Long time no talk. So a new semester has come and almost left. I have three weeks left before summer, and the projects are really piling up. However, there are three major projects that I really want to talk about.
First, my Production 1 course has been phenomenal. In it, I work with other disciplines (Art, Programming, Producing) to make games. The class is split into three projects, each a week longer than the last. This way, the more we learn, the more time we will have to iterate on it in the next project. The first two games I made in that class were fun, but nothing to write a full post on. I had made a head-to-head memory game called Furniture Feud, and an educational game for children about understanding OCD. Those projects went very well, and I am very proud of what my team and I got to accomplish. But the third, and current, game is my favorite by far. It’s called Bongo Blast-Off, and it is a two player, 2D space ship racing game. The twist? It uses the Nintendo DK Bongos as its controllers. Currently, we are in week 4 of this project, and it is coming along great. QA feedback has been wonderful, and players really like our unique style of gameplay. Once the project is completed, I’ll be sure to upload it in full detail so you all can read about it!
The second game I’m really proud of is actually related to my minor, Game Programming. The class was Game Architecture, and in this project, we used C++ with the Allegro visual library to create a full game of Snake, including different areas, power-ups, and difficulty settings. I didn’t really name the project, but for the sake of this post title, let’s call it Bnake. It took about three weeks, and it was that hardest programming I had done yet. I’m also going to be uploading it here, most likely when the semester ends and I have some free time!
Last, but certainly not least, is Breakout Brew. This game is very special to me mostly because it’s not my game at all. In fact, it is a senior level capstone game. The Lead Designer on that game, Daimen Paquin-Nault, is a very close friend of mine, and this semester, I was offered a spot on his team as a game mode designer. I was, and still am, thrilled to not only be working on a senior capstone game my sophomore year, but also to work with Daimen, who is by far the most talented and charismatic designer I know. But I wasn’t alone in this; Claire Yeash, a sophomore Game Designer like myself, also joined on as a game mode designer. I have brainstormed dozens of game mode ideas, and as a team, we decided that we would make a Pants on Fire game mode, where you are constantly moving in a small battle arena, a obstacle course race, and a Floor is Lava mode. We have the Pants On Fire mode close to completion, and the other two modes will be done in the coming weeks. I am beyond excited to stand on stage with the rest of the team and show off the incredible work that my friends and I have accomplished. This game is going to the Top 5 list for sure.
