Week 5 was primarily focused on getting to our final direction. We playtested our 3 ideas (Pilot, Endless Runner, and Hero Bull) and it helped us to reach a completely new idea, Space Bull Nova.
The new idea was a combination of mechanics that worked well in all the 3 games that we playtested in the previous week.
It was meant to give players a sense of exploration, an opportunity to fling objects, and certain windows to test their skills.
SpaceBull Nova was greeted by excitement from our client. One of the main elements that excited the team was the unique concept of a bull in space.
We started designing the gameplay for SpaceBull Nova and building a prototype for the mechanics.
This was also the week where we entirely shifted gears and needed all 6 team members to work on a single project. We had some initial trouble setting up an environment and workflow that would allow all team members to contribute effectively and efficiently. We decided to use git instead of perforce since it allowed for multiple individuals to work on scenes at the same time but also because there was a stronger familiarity with that tool than perforce.
The artist created concept art and models for the bull spaceship, enemy whale spaceship, asteroids, and planets.
We also spent a large proportion of our time preparing our halves presentation that would be presented to faculty next week.
We planned to present our SpaceBull idea with a demo of the main mechanics during halves. The demo would also include the first iteration of the art assets and UI. We also decided to share our pre-production process and our playtesting process for decision-making.
The week was spent trying to get everyone on git and making sure everyone could collaborate on the same project. There was also the ordeal of figuring out how we would present in person.
Most of us have sharpened our skill sets on how to present via Zoom and online. Doing it on stage and in person had nuisances that needed some time to get used to and understand.
There were some idiosyncrasies such as:
- Where do we stand?
- How do we pass the mic?
- How do we control the slides?
- How do we answer questions from faculty that sit in the back of the room where it is difficult to hear them?