Collaborative games projects
In the final two years one module ran across the second year students and third year students, called a Collaborative Games Project.
The second year students functioned as juniors and the third years applied for the managerial roles and everyone was split across eight teams.
Across each year around 30 students work together to try and create a game. My first team worked on a game in UDK called Dead Memories in which I was a junior designer. The game was a walking simulator style experienced, with a focus on environmental story telling.
The second year students functioned as juniors and the third years applied for the managerial roles and everyone was split across eight teams.
Across each year around 30 students work together to try and create a game. My first team worked on a game in UDK called Dead Memories in which I was a junior designer. The game was a walking simulator style experienced, with a focus on environmental story telling.
Dead Memories
I created a document detailing all the audio , assets and mechanics needed for my focus area, complete with a full explanation, colour coded for each department to reduce confusion. This would also explain the intended flow of my level to give my peers an understanding of the goals of this level.
Mood boards and to scale graph images were created to really cement the thought process and ensure complete understanding from anyone who read the document. This would then be updated when changes were made to function as an ad-hoc wiki of sorts.
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Swag Bandits
In my final year I participated in the same module only this time I was able to apply for a senior position, I applied for producer and I was awarded the role. The team and I worked on a game in the new UE4 engine for windows users and the game was titled Swag Bandits. A somewhat light hearted take on a stealth, stealing game played competitively between two people. A game similar to the old Atari game Spy Versus Spy, work progressed a lot faster with the benefit of experience and the power of the UE4 engine.
Below you can find the videos for the alpha of our game which was approximately 6 weeks into the project, and the Beta, approximately 18 weeks into the project.
Below you can find the videos for the alpha of our game which was approximately 6 weeks into the project, and the Beta, approximately 18 weeks into the project.
My role in this game was much more managerial and I wanted to give my leads enough freedom to create something they could be passionate about, and as long as I was aware of the aims and objectives of the design team It was fine.
It was my task to make sure all the teams communicated correctly and everyone had the same vision for the project.
I ran anonymous lead review forms for the junior members to critique myself and the other leads and then followed up on these by appraising my 4 leads about what the juniors and myself felt about there development.
I liaised with a third party to freelance music for the game, and held regular Lead meetings prior to the working day, in order to play the days work and ensure that the project management tool we were using , Trello, was updated.
I chaired the majority of meetings and presented information to the executive producers when required, as well as managing the Facebook group and page.
The page can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/JawwwsomeSwagBandits
The beta video shown above is now around 3 months old and the game is close to completion, here are some updated screenshots.
It was my task to make sure all the teams communicated correctly and everyone had the same vision for the project.
I ran anonymous lead review forms for the junior members to critique myself and the other leads and then followed up on these by appraising my 4 leads about what the juniors and myself felt about there development.
I liaised with a third party to freelance music for the game, and held regular Lead meetings prior to the working day, in order to play the days work and ensure that the project management tool we were using , Trello, was updated.
I chaired the majority of meetings and presented information to the executive producers when required, as well as managing the Facebook group and page.
The page can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/JawwwsomeSwagBandits
The beta video shown above is now around 3 months old and the game is close to completion, here are some updated screenshots.
The latest video, a final trailer will be coming soon !