Jimmy Chattin - I make better games.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Puzzles! Prototypes! Play!


Can you guess what this is about yet?  Well, it has been awhile, but I promise you that I’ll be writing about Team Squaybies and Mami – my school group game project – more frequently.  So, as a start, here’s what I’ve been doing recently.

A few weeks ago our group leader brought on the next stage of Mami’s development in the form of having a spree of stories written for this sprint (if you aren’t catching the lingo, check the wiki) concerning puzzles and prototyping.  Stories from map implementation to death-trap rhythms are being pursued to test their fit within the game.  As the official QA lead, this has been my calling!

Last week saw me write-up and test a paper-pencil prototype for the possibility of adding a map a la Oddworld: Abe’s Odyssey, materials provided for by other group members.  The initial tests were promising, allowing me to formulate a general strategy for utilization, and a rule-set for future testing efforts.

Just today, a team member and I play-tested the rhythm sequences that would harm the player in-game from falling or flying objects.  At .5 seconds for falling, .5 for jump safety, we concluded that that timeframe would be a great start for any newb player trying the puzzle for the first time.  This was accomplished using only stopwatches and quick fingers; definitely a time-saver on a programmer-strapped team!

Well, there is of course more, but that would be taking away content from next week’s update.  Suffice to say that Mami is coming along nicely.  Take care, and stay tuned for more to come!

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