Werewolf Sonata: Requiem

hodgestar on 2013/09/08 01:15 of nagslang
— edited on 2013/09/08 01:20

Day 7: Title Screen
It's been a crazy ride. We have a game, but it only just came together, in the last hour or two. We might have left things a little bit late...

Most of the week was spent on the game engine, and level editor. We only started building non-trivial levels today. Which meant we only noticed performance issues with big and complex levels this afternoon. Some of them were fixed, but not all.

We only really got to a playable game in the last couple of hours.
We started by building all sorts of cool game mechanics and functionality without trying to hook it all up into a coherent game until the last day. I don't think this is necessarily a bad way to work, but we really should have started putting things together earlier in the week so our later work could have been a little more directed.

I just want to say: G*d damn you Cargo Bay!!! Also: hooray for physics engines! Next time more physics puzzles. But yes, more time and more work required for the levels. I think perhaps we tried for too many things in this game, but that's part of the fun.

We did play all the way through the game several times, so we're 90% sure that it is technically possible. :)

Stuff we only got to on the last day:
  • visible inventory
  • music for levels
  • sound effects
  • the actual levels
  • a third alien type and the alien boss
  • hooking up the sheep
  • the level editor leveled up
  • splash screen at the very last minute
  • using a ship level as the opening screen
  • fixing performance bugs
  • keyed hatches
  • keycards in all the colours of the rainbow (except orange -- what kind of stupid colour is orange?)
  • gravity well
Things we'd do again:
  • Use a physics engine (assuming it's a physics related game).
  • Getting collision detection for free was great.
  • Build a level editor.
  • Go see RMS' talk.
  • Herding sheep is fun!
  • Create homages to other games.
Things we'll try to do better next time:
  • Explore other physics engines (and learn the physics engine before starting).
  • More game stats!
  • Get the story line and basic level structure sorted out early.
  • Incorporate the story into our game (you can see one or two text notes hinting at the back-story)
  • Build one big complex level earlier to drive level editor features.
  • Not get sick.
  • Not get distracted.
  • Tell RMS not to visit Cape Town during pyweek.
  • Build full-size levels early on.
  • Reduce the number of game-play elements we implement, so that we can polish a select few.
  • A bit more/more regular planning.
  • Keep track of coordinates better!
  • Aim to be finished with the core game by lunch time instead of midnight.
  • Write a coherent collaborative diary entry.
Favourite commit messages:
  • Consider a spherical werewolf.
  • queen coughs up magenta keycard upon expiring
  • Fuck you cargo bay!!!!!!
  • You know what? If you want any more changes on this $*&^(#$*&^@($*&^% level, you can do it yourself!!!!!
  • Better sheep doors.
  • Robustness fix
  • Someone forgot the sheep!
  • the black goat with a thousand young
  • Cargo what?
  • Fix boogs.
  • Herd ALL THE SHEEPS.
  • Goodbye foul locked_door!
And now to catch up on the -20% sleep. :D

Happy judging!