The Game!

The URL of the game (25.3 MB zipped, 44.8 MB unzipped):

https://webdisk.ucalgary.ca/~nathoos/public_html/Game.zip

Instructions:
1. Save the file and unzip it.
2. Locate the Abduction.exe which is an Application file type.
3. Double click Abduction.exe to play the game.
4. Follow instructions and enjoy!
5. Only way to exit game is to press the ESC key. You cannot reset any sidegames without having to exit the game entirely.
6. Some virus protection programs (such as Kaspersky) may identify the file as a key logger. The program is SAFE and virus-free. 

Thank you for choosing to participate in our game experience!

Trials and Tribulations

Trials:

The game is now officially finished! We tested the game with a few people who were unfamiliar with our game design and took some of their suggestions to fix the game. Such suggestions included giving a more detailed description of the locations of the side games as not to make it too difficult. Also, instructions were needed for gameplay in various areas (such as how to play the Snake Game) in order to address game players who may be inexperienced or uncomfortable with the set-up. Not every suggestion was incorporated into the game because some of them were difficult to code or could not be coded such as:

  1. The x and y-coordinates are displayed above the car and if we try to disable it, more glitches occur with the movement of the car. We have yet to figure out how to remove it.

  2. When you start a side game, you cannot quit the game without restarting the game. The ESCAPE key is the only way to end the game besides getting the target number of answers correct, but it still restrats the game.

  3. In the Speed side game, you must zero in on the car, but to do so you must manipulate the cursor to the desired car. The cursor always starts from the same position (the center of the screen only) and not where the desired car is.

  4. There are minimal boundaries set up on the map so the car tends to drive over trees and rivers. However, we have found that it is still better to give the gamer a wider birth and not restrict movement on the map.

 

Tribulations:

The next step was to get the game online. This caused a lot of problems as the file size was rather large (around 70 MB). We tried to secure a URL (Rapid Share) where we could upload the game but we had some problems such as speed of the download. It would take about 20-30 minutes to download the file if you did not pay for the service. So we tried to look for other websites (000webhost.com) where you could get a free website but the file size had to be less than 5 MB so we couldn't use it. There are many webhosts that you can pay for but none of them were free.

We had been told of the WebDisk with the ucalgary.ca site being able to hold around 50 MB. So we shaved the file size down to 44.8 MB by reducing the picture size and reducing the quality of the music files without greatly changing the game. In fact, it was difficult to see any difference in quality so we were pretty happy.

Then I had the issue of trying to get the game onto the WebDisk only to find that there were several issues with my email address that I had no control over. After some time with the IT department, they were able to set everything up for me and voila! Now the game is up and I have URL for it!

Storyline Fiasco

I recently came back from vacation with a brand new tan and a more positive view on this project! The storyline is now being finalized in terms of storyboards and music selection. I am at the moment applying color to our sketches, which in turn will be scanned onto a computer and then will be inserted into the game at the beginning. Subsequently, music will be attached to the game and perhaps some form of instruction may be added to each game, if necessary. Here is a JPEG of a sketch in progress...

Side Game 3 - Ideas

The third side game is a vision test of sorts. I am attempting here to go beyond the paper test and present an opportunity for a gamer to test their reflexes and reaction times. I would like the gamer to undergo several experiences such as: obstacles running into the street at random intervals forcing the gamer to stop or slow down, a swerving maneuvering game for poor weather conditions (counter steering) and  a following too closely game where the gamer must slow down or speed up to stay at a safe distance from the vehicle ahead of them. Currently we are discussing these concepts and will start the technical preparations on a later date.

New Developments

So I went to our meeting yesterday and Fishy and I presented the parts of our game that we had developed thus far. I really enjoyed seeing the different games that were presented and to tell you the truth, it gave me ideas on what to do with my game as well. Just the possibilities...but the technical limitations sometimes inhibit these possibilities....need more research and brainstorming here.

There was a lot of feedback that really jump started the next stage of development: the second side game. Here we are presenting a tornado but this animation might change or have more animation added to it. It is still in concept mode but soon will be ironed out. The content of this game emulates the paper test, giving the gamer the opportunity to pre-take the test.

Some ideas that were presented at this meeting regarding this side game were: to standardize the questions, therefore testing the gamer's level and not just score and to perhaps give this side game as an end game, so choice is taken away but the reward comes from the last game. These are great ideas. I'm going to use the standardizing idea but the end game one can be decided upon on a later date.
 

Second Wind!

So for a few weeks in June, it was slow, but now I have my second wind! Currently I am working on another side game which is very exciting. I am working on a 3D game now which entails content very much like the paper test. The gamer will be given 30 questions of which 25 must be answered correctly to successfully complete the side game. I am hoping to have this second side game ready to go for the next meeting.

After this side game is finished, I have one more side game to program and the opening and closing sequences of the game to be designed and implemented into the game. At this point, the game will be ready for focus groups. Very exciting!!

Interim

Since June 4, I have been working slowly and painstakingly on a side game. It has been slow and sometimes boring waiting on certain aspects to fall into place. I never thought the work would plateau for a while but I guess it happens at times. :(

The Next Task at Hand...

Now, we are working on our side games. We have a few good ideas for three different side games, two of which are in 3D. One is a new spin on an old game, while the other two are more animated and text-based. We'll see how the games turn out. In the meantime, I have some planning to do!

The Unfolding!

These are pictures of the canvas that we created using beans, rice, nuts, acrylic paints, spray paints, stickers and markers. This is the background to the game. It still needs some work done on Photoshop but this is essentially a finished canvas. Oh, I still need to add some glitter!!!

The Cognitive Flow of The Driven

1. The first thing I like to do is assess what my objectives are, however vague or undetailed. I like to outline on paper what I would like the end to be. This is usually a general and unformulated idea. I like to get the big picture before I hammer out details. Shortly after, I discuss what kind of game it will be: action, adventure, mystery, etc.

2. Next, I like to talk about the aesthetics of the game. I particularly love the artistic side of game-designing because I love to color and recently I have developed a passion for painting. Within talks about the visual appeal, ideas start to formulate as to the characters of the game. What do I want it to look like? Where is the gamer going to be transported to? What kinds of colors and environments do I want the gamer to experience? Then, lastly, I assess the relevance of each idea and then match them to my objectives. In this respect, I have a game environment accomplished. This is a very time-consuming stage, because ideas flow and are usually rejected, brainstorming occurs in staggering ways and many thoughts are shelved due to lack of relevance or programming constraints. Phew, it can be exhausting!

3. After that, I set about building my environment on the computer or on paper. Sketches are made of the individual characters, buildings and other components to be approved or rejected. At this stage, a visual represenatation of ideas are now presented and argued over. I like to review each sketch and see if there are any changes that can be made. Consequently, looking at these images also kickstarts some game ideas. For this game, we have decided on side games that are triggered when the gamer reaches a certain point in the game.

Thoughts and Musings Con'd

Now that we have decided on a coarse outline of the game, details must now be hammered out. We have thought about many different possibilities such as:

• using a 2D highway for most of the game
• 3D highways in some side games
• a railroad that works on AI trains
• chasing games - for example, the gamer will be in hot pursuit of the bad guy or the gamer will be pursued by the police for speeding 
• traffic lights that work
• avatars that gamers can develop
• blizzards that create slippery conditions - could be a side game testing response time and countersteering measures taken by the driver
• waterfalls and mountains for scenery
• video clips for when the bad guy has been captured
• the need for saving or pausing the game
• setting up the possibility of replay value of the game

These are some ideas that we are toying with. Some have become real possibility whereas others have been dismissed. The design document is developing at the same time as the game itself!

A Plan!

 We have decided on an action adventure game where the world will be a fantastical place such as an alien world with the objective of catching the bad guys. The gamer would have to navigate roads and complete side games in both 2D and 3D format in order to catch the bad guy. The rules of the road will pave the journey and the successful completion of this will be the real objective of the game.

Thoughts and Musings

After posting the last blog, I have since been musing over the task ahead and thinking of some ideas. These thoughts are sometimes fleeting and at other times very tangible. Some issues I have about the way I want to design this game deal with the degree of entertainment and education the game should contain, the delivery method that is most engaging and user-friendly and the best way to clearly and succinctly convey the objectives of the game.

I haven't settled on any one idea yet, but I prefer to brainstorm first, create a bank of ideas and then formulate an outline with the best ideas.

Below are some ideas, however fair or far fetched:

• The game could present an opportunity for the gamer to test their knowledge of street signs through a simple matching game
• How well a driver can obey procedural situations such as doing shoulder checks and using the indicators before doing a lane change or following another car far enough behind can be tested using a 2D game depicting a moving vehicle that the gamer must correctly manipulate in order to succeed
• There could be a hurricane or tornado on the screen that consumed an entire city and started spitting signs and questions at the screen where the gamer must answer correctly through multiple choice  
• A collaboration of different types of games could be used to make a multi-faceted game. For example, the game could consist of a matching game, a 2D and  a 3D aspect. There could be many objectives to each facet, only to be integrated in the last stage of the game, therefore testing the gamer as though it was a final exam

These are just a few ideas that are swimming around in my head, but stay tuned for more!

      

Introduction

I have just set up a blog to document my thinking process in the development of this game. Currently, I am juggling a few ideas about what features I would like to see in the game such as matching signs or word problems or a challenge-based simulation game along the lines of the visual appeal seen in racing games but with clear objectives for each run.

I think that being able to brainstorm ideas about features along with doing research and playing around with different platforms may lead to a game design that I can commit to and eventually develop.