Status Report for Rm224/Lab A, Week of April 5th

ACCOMPLISHED THIS WEEK

Programming

• Created an inventory which the character collects items and questions that he is able to use throughout the game or click on for later reference.
• Created a code which allowed for collision with multiple choice answers to have different effects based on the question which is being asked.
• All of the concepts needed to progress through the game have been completed, it is only a matter of copying codes to different objects in order to finish the game

Graphics

• All graphics for the main game have been completed
• All graphics for each mini games have been completed
• Poster has started
• Specific tasks have been laid out for the poster

Research and Design

• Design Manual has been started
• Technical aspects have been assigned out
• A timetable has been started for recommended playing time
• Communication with Graphics to help with information for the poster

Entire Lab

• Testing of each game

MONITORING AND CONTROL

The figure below represents the lab's progress in this project


Figure 1- Lab's Progress, week of April 5th

TO BE ACCOMPLISHED NEXT WEEK

Programming

• Finalize the game
• Collect technical information to pass on to the Research and Design group for the Design Manual

Research and Design

• Complete the Design Manual
• Prepare information for the Open House

Entire Lab

• Prepare the speech for the Open House
• Prepare the speech for the prototype presentation
• Final Report

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This is the last week that the lab is able to meet in lab time. We have gotten down to putting finishing touches on our end products. Emphasis will be put to compiling the end product. This includes finalizing the game, creating a poster, creating a design manual, and preparing a speech for the open house.

Orange Lab D - Week of March 29 to April 2nd Lab Update

Accomplished This Week

Quantifying accomplishments this week is difficult for each group as they are now in the 'meat' of the project and deliverables are fewer.
Each group has progressed leaps and bounds. There are engines for each section of the game and the education strategies are being implemented.

Monitoring and Control








To Be Accomplished

For next week each table will have a rough completed game and be running playtesting.

Status Report for Rm224/Lab A, Week of March 29th

ACCOMPLISHED THIS WEEK

Programming

• A prototype for each section of every groups game has been completed
• Set specific deadlines for the completion of the game (i.e. April 8th)
• Discussed how the game would be shown at the Open House
• Assigned a member to be in charge of integrating the entire game into an integrated package
• Meeting was held to discuss how things are proceeding

Graphics

• Poster initial design has been completed
• Design Manual has been assigned out to a member to take charge of the graphics
• Meeting was held to discuss the new tasks assigned
• Work packages were made within the group
• Final touch-up completed for created sprites for the game

Research and Design

• All questions for all parts of the game were completed
• Research has been done on the necessary contents of the Design Manual
• Research has been done on the necessary contents of the Poster
• Discussed how the Open House will take place

Entire Lab

• Discussed the roles of those presenting the Open House

MONITORING AND CONTROL

Below represents the lab's progress compared to the initial plan
Figure 1- Week 4 Status

TO BE ACCOMPLISHED NEXT WEEK

Programming

• All final touch-up's must be made to each groups game
• All components of each game must be sent to the member assigned to integrate them all into one single game by April 8th.
• Information on the programs created must be written down for the Design Manual

Graphics

• Poster must begin to be created
• Design Manual creation will be started

Research and Design

• Poster information will be collected for the game
• Graphs will be found as visual representations for the game for the poster
  
• Information will be gathered for the Design Manual
• Work packages will be assigned for the remaining tasks
• Testing will begin on the game

Additional Information: This week coming up is about finishing everything so that only touch-ups remain. It is about coming up with a plan of action for the Open House and discussing as a lab what people believe should be done. This is the last week that we have a chance to discuss things as a group and so everything will be finalized.

Blog Status Report for Orange Lab C - Week of April 2nd

The Lab:

Accomplished:
· Chose a platform for the game.
· Discussed how to integrate questions and learning into the game.
To be Accomplished:
· Produce a prototype game.
· Begin testing of the game.
· Preparations for the Open House (poster, presentation, etc)
C1
Accomplished:
· Got familiarized with the Blender and Construct platforms
· Decided on the construct platform to make the game
· Determined how to split up work between ourselves and C9
· Created specific work packages for the weekend and going into the week
· Set specific deadlines, i.e. game is to be built by Thursday
To be Accomplished:
· Design and write the game
· Receive work from research teams and figure out what and how to integrate it into the game
· Begin testing the game
· Determine how and who will make the poster and design manual (PM meeting on Monday)
C2
Accomplished:
· Finished the Design proposal oral presentation
· Decided on the research for the game
· Completed questions for the game
To be Accomplished:
· Design the setting for each question
· Finalize questions for game
· Instruct designing group as to how it should look
· Final Report
Additional Information:
Although a majority of the work for our part is mostly completed, not much else can be done until the programming groups start working on their parts. This is because their parts directly correlate to our work.
C5
Accomplished:
· Found and referenced pictures of different facial expressions.
· Created a Q and A by creating different situations for which the user has to reply with the correct statement back.
· Discussed our ideas with the programming group.
To be Accomplished:
· Give the programming group our research.
· Work with the programming group to tie up any loose ends.
· Depending on what PM decides we may be working on the poster next week.
C6
Accomplished:
· finalized questions for program
· discussed as a group timelines that the lab needs to conform to
· come up with some ideas for the poster
To be Accomplished:
· come up with more ideas for the poster
· look up different sprites to help the programming group
· finish all info for our part of the program
Additional Information:
· good teamwork.
· Not much time left for finishing the programming.
C8
Accomplished:
· The artificial arm was constructed, so far the outline and structure is complete, and all that needs to be done is the circuits.
· Ideas to incorporate Handshakes into the game were thought of and decided.
· Dates and plans for the final construction of the prototype are set.
To be Accomplished:
· Completion of the artificial hand.
· To convey all our ideas for the game to Taylor
· Have full testing of the artificial hand.
C9
Accomplished:
· Decided on a programming platform (Scirra Construct v0.99.62)
· Determined the basic views, levels and elements of the game
· Determined some of the possible interaction types in the game
· Determined the possible obstacle types in the game
· Decided on the distribution of teamwork
To be Accomplished:
· Contact group leaders to divide teamwork
· Decide on a system of keeping track of progress
· Develop all levels, objects and sprites for the game
· Compile all levels into a single workable game
· Create specific instances for each type of obstacle
· Integrate possible questions, conversations and challenges into each sprite

Schedule for the week of April 2nd:

Status Report for Orange B Lab - Week of March 29 - April 2

ACCOMPLISHED THIS WEEK:

Team B1:

• Creation of the first room of the platform.
• In this room there are 6 individual platforms, and we have also included our sprite, that should be consistent throughout the whole lab.
• Testing the platform, and so far it runs quite smoothly, except that there is one corner of the room that the sprite gets stuck permanently in if the sprite goes to that corner of the room. We are currently trying to fix the problem.

Team B2:

• Further investigation into how Game Maker works.
• Background chosen and converted into proper format.
• Initial development of the game has begun.
• Discussion of the Design Manual, and the required components.

Team B3:

• Learned a little how to use the program Game maker 5 .
• Continuation of the making of the game.

Team B5:

• Tested our first sample of mini-games. Found many did not meet the end users needs.
• Finalized new mini-game ideas.
• Started creating new mini-games.

Team B6:

• Decided on specific game design and implementation.
• Distributed tasks for the next week, including final report.
• Further familiarized with Game Maker 5.

Team B8:

• Majority of the organization mini-game finished.
• Seconds game idea thought up.
• Implementation of the second game completed.
• New levels were though of.

MONITORING AND CONTROL

The above Gantt chart shows the progress made thus far in the lab. Check marks indicate completed tasks while the black bar indicates progress on uncompleted tasks.

TO BE ACCOMPLISHED NEXT WEEK:

Team B1:

• Create next four games of platform game, for a total of five.
• Test all five rooms for glitches.
• Begin adding the mini-games.

Team B2:

• Continue to develop skills with Game Maker 5.
• Complete development of mini-game.
• Complete the team's portion of the Design Manual.

Team B3:

• Do research to figure out how to do some features of our game with the program.
• Confirm work distribution for Final Report.
• Start working on the Design Manual.

Team B5:

• Final testing of mini-game.
• Commence working on Final Report.
• Merge mini-games into our final section.
• Start work on Open House poster.

Team B6:

• Program the mini-game.
• Write Final Report.
• Organise and prepare the presentation.
• Complete portion of the Lab Manual.

Team B8:

• Finish first mini-game.
• Finish second mini-game.
• Obtain/create game sprites and backgrounds so every team will have the same basis for the mini-games and overall game.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Progress cannot be made on Final Report until development of mini-games are finalised and nearly complete.
• New levels need to be introduced.
• Difficulties need to be set.

Orange Lab D Week of Mar 21 - 26th Lab Update

Accomplished This Week:

Table D1:

• Game engine is in development.
• Researching and implementing GED Content into game.

Table D2:

• Basic game engine implemented.
• Text output, scrolling, collision, and user movement implemented into game engine.

Table D3:

• Engine is completely implemented and functional.
• Tilesets completely created and implemented into the game.
• Setting up combat and other conflict oriented management.
• Implementing quests into the game.

Table D9:

• Spriting for ingame characters in progress.
• Engine is beginning to be developed.
• In game GED content codex is being compiled.

Table D11:

• Group is researching additional GED content to implement into game.
• Game engine is developed and functional.

Table D12:

• Storyline and design confirmed.
• Engine conceptualized.
• Source code collected and examples collected as to how to create the game engine.

Monitoring and Control:

To Be Accomplished Next Week:

Table D1:

• Develop a basic game structure that is semi-playable.
• Have all GED (or most) ready for implementation into game.

Table D2:

• Further development of game engine (more playable).
• Scrolling engine implemented into game.

Table D3:

• Have a finished prototype of the game playable.
• Working towards play testing the game.
• Attempt to finalize in game content.

Table D9:

• Engine finished and one level completed and playable.
• Entire in game GED codex completely finished.

Table D11:

• Implement sprites and tilesets into game engine.
• Have many level developed to demonstrate modularity of game design structure.

Table D12:

• All spriting done.
• Engine implemented (one level with a boss)
• Implement most GED content into working prototype.

Further Notes:

Groups are learning their corresponding game development programs well. Little to no guidance has been necessary and many are making surprising headway.

Many are unsure as to how to tackle the final report until a prototype of their respective engines are developed.

Creating in game content seems to be the largest battle for most groups. Practice implementing and drawing in game sprites and world content will be needed.

Status Report for Orange B Lab - Week of March 22 - March 27

Accomplished This Week:

Team B1:

• Complete functionality report.
• Began work on platform game.

Team B2:

• Completed functionally report.
• Began to design and construct the mini-game.

Team B3:

• Completed functionality report.
• Finalised mini-game design plan.
• Played around with Game Maker program.
• Started to make the mini-game.

Team B5:

• Completed functionality report.
• Finalised mini-game idea.
• Learned about Game Maker software.
• Made prototype of first mini-game.
• Group member went to the Mustard Seed for a tour.

Team B6:

• Functional Requirement report was completed.
• Familiarization with Game Maker 5.

Team B8:

• Sprites and game set was chosen.
• First mini0game 1/4 complete
• Second mini-game idea developed.
• Design Proposal report completed.

Monitoring and Control:

To Be Accomplished Next Week:

Team B1:

• Build multiple platform levels.
• Refining platforms.
• Prepare for integration of mini-games.

Team B2:

• Continue developing knowledge on Game Maker Program.
• Continue to create the mini-game.

Team B3:

• Continuation of making the game.
• Start working on game manual
• Plan the poster

Team B5:

• Test out and improve the mini-game prototype.

Team B6:

• Decide on game style
• Decide on specific theme
• Decide on graphics
• Start programming

Team B8:

• Finish first mini-game.
• Get started on second mini-game.
• Obtain/create game sprites.

Additional Information:

The final report cannot be started to be worked on until some idea of what the program will look like exists, therefore some teams may experience a small delay.