Blender - Character Modeling - Part 1

Blender file and stuffs

GameMaker - Catch The Clown

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6Vdtpf2jb31QjdfV0NiR2JVMEU/view?usp=sharing
They weren't many difficulties, but the most notable one that made me lose the most time was the background and clown image sizes.
How I solved the clown size was clicking "edit" on the sprite tab and scaling down bot the sprite and canvas to a suitable size. Changing the background size however proved to be more difficult; because it needed me to change the size outside of game maker. So I went back into Photoshop and re-scaled it to a perfect size (this let me use previous skills learned in the Photoshop unit).

Indie Game: The Movie

1. What are some of the differences between "big games" and "independent games"?

Big games usually have a bigger team. This enables them to not only shorten the amount of time and workload of each person (on the team) but allows them to be able to do things like; great graphics (HD), more in-game options, faster updates, bigger or more complicated story, and more content, more easily.

Big games also are usually made by a well-known company; thus ensuring them fans from the company's older games, as well as hype (and more fans) from extensive advertising. 

Meanwhile, independent games are limited by not only the amount of people collaborating (on the game), but also the diverse opinions on different story and game-play mechanics. However developers of independent games (due to their smaller numbers) are able to have more much more freedom in game elements (story, character designs, game level designs, etc). The biggest problem I believe independent games have is getting attention and support for their game. This is because an independent game (unlike a big one) will not usually have any past standing or reputation, thus the developers will have a hard time getting potential fans to be interested.

2. What are some of the difficulties the developers in the film have to overcome?

Attention/"hype", is something all developers have to worry about, but since indie developers usually don't have any history or past reputation (like the big companies); getting this attention (to their game) is a lot harder. 

Limited Workforce, is something big companies don't usually worry about (due to their giant teams; up to hundreds of people working on 1 game), however indie developers are usually limited to 4-5 people at most (sometimes even a single person). This means they aren't able to put things like level design, story elements (ex. Dialogue, backstory) and movement animation in their games as easily as a well-known company's bigger team.

The last and (what I consider to be the) biggest problem would have to be pressure. This is because pressure can literally come from anywhere; from the littlest thoughts (like "did I forget to save that file?") to meeting the demo for the game's deadline. Not only that, but this pressure is extremely unhealthy and very frustrating, which would not only annoy the developers (while they're working), but also may hinder their work as well causing their game to fall behind (also it may lead to procrastination which is also pretty bad).

3. What do you think is attractive about developing an indie game? What do you think you would like about working on an indie game? What do you think you might not like?

Well to quote my previous answers, I basically think I would enjoy all the freedom of making all the choices and the collaboration of only a few people (so less arguing........maybe). However I really really dislike how much pressure there will be. Like, I'm ok with not having as much "hype" for my game than other bigger companies, but I feel like pressures for meeting deadlines and working long hours will eventually catch up to me.

4. What is some advice you might have for someone trying to create their own game based on what you learned in the film?

I have one piece of advice and one only

(like I could say more but it would lessen the effect of the advice I'm about to say), and that is; whatever people online say about your game (whether good or bad) and no matter how much they complain (whether about 0.000001% drop chances of loot or how long development is taking) always just remember you're making this game for yourself not them.

5. What is the best part of completing the creation of a game for the developers?

Probably just the general relief of pressure from creating the game and the joy realised when people play, experience, and (most importantly) understand the meaning of the message you were trying to convey to them through the game.

Blender Game Leve1 Modeling - Level 1 *Revised*

textures:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6Vdtpf2jb31NUNWbi1DdDdUbjA/view?usp=sharing

Blender - Mushroom Animation

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B6Vdtpf2jb31d0FYTDFxU3M2eFk

Blender - Mushroom

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B6Vdtpf2jb31RHpK

RzFqaTZ1UE0

Scratch Level 2 - Racing Game

Racinjg Game

1. What difficulties did you have with programming this game? How did you fix them? Be specific.                                                                                                                                                                         I had many problems during this project, but one of the more notable challenges I faced was with getting the blue car sprite to change into the red car sprite (that had no background and looked similar) when hitting walls. I fixed this problem by duplicating the same blue car sprite, painting it red, and then making a script that told the blue car costume/sprite to switch to the second (red car) costume/sprite whenever it hit a wall (for too long)
2. What changes to the tutorial game did you add? Why and how?

The changes I made were; setting a (useless) countdown timer, and getting the blue car to change into a red one when hitting walls. I added these to fulfil the requirements of the project (as well as for extra aesthetic effect). 

I did the countdown timer by making multiple costumes with numbers (5,4,3,2,1) and a "GO!" sign, I then made a script that (after pressing the green flag) switches between costumes (with a 1 second interval in between costume switches.

How I made the car sprite change colours (when hitting a wall) is listed above in question number one.

 

Blender - Intro

download

Term 2 Self-Assessment

Term 2 Interim Self-Assessment
First Name, Last Initial:  Dion C.
Block: 5
Grade Level: 10

1. Give yourself a mark out of 5 for each of the following: 
a.    3.5/5    Attendance (consistent attendance, on time to class)
b.    3/5    Achievement (assignments completed and posted)
c.    5/5    Attitude (positive, cooperative) 
d.    4/5    Effort (uses class time wisely, consistent effort in all aspects of class work)

2. Please list two specific (with examples) skills or concepts you have learned so far this term:

• I can: move, scale, and rotate mesh items in blender
• I can: make semi-complicated codes (3 pages worth for 1 character) in kodu

3. Please list one specific (with example) topic or skill you are going to work towards improving in Term 2:

• I will work to improve: the use of my class time to finish work on time
• How you will improve this: by putting away my phone and trying not to get distracted.

 4. Any additional comments you would like your teacher or parents/guardians to know:
Im very slow at doing work and literally anything in general and may fall behind easily because i cant catch up by working on these projects at home

Scratch - Intro

Kodu Pac-Man

Gameplay:

User/cycle codes:

page 1

page 2

 page 3

ghost/kodu code:

(note: depending on the ghost the size, speed, and colour of path followed may differ slightly)

How close is your game to the original? 

What is different? What is the same?

I believe my game to be oddly not too similar to its original. I mean you can tell it's a re-imagineing of pac man just from playing

 it, but there are many creative differences. For example getting points by eating small pellets (apples) gives you points and eating big yellow pellets (yellow apples) give you power ups. However the differences are vast as well; pac man gains speed when he eats power ups, he can power up again while having still be in his powered state (thus making him more powerful), he can shoot blips when powered and shoot missiles when powered twice, he stuns (or damages when powered twice) instead of eating the ghost, as well as various other changes not only to pac, but things like the power ups, ghost, environment and more. In conclusion the differences may be apparent, but at the core it is a Pac man remake

What extra or creative details did you change or add to your version of the game? Why did you create these changes?

I made bigger spaces to move in due to movement limitations, ability to shoot when powered up, stun and damage features when "pac man" is powered up, ghost follow paths (because roaming didn't word too well), and a central point ball. I added most of these features either because of limitations (like replacing eating ability with stun/damage) or for a more modern/flashy take of the game (ex. Shooting). However some features like having a central point ball and more power up pellets; were to make the game easier to beat.

What difficulties did you have? How did you fix this?

Setting up how power ups worked, making "ghosts" follow paths properly (not get stuck or go too slow), finding a way to get past ghost or eat them, and making the game difficulty balanced; would just be some of the difficulties I faced. How did I solve some of them? Well for the power ups I got help from another student to show me a way to switch pages to a "power up state page" which completely solved my problem and let me make "power up state 1"and "power up state 2". To get ghost to follow a path (and not get stuck) I scaled them down and increased their speed and acceleration (this took me a while to figure out). I "fixed" the problem with eating "ghosts" by making it so I stunned them while powered up and damaged them while powered up twice.

Lastly I fixed the problem with difficulty by increasing speed when powered up, added shooting and stunning/damaging to the user, added more power ups, and added a central point ball to increase your points therefore letting you win without having to collect "all" the pellets.

What feedback did your beta testers have for you and how did you implement their suggestions?

What would you improve with your game? What would be the next steps with your game?

Maybe added some more "ghosts" and making them more reactive (ex. increase turn speed?), making a more complex maze, adding a respawn and lives feature, make the cycle more easy to control when powered up twice, and maybe add a "Mega" ghost that chases you. Overall just adding more features and improving user interface to better the overall gameplay.