Project Overview
What we can with software (that is, what we can program computers to do) is limited only by our imagination, creativity and determination. Sure, there are problems that we know a computer cannot solve (yet) and there are limits imposed on software by the hardware, but that needn't stymie creativity. You have already worked extensively with two complex programs that have given you a glimpse of what can be created using the Star Logo TNG platform. Now it's your turn to be creative and determined.
Your directive for this project is simple: Build an awesome program!
Your directive for this project is simple: Build an awesome program!
~ taken from Dr. Andrew Vernon's digital portfolio
As our final project for this computational thinking class, we were tasked with creating our own game or simulation with the only restraint being the
Project Description
Development Process
First, we began the development process for our game through a number of gates with three total. These gates help us propose our idea while giving us a framework for creating our game. It will show the features we will add or are planning to add to our final product.
Gate 1
The purpose of this gate is to think hard about what type of program/application you want to develop for this project. While you can make changes to your initial ideas as you progress, its important to have a very clear objective at the beginning of a large-scale program development, so that you can stay on track and meet the final deadline.
You are encouraged to come up with at least three different ideas for this project and think about what would be involved in order to create each one. Also think about your and your partner’s interests: what would be fun and interesting to create? Use this thinking to narrow your alternatives down to one choice.
Once you have picked a project idea, you must write your own program description (what your software will do) and your own statement as to why you chose this project.
~ Dr. Drew
The game we have chosen to create is a military shooter where you can go through a shooting course and shoot targets. A military themed shooter has been something we have been thinking about ever since the recent installations of Battlefield and Call of Duty have been released. These series thrust you into the life of a fictional soldier and create immense action through gritty fire-fights between your player and the “enemy”. However, the gory nature of these battles will not be school appropriate. Instead, we will be creating a shooting course where you will be shooting targets instead of humans but still try and capture the action from these games. Another feature we will add will be puzzle elements that will have a good change of pace from the action.
You are encouraged to come up with at least three different ideas for this project and think about what would be involved in order to create each one. Also think about your and your partner’s interests: what would be fun and interesting to create? Use this thinking to narrow your alternatives down to one choice.
Once you have picked a project idea, you must write your own program description (what your software will do) and your own statement as to why you chose this project.
~ Dr. Drew
The game we have chosen to create is a military shooter where you can go through a shooting course and shoot targets. A military themed shooter has been something we have been thinking about ever since the recent installations of Battlefield and Call of Duty have been released. These series thrust you into the life of a fictional soldier and create immense action through gritty fire-fights between your player and the “enemy”. However, the gory nature of these battles will not be school appropriate. Instead, we will be creating a shooting course where you will be shooting targets instead of humans but still try and capture the action from these games. Another feature we will add will be puzzle elements that will have a good change of pace from the action.
- The theme of the game is a military shooter.
- Our idea for our game is a shooting course like in Call of Duty Modern Warfare 1, 2, and 3. The “enemies” would just be metal/wooden shooting targets, not realistic humanoids.
- It may include a shooting range where you can get accustomed to the shooting mechanics and weapons of the game.
- Player will be able to choose from a wide variety of weapons (i.e. pistols and machine guns) via a menu or a shop or a weapons table.
- Map will consist of the shooting range, course, maybe a sniper range. The “theme” of the map might be a bunker or an outdoor recreation area, or a military base, or a gun range in a building, or etc.
- The shooting course will have many different elements to challenge the player has he shoots targets and tries to get the fastest time. Something we might add to the shooting range will be different courses that the player can complete along with different records to beat. This will add replay-ability and challenges to the game.
Gate 2
The purpose of this gate is to build on the idea developed in the Market Research stage and specify what the main features and functionality of the program will be. This description should provide answers to questions such as:
1. For a simulation, how realistic will it be? What questions will it be able to
investigate?
2. For a game, how will the user interact with the system? What are the obstacles to
winning? What resources will the players have? How do the levels differ?
Similar to the Market Research stage, all the features and functionality that you describe in the Project Concept will not necessarily be in your Customer Delivery release (and some features and functionality you did not originally include might). The main point is to begin to provide the details of what your program will look like and how it will behave. When thinking about the features you want to include, you are encouraged to start thinking about how these features might be programmed. If you have ideas on how to implement them, that’s great; if you don’t, that’s also fine but you may want to do a little research to get a sense of how difficult the feature will be to program. Sketches of your vision for the program might be a useful way to communicate your ideas.
~ Dr. Drew
The environment will be a generic military shooting range and course. The course can change depending on the different challenges. For example, there will be breach challenges where you will need to breach rooms located in the course. The course will be indoors and outdoors allowing for different environments.
In order to win the game, you need to go through the course as fast as possible, taking out as many targets along the way while trying to avoid shooting civilian targets. The time and score will be recorded so that you can beat your own time.
The player will be able to move around, shoot targets with a gun, and pick up weapons. Moving will be controlled by the user via the WASD keys. Aiming and shooting will be controlled by the Left and Right mouse buttons. Camera movements will be controlled by the mouse. Other features will be included such as running, jumping, interacting with objects, crouching, and meleeing.
Players can acquire different weapons with different attributes. The different classes of weapons include pistols, machine pistols, sub-machine guns, assault rifles, carbine rifles, shotguns, light machine guns, and snipers. You can use these weapons to your advantage, helping you to complete the course quicker and more efficiently. However, some of these weapons you will need to unlock by completing challenges. Getting a great score in a certain challenge will allow you to unlock these new weapons along with special parts and accessories.
Gate 3
Pre-Alpha Feature List
Alpha Feature List
Everything from the Pre-Alpha List Including:
Beta Feature List
Everything from the Alpha List Including:
- Block Mesh Level
- No textures or meshes, just a platform layout
- Working Weapons
- Weapon fires, reloads, has ammo, and does damage
- Start to Stop Level
- Pre-Alpha Animations
- Basic Controls
- Walk, run, jump, fire, aim, reload
- Basic Scripts for Objects
- Basic Lighting
- Simple Lights so the player can see
- Targets
- Take Damage?
Alpha Feature List
Everything from the Pre-Alpha List Including:
- Textures
- Weapon Textures
- Improved Gameplay Goal
- More Working Weapons
- Basic Graphical User Interface (GUI)
- Scoring System
- Melee System
- Playable Map
Beta Feature List
Everything from the Alpha List Including:
- Move Weapons
- Improved GUI
- Visually Improved Textures
- Improved Scoring System
- Weapon Customization
- New Modes
Reflection
I felt as though we had so many ideas, but had too little time to execute all of them all. For our exhibition product, I felt as though it was the Pre-Alpha version of our game, and featured many of the features from our Pre-Alpha checklist.