your level of happiness doesnt drop to 0.
I wanted to give players an extrinsic reason to increase their stats and interact with a realistic city infrastructure, so i decided that the primary objective was to gain a majority of citizens votes by completing tasks, which require certain stat levels: intelligence, strength, and charisma. These stats can be raised at locations such as the gym, the library, and clothing stores. Every action that raises the players stats will take away from their level of happiness.
If the players happiness reaches 0, they die from suicide
To maintain their happiness the player must consume or rest. they can do this by focusing on healthy habits like sleeping early, or go on wild drug binges to continue raising stats throughout the entire night. This creates emergent stories through gameplay
Q - Are there any games, genres, or other media that have influenced this idea?
A - As mentioned previously, Stick RPG 1+2, Half life 2, Garrys mod, Sims, Bitlife, Gta San andreas, Postal 2
- Q -
Based on what you currently know, what feels achievable within this semester?
A - Its very hard to tell with these sort of things. I hope to have an extremely basic playable build, and some inital assets.
WEEK 3 WEEK 3
This week I worked day and night to setup the absolute minimum baseline of systems for my gameplay loop to work. I also began the creation of my NZ based assets using real world imagery! My source of research has expanded beyond the screen and into anything my eyes are lucky enough to scan over while out in the world.
Here is a demonstration of the systems in my game functioning at a very basic level.
Game systems Rundown
PHYSICS OBJECT MANIPULATION
Grab props around the world, rotate them however you please, and combine them into a new object if there is a recipe.
Each object has its own weight. if the player isn’t strong enough, they cannot lift the object. This promotes the raising of stats, balances accessability of objects when selling at the pawn shop, and gives me an opportunity as a developer to add quests based around strength, object combination, and object fetching. or all 3!
PAWN SHOP
Almost every object in the game has a “value”
Players can take any valuable object to the pawnshop, place it on the desk, and exchange it for currency. This transaction doesn’t negate energy unlike everyother way to make money in the game, ideally providing players an olive branch to grab onto when risking death by suicide. It also acts as a secondary form of money gather compared to grinding and working jobs. I imagine some people will only sell objects or gamble for their money due to the rejection of simulating work in a video game. I would like to give this type of player a way to engage with the game despite its themes.
STATS
The player has 3 stats they must increase to complete objectives.
Strength ( allows the player to pickup heavier objects and hit harder )
Intelligence ( allows the player to get better jobs and learn new crafting recipes )
Charisma ( Allows the player to have greater social opporunities ) (some citizens will not talk to you if your charisma is too low)
Better stats = more money = better opportunities = more voters
ENERGY SYSTEM
As mentioned previously, the player has an energy system which is represented by their “mood”
This acts as a currency to exchange for stat increases and is responsible for holding up the core game loop of cosumption and growth.
Stat interaction examples:
GYM
Costs 1 energy
Passes 1 Hour
- +1 Strength for no cost
- +2 strength with cash cost ( Personal Trainer )
SCHOOL
Costs 1 energy
Passes 1 Hour
- +1 Intelligence for no cost (Library)
- +2 strength with cash cost ( Uni Lecture )
CASINO
A casino with roulette and slot machines, Each spin passes an hour and takes 1 energy.
This allows for a drastic change of finances based on luck, further promoting emergent gameplay and player choice!
FIRST PLAYER HOME
Return to your portapotty to sleep through the night and regain energy. The quality of sleep is horrible so you must hit the hay early to feel fully rested by morning. Buy a better home or bed to increase quality of sleep, or raise energy by other means...
DRUG BUYING
Top up your energy in exchange of money at any phone box.
Different drugs have their own drawbacks , prices, and amount energy gained when consumed.
MCDONALDS
Your first job.
wherever you are in the world, there will be a mcdonalds nearby. Lowest bar to entry, Lowest pay. A 24 hour accessable way to make money in exchange of energy anytime. The player can recieve promotions if stats and shifts worked are adequate.
OFFICE
Your next job. In order to work here you must reach a certain intelligence level. This introduces you to new people(quests to fufil) and greater money gather per hour.
BINS
Outside most homes and establishments will be bins, trashcans, rubbish containers, etc.
These act as urban loot boxes that the player can pop open to find random physics objects inside of varying rarity.
Bins are emptied every night from rubbish trucks and reset by the morning by home owners.
This allows the player to loot the whole city everyday to grow an increasingly valuable collection of junk, which can all be sold at the pawnshop or used as quest items/ tools within the sandbox.
Shopping Trolly to move mulitple objects
If I were the player, I may get frustrated only being able to move 1 object at a time, especially if im frequently using the pawnshop or crafting systems. To counter this I have implemented a shopping trolly that allows the transport of mulitple objects, as well as much faster movement. My favourite aspect is how well it fits into the narrative and themes of the game while serving a necesary purpose. I hope to continue developing contextually accurate systems that make sense both in the real world and my game, continuing to bridge that gap.
Graffiti System
Without detecting surfaces ^
I admit that at this stage of development, this was uncessisary and more difficult than expected but I added a graffiti system which allows the player to spray any image onto any surface in the game, Only allowing sprays to occur on an available space, there is no way to make the graphic clip off the side of an object you are tagging. I can also make objects unsprayable if I wish.
I implemented this system because It can emphasize both your starting position as someone who lives in the streets, and your ending position of putting polical party flyers EVERYWHERE. Its a system which will be relevant through out. I have not yet added any stat benefits to tagging.
WEEK 4 WEEK 4
- LOGO CONCEPTS
I began experimenting with different ways that I can capture the charm of our country, and the theme of my game in text, through the use of fonts, and symbolic imagery.
CIVILIAN SPRITESHEET 1 (GATHERED FROM KROAD GOOGLE EARTH)
I have already discussed my thought process around this form of creating in my last paper, at around the halfway mark (https://ethyn.net/game-design-3) But since then, someone has shown me Canadian artist Jon Rafman and his ongoing photography series which started in 2009 centering entirely around google street view screenshots and the way we can tell stories through them.
https://9-eyes.com/
I am exctatic that there have been other artists who resonated and throughly worked with the resources I am using now for the same reason. We both (and many more) have directed our focus towards carefully observing and capturing these moments simply for what they are. These images hold an overwhelming quality that I cannot yet fully explain.
First batch of animated NPCS
Possible loading screens
Possible main menu (My first ever CGI cloth simulation)
Some texture work
Quest Log
- This was my first attempt at adding custom props and effects to a character. I attempted this in hopes of adding extra iconism to the archetype I wish to embody through this NPC. I added the hardhat, Walkie Talkie, Hammer, and feedback effect without disrupting the overall design of the character by adding a gaussian blur which matched the original screenshot.
WEEK 5 WEEK 5
I finally worked on my systems prototype for the studio 230 exhbition. After a lot of brainstorming I ended up going with a maze game, as ANYONE can understand the concept of escaping. Especially when the only options for interaction are movement. This allows the game to be picked up at any point, by anyone, and any number of people, while retaining the same level of entertainment and understanding. This gives me a frictionless way to showcase my NZ assets!
I have created a first person dungeon crawler esque movement system to achieve this.
I chose this route purely because it had the camera perspective I am working with in the main game, as well as a grid based movement system. This gives me more control over what the player can see, while simplfying interactions expected from them. I want players to move through the physical exhibition space and use the floor to vote for the directions/actions of the player.
I succeeded in this by buying a webcam, setting up a live camera feed within unity, creating a script to greyscale the camera feed, then send it through a colour threshold (All colours are observed and converted to either black or white) From there, the camera tracks the pixels within 4 different locations. If any of the locations detect a mass of black pixels, a trigger will occur.
My plan is to mount the webcam on the ceiling of the exhibiton space, with UI directional arrows for the player to trigger being projected on the floor below. All someone needs to do is stand ontop of an arrow and the game will respond.
I chose this route purely because it had the camera perspective I am working with in the main game, as well as a grid based movement system. This gives me more control over what the player can see, while simplfying interactions expected from them. I want players to move through the physical exhibition space and use the floor to vote for the directions/actions of the player.
I succeeded in this by buying a webcam, setting up a live camera feed within unity, creating a script to greyscale the camera feed, then send it through a colour threshold (All colours are observed and converted to either black or white) From there, the camera tracks the pixels within 4 different locations. If any of the locations detect a mass of black pixels, a trigger will occur.
My plan is to mount the webcam on the ceiling of the exhibiton space, with UI directional arrows for the player to trigger being projected on the floor below. All someone needs to do is stand ontop of an arrow and the game will respond.
To make the project more exhbition-friendly I set up a developer console and commands that allow me to change the variables of the camera and detection scripts on runtime. I also setup the UI mentioned earlier and I added an optional floor cam, which will show on the floor in real life due to the projector resoultion and aspect ratio.
I am incredibly pleased and shocked I managed to pull this off. this was all I needed to know that the exhibition would be possible. HOORAY, NOW BACK TO THE GAME!!
WEEK 6 WEEK 6
it appears that I am currently on track to achieve my goal!
Not everything is perfect though,
I wish I could increase my capacity to competently document,
either by creating youtube videos, writing about my explorations more effectively, or something short form like tiktok.
I recognise this is almost essential in order to build community or garner attention in the modern age.
I also need to focus on maximising play through creation, deciding point A and B then doing whatever I want whenever I want as long as it gets me closer, until i finally arrive.
I must avoid perfectionism.
I must be free.
Thank you so much for reading, watching, and listening,
i am so happy i get to do this :)
Have a wonderful day,
ethyn
WEEK 7 WEEK 7
Whenever he worked harder he was punished.
stuck on a hamster wheel of novelty.
And out of pellets.
Those who could see what I saw;
And those who couldn’t help but absorb the gammarays of passion blasting uncontrollably out of my ocular cavities.
They knew I would win
But it wasn’t today.
Here lies the temporary death of Newer Zealand
2025-2026
The most ambitious project I have had so far.
Why???!!
I wish to break myself free from the chains of creation that endlessly hold me down
I need to be satisfied with the scale of a project
It needs to be something achievable and fast.
Preproduction time is running out.
I cannot have an exhibition on my mind.
And I certainly cannot create a full scale life simulator to the level I desire without holding myself back in other areas.
I feel it is an inefficient use of time. This could take me years to finish if I had it the way I wanted.
Right now I must create efficiently and effectively. I have very limited time
What was the solution
What was the solution
What was the solution
…
Because I am a student, This is a short transitional period of my life where I have the luxury to create art all day everyday without having to donate over half of my week to someone elses wallet and business for the foreseeable future. I am eternally greatful for this.
I am coming to the very obvious realisation that it would be most effective to use this short yet absurdly valuable period of time to create projects that have the chance to generate funds and sustain me and my career when this ends. I am spending every waking moment creating projects that can’t legally be uploaded to steam.
It would be foolish to scrap my project in its current stage. So I will pivot in a very tactical way.
Game concept Rework
I want to make a “society” simulator but at less grand of a scale.
I ask myself if there are any “smaller” groups of society we see in the world that emulate everything found in the outer world..
After days of researching the world around me, It clicked.
School
is a smaller version of society in the outer world
Law Enforcement = teachers
Laws = rules,
Jail = detention
Jobs = Classes, (punishable for being late)
Increasing energy = Cafeteria / Vending machines
Loot Zones = Bins / Lockers
Player home = Dormitory
Citizens/Voters = Students
Shopping trolly (Multi-Item Carry) = Backpack
Car = Skateboard
Drugs = Candy
Increase Inteligence = Library
Increase Strength = Playground
Increase Charisma = Drama hall, Jump jam
Roulette = Beyblade betting
Pawnshop = Recyling
is a smaller version of society in the outer world
Law Enforcement = teachers
Laws = rules,
Jail = detention
Jobs = Classes, (punishable for being late)
Increasing energy = Cafeteria / Vending machines
Loot Zones = Bins / Lockers
Player home = Dormitory
Citizens/Voters = Students
Shopping trolly (Multi-Item Carry) = Backpack
Car = Skateboard
Drugs = Candy
Increase Inteligence = Library
Increase Strength = Playground
Increase Charisma = Drama hall, Jump jam
Roulette = Beyblade betting
Pawnshop = Recyling
I have somehow discovered a way to transition all of my mechanics over in a loseless fashion, while shrinking the project size down to at MOST 10% of the original goal, while making it far more marketable, in additon to giving myself the ability to sell it!
ALL WHILE CONTINUING TO BUILD THE CORE OF NEWER ZEALAND
With this extra time and energy I would like to put more of a focus on Physics and system depth, Pushing my ideas and mechanical mastery further as I aimed to with physics based object manipulation, again resembling Half life 2 and affirming the main goal of this project, To provide players with a competent level of interaction within the world, every “marco” shall recieve a “polo”
This iteration in my plan is VERY logical to me.
THE BIRTH OF
SCHOOL RPG
SCHOOL RPG
I began by quickly throwing together some test sprites for visual placeholders
World simplifcation layout grey boxing
This new TINY map features everything I will need for the entire game, resembling a size closer to my original inspritation, Stick RPG
School Test Map 1 (Testing Mateirals)
A simple layout based on my own primary school, with placeholder textures applied.
The thought excersise itsself was comforting and nostalgic, Things have come full circle once again.
I felt a strong sense of relief knowing that this tiny map contained everything I needed for the entire game.
With my Newer Zealand project, the map felt endless in comparison. With all honesty, I could see no end in sight.
Graphics Simplifaction
Now the world has been simplified, I would like to do the same for the graphics.
I want to find a visual style that can capture the way children see the world.
I believe I can do this while simultaniously scaling down graphical fidelity massively!
I was sharing these developments of my ideas to my flatmateS and they suggested that we look at my earlier art for inspiration. I uncovered two gems that I made in a single afternoon when I was 15 years old.
The verdict we came to is that I successfuly conveyed SO much with SO little in these animations.
only a hand full of frames used between the two clips and I managed to demonstrate my emotions at the time VERY EFFECTIVELY. It is ironic that I am looking to my 15 year old self for creative direction.
These works reminded my flatmate of an Artist called Tao Lin and his era of MS paint work so I chose to research futher.
In this video Tao Lin, american novelist shows the different eras of his visual art starting with Microsoft paint drawings. I strongly resonate with his motivations and methods when creating in this style, and can draw many comparisons with my earlier animations above.
“I like to portray things that seem sad but they’re just not doing anything about it.”
“Its just pretty much all head, and I like head because thats where the face is, and thats where all the emotion is conveyed.”
During the video, Tao explains the meanings behind his work, Something I noticed was that he almost always based his work on something he had experienced himself, or something he was interested in during that moment, however abstract he portayed it, his work was generated by self reflection and connectivity with others. Sometimes that is enough.
Although the works are not of high graphical fidelity, they are extremely high in emotion, and symbolism. miraculously these works can be understood and humourous to anyone , they feel natural to relate with . This crude art style may be more effective in communicating concepts and emotions than we are giving it credit for.
As Tao dives deeper into the different periods of his creation we also see him also pivoting, and developing ways to monitise this relatability through physical illustrations with cardboard and paper.
“The reason I started using cardboard was because I was making them to sell or for art shows.”
Ironically, I am pivoting to the style he moved away from for the exact opposite reason!
I am now using the MS paint style so I CAN have the oppotunity to achieve financial gain.
As Tao’s art raised in detail he noted that it became harder to get the point across to the viewers. We can see this towards the end of the video when he is showcasing his newer Mandala works. I aim to develop a 3D art style that is readible, simplistic, and powerful in the same way early Tao and 15 year old Ethyn have done.
First explorations towards an MS paint graphical style,
My plan is to find a way to synergise the workflow and design structure I have developed for for my PS1, PS2 graphical assets (Billboarded NPCS and Foliage) with the the child like MS Paint textures to hopefully pull off some 3D, 2D hybrid...
I started by drawing a tree very quickly in Ms paint and arranging it in the same way I would any other tree PNG if it were my previous art style.
The result provided me with immediate confirmation that my hypothetical artstyle was not only possible, but also visally distinct. I had successfuly sourced my own tree in a matter of minutes. Using original art!
I began experimenting with how this could translate to titled textures on 3D meshes by making titled floors and bricks. I am not fully satisfied with this yet but will continue to iterate until I am.
Finally to further implement the school concept, I created a Timetable the player must follow, and UI for current class to raise clarity In the same MS paint style.
Development of MS paint style for world props (Use sound for explanation)
Backpack system
To wrap the week up, I designed an inventory system that strengthens the theme of the game while proving players with a huge level of sandbox freedom. Every student has their own backpack(inventory) that they are responsible for including the player.
Featuring...
Object Input
Any carryable object in the game can be held over a bag. it will then shrink, and be placed within the Bag’s inventory
This is accessable via UI when looking at the bag. I use a method similar to Object pooling to achieve this. THe shrunk items remain active within the world, they are simply stored in a locaiton outside of the playspace and retrieved, then resized to original scale when taken out of the bag.
This is accessable via UI when looking at the bag. I use a method similar to Object pooling to achieve this. THe shrunk items remain active within the world, they are simply stored in a locaiton outside of the playspace and retrieved, then resized to original scale when taken out of the bag.
Object Output
The player can use mouse scroll wheel to cycle between objects in the bag UI. Once they have the desired object selected, they can use the “Grab” key to the object out. Different types of bags have different maximum capacities.
Carrying
Bags are able to be picked up or thrown by pressing “B”.
Only one bag can be equipped at a time.
This system allows players to carry numerious items and transport them freely. Previously the player was forced to carry only a single object at a time which I could forsee causing significant frustration as I this game becomes more reliant on object transportation and sandbox play. This also expands my opportunities for quests, and gameplay systems massively!
The player can use mouse scroll wheel to cycle between objects in the bag UI. Once they have the desired object selected, they can use the “Grab” key to the object out. Different types of bags have different maximum capacities.
Carrying
Bags are able to be picked up or thrown by pressing “B”.
Only one bag can be equipped at a time.
This system allows players to carry numerious items and transport them freely. Previously the player was forced to carry only a single object at a time which I could forsee causing significant frustration as I this game becomes more reliant on object transportation and sandbox play. This also expands my opportunities for quests, and gameplay systems massively!
overall, I feel confident in my new direction and that I am secretly moving closer to the ultimate goal of newer zealand. while developing something less niche, marketable and available for sale
WEEK 8 WEEK 8
Student Concepts
This is my first attempt at making students wno are representive in the same way I aimed to with my google earth characters, except I now have the freedom to draw from different angles and in different states. I found myself spending most of my time working on preparing textures and animating NPCS during the Newer Zealand project so the difference is night and day for me.
Multiple angles and states are now possible with ease!
This is Lewis, He is the first student who will be embarking upon the game engine. Lewis is a shy, but very clever boy who is part of the Nerd crowd although I suspect you already came to this conclusion based on his appearance! This is my aim going forward. I would like to use the advantages that come with free-form 2D illustration to expand upon character readiblity and players interaction greatly! While cutting the time for creation down to only moments.
Hand UI
Next I designed player UI in the form of a first person hand to enforce the tone I am trying to achieve.
Additonally, to improve player interaction I have made seperate animations for different states. One for idle, One for sprinting, one for attacking and one for grabbing!
Additonally, to improve player interaction I have made seperate animations for different states. One for idle, One for sprinting, one for attacking and one for grabbing!
First student NPC (Flees from damage) + Attacking implemented + First person hand UI (With different states)
Skateboarding System
This one was a nightmare. and with all honesty, I may have bit off more than I could chew. I found it exceptionally difficult to design a skating experience in first person while remaining user friendly.
A possible solution is swapping to third person while the player is skating, but I am very firm on keeping the experience strictly first person as It has brought me so much closer to my goal of showing the world through the eyes of a child, in a literal sense.
After numerious hours of research... In addition to now knowing every game in existence that has a ridable skateboard, I finally understand the things I like and dislike about them. Many games that feature skateboarding lean extremely hard into simulation, we can see this in games like Session or Skater XL.
Other games lean too far in the opposite direction feeling far too arcady to the point of removing aspects that make skating enjoyable like tony hawks pro skater, jet set radio, or the newer bomb rush cyberfunk.
The HUGE difference of gameplay between these two videos is so fucking funny to me.
This all lead me to the realisation that I was looking in the wrong place.
frankly, these skateboarding games were far too focused on the skating. I needed to look at games that featured skateboarding but not as the primary gameplay mechanic for inspriation! it was so obvious yet I hadn’t made this connection prior. This broadened my pool of research massively,
Games like bully, sunset overdrive, dead rising, jak 2, even kingdom hearts 2 now qualified for this exploration.
This all lead me to the realisation that I was looking in the wrong place.
frankly, these skateboarding games were far too focused on the skating. I needed to look at games that featured skateboarding but not as the primary gameplay mechanic for inspriation! it was so obvious yet I hadn’t made this connection prior. This broadened my pool of research massively,
Games like bully, sunset overdrive, dead rising, jak 2, even kingdom hearts 2 now qualified for this exploration.
After a long and tedious journey I found the perfect game to use as a reference point for School RPG’s Skating system.
I will be drawing my inspritation from High on life 2 (2026) developed by Squanch Games.
A game that was released this year! One of the primary selling points is its first person skateboard traversal!
Hiliariously they explain going through the same mental and design challenges I was going through.
“We werent sure we were gonna pull it off”
“We had a lot of design challenges because of our ambition, and i think i gotta call out the skateboard as the toughest one to crack”
“the skating mechanic was a total bitch to design”
“we have gone through probably 100 different variations of the skate mechanic”
“we wanted to cut it at one point”
This greatly affirmed my struggles.
If a AAA company almost couldn’t do it
how could I???
Maybe it would be smarter to let this one go...
I am just one boy at the end of the day...
If a AAA company almost couldn’t do it
how could I???
Maybe it would be smarter to let this one go...
I am just one boy at the end of the day...
IS WHAT I WOULD SAY IF I WAS A WEAKLING!!!!!!!!!
First person skateboard mechanic baseline
Featuring...
Forward orientation
The player can alter their own orientation by moving the mouse. The boards orientation will match the players when pressing forward.
It is also possible to adjust the boards orientation in 90 degree intervals using A, or D.
Pushing
The player can increase skating speed by pressing forward while facing a chosen direction. A forward force will then be applied and the player will begin to glide across the ground, The board loses speed overtime meaning you must push regularly to maintain full velocity outside of utilising slopes and grinds.
Slopes
A physics based momentum system to emulate the feeling of gaining and losing huge amounts of speed due to the steepness. As someone who has skated for almost a decade this is by far the most satisfying aspect to me which outside of landing tricks.
I do not see this phenomenom articulated correctly if at all in other games that feature skating.
the board will accelerate massively when going down hill, and will lose speed going uphill, until momentum pulls the player in the opposite direction, rolling backwards down the hill!
Down hill acceleration is tempoary, slowly minimises to a regular flat ground speed as it would in real life.
Grinding
Continuing to expand upon interaction and momentum, I want the player to utilise the environment around them to temporarily increase traversal speed, I have decided to implement a spline based grind system. If the player collides with one end of the grindable spline, they will snap and ride along while recieving a sudden speed boost. players are free to dismount the grind at anypoint and launch theirselves in any direction, while retaining momentum. this allows for a chaining of speed boosts between different slopes, benches, tables, ETC! This provides another level of skill expression and mastery for players to build inbetween other gameplay systems, as well as raising overall satisfaction!
(With skateboard sprite)
Textured 3D Meshes
To wrap the week up, I decided to work on the textures I will be using where ever it it unavoidable to use 2D billboards.
I noticed with my previous iteration everything felt too clean, organised, uniform, perfect. I designed them like this because I assumed this was the only way I can have functioning titled textures, but this didn’t match the tone of everything else I had planned. I had to figure out a way to make these textures more crude while retaining the ability to tile.
I noticed with my previous iteration everything felt too clean, organised, uniform, perfect. I designed them like this because I assumed this was the only way I can have functioning titled textures, but this didn’t match the tone of everything else I had planned. I had to figure out a way to make these textures more crude while retaining the ability to tile.
Texture Improvement for 3D Meshes
To ensure I would be able to tile these textures correctly, I starting with the original clean varients.
I drew dark outlines around the details that made the surface unique. and made sure to have line variation with each brick, tile, tuft of grass, or wood panel; An attempt of controlled asysemtry.
This resulted in a higher level of detail while bringing me closer to my design goals.
I drew dark outlines around the details that made the surface unique. and made sure to have line variation with each brick, tile, tuft of grass, or wood panel; An attempt of controlled asysemtry.
This resulted in a higher level of detail while bringing me closer to my design goals.
WEEK 9 WEEK 9
Instead of having an outdoor map I would like to simplify my task even further! I aim to have a completed school interior using the textures I made last week.
I would like to add more students to the game,
I would like everyone to have their own schedules,
Different classes and recess areas, specific desks, and to arrive and leave at slightly different times.
If I have time I will work on a way to transition between rooms without teleporting the player, possibly physical doors the player can pass through. and I would like to model some props such lockers, chairs, and tables.
MS Paint Texture Atlases
With the power of Tao Lin on my side, I started by churning out a bunch of textures for different things I may need in this week. The experience was incredibly freeform and playful, I feel immense joy that I have maximised play in my creation as I wished to earlier this semester.
Working “Polished” main menu
After building out the interior level I immediately implemented a main menu that shows the students going about their day, displaying the schedule simulation as a timelapse! I did this by increasing the rate of time while in the main menu.
It sound ridiculous but this small bump of early polish gave me a stronger sense of how the game would eventually feel.
I felt compelled to do so after stumbling across the album Bora Bora 2000 by Lasos. I was yet to find audio that matched what I was trying to achieve in tone and theme but this was it! I will be taking huge inspiration from this album when creating the School RPG OST. Again, a small form of temporary polish to enhance the concepts I wish to demonstrate.
Working “Polished” pause menu
The conquest for short yet effective polish continues, I designed a pause menu with functioning settings in the style of a school exersise book. For extra juice I added an opening animation that plays every time, applying the animation fundemental of squash and stretch as always. I also went out of my way to program a pixelation slider that gives players 3 options of graphical fidelity to swap between. This is only because I am very aware that this form of post processing is personal preference and I like it more pixelated than the average person. It also allows players on lower end hardware to scale down the overall resolution, as well as the pixelation level to achieve higher performance with similar visuals.
While these adjustments are small they have made my “Project” feel like a lot more like an “ actual game”
NPC Brains
The Player, Students, and Teachers all have schedules running off variations of the same system. Everyone in the school has different classes to attend throughout the day as well as recess twice. Teachers have recess in the staff room, whilst students have their own prefered spots they will hang around (assuming it is not too crowded) Students and teachers have designated seats, when Students enter class they make sure to face the teacher and vice versa with the teacher to students. If the player is late to class they will get punished upon entering and sent to detention. I can configure NPCS to follow unique schedules or to avoid certain recess points. Finally everyone arrives and leaves at different times depending on their personality and role (teachers will arrive and leave slightly earlier), the same goes for changing classes. In times where NPCs have nothing to do at all (no schedule), they will wander freely around the halls avoiding active classes.
This is the complete foundation of NPC brains for School RPG
Physics based doors
In all of my previous games, I have made interiors and exteriors in entirely different locations within the scene and teleported the player between. This time, i would like to have all interiors and exteriors accurate within world space. To do this I needed a solution for doorways. I decided to use this opportunity to continue developing physics based systems that provide the player with the higher level of interaction. I discovered that unity comes with a component anyone can use to make physics based doors in less 10 minutes prepackaged! (Hinge Joint) I was able to implement this quickly and see effective results. I am greatful that this was such a pleasant experience compared to my last physics system the skateboard.
Progress update Video (Use sound for explanation)
A video commentary overview of all changes so far
An example of juxtopostion between areas through the use of physical doorways as opposed to player teleportation
An example of juxtopostion between areas through the use of physical doorways as opposed to player teleportation
“Polished” character customisation system
Another way I wish to increase the legitimacy of my project is through a character customisation screen which allows players to express theirselves immediately upon entering the game while remaining logical within the context of the world.
Featuring...
Skin colour customsation
The reason the I initially designed the hand UI white was so I can adjust its colour during runtime based on the players preference. I visualised this through a coloured pencil affirming the school theme.
Player name customsation
Instead of being a nameless character, I want players to choose their own name, and for students and teachers in the game to refer to them as such. I am half way through Pokemon yellow at the moment and for such a primitive game, it has managed to retain my attention through the many layers of immersion it achieves through simple tricks like this.
Player name customsation
Instead of being a nameless character, I want players to choose their own name, and for students and teachers in the game to refer to them as such. I am half way through Pokemon yellow at the moment and for such a primitive game, it has managed to retain my attention through the many layers of immersion it achieves through simple tricks like this.
Player Perk selection
Something else that stood out to me when playing Pokemon yellow was it’s emphasis on player choice and it actually meaning something. As opposed to choices all leading to slightly altered varients of the same outcome (Mass effect), In generation 1 pokemon games, there are numerious choices that lock off opportunities and even entire areas.
Every TM in the game (Consumables that add a specific ability to a pokemon) can only be used once. And every HM (Resuable items that add a specifc Utility ability to a pokemon) Cannot be unlearnt, lowering the amount of attacks the pokemon can have. This this means for example, that it may not be the best choice to teach your Charizard the HM “Fly”, although “Fly” allows the player to immediately teleport to any city they have explored (Huge utility), it means their Charizard cannot learn as many attacks, lowering his overall damage capabilities. This game is absolutely filled with 1 off decisions like this and they absolutely add up.
I have implemented this concept in School RPG through the choice of perks.
Throughout the game, players will recieve numerious opportunities to select single use rewards.
The first being the a perk, gain 2x Intelligence, 2x Strength, Or 2x charisma.
This will have a huge implication on gameplay, strengthening player connection, immersion, replayablity and enforcing emergent story telling immediately. Once again I have embedded this within the context of the games themes.
Something else that stood out to me when playing Pokemon yellow was it’s emphasis on player choice and it actually meaning something. As opposed to choices all leading to slightly altered varients of the same outcome (Mass effect), In generation 1 pokemon games, there are numerious choices that lock off opportunities and even entire areas.
Every TM in the game (Consumables that add a specific ability to a pokemon) can only be used once. And every HM (Resuable items that add a specifc Utility ability to a pokemon) Cannot be unlearnt, lowering the amount of attacks the pokemon can have. This this means for example, that it may not be the best choice to teach your Charizard the HM “Fly”, although “Fly” allows the player to immediately teleport to any city they have explored (Huge utility), it means their Charizard cannot learn as many attacks, lowering his overall damage capabilities. This game is absolutely filled with 1 off decisions like this and they absolutely add up.
I have implemented this concept in School RPG through the choice of perks.
Throughout the game, players will recieve numerious opportunities to select single use rewards.
The first being the a perk, gain 2x Intelligence, 2x Strength, Or 2x charisma.
This will have a huge implication on gameplay, strengthening player connection, immersion, replayablity and enforcing emergent story telling immediately. Once again I have embedded this within the context of the games themes.
Character Customisation Showcase
Player Signature
Finally, I added a small area for players to create their own signature. I have used a mouse raycast with a linerender attached to achieve this. A strange game to relate to here, but I really enjoyed the expression that came with this design choice in CSGO trade up contracts. Additionally, the option to review back on past contracts to see what you wrote in the box intregued me. The players signature in my game to will always be present when viewing their School ID, which houses players stats. Again, strengthening immersion, player interaction, and emergent story telling.
Visual demonstration of iconism conversion
(Retains fair use as oppsosed to direct texture ripping as seen in previous project.)
(Retains fair use as oppsosed to direct texture ripping as seen in previous project.)
The current state of the project has given me peace of mind, and I feel it is now acceptable to wrap up preproduction planning and pivot towards exploration in different areas as well as completing paperwork related to this assessment.
WEEK 10 WEEK 10
My plan to counter this is to create a mini-game that I can use within School RPG while still developing and learning new skills!
This is my way to have a break while still working towards the greater goal. I wanted to design a mini-game that can be played during classes on the computers to earn currency within the larger game. I am doing so as this was a core part of the school experience for myself and im sure, every other student in the game design major. Especially doing so on flash websites like cool maths games, 2 player games.com, friv, miniclip and many others of the like.
For me, this decision was a means of instant satisfaction,
which informed the title and sequentially the design decisions I made while creating this mini-game.
Baseline game mechanics developed
Instant satisfaction is my first 2D project EVER that that isn’t using only the UI layer for graphics and input.
I found myself constantly using 3D box colliders and 3D rigidbodies instead of the 2D varients.
Of course, this would break the games functionality entirely while not outputting any errors.
Featuring...
1-4 Player selection
Character customisation
Level select
2D Platformer movement
Melee combat
Randomised Weapon pickups
Projectiles
Player health
Game End state
Basis of Design (Gun Mayhem)
The design of my minigame is heavily inspired by Gun mayhem, one of my personal favourite flash games to play during class in year 6. I particularly enjoyed the game’s multi-player capabilities. They made the descision to force four kids to crowd over a single desktop keyboard and we absolutely ran with it. The game is a 2D platformer party shooter, similar to smash bros except players use different weapons as opposed to different fighters. The game also featured character customisation. Even as a child I admired games that allowed high skill expression and competitivity, while simultaniously providing creative expression! This player vs player exoerience triggers the same enjoyment that comes from chess or a physical sport. The most entertaining opponent is another person always! Thus allowing pvp games to be signficantly simplified while retaining engagement in comparison to single player experiences.
WEEK 11 WEEK 11
This week I will add graphics and polish to Instant satisfaction. Developing my abilities in user interface and 2D game devlopment.
I plan to add expressive UI that alludes to microsoft’s windows 7 opportating system and the experience of playing cool maths games with friends during class.
To emphasise this, I will add a monitor boarder around gameplay.
Within the confines of the monitor I will apply a CRT post processing volume that resembles a flickering laptop screen. In the same way I did with School RPG, I would like to rapidly implement polish through simple things like a menus, customisation, juicy animations, and sound design. All with a focus on iconic symbolism, and different elements of our shared pasts.
as said previously, myself and many others are fond of playing local multiplayer party games, we are all missing this and we don’t even realise it. Athough local play is my priority, it absolutely doesent make sense within the context of a single player simulation game. Yes this would work as a standalone browser game, but I need to ensure it serves the greater purpose of my school game. If I have time, I will add single player capabilities by adding an BOT enemies with an NPC brain similar in design to the students in the wider game.
Finally, I would like to explore new ways to document my work as it fills me with frustration that I can only show a fraction of my creative efforts through the confines of a 2D document.
Instead of numerious short clips I will attempt to record ALL OF MY WORKING, to see if it is possible to produce a singular, large clip, timelapsed into a palatable viewing time. This may fail horribly but it is worth the exploration and provides a new lens on my proceedures.
18+ hour time lapse of Instant satisfaction development and polishing.
This timelapse was filmed over the 3 days of work which I of course chose to wear same jumper for continuity.
I found that recording my work, particularly using a webcam not only made me stay on task for significantly longer, but kicked me out of cognitive first gear much faster. Some days it can take me long periods of time to settle into my work, possibly due to ADHD or the myriad of other mutations I possess. Athough the end result isn’t as readible as I had hoped (Especially to a non-devleloper), I really enjoyed using the documentation itsself as an act of creation and found the entire process extremely valuable, I learnt how to compress video files into a much smaller size using FFMPEG, and was able to observe certain habits I have when creating as a tool for self reflection.
Changes showcase
Featuring...
Intro boot animation
Microsfoft xbox original Boot animation
My Boot animation
Microsfoft xbox original Boot animation
My Boot animation
I wanted to expand upon my explorations in polish and animation by creating a motion graphics introduction video.
For my first iteration, I used the original xbox’s intro video as my baseline. I applied a range of effects, Rapidly speed up and pitch shifted the clip then created my own similar logo in Photoshop, finally I added an eye that covers the entire screen half way through the clip, this to me strengthens the themes of futurusim and utopic technological aesthetics.
For my first iteration, I used the original xbox’s intro video as my baseline. I applied a range of effects, Rapidly speed up and pitch shifted the clip then created my own similar logo in Photoshop, finally I added an eye that covers the entire screen half way through the clip, this to me strengthens the themes of futurusim and utopic technological aesthetics.
I have always been drawn to the original xbox, and the mystical nature of the consoles user interface. It truly feels like this is forbiddin technlogy recovered from an alien spacecraft.
Although the themes and aesthetic excited me, after some time passed the novelty wore off and I realised my adaptation of the xbox intro wasn’t entirely cohesive with either school RPG, or Instant satisfaction. Additionally, it would not be usable under copyright fair use as it is representing microsofts work far to closely. Ideally the boot animation will represent myself visually and auditorily while retaining thematic and aesthetic cohesion.
Boot animation adaptation.
To celebrate my individuality I photographed some of my own graffiti
I then vectorised the logo and added it to my game as a opaque white sprite.
I realised I could use a singular unity timeline animation to move the text, logo, and adjust the colours within engine.
After some tinkering, I managed to design a fluid bouncy intro sequence that represents myself, internet culture, and the themes of game(s) far more effectively
Main Menu
Player select screen
Character Customisation
Level select + Available weapons select
Preround count down
Scanlines with movement, Muzzle flashes, Physics based blood
WEEK 12 WEEK 12
- I will create my devlog video
- I will discuss a new time management / focus strategy I have been experimenting with.
- I will go over how I have found a way to make a difference by providing my peers with a HUB of creative resources
- I will prepare for my submission
And finally
- I will Reflect upon what I have done and what I wish to do going forward into the semester 2 Capstone
The hat theory
I have been experimenting with different time management / focus strategies over the course of a few months.
This week I have developed a strategy that helps me visualise and utilise my limited willpower more effectively.
This week I have developed a strategy that helps me visualise and utilise my limited willpower more effectively.
My hypothesis
Everyday we rejuventate a limited amount of willpower / focus that we can expend however we please.
I believe that preparing for a task takes willpower,
as well as swapping to a different task.
This in rooted In my belief that switching your frame of mind in any capacity takes willpower.
Everyday we rejuventate a limited amount of willpower / focus that we can expend however we please.
I believe that preparing for a task takes willpower,
as well as swapping to a different task.
This in rooted In my belief that switching your frame of mind in any capacity takes willpower.
My circumstance
I have found myself in a creative rut unable give myself quality recreation time.
I feel as if the task is not complete until the entire project is. I can become obsessive about my work.
This may be because I am responsible for every single aspect of my projects and therefore my future. Everyday I am swapping hats constantly and I have come to the realisation that this is taking excess power from myself.
My solution
The solution I have developed starts with visualising a hat for each frame of mind you find yourself switching between.
Draw it on a piece of paper, Assign a unique colour to each of your hats. Now we have separated our thought patterns, We must now realise that only 1 hat can be worn at a time. It would be ridiculous to wear two hats. Every morning, If we delibritely choose the hat we will be wearing for the rest of the day it simplifies the project into a single role, and single set of responsiblities.
If I am wearing my sound hat today, I will only focus on the being a sound designer to the best of my abilities. every other aspect of my project is unrelated to my task today.
Before starting. You must decide your goals for the day. It is important that there is an end in sight, infact I recommend setting your expecations of the day signficantly lower than you think is possible. Once you have completed this incredibly easy task you are now free to relax for the rest of the day through meaningful recreation. You will no longer scroll in anxiety feeling that you haven’t done enough. You will read, play instruments, spend time with friends and family, excersize, and take care of yourself.
If you are absolutely starving for another task, you can begin another as long as you able to keep wearing the same hat, and it is incredibly doable.
Know that there is no responsiblity for you to complete this task, you have already done your allocated work for the day.
Example: “I will create 3 different level soundtracks today”
once this is done, you are free, it is home time. relax!
It sounds so obvious but previously I was unable to give myself quality recreation time until a project was complete.
The list of tasks was infinite. This strategy simultatniously lowers mental stakes, while making objectives incremental and achieveable.
These strategies are easier said then done but I feel one step closer to mastery.
I escaped from a prison that I voulenterrily placed myself through identying as a productive and successful creative.
It is possible I developed this strategy based on the all encomacing idea of simplication holding potential to minimise unessary suffering throughout this paper. As usual, I have catapulted forward in self mastery via realisations made through creation.
Shockingly slowing down can speed things up.
The birth of
the source
the source
Finally to wrap the semester up, I have made efforts in sharing the passion and dedication I posses with my classmates and friends by creating an organised hub for game development resources.
I don’t know why I feel compelled to do this other than making a positive impact to everyone involved.
All I have to do this life is make the world a better place through creation in any capacity.
My job is to help people get closer to mastering theirselves.
If I have tools that will help them do so, I absolutely will be providing it to them. This just makes sense. This is logical.
My love trancends a single industry, genre, or medium.
I have found that similar hubs/ resource websites include MANY common resources, MANY paid resources, and MANY unuseful resources.
Anyone who joins will have access to an ongoing list of curated categorised resources entirely for free.
many of these resources are my own secrets and genuienly valuable.
I have been running this website (Ethyn.net) via Yale student promo-codes for over 4 years entirely for free.
I was in disbelief over the cost of roughly $400 per year so I searched endlessly for a promo code that I could utilise. After some time, I managed to obtain a varified yale student account to do so (Yale provides free websites to their art students), This is just one of the helpful resources I provide.
Anyone who joins will have access to ALL of my paid unity addons for free.
Anyone who joins is welcome to steal absolutely everything and provide nothing.
I do not care. this is not for my own personal gain, This is for purely for them.
other than knowing I am helping people get closer to unchained creative expression.
I have titled this third space:
the source.
the source.
In spirituality, the Source refers to the supreme, formless origin of all life and consciousness. It is the universal, divine energy. often called God, the Universe, or Higher Power from which everything stems and to which everything eventually returns. This perfectly incapsulates what I wish to achieve with this project.
I hate to say it but the AVG discord channel is organised to an obsessive degree as is every other discord server I have ever joined. I have no idea why it is common to have different voice channels for each game, text channels for each topic, management channels, introduction channels, meme channels. I don’t even understand how they stay on a single topic or enforce it, Or why they would want to??! All of this effort for 85% the voice and text channels to be unused. I seriously don’t get it.
An example of cluttered server design
I couldn’t even capture all the channels with a single screenshot. I had to SCROLL. are we joking right now??!
I apoligise for the loss of focus on the greater task at hand but I couldn’t sit here and allow this to continue. I felt DISGUST! I am here to provide solutions. The source is now in use by a small portion of the class and friends, finally! a digital space I feel comfortable communicating with my peers in. We have been exchanging resources and clarification in relation to our classes throughout the week and I already notice a huge improvement in community. Moving on.
Final recap
You made it! thank you so much for taking the time to read my experiences and developments over the last few months. I will quickly reflect on everything I have acheived, what was notable, and what I look forward to.
Newer Zealand pivot
I came in with a vision so large it had no foreseeable end. Newer Zealand wanted to be everything. Every system I designed pointed outward in a direction that felt infinite. But the decision to pivot was not a loss. Newer Zealand is still out there and is the goal. What I realised is that the most intelligent path toward that goal isn't a single enormous leap, it's a series of deliberate, completable steps that teach me something every time. creating School RPG has not compromised that vision, Infact the opposite, it is the foundation of it.
Every mechanic I built this semester lives inside both projects simultaneously. I am building the engine of Newer Zealand inside a world I can actually finish.
Something that surprised me
What surprised me most this semester wasn't any of my technical breakthroughs, it was discovering that I had the ability to reason this way at all. Myself from a year ago would have interpreted the pivot as a failure. Instead I found myself making the most logical decision I've ever made in a creative context. I am seeing things for the greater goal now, not just the project in front of me. And I feel I have achieved real growth.
If you told me at the start of semester that I would complete three playable games, I would not have believed you. Newer Zealand, School RPG, and Instant Satisfaction are all sitting at a demo level with functioning systems. This is the most I have ever experimented within a single project timeline.
Every week introduced something I had never done before.
physics objects and carrying them,
A first person skateboard,
graffiti surface detection,
a motion tracking installation demo for Studio 230,
a 2D party shooter,
3D and 2D NPC brains,
a savable backpack inventory
character customisation.
The list goes on and on. I have genuinely surprised myself.
The most valuable thing I explored this semester didn't happen inside a game engine at all.
It happened internally and was my understanding of how I work.
Going into semester two, I want to develop this balance further. I want the experimentation to continue but I want it to be matched with design-heavy polish. I also want to challenge myself academically. Most of my research this semester was rooted in games I've played or stumbled upon, and while that has value, I want to start grounding my design decisions in a wider body of thought and treat this more scientifically. An example In particular, would be relating my devlopement experiences to Research as Self-Reflexivity, Self-Reflexivity as a social Process (Frederick Steir) which my lecturer has incredibly kindly shown me!
Overall I am infinitely grateful to be in this period of my life.
I get to create all day, and I get to grow in numerioius ways constantly.
Again thank you so much for reading, have a fantastic rest of your day/night.
You made it! thank you so much for taking the time to read my experiences and developments over the last few months. I will quickly reflect on everything I have acheived, what was notable, and what I look forward to.
Newer Zealand pivot
I came in with a vision so large it had no foreseeable end. Newer Zealand wanted to be everything. Every system I designed pointed outward in a direction that felt infinite. But the decision to pivot was not a loss. Newer Zealand is still out there and is the goal. What I realised is that the most intelligent path toward that goal isn't a single enormous leap, it's a series of deliberate, completable steps that teach me something every time. creating School RPG has not compromised that vision, Infact the opposite, it is the foundation of it.
Every mechanic I built this semester lives inside both projects simultaneously. I am building the engine of Newer Zealand inside a world I can actually finish.
Something that surprised me
What surprised me most this semester wasn't any of my technical breakthroughs, it was discovering that I had the ability to reason this way at all. Myself from a year ago would have interpreted the pivot as a failure. Instead I found myself making the most logical decision I've ever made in a creative context. I am seeing things for the greater goal now, not just the project in front of me. And I feel I have achieved real growth.
If you told me at the start of semester that I would complete three playable games, I would not have believed you. Newer Zealand, School RPG, and Instant Satisfaction are all sitting at a demo level with functioning systems. This is the most I have ever experimented within a single project timeline.
Every week introduced something I had never done before.
physics objects and carrying them,
A first person skateboard,
graffiti surface detection,
a motion tracking installation demo for Studio 230,
a 2D party shooter,
3D and 2D NPC brains,
a savable backpack inventory
character customisation.
The list goes on and on. I have genuinely surprised myself.
The most valuable thing I explored this semester didn't happen inside a game engine at all.
It happened internally and was my understanding of how I work.
Going into semester two, I want to develop this balance further. I want the experimentation to continue but I want it to be matched with design-heavy polish. I also want to challenge myself academically. Most of my research this semester was rooted in games I've played or stumbled upon, and while that has value, I want to start grounding my design decisions in a wider body of thought and treat this more scientifically. An example In particular, would be relating my devlopement experiences to Research as Self-Reflexivity, Self-Reflexivity as a social Process (Frederick Steir) which my lecturer has incredibly kindly shown me!
Overall I am infinitely grateful to be in this period of my life.
I get to create all day, and I get to grow in numerioius ways constantly.
Again thank you so much for reading, have a fantastic rest of your day/night.