This project, like the last presented me with new challenges such as how to make simple game mechanics work on software (and what restrictions/ complications arise from this) in addition to the idea of actually thinking about the playability of the game.
My initial idea was simple (or so I thought) to have a simple inventory of two items that would then be automatically combined to create a new world whereby the protagonist would have hooked down a key and been able to solve the true puzzle at the heart of the investigation. I had also wanted some kind of trust element where the player could speak to Aurora and gain her trust, eventually changing the outcome. Combinational explosion very quickly ruled out the trust elements and it was only until the last week whereby I realised that I had underestimated the time and effort required creating this scenario in iWeb. This ended up meaning that I was forced to cut out the ability to pick up the broom or pirate hook, and also meant that I had to remove the entire first puzzle due to time constraints. This irritated me to no end but demonstrated that while iWeb can function as a basic working point and click, it cannot achieve anything like what is required for my original Zork Concept to work.
Of course I cannot place the blame entirely down to iWeb, and perhaps if I had managed time better I would have had time to explore Stencyl like I had planned to in order to see if I could get it to work with the idea. Another route I could have taken would have been to start with stencil, but unlike iWeb, for which I had decided (foolishly) would easily and simply mock up the complete scenario early on, Stencyl was very much an unknown quality meaning I had no guarantees that there would be a successful final result. This was a risk that ultimately I wasn’t willing to take.
Nevertheless the experiences from this highlighted to me just how satisfying it is to create a game that works and has in some ways made me more determined to learn more sophisticated software like Stencyl, flash or, if I ever acquire a Mac, Journey maker and Game Salad. With two projects already lined up over the weeks ahead before the next unit I don’t know how much time I’ll get to work with these game engines in my spare time which is really unfortunate. Hopefully the next unit will involve them somehow (if not then I will have to find a way to incorporate them into my project).
From the view of art style and progression of my digital colouring, due to the little design/ colouring work that has to be done outside of asset creation – I didn’t really feel I progressed too much during this project in particular. However one thing I found interesting was generating the cutscene images – for which I got really enthusiastic about and coloured the first in a few hours at the end of a tiring day and the other in a few hours the next. Both of these images would have taken my a few days a couple of months back – so I think that this was the digital colouring from the interactive narrative segment carrying across into that work.
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| More work could have gone on the shadowing of the face - which I felt didn't match the quality of the rest of the image |
I did think out of the cutscenes, the face of aurora in the final scene wasn’t quite as good as how I would have liked it to be. The lighting and face didn’t seem to make the quality of the rest of the painting. The same could be said about the hair, which did not have a natural flow to it. This might be because of the change of styles from realism to Japanese influence and it means that I still have some work before I can strike the perfect balance between the two that I am aiming for. Nevertheless I still feel I am growing as a digital artist so I will keep working to find that balance.
This project did not really have a strict bibliography although I referenced several inspiration games in my dialogue and design:
Ace Attorney Series (Capcom, 2001 - Present)
Hotel Dusk (Cing, 2005)
9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors (Aksys Games, 2009)
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (Capcom, 2010)
In addition to this I formed the puzzle in my game using a puzzle sourced from here as a starting point:
Santa's Raindeer puzzle. Available from:
<Accessed Tuesday 31st January>
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