Dev Log 12 - Team 5

6 / 8 / 2024

Michael Poulos, Theo Huang, Nehchal Kalsi, Kevin Le, June Oh, Noah S, Henry Bezerra, Ethan Micallef, Griffin Hook, Zachary Taylor, Hanyin Tan

What have we done so far?

New Features:

• Menu Integration: A menu has been added to Level 4, including a pause function that stops gameplay when the menu is open.
• Controls Subpage: Added explanatory text for the blank image in the Controls subpage.
• Spawn Point: The spawn point now resets when the player enters the level from the StartScreen scene.
• Checkpoint Removal: Checkpoint objects have been removed from the scene.
• Tutorial Enhancements: A tutorial menu with slide-in and slide-out animations has been implemented.
• Camera Improvements: Camera rotation has been smoothed, with easing into rotation rather than an instantaneous shift.
• Jump Mechanics: A jump time parameter was added to the inspector and has been increased.
• Control Scheme Adjustments:
  • Shock control on the keyboard has been changed to the Left Shift key.
  • The shock action is now immediately available after the player gets hurt.
  • The Keyboard Scheme now allows the use of the mouse's position to click buttons.
• Controller Integration: Controls section in the options page now displays configurations for each controller type.
• Level Update: Level 4.3 has received design updates from Michael.

Refactors:

• Multiple scripts have been reorganized and commented on for clarity and better maintenance, including NormalForm.cs, ZoneDetection.cs, BallForm.cs, BaseForm.cs, CameraFollow.cs, CrouchHorizontalForm.cs, CrouchVerticalForm.cs, and InputManager.cs.

Bug Fixes:

• Super Jump Issue: The super jump bug has been removed.
• UI Hover Issue: Fixed a problem with the UIHoverEvent script, and added a sound effect tester to the start scene.

Animation Updates:

• Slithering Animation: Adjustments have been made to slithering animations, though some off-axis issues remain.
• New Animations: Keyframe adjustments and blend shape transitions have been added for new animations, including:
  • Idle
  • Slither
  • Jump
  • Land
  • Crouch
  • Crawl
  • Climb
  • Hurt
  • Death
  • Shock
• Climbing & Death Animations: New climbing and death animations have been integrated with ongoing touch ups.
• Animation Workflow: Minor adjustments to the export process and renaming of animations for better workflow efficiency.
• Additive Layer Issue: The root cause of issues with additive layers has been identified, though further polishing is needed.

What are our next steps?

Since it is already the last week of the development. The next step will mostly focus on the preparation of project presentation. 

Preparation Items:

1. Deadlines:
   • Peer Evaluations: Complete self-evaluation and evaluations for people in your discipline. Evaluating others outside your discipline is optional. Use the provided link for the peer evaluation.
   • Game Builds: Ensure your final game build is ready and polished.
   • Game Trailer: Create and finalize your game trailer.
   • Development Log: Complete and submit your development log.
   • Itch.io Page: Update and finalize your itch.io page for the game.
2. Final Milestone Presentations:
   • Setup: If you're in the first cohort, arrive by 5:00 pm to set up. If you're in the second cohort, arrive by 5:10 pm.
   • Presentation: You don’t need slides; focus on letting the game speak for itself. Prepare a 1-minute pitch and concept description, and ensure your game build is thoroughly tested.
   • Backup: Have a backup build ready and uploaded to your itch.io page.
   • Equipment: Bring necessary equipment, including at least 2 laptops, controllers, adapters, and an HDMI cable.
   • Attendance: Mandatory attendance is required for the final presentations. If unable to attend, inform the instructor via Discord or email.
3. Course Evaluation:
   • Fill out the course evaluation to provide feedback on your experience.

Immediate Action Items:

• Finish any pending tasks related to game development, testing, and polishing.
• Prepare all necessary materials and equipment for the final presentation.
• Complete and submit the peer evaluations, course evaluation, and other required documents by the deadline.

What are important discoveries we’ve made along the way?

The introduction to the game when the player hits play leaves something to be desired. Like most other student projects, the player is simply spawned into the game world with no cutscene or back story. One thing that can separate our project from the rest is having some sort of introduction that plays before the game starts.