Tech Demo:

New additions to our demo include: Additional silhouettes, character barrier and fireball projectiles. We took the feedback from our paper prototype and sped up the wait time during the boss prelude animations by adding a defense stage where players type numbers to defend against flying fireballs. This is intended to help the players get used to the number row on the keyboard as well as keep them entertained during the wait time. Failing to type the number correctly at the right time will damage the character.

Feedback:

• The story script caters to the intermediate typers where the scrolling objects could help beginner level typers
• The main story progression speed opposed to the second half boss prelude animation game speed is drastically different and thus feels like two completely different levels.
• The music is awesome for the second part
• Font was hard to read except the stuff on the top

Game Pitch

I never uploaded this so I felt like I should

Audio Design

Right now Blackout is using free sounds that have been mostly modified through audacity by adding fades ins/fade outs and infinite looping.

The mood the music is trying to capture depends on the situation

Level Design

Blackout is a 2.5D (isometric camera with mix of 2d/3d objects) game.

Levels consist of generating objects which have associative moods to them. Accumulating certain moods will raise that mood and give certain perks. I.E. raising happiness will do something that makes the players life easier...

character dribbles

Let's take a look at character design! ...er, well, what I've tried to design.

Sticking with the European medieval/illuminated manuscript theme, I've taken inspiration from this:

...I wouldn't be able to tell you what exactly is happening here...

I'm particularly intrigued by the faces. For me, the geometric simplicity defines European medieval characterization: The long noses, half moon eyes, small mouth, either very square or very rounded jaws (depending on gender, I believe)-- y'know, the works!

Our main character is depicted as a child, and let's be very clear about how terrible medieval artists were at depicting children:

They don't really look like children, do they? More like... a shrunken man. Or a baby with a shrunken grown-man's head. It's hilarious, and I love it.

So, the for the first design I did, I drew from these visual inspirations and made this little dude:

Man baby, man child, boy man, he's kind of cute? The problem is, when I tried to puppet-pin animate his limbs to get him to walk, I couldn't really get it to function the way I'd like; the motion was just not right. I could attribute it to being terrible at puppet-pin animation, or perhaps my inability to create functional characters, but I decided to go back to the drawing board to brainstorm more visual ideas!
The first idea couldn't be the best, right?

Ah, well, let's look...

...things got weirder, like, Tomodachi Life weirder...

...I had an identity crisis and accidentally drew Astro Boy...

...then I drew egg-heads...

Then instead of scribbling more gross things, I stopped and searched the Google for some more direct inspiration. I thought of a few games with interesting characters that could fit the style we're going for-- Fantasy Life, LoZ: Wind Waker, Clash of Clans, and doodled up a couple dribbles!

...still pretty weird, but I feel a little more focused now!

Circular Mood Bar - Ngan

You guys know those circular progress bars they have in video games? Well I decided to make one in Maya and capture a 2d image of it since we need one for the "mood" indicator of the player

Here is my progress:
1. Make some simple Geometry

 

2. Add a bumpy rim to the outer edge  

3.Add some detailed shapes to the rim

 

4. More detail

5. More detail

6. Add a medallion thingy in the middle

I wish I knew how to texture ^_^