GameClockworkDesignBlog

Final Game.

2008-06-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

This is the link to the final GameClock.
http://www.tomrevill.net/files/Clockwork.unityweb.html

Presentation

http://www.ankitpatel.co.nz/clockwork/clockwork.html

End jops Report

2008-06-17T16:23:00.001-07:00

Tom Revill

Producer
Original Concept
Organization
Physics Coding
Cinematic Coding
Menu Coding
3D Modeling

Rory Rackham

Director
Editor
Underground Design/Creation
Concept Lead
Organization
Physics Design
3D Modeling

Samuel Kung

Concept Artist
Character Design & Animator
3D Modeling
Soundtrack

Ankit Patel

Textures
UV Maps
3D Modeling
Website Design

Magnus Huber

Surface Construction, Development and Design
3D Modeling
Sound Production
Textures

Rory's report

2008-06-14T17:03:00.000-07:00

Okay, so we have three days to go, and things are about to get very messy. Tom and I are having massive problems with the character. Due to the 'unconventional' nature of Sam's modeling skills, the character cannot be animated in Unity, and rather than waste the time we have left working on that, we're gonna shift focus to getting actual levels completed. SO we need by the end of MONDAY:

Mutliple blender files of buildings, some more cogs (Make sure your models are very simple, yet elegant. Base them on real cogs and machinery)

Working pieces of code for npcs talking, and code for an opening island flyby etc.
(The character will appear in cutscenes only now, unless you know how to code from scratch in Blender.)

Tom has got code for an opening menu working, so we have to apply a similar thing on the island to move between levels.

I'll work on the level design itself, but I'm relying on you guys to get me the components by the end of monday so I can put it all together.

Most importantly, remember that (Sam is an idiot) we only have three days left, so we need this stuff done now!

the plan - Tom Revill Rory Rackham

2008-06-03T19:16:00.000-07:00

Character test Sam Ankit and Tom

2008-05-27T18:18:00.000-07:00

Transform

Walkcycle

Clockwork Demo Magnus

2008-05-27T17:44:00.000-07:00

Here is a demo.

clockworkdemo

The game character is not yet available.

here is some screen shot of the outdoor level. which will be in the full game.

Wepon code almost complete. Tom Revill

2008-05-25T02:13:00.000-07:00

thanks to Doug we now a have a almost working code. Only problem is now when when i you try to attach yourself if you miss you will keep going up. However i have tryed to put in a counter that resets your gravity to 20. but the counter is not resetting the gravity.

Apart form that found out how to add sound but i am nor sure on how to trigger sounds yet.

I will try to fix both problems tomorrow.

Whats Magnus Up to.....................................

2008-05-18T18:35:00.001-07:00

Well After endless meetings with the group and discussion idea development we have put together our final guy in brief began design document.

Now we have started creating our models in blender and making our ideas into visual concepts.

We have all been assigned certain jobs and duties, mine is to develop the map and imagery concept for that.

I am currently drafting up models and maps in sketch format.

I am currently making mock up models 3-D in blender of the whole map (the island)

I am currently using terrain elements in unity to create the 3-D sketch up of what i think the Map of the island should look like.

I will update this with screen shots later today and will also keep updating my process here until we meet as a group once again

Grappling Hook code research Tom Revill

2008-05-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

I was look at at the unity forums and found some code that could help us.

However not sure how to implement it so will talk to Kah or Doug on Monday or Tuesday.

Heres the links to the code i researched

http://forum.unity3d.com/viewtopic.php?t=5605&highlight=grappling

http://forum.unity3d.com/viewtopic.php?t=1378&highlight=grappling

Also found this lighting effects example that looked interesting that i will look in to.

http://unity3d.com/support/resources/example-projects/procedural-examples

Summary of todays meeting Tom and Rory

2008-05-15T02:36:00.000-07:00

Today we looked at what Needs to be done,

MUST

Character.
Story.
Cog environment.
Weapon (grappling hook).
Interactivity

SHOULD

Cog levelling up.
above ground map.
enemies.
ok-ish music.
Boss fight.

COULD

Awesome music.
Deep story.
Voice acting.
4 Boss fights.

WOULD

Edited music.
Opening Cinematic.
Title menu.

JOBS

Character - Sam - to send to Rory.
Level - Magnus.
Story - Rory.
Cogs and environment - everyone.
Weapon scripting Tom an Rory.
Puzzles Creation - Tom, Rory and Magnus.

Puzzles

Twitch Reactions (Cog crushing puzzle)
Switching detection.
Spring puzzles.

Final game proposal

2008-05-06T19:54:00.000-07:00

Click Here

385 game idea Magnus

2008-05-06T18:10:00.000-07:00

385 game idea

The engine room

The world is based all around cogs and mechanical devices like a watch or clock. But rather than clockwork why not the engine room which has an outer world and an inner world, the outside and the inside of the engine, inside hot oil outside clean air.

The character would be a living breathing organism that lives in both air and oil. the enemies will be the crushing cogs and mechanics of the engine around you. All these ideas will be portrayed in cartoon/comic like graphics.

The baddies are: Cog Heads.

The Cam Shaft.

Air Bubbles in Oil.

The goodies are: A wrenchboy could be main character.

A Spanner King.

Proposal

2008-05-06T15:21:00.000-07:00

385 game design

C L O C K W O R K

Rory Rackham
Tom Revill
Magnus Huber
Samuel Kung
Ankit Patel

Philosophy

The aim of most games is to have fun, and the successful ones find the right combination of gameplay mechanics, storytelling, visual effects, humor, and immersion. Clockwork is first and foremost a story, and it uses the medium of a game to immerse the player in the characters world. Through comedy and character interaction we create a emotional connection with the main character, and through the genre of platform adventure game with the unique twist of the machinery we will create a game that is truly fun.

Story
What makes you tick? Zinc came to the island looking for the answer to this very question. He traveled many miles by airship to find it, landing on a clear patch near the outskirts. He made his way to the center of the island, and discovered a massive structure at it's center. A building like nothing built before, this structure had once been his birth place and his home. Expecting an empty abandoned workshop, he found instead many others like him, other constructs that had been living out their lives on the island rather than being sent into the world like him. His brothers welcomed him to the island with open arms, and he felt at last he was where he belonged. But all was not well. His brothers told him how one day, without warning, The Master, their creator, had lowered himself in his chamber into the Clockwork depths of the island. He also lowered large portions of the island, and because of this the machinery was starting to decay and rust, become unstable. The inhabitants of the island had attempted to traverse the depths and find the machinery needed to raise the island, but they were met by Centurions of the Master that had gone mad with his disappearance and now prowled the depths of the island. But Zinc did not come here only to be stopped by a few insane killing machines. In a dangerous and heroic search for answers, Zinc traveled down into the Clockwork.

The story is primarily a mystery, and as you travel through the game you discover the truth of your creation, the events that have taken place on the island, and the dark truth behind where The Master is and why he vanished all those years ago.

Level
The idea for the level layout is to have the main character arrive in the world in a zeppelin. As this character approaches the world with its zeppelin, it will first notice two peninsulas to the left and to the right and a central island coming out in the central distance. This layout from a top view will be something like a rectangle forming three peninsulas and one central body. The level map will at first appear to be a normal looking island with just grass, forestation, buildings, rivers and hills but as you get closer to these objects they will reveal themselves as mechanical items or say we have the tree it will be painted with rivets and bolts and the coloration of the trees can be a copper green rather than a forest green on closer inspection. As far as the population of the island is concerned the outskirts of the island will be barren and rock covered as you get more towards the center there will be more trees which will then get taller and wider and eventually at the center of the island there will be a large building or collection of buildings that are not only extend above the ground but also underground and will open up the gate way to an underground world and this is where the main story will begin. The Level will go through four stages of transition as you begin it will be as described initially a triangle with its 3 peninsulas, this element will at stage 2 rise out of surrounding the ocean to reveal the extension of its three peninsulas, and it will rise some more to reveal a circular element around everything. At stage four it will rise to its final height which will reveal a complete cog wheel. This concludes the primary ideas of the level layout and design, but this will be built upon as a group in the following weeks.
Concept

Gameplay

The gameplay above ground is all about npc interaction. By talking to other npcs, you find their side of what happened on the island. In the center of each building on each island, there is a stairway to the inner clockwork. Traveling into the clockwork will enter the player into the puzzle solving, action-adventure section of the game. The camera is a fixed side view, to best show the working of the machinery without imposing on the player's view. The player uses the mouse to aim and fire his cog-like grappling hook, which he uses to both attack enemies and to traverse the level. The level will be in constant motion, with cogs whirring, so the player is forced to keep moving or they will likely be tipped off the edge or crushed between two large cogs.

The centurions the player encounters are at first damaged, missing arms or legs, but later become fully operational, and the player must crush them in the clockwork, using their grappling hook to pull them into the works. Also rust is prevalent throughout the level, and becomes worse as the player progresses through the island, and this adds more vulnerability to the environment.

Certain bosses have special cogs spinning around them, and when the player defeats them, they can obtain the cog to reinforce their structure. The player looses cogs to these mobs when they take damage, and so it is a perpetual struggle to maintain your shape.

F A Q
What is the game?

It's a 3D steampunk inspired action/adventure game with RPG elements.

Why create this game?

This game will be very story driven. Also the game will reward you with various parts that allow the player to grow and expand to a form of your choosing depending on how many "machine parts" you acquire.

The difference in this game is that there is not a typical level to level structure. The world will have a level that will automatically expand and grow as the play advances in the game.

Where does the game take place?

Our world is on an uncharted a utopian machine island.

How many characters do I control?

Only one character to be controlled simply because

It fits in with our idea and creates a relationship with the player and

the character Zink. The one character who interacts with NPC's

(Non Playable Characters).

What is the main focus?

At first the goal is to discover what the island has to offer and unlock its secrets.

Music
Music will have a distinct 50-60s jazz mood and should have a happy mood. The piece music for the protagonist zinc should be sound well oiled machinery a happy industrial sound of victory.

Sound
Sound will be mechanical in style ticking sounds, scraping metal, squeaking and steam emitions. Which make the island come alive and appear as one big industrial machine.
The sound should be collected from a variety of different sources from web sites to our recorded sounds.

Lighting
Since the mood of clock work is happy the lighting should be rich and full and not dark and should have a utopian look and feel. Also the light should provide hints to the player so with this in mind the lights should be meticulous in there positioning.

FAQ - draft Tom and Rory

2008-05-06T02:28:00.000-07:00

08-FAQ:

What is the game?

It’s a 3D steampunk inspired action/adventure game with RPG elements.

Why create this game?

This game will be very story driven. Also the game will reward you with various parts that allow the player to grow and expand to a form of your choosing depending on how many “machine parts” you acquire.

The difference in this game is that there is not a typical level to level structure. The world will have a level that will automatically expand and grow as the play advances in the game.

Where does the game take place?

Our world is on an uncharted a utopian machine island.

How many characters do I control?

Only one character to be controlled simply because

It fits in with our idea and creates a relationship with the player and

the character Zink. The one character who interacts with NPC's

(Non Playable Characters).

What is the main focus?

At first the goal is to discover what the island has to offer and unlock its secrets.

Sound and Music and Lighting Tom

2008-05-06T01:33:00.000-07:00

Music

Music will have a distinct 50-60s jazz mood and should have a happy mood. The piece music for the protagonist zinc should be sound well oiled machinery a happy industrial sound of victory.

Sound

Sound will be mechanical in style ticking sounds, scraping metal, squeaking and steam emitions. Which make the island come alive and appear as one big industrial machine.
The sound should be collected from a variety of different sources from web sites to our recorded sounds.

Lighting

Since the mood of clock work is happy the lighting should be rich and full and not dark and should have a utopian look and feel. Also the light should provide hints to the player so with this in mind the lights should be meticulous in there positioning.

Level Layout Rory

2008-05-05T21:51:00.000-07:00

Level Layout.

This article will be on level layout. The idea for the level layout is to have the main character arrive in the world in a flying hot balloon. As this character approaches the world with its hot balloon, it will first notice two peninsulas to the left and to the right and a central island coming out in the central distance. This layout from a top view will be something like a rectangle forming three peninsulas and one central body. The level map will at first appear to be a normal looking island with just grass, forestation, buildings, rivers and hills but as you get closer to these objects they will reveal themselves as mechanical items or say we have the tree it will be painted with rivets and bolts and the coloration of the trees can be a copper green rather than a forest green on closer inspection. As far as the population of the island is concerned the outskirts of the island will be baron and rock covered as you get more towards the center there will be more trees which will then get taller and wider and eventually at the center of the island there will be a large building or collection of buildings that are not only extend above the ground but also underground and will open up the gate way to an underground world and this is where the main story will begin. The Level will go through four stages of transition as you begin it will be as described initially a triangle with its 3 peninsulas, this element will at stage 2 rise out of surrounding the ocean to reveal the extension of its three peninsulas, and it will rise some more to reveal a circular element around everything. At stage four it will rise to its final height which will reveal a complete cog wheel. This concludes the primary ideas of the level layout and design, but this will be built upon as a group in the following weeks.

Skype Meeting 01 Tom

2008-05-04T03:02:00.000-07:00

just had a meeting on skype

we have come up with name for the main charter.

he is called zinc .

here also is the agenda for this meeting

-Communication.

Text message and email

-Jobs

Jobs will dictate what parts of the proposal you will write

-Storyline

-Gameplay.

-deadline

We should aim to finish on Tuesday night.

We will meet on Tuesday at 10 o'clock.

Jobs

2008-05-03T19:44:00.000-07:00

Jobs are as follows

Rory

story
concept
art style

Tom

lighting
organisation
mic coding
Music and sound

Sam

chater design
concept art

Magnus

Level design
3d modeling

Todays meeting

2008-04-24T21:04:00.000-07:00

Over skype we reviewed the concept, and discussed how we're gonna carry it on. We decided that every one of us is going to (via this blog) put up ideas for characters, settings, puzzles and enemies and then sam will sketch it up. Tom is going to look for sound and music, and rory is going to eat lots of cake. Mmmm cake...

Here are some links we showed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsGEWHNJ3s8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt-tq-3SCjA
http://www.warcraftpets.com/wow.pets/mechanical/robotic/tiny_walking_bomb.asp
http://www.wowwiki.com/Image:Alarmobot.jpg
http://prometheus.med.utah.edu/~bwjones/C1276349108/E1035837334/Media/howls%20moving%20castle.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-g1ncoKihw

First group meeting

2008-04-24T20:59:00.000-07:00

talk analysis