3rd Space: Workshops and Reviews
11th October 2022
This session was about how to a Game World by looking at different examples of worlds from games/ VR, what they use to create that space, and how we can create our own "World Bible". My notes have covered on what we went through throughout the whole presentation (going over 3D space and narrative), so this section will include what I did for the workshop.
Making a game: Powerpoint?
The objective for this workshop was to create a "Mazetroidvania" (Maze + Metroidvania) game using Powerpoint. It was interesting since I never heard of creating these sorts of games using a presentation application, but, after she had shown us an example in how it works, we created ones ourselves.
Before going into the main gameplay, I created a slide which explains the rules of the games: to not touch anything (the walls, cars, bird), and to get that coin (which is at the end of the maze).
There is the start button on this slide (Blue Play Button), so that when players click on it, it will go to the next slide with the mouse on the intended position. Otherwise, the players could start anywhere apart from the start (and the mouse could be touching the walls already)
This Action Button (found on Insert Tab) allows us to change the properties of an image. It brings up the Action Menu, and from there I can make it so that when you click the button, it goes to the next slide.
Clicking on the Mouse Over tab, I could make it so that when the mouse touches the wall, it will go to the Game Over Slide (which is the next slide)
Creating the Map. This section is simple to do as you just add shapes onto the maze. Then, using the Action Menu, I can change the properties of the Walls.
As it is now, it is way too easy for players to reach the end of the maze, so I have decided to add obstacles:
They will be moving in and out of the path so that getting through the maze will be more difficult
By simply using the animations, I can have them move back and forth without stopping. First off: the Bird
I had it so that the Bird was moving within the box, using a custom path that I made for it. I also had it so the animations was repeated so that the bird will keep moving until lose/win.
I played around the duration a bit to see how fast the bird would move. I brought it to 1.5 seconds since it was not too easy but not too hard as well. This is the first obstacle that the players will encounter so I try to not make it too hard.
Secondly, the cars.
The cars' pathing is much more simpler, but since they are moving much quicker compared to the previous, it is harder to dodge. I have the animations repeat, and made it so that when it reaches to one side, it will slow down, and speed up when leaving that side.
Changing "Smooth Start" and "Smooth End" will allow the cars to slow down and speed up. Like the previous obstacle, I have changed the duration to 0.45 seconds, so that the cars move moderately fast.
Final Obstacle, the Skull (Death)
After a set duration, the skull will come out of the side and will follow the maze path until the end. This will: First, surprise the player when they are moving through the maze, and Secondly, make them move quicker through the maze without waiting.
Again, I used a custom path so that the skull will follow the path of the maze and follow the players' mouse.
Finish: Coin
When the players reach the end of the maze, players are able to collect the coin to win the game. Once the mouse hovers over the coin, it will go to the success slide to tell the players that they have done it. And thus ends the making of the game.
Review
It is clear that this isn't supposed to be a high quality game as PowerPoint should not be. However, it will work perfectly well as a Prototype if I wanted to create a "MazetroidVania" type game. Therefore, for the future of the project, if I wanted to, I will use PowerPoint as a way to quickly build something and play around with it.
I now know what is 3rd space, and for Game Worlds, how to create an effective narrative, and what goes into a World Bible.
These are the things I should think about in World Building and will help me build more on what I have already got.