Dark Potato Society

Sunday, August 15, 2010 6:13 AM

Project Directions

Hi all!

Its been some time since we worked on the project. I am not really sure if the hype is still up there. But I hope the general interest in the project is still there :D

I am still very interested in the project and hope it could go up to PSN! Or any gaming consoles! I dun mind doing this as a career lol. I have +1 level to my graphics programming skills and hope I can put it into use.

Right, before that, I have been thinking of project directions for the game. I will share with u guys what I think.

Current Game Analysis

Recently, I have played Blazblue: Continuum Shift story mode and made abit of comparisons with our game. I find that our game is pretty similar? I will explain why. I will refer Blazblue: Continuum Shift as BBCS.

BBCS have uniform that represent their divisions:

Jet Black Uniform for the Intelligence Department (Hazama, Makoto)
Blue Uniform for the Ars Magus Department (Jin, Noel)
Pure White Uniform and mask for the Zero Quadron Department (Tsubaki)(Yes I know its not exactly white)

Our game have uniforms as division identities but its kinda not yet plotted out. Yes this kinda identities are pretty commonly used so we gotta be careful in this area. People get real upset when they feel its plagiarizing.

BBCS/CT have a pre-war storyline:

Black Beast screw the world
Pollute the world with Seithr after it died
Legendary 6 Heroes

We have a pre-war storyline which is the 10 year war. Yeah its kinda weak as we do not have in depth details. We can be quite unique if we plot it out nicely and the story will be kinda solid.

BBCS/CT's NOL's academy are pretty much the same as what we want to do:

Jin, Noel, Carl, Tsubaki, Noel are from NOL's academy
The academy are military based
Rank are based on the army ranks with revision
Student get assigned to divisions when they graduate
Intelligence, Ars Magus, Zero Quadron and more divisions
Serve a general purpose and the leader

This is the part that kinda worry me. Isn't this like exactly the same? I mean the storyline we plotted is very similar to NOL's academy, just with a different direction. We unknowingly made the academy very similar, but of course we made this before BBCS was out. This might be a little bit of problem, as the idea gets old?

BBCS also have takahamara which is kinda similar to the geezer's commitee. Our core features are pretty.. well, used before out there.

Well we grew up in the world of manga/anime, so there will definitely be alot of reference in our game and story. But as of our current content, I feel there is a distinct uniqueness there (at least to my experience) and its quite a pleasant experience. Thank you Hiyuki and Klaven for the time and effort.

We should work on the parts that are weak and we will have a pretty unique and interesting story background.

Current Game Story/Content

Currently, I do not think that we have a story. What we have is actually a story introduction, which is character backgrounds, pre-timeline stories and a general direction of the story.

We need a plot! I bet u guys are like: "K, whats new?" or "Ok, back to stallin again...". Ok let me explain.

We do not need a full complete story. Take BBCT for example, if u played it. You will realize that its pretty much walking around and then to a same final destination. Details are pretty not there. Example like scarce details about ragna background and jin, litchi's background, noel, bang etc.

What we exactly need is this! A short to medium plot of the current timeline of our game. Say generally there is a bad guy, u need to defeat him if not he is going to destroy world peace? Then a bit of details of the bad guy like the process of him to be able to achieve that goal etc. Basically accumulation of events to a critical point. It does not need to be detailed. Just the key events and major details.

Once we have that we kinda have a world already. We can start making the game from there.

We do not want a complete story as this will be a good gauge of where this project's future lies. We can have the plot as the game arcade mode or demo and we can try for pitching to see where is the standard and direction of the game. If we succeed the pitch, we could get into details of the plot and misc to actually plot out the entire story.

I guess I could get a team to work on this here. Story and Content team, save me :D

For this team, it will consist of Potato , Klaven and Hiyuki. Potato will be the team leader.

Hiyuki, I'm sorry i cannot let you be the leader as I do not want this game to actually market 10 years later? *cough cough* And I do not want to prod u everyday to get stuff from you, its tiring.

Potato 全靠你了

Of course, if you are interested in designing the plot or coming out with the plot, please tell me. Thanks.

I think I have more to write, I guess I will do it on a separate entry. Good day to all.

Schinizer,
Signing out.

3 Comments:

wee

By Wee woo wee woo wee, at September 2, 2010 at 8:39 PM

Shounen G here.
Some general stuff for you guys to know.
As you guys have known that i've not joined you guys for long. I'm the guy with limited eyesight, who scribbled the anime-ished character named Marice.

This is the first time i've joined you guys on a project.
It's alright to be cautious of a stranger. But, I can assure you that i am harmless. For the females(I'm unsure, have i met everyone?) , do not be afraid of me, i don't do anything. In fact, i'll never do anything. I'm straight forward. If i need anything i'll say so. Um, but to Hiyuki, please be a little more conscious of the opposite sex. Though i don't show any sort of reaction to females on the surface. I am a still a Male. Infact you should learn from the 07 DMD batch of pretty(or groomed well.) girls. They are afraid of me, though we're almost strangers to each other. For what
reasons are they afraid of me, i've got no idea.  For the guys/males, you guys are safe too, i am not homosexual.  (I'm getting a little peeved, there's been a rumor going around the DMD year ones and twos. It's really silly if  they equate a boy with long hair to being homo. I think they might have got brain damage.)

Nice to meet you all.

This is G signing out.

By Shounen G, at September 3, 2010 at 2:43 AM

Some important things to take note.

-Communication between all the members is important.  
 When we're working as a group i think that it'll be great to have everyone to  

-NOT assume anything.

That means that whatever that you do not know of,  please find out from the respective people in charge.  (This is to minimize reality drama, because situations like  "i think/ i thought/ you should have done it!"; are very troublesome. And fingers are pointed at the opposing party.) 

-2nd is-Please do not take anyone for granted.  
In the process of doing something really tough, that requires team work.  And when everyone's going through some things in their lives at the same time.(stress from your parents; relationship with your partners; work related politics; etc) Pressure will build up and when someone comes along and does that, reality drama ensues.

I am no body. I've not done anything that's worth mentioning. Even if this game gets out there into the public, I am still nobody. We'll require everyone's effort.

You'll be great help to everyone in the team, if you continue to "level up" in the areas required for our game.

Right, i believe none of us have gone through an entire Game production pipeline catered for the public's consumption. Therefore, i might give everyone a little heads up if i see something that's not working well before we dig ourselves further into a mess. Of course, we'll need everyone to voice out their consents regarding the project. Because relying just one individual is too risky.

I hope that I'm not crossing the boundaries of my allowed authority in the team. If i overstep my boundaries as a team mate please tell me. If Situation requires, you are allowed to smack me.

Alright, that's about it for now. =]

G signing out.

By Shounen G, at September 3, 2010 at 2:46 AM

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Thursday, August 5, 2010 6:12 PM

Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty Collector's Edition

Hi all. Just to make Shounen G roll on the floor with agony. I shall present to u guys:

Enjoy :D

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Thursday, July 15, 2010 4:09 PM

Upcoming Plans

Hi everyone!

Due to extreme workload(Screw u PS3) and busy IAP or FYP people, we have stop working on the project for quite some time. But hey! We are reaching the end of the semester already. Just 3 more weeks to go!

I have come out some plans for continuing the project. I believe we have enough content to actually come out with something already.

So I propose we split up and work in few teams.

We can have:

Story and Content Team
Heads Up Display and Graphical User Interface Team
Gameplay Design Team
Game Programming Team
Visual and Post Processing Effects Team
Documenting Team

Story and Content Team
Your main responsibility is to continue planning and writing out the plot. Your other responsibilities includes coming out with level concepts, game world concepts, character concepts, illustrations.

Heads Up Display and Graphical User Interface Team
Your main responsibility is to come out with designs of HUD and GUIs. Your other responsibilities includes designing in game menu and specifics.

Gameplay Design Team
Your main responsibility is to design the levels based on content that is given to u. Your other responsibilities includes coming out with creative and unique content.

Game Programming Team
Your main responsibility is to make the game out with placeholders. Your other responsibilities includes coming out with tools, version control, optimizations etc.

Visual and Post Processing Effects Team
Your main responsibility is to make impressive visual effects that complements the entire theme. Your other responsibilities is to ensure that the game will be mesmerizing and memorable.

Documenting Team
Your main responsibility is to document the entire process of making the game. Your other responsibilities includes writing and updating the Game Design Document and Technical Design Document.

Let me know of what u think with this plan.

1 Comments:

Pretty good and detailed. At least everyone knows where can they chip in here and there. Looking forward for a mass meeting. And when i mean mass, I mean it. I really mean those who really want to chip into the game.

By Klaven, at July 15, 2010 at 8:15 PM

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Wednesday, May 5, 2010 1:06 AM

Market Research

Hi all

There are several critical factors that will affect the pitch. I really need you guys alot to review it and help me with it.

Please go take a look and send me back the document when your done with it. And I hope u guys can finish this before the next meeting.

Help needed!

Rename the file to Market Research Survey - YourName Reply (e.g Market Research Survey - Boon Wai's Reply)

Thanks!

Schinizer

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Tuesday, May 4, 2010 10:52 PM

SkyDrive

Hi Guys,

To facilitate good communication between group documents and Game Design Documents, all information will be uploaded into the group's Window's Live SkyDrive.

For those that do not know what this SkyDrive is,

Please right click the Group -> View -> SkyDrive

Or

Go to PewPewGame Dev Team Group

Please note that you have to be signed into MSN in order to view the files

If your not a member or Pew Pew Game Dev Team Group, means you are listed inactive by bw. Tell bw to add you into the group.

They will all be under the folder Game Development Documents

Please refer to them as you please.

Thank You

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Sunday, May 2, 2010 11:26 PM

Updates for 2nd May (Sunday)

3D models finalised. Models will look like those characters in Granado Espada
(minus the head, FY does not like the head, so will be changed to something more shounen like, concepts to be created at a later date)

Concept arts will be using Dragoneer's Aria concept types. A mature genre of game finalised. (Please read up on the art style of the game, not the gameplay style, the art direction of the concepts)

Some images for references:

Visual Novel gameplay will be using drawn images and characters, possibility to make it into a High Res 3D model instead.

Some images from Star Ocean 4 to let u understand what am I saying. (Strong emphasis here, look at the 2D to 3D, not at the art style thanks)

Profits are to be put into a joint account, to be decided on a later date, to be put into the business model (document).

Gameplay

There will be multiple towns in the game for the player to explore in. (confirmed)

World map. Multiple towns will be in it.(confirmed)

Multiple ways to travel the map will be considered, either vehicles or different skills or spells can be used to travel the map and slowly unlock content (tentative)

Free quests will be in the game when the player just wants to play a level. (confirmed)

Inventory. (tentative)

Visual changes to character when equipment. (tentative)

Stats, to increase damage, health or skills. (tentative)

Working towards an arcade version.

Story to be confirmed on another date (1st person or 3rd person perspective tentative)

Next week...

FY and Theresa to give story boarding of gameplay flow and gameplay examples.

Prototype should be up
- Boss shoots bullets
- Bullets can hit
- You can die

Gerald to give character modeling sheet of somebody (probably Marice).

Pitching in 2 Weeks from now, date to be confirmed later.

All Members to think of the Name of the Game (At least three)
All Members to also think of reasons why would you not play a Shoot'em Up(Bullet Hell) game in the arcade (At least two)

Labels: Weekly Milestone

3 Comments:

I like the way the character changes from 2D to 3D. The more difficult part is to retain as much similarity between the 2D and 3D. Overall, I can see that it's the same character even though there are some changes here and there.

By Klaven, at May 4, 2010 at 10:59 PM

You realize they have a nose!

By Schinizer, at May 5, 2010 at 1:57 AM

Yeah man, which is very very very important. Looks like we still have not thought of colour schemes for the characters.

By Klaven, at May 6, 2010 at 11:48 AM

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Wednesday, April 28, 2010 8:58 AM

Updates for 25th April (Sunday)

Design
Characters Finalised, work on concepts started

Gantt chart and concept schedule created, expected by end of the month for Marice concepts to come out and be finalised.

School Divisions / Departments done, all work passed to Gerald for concept art.
Due to Gerald's schedule, concepts may not be out for uniforms / badges soon, set to a lower priority.

Programming
3D Bullets have a problem with perspective. Considering changing into 2D mapping for the bullets, needs to be tested out.

Engine is slowly being fixed
Due to WW's schedule, engine progress will be slowed down. Nothing urgent at the moment.

Expected Work Done on Sunday
Modeling Sheet / Draft for 3D modelers to get a rough outlook on time needed to create.

Labels: Weekly Milestone

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