| Objective: |
For the final project in this course, you will build a complete game using the C4
Game Engine from Terathon Software. IMGD-3000
focuses on the technical aspects of game development, and IMGD-3500 focuses on the
artistic aspects. Therefore, it is the duty of the 3000 students to make sure the
result plays well with respect to the stated technical aspects, and of the 3500 students that
it looks good with respect to the stated artistic goals you will outline.
This project must be done in teams of four or five. Both the scope and
compressed timeline (only six weeks!) of this project require that the project be done in teams.
The desired outcomes of this project are as follows:
- To go through the process of developing a game of significant size
- To gain experience with a sizable game engine codebase (tech)
- To gain experience in creating a significant number of art assets
for a game (art)
- To gain experience in team-based development
- To determine and follow a timeline of milestones that must be met to complete
a project of this size on time
- To get a good idea of what serious game development is all about
- To have fun!
There will be several, rapid milestones to be met along the way to delivering your
working product. These are listed below.
|
| Timeline: |
The timeline for significant milestones of the project is as follows:
- Jan. 23 (Fri): Project summary ideas due (Example: PDF, Word)
- Jan. 26 (Mon): Project approved
- Jan. 29 (Thu): Project kickoff meeting!
- Jan. 30 (Fri): Detailed Game Plan due (Example: PDF, Word)
(A more-detailed example from IMGD-1001: PDF)
In addition, see this list of other items.
- Jan. 30 (Fri): SourceForge Project set up
- Jan. 30 (Fri): Web page set up to show your progress
- Feb. 03 (Tue): Basic game structure in place, characters and basic objects modeled an in game
- Feb. 06 (Fri): Milestone 1: Progress presented in class
- Feb. 16 (Mon): Milestone 2: Playable game alpha presented in class
- Feb. 14 (Sat): Begin internal testing of implemented parts. Build, build, build!
- Feb. 20 (Fri): Milestone 3: Playable game beta presented in class
- Feb. 25 (Wed): Progress presentation in class
- Mar. 02 (Mon): Milestone 4: "Feature-complete" game, all major functionality in place.
No new ideas! Time to finish up and test, test, test!
- Mar. 04 (Wed): Game complete. Go home and get some sleep before launch day.
- Mar. 05 (Thu): Final Prototype Presentations
|
| Final Prototypes: |
We were fortunate to have four "judges" from the game development community come to the final
presentations, and rate the performance of the groups on various criteria. The judges were
Cardell Kerr, Creative Director, Turbine, Inc.,
Ichiro Lambe, President, Dejobaan Games,
Jesse Smith, Designer, 38 Studios,
Brian Sullivan, President, Iron Lore Entertainment.
The judges played
the role of Publishers, evaluating each team's presentation, and distributed funding at their
own discrection (okay, so there wasn't any real money, but maybe someday someone will
sponsor this event!).
Students also rated each other's games, and voted for the best in each category.
Keep in mind that the teams only had about 6 weeks to go from idea to prototype.
| FINAL PROJECTS |
|
| *** BEST OVERALL (audience) *** |
|---|
| *** BEST TECH (audience) *** |
|---|
| *** MOST FUN (audience) *** |
|---|
The Machine
This is a first person platformer game that revolves around solving puzzles through assembling
tools. The player is spawned in a world and given a destination. In the world with the player
are a number of useful items that he can pick up and carry. When the player meets and obstacle,
such as a large gap, the player will need to combine the items he has to build something that
will get him over the gap, like a rope bridge.
Team: LindeMEN
Members:
Sean Beck (Art)
Andrew Cote (Tech)
Rick Pianka (Tech)
Josh Walkowski (Art)
Game Website
>>> DOWNLOAD THE GAME (103MB) <<<
ReadMe for playing the game
|
|
| *** BEST TECH (audience) *** |
|---|
| *** MOST FUN (audience) *** |
|---|
Last Man Dreaming
Last Man Dreaming is a slightly mature party game that is made up of several
mini-games. A madman has trapped the players in a dream world (a nightmare
for the players), and forces them to complete his challenges. Ultimately,
the goal is to survive these challenges.
Team: Donkeystarz
Members:
Garret Doe (Tech)
Billy Early (Art)
Ed Orsi (Art)
Frank Williams (Tech)
Game Website
>>> DOWNLOAD THE GAME (151MB) <<<
ReadMe for playing the game
|
|
| *** BEST ART (audience) *** |
|---|
Lion vs. Gazelle II: This time it's a Cheetah
A life-or-death game of tag for keeps. The hunter is fast, deadly, can sprint and lunge--the prey is agile,
has a 3rd-person view, and must use the terrain to survive. The hunter chases the prey, until the hunter
runs out of energy. After consumption, the roles switch. Hopefully this will run.
Team: Carcinogenesis
Members:
Ryan Chadwick (Art)
Drew Hickcox (Tech)
Kevin Nolan (Tech)
David Shaw (Art)
Lukas Wong-Achorn (Art)
Game Website
>>> DOWNLOAD THE GAME (70MB) <<<
ReadMe for playing the game
|
|
| *** BEST SOUND (audience) *** |
|---|
Barricade
In this game, the player assumes the role of an average person beset on all sides by hordes of
every imaginable type. Zombies, girl scouts, religious fanatics, door-to-door salesmen and more
launch an assault on the player, who doesn't have access to the kinds of weapons that the typical
action hero uses to battle off such creatures. Instead, the player must make use of common items
in the environment to barricade the entrances, keeping the hordes out until help arrives to be
rid of them. As the game progresses, the different types of enemies will arrive, with different
skills to circumvent the player's obstacles. While barriers are the easiest to erect, the player
can also gather components to build traps to kill off some of the attackers, although traps are
far more intricate and the pieces are far less common.
Team: BONZAI!!! Studios
Members:
Sam Bailey (Art)
Dave Corliss (Art)
Kirk Lanciani (Tech)
James Thompson (Tech)
Tim Volpe (Art)
Game Website
>>> DOWNLOAD THE GAME (67MB) <<<
ReadMe for playing the game
|
|
| *** BEST ART (audience) *** |
|---|
| *** BEST SOUND (audience) *** |
|---|
Minimus Maximus: Squirrel of Destiny
Minimus Maximus (MM) is a flying squirrel that can change between three sizes: a normal sized squirrel,
a man-sized squirrel, and the size of a bug. Using this talent, MM must solve a variety of puzzles
inside a giant tree, some components of which require a specific size to finish. Solving a puzzle opens
access to more areas, each of which contains additional puzzles, but to reach the new areas, MM must
first navigate there. The goal of the game is to help MM reach the final area, which contains the
Quantum Acorn of Ambiguity.
Team: Cosmic Squirrel
Members:
Elliot Borenstein (Art)
Kevin Kelleher (Art)
Tamlyn Miller (Tech)
Randi Pawson (Tech)
Chris Ramsley (Tech)
Game Website
>>> DOWNLOAD THE GAME (141MB) <<<
ReadMe for playing the game
|
|
| *** MOST NOVEL (audience) *** |
|---|
| *** BEST TECH (audience) *** |
|---|
| *** MOST FUN (audience) *** |
|---|
Renaissance Man
This is a multi-genre game where you are capable of switching to a different genre at certain points
to solve puzzles and move the game along. Your interactions affect the game's story and some scenarios
require you to level up your character before you can advance (e.g., you need to reach the top of a ledge,
but by leveling up your character's jumping skill you can go into platformer mode and jump up to the ledge).
Team: Wumbo
Members:
Joe Cotnoir (Art)
Steve Foley (Tech)
Matt Fugere (Tech)
Nicole Tran (Art)
Game Website
>>> DOWNLOAD THE GAME (72MB) <<<
ReadMe for playing the game
|
|
| *** BEST ART (audience) *** |
|---|
Cirque Disarray
Cirque Disarray is a survival game in which a player is thrown into several random 3D rooms. Each
room contains a different mini-game. In each of the mini-games the player must perform a simple
act/task (jump, move, avoid, etc.) in order to pass; else he or she fails that game. If the
player fails a mini-game then that mini-game is removed from the compiled mini-game list. Once
a player fails all the mini-games he or she will lose the game. As the game progresses the
mini-games get faster and harder. Players will be scored depending on how long he or she stays alive.
Team: Broken Elevator Studios
Members:
Joe Alea (Art)
Ross Doran (Art)
Shaung Song (Art)
Joe Strong (Tech)
Steve Washington (Tech)
Game Website
>>> DOWNLOAD THE GAME (174MB) <<<
ReadMe for playing the game
|
|
Feel the Pain-T
"Feel the Paint" is an unique version of a first-person shooter. You play as an artist trying to
add color to the bland city of Monotown. Your weapons are a paintgun and a paintbrush. You start
out with only 10% of Monotown painted, and your final goal is to paint 100% of the city. Buildings
have targets which, when hit with a paint stream, cause the corresponding portion of the building
to be painted. Small-level enemies act as a nuisance as they try to steal your paint, undo your
artwork, or diminish your health. As you reach milestone percentages in the progress of painting
Monotown, you are presented with boss battles. These bosses are buildings and monuments that can
move and involve a small puzzle to be defeated. As you beat boss buildings, you discover new
portions of the city and are allowed to continue painting.
Team: Team JFKK
Members:
Julia Berg (Art)
Kyle Hess (Art)
Khemarith Kang (Tech)
Felix Nwaobasi (Tech)
Game Website
>>> DOWNLOAD THE GAME (111MB) <<<
ReadMe for playing the game
|
|
Pogo
In Pogo, you play as a spaceman who has been abducted by aliens. With nothing but
your trusty pogo stick, you must escape the alien prison. Dodging enemy turrets and
navigating the fully three-dimensional levels, you platform to safety.
Team: The Five Horsemen
Members:
Sarah Gilkey (Art)
Greg Kinneman (Tech)
Joshua Luther (Tech)
Richard Pavis (Tech)
Alex Wack (Art)
Game Website
|
|
Lol-Tankz
This is a tank game for the PC where the player controls one of the
Lol-Cat factions attempting to take over the world. The player will
have to navigate and destroy his way through two levels and accomplish
different goals in order to win. This game is heavily based on
icanhascheezburger.com
Team: Team WeHasCheezburgers
Members:
Greg Bonini (Art)
Aaron Breton (Art)
Jacky Leung (Tech)
Charlie Murphy (Tech)
Victoria Zukis (Art)
Game Website
|
|
| Documentation: |
In order to make sure you gain experience with modern development and team-based tools, you must
use WPI's SourceForge for this project. Each team should, therefore, create a new project, and add all the team members,
in addition to both instructors and TAs, as administrators.
You must create adequate documentation, both internal and external, along with your assignment.
The best way to produce internal documentation is by including inline comments. The preferred way to do this
is to write the comments as you code. Get in the habit of writing comments as you type in
your code. A good rule of thumb is that all code that does something non-trivial should have comments
describing what you are doing. This is as much for others who might have to maintain your code, as for
you (imagine you have to go back and maintain code you have not looked at for six months -- this WILL
happen to you in the future!).
Create external documentation for your program and submit it along with the project. The documentation
does not have to be unnecessarily long, but should explain briefly what each part of your program does, and
how your filenames tie in.
NOTE: For this project, you must also include a document stating what each person on your team did towards
completing the project. This can be as simple as a list of deliverables, placing names
next to each one. Or it can be more precise. If you feel you would like to express your views individually, send
an email to the instructors.
|
What to
Turn in: |
Submit everything you need to run your program (source files, data files, etc.)
The command to archive everything, assuming your code is in a directory "final", is:
zip -r TeamName_final.zip final
Place this file in your SourceForge space, and label it as such.
|
