Game 12 - Post Mortem - RTS

My Game 12 is "RTS".  If you want to join in either with the same Genre or your own, use the tag 12Games12Weeks on Twitter and/or itch.io, I would love to see what you create in this time also!

MVP 

• UI
• Construction/Resource collection ability
• 3 unit types (to enable RPS) (maybe 4 ->  +worker/collector)
• Buildings
• HQ
• Turrets
• Unit Generation? (or make this upgrades on the HQ building)
• AI for Opponent
• Fog of War?
• upgrades?

Results

Took ~20 hours of work to complete.  Basically nothing from prior games was able to be use.  I started 2D, but then realized I would have to work out pathfinding/etc. so I switched to 3D.  I got unit construction and Unit AI/Damage working then moved on to "Side" AI, then end/load screens. You can find the game here: https://adroitconceptions.itch.io/12games12weeks-12-rts

What When Right?

• Tank Prefab trick to have 1 tank that gets told what type it is, then it builds itself up correctly.

What Lesson(s) Did I learn?

• RTS has lots of moving parts that are not 'default' in the engine.
• Smart AI is hard, interesting AI not as bad.

What did I take away?

• This definitely could be used as a playground for making a better AI with a few improvements (RPS units, resource collection) - right now it is mostly about focusing units to have more units at a combat.
• I over scoped the MVP.
• A good RTS relies on information, counters, choices.

Milestones/Workflow/Tool Usage

• 2D version of fighting tanks
• scrap 2D version
• build 3D tank models
• Build 3D terrain for map
• Tank select/send to location code
• tank moving code
• Build 3D model for base
• Spawning code
• tank combat code (&*^% angle processing to get the aiming to work correctly)

What would I do if I was to work further on this (Expanded from an MVP to a full game)?

• better art
• Resource gathering
• Build queues
• Unit groups
• alerts & jump to alert
• Better AI for AI commander
• Fully implement the RPS for the tanks
• audio
• multiple maps
• multiplayer (a whole different story with the amount of moving stuff in the game, I think RTS games are deterministic and only need to sent input syncing commands back and forth..)
• lots other.

Game 11 - Post Mortem - WRPG

My Game 11 is "Western RPG".  If you want to join in either with the same Genre or your own, use the tag 12Games12Weeks on Twitter and/or itch.io, I would love to see what you create in this time also!

MVP 

I believe that the MVP for an Western RPG game would be to to take the Action Adventure and add some ability systems, and leveling.  World setting/character appearance customization/quest givers, while a big part of the Genre, are going to be skipped for the MVP at this time.

Results

Took ~10 hours of work to complete, 5 of which was staring at paper/computer and trying to figure out what exactly to make - what parts of the massive range of ideas that a WRPG could be to make. I started with the Action Adventure project, added abilities, leveling/etc and ability based challenges.  You can find the game here: https://adroitconceptions.itch.io/12games12weeks-11-wrpg

What When Right?

• Starting with the Action Adventure base project made building the project easy (once I got over the hump of what to actually make).

What Lesson(s) Did I learn?

• WRPG is a very broad term really covering multiple genre/game types.  As there are WRPGs that some WRPG fans would like and others wouldn't like... but both are in the genre WRPG.
• Character customization is challenging... Especially if you want it to be relevant to game play as the more game play relevant customization, the more "unused" content that has to be created.
• I think this is a place were I would be interested in seeing how systemic game-play + proc gen could be integrated to dynamically create worlds that are interesting for different characters.  However, I am also of the belief that good proc gen is actually harder then hand crafted ad you have to define "good" x in a programmatic way which goes beyond a 'feeling'

What did I take away?

• A WRPG is likely above the the current curve for a single dev.  At least if you are going to go supper far with the choices.  The amount of work to play time seems to go way up with the amount of choices.
• Game could really use a lock-on system to help in combat... and a camera aim ability for the projectiles.

Milestones/Workflow/Tool Usage

• Copy Action Adventure project to new folder
• Create Air Master Ability
• Create Flame Master Ability
• Create Melee Master Ability
• Create XP/Level system
• Create add level up menu to pause menu
• Add XP/level up info to game menu
• Rebuild level to provide challenge that can be overcome by each ability
• Work out a Flip camera X/Y menu/code system (from feedback on prior game( 

What would I do if I was to work further on this (Expanded from an MVP to a full game)?

• better art
• more enemies
• more/better FXs (both visual and audio)
• more quests/areas
• NPCs to interact with
• More attack choices (was limited by the animations I had available)
• More movement choices
• A few abilities to pickup/learn
• More quests
• A full ability tree
• Gear

Game 10 - Post Mortem - Action Adventure

My Game 10 is "Action Adventure".  If you want to join in either with the same Genre or your own, use the tag 12Games12Weeks on Twitter and/or itch.io, I would love to see what you create in this time also!

MVP 

I believe that the MVP for an Action Adventure game would be to to take the 3D platformer and add a puzzle or two.

Results

Took ~2 hours of work to complete. I started with the 3D platformer project, added a door that unlocks when 3 switches are thrown and added a Jump switch trigger.  You can find the game here: https://adroitconceptions.itch.io/12game12weeks-10-action-adventure.

What When Right?

• Starting with the 3D platformer base project made this a snap.  The modularity and decoupling that was used (delegate patterns/etc) made adding new functionality a snap.

What Lesson(s) Did I learn?

• Starting with a good foundation and patterns makes adding new functionality a snap.
• Small Point lights that don't cast shadows can be used to nice effect without a significant performance hit if used appropriately.

What did I take away?

• Game Dev starts to get really fun after you break through the "Early levels" of taking a lot of work to just get something happening on the screen.

Milestones/Workflow/Tool Usage

• Copy 3D Platformer project to new folder
• Create door
• Create behavior script
• Create On/Off door gems
• Create 'Jump' switches
• Clean up some lighting and colors, so the switches & gems were visible from a ways away

What would I do if I was to work further on this (Expanded from an MVP to a full game)?

• better art
• more enemies
• more/better FXs (both visual and audio)
• more quests/areas
• NPCs to interact with
• More attack choices (was limited by the animations I had available)
• More movement choices
• A few abilities to pickup/learn

Game 9 - Post Mortem - Fighting

My Game 8 is "JRPG".  If you want to join in either with the same Genre or your own, use the tag 12Games12Weeks on Twitter and/or itch.io, I would love to see what you create in this time also!

MVP 

Player character. AI Opponent (2 Player character might be easier).  Related UI/etc.  Arena.  Camera that keeps both Opponents in frame.

Results

Took ~5 hours of work to complete. I Build an arena in blender, pulled in my character from the 3D platformer. did some modifications.  Got the Camera working.. build the AI and we got a fighting game.  You can find it here: https://adroitconceptions.itch.io/12games12weeks-9-fighting

What When Right?

• Game build up when really quick and smooth... All the experience & code from prior games made this a snap to complete.

What When Wrong?

• A few animation/input bugs that seemed to go away when I created a input blocker once one of the characters lost.

What Lesson(s) Did I learn?

• It doesn't take much to make an AI that looks like it knows what it is doing.
• How to use Gimp to make better textures.
• Math makes cameras even better!
• I discovered UI sprites and fill % methods - really interesting thing to look at if you want to make custom (non-bars) looking UI meters.

What did I take away?

• Good Camera framing really helps play experience.
• If you have 2 items with almost identical scripts.. make a base class with all the shared code and derive the 2 instances off of that - I end up making the same code changes in both the AI and Player script in many locations as I worked out some of the behavior bugs.

Milestones/Workflow/Tool Usage

• Arena Mesh
• Player 1 character
• Camera behavior
• AI behavior (and lots of minor bug fixing)
• Battle UI
• Bout End screen
• Battle Start Count down
• Main Menu

What would I do if I was to work further on this (Expanded from an MVP to a full game)?

• better art
• more enemies
• FXs (both visual and audio)
• more quests/areas
• More arenas
• Muti-round bouts
• Timed bouts
• More attack choices (was limited by the animations I had available)
• I-Frames on the rolls
• Better "you just got hit" animation breaks.

Game 8 - Post Mortem - JRPG

My Game 8 is "JRPG".  If you want to join in either with the same Genre or your own, use the tag 12Games12Weeks on Twitter and/or itch.io, I would love to see what you create in this time also!

MVP 

JRPGs are heavy on the story, but for game mechanics (MVP focuses on the needed mechanics), they are basically the menu/turn based combat.  However I would like to use this to work with game state management, so will look at implementing a simple quest, world/town map, & combat state.

Extra Challenge

• From Alex -> add a Rubber Duck Sound to the game.

Results

Took ~10 hours of work to complete. Working out the combat state machine was the most challenging part.  Once I had that working adding the world map and quest took relatively little time. You can find the game here: https://adroitconceptions.itch.io/12games12weeks-8-jrpg

What When Right?

• I completed it... ;)

What When Wrong?

• I worked on the UI logic before the underlying combat data logic... ended up having to throw out an hour or two worth of work and redoing parts of the state machine.
• I didn't add a inventory/loot/etc system as that would have added many layers to the complexity (even more game state to track)
• Didn't give the player the ability to target attacks, the extra states/information to work that out would have taken more time then I wanted.
• The lack of a pause menu/Item menu means no exit button.

What Lesson(s) Did I learn?

• State machines are amazing when done right

What did I take away?

• JRPGs combat mechanics are more complicated then they look.
• I could use some experience building better state machines. - I didn't have any enter/exit actions to my states so my states were frequently of the xEnter -> x pattern were xEnter was a 1 frame state to handle the "Enter State" logic... and often the "instate" logic was little to non-existent (responding to events).

Milestones/Workflow/Tool Usage

• Battle UI
• Character Data Storage classes
• Battle logic flow
• Battle logic flow
• battle logic flow
• battle logic flow (yes lots of steps to it)
• Programmer art for character & world map
• world map state logic (was super simple compared to the battle logic)
• Quest text/state/logic

What would I do if I was to work further on this (Expanded from an MVP to a full game)?

• better art
• more enemies
• more weapons
• FXs (both visual and audio)
• Scene transition FXs - the hard cuts are jarring.
• add puzzles
• Inventory system
• more quests/areas
• Save System
• A story with character development and arcs.
• better audio

Game 7 - Post Mortem - FPS

My Game 7 is "FPS".  If you want to join in either with the same Genre or your own, use the tag 12Games12Weeks on Twitter and/or itch.io, I would love to see what you create in this time also!

MVP 

The most basic MVP would be a 3D level that can be transversed.  A First Person Camera.  A Goal.  one enemy type. One weapon type. FPS UI. Extras would be weapon swap, ammo/Energy system.

Results

Took ~5 hours of work to complete. Other then the gems, audio, and screenshot, everything was done inside of Unity. You can find the game here: https://adroitconceptions.itch.io/12games12weeks-7-fps.

What When Right?

• I have a flow going down.  Lots of reusing of prior code (Menu system, UI system).

What When Wrong?

• Lots of lights + Integrated GPU => sadness.  My computer could run the game ok at 960x540 at medium settings fine, but stutters really bad at full HD/full quality.  This wasn't a issue with making the game, just testing.
• The Limited color palette was much more challenging than I expected.
• Something was causing Unity to chug even though nothing was happening and my CPU load was low.  Not sure if it was the lighting and/or Probuilder.  Probuilder is nice to quickly build stuff inside of Unity, but it also comes with some challenges.
• I dropped having the AIs move around 

What Lesson(s) Did I learn?

• Good workflow really helps.

What did I take away?

• If I am going to do a game with much lighting, I need a better GPU

Milestones/Workflow/Tool Usage

• FPS player controller
• UI /  menus
• Pickup
• Enemy
• Damage
• VFX/SFX
• Level blocks
• Build level
• Exit
• Main Menu

What would I do if I was to work further on this (Expanded from an MVP to a full game)?

• better art
• more enemies
• more weapons
• add puzzles
• more levels
• level select with collectibles found status.
• simple story?
• better audio - I am looking at you jump sound :D

Game 6 - Post Mortem - 3D Platformer

My Game 6 is "3D Platformer".  If you want to join in either with the same Genre or your own, use the tag 12Games12Weeks on Twitter and/or itch.io, I would love to see what you create in this time also!

MVP 

The most basic MVP would be a 3D level that can be transversed.  An orbit camera. One Enemy type. End Goal. Maybe some pickups.

Results

Took ~10 hours of work to complete. Found an animation/character controller and an enemy pack on the asset store that I used to jump start the game.  Otherwise character/enemies would have been primatives. Game can be found here: https://adroitconceptions.itch.io/12games12weeks-6-3d-platformer

What When Right?

• Using fast prototyping tools, really helped with dev speed (pro-builder, models/animations off of the asset store.)
• Was able to re-use some sounds/models/scripts/etc from prior projects, which helped with dev time.
• Melee combo system (really wasn't part of the MVP, but didn't take much to make happen)

What When Wrong?

• Enemies AI can be baited off of platforms and can't deal with objects on their platform.  I choose to skip fixing this to get done. I was quite mentally tired at the time I got to the 'fix this' in my list of task and just 'fixed' most of it with level design. (yes a few physics.xCasts would be able to solve the issue)

What Lesson(s) Did I learn?

• Consistency is much better then drive for getting in the grove for getting things done.

What did I take away?

• Melee combo system is both 1 - fun to play and 2 - not that hard to implement

Milestones/Workflow/Tool Usage

• dummy level to test on
• Moving/animatting/etc character
• Enemy on screen, taking damage, AI, attacking
• Player taking damage
• Collectables
• Menu/UI stuff
• Build level

What would I do if I was to work further on this (Expanded from an MVP to a full game)?

• better art
• more enemies
• more attacks
• more puzzles
• more levels
• level select with collectibles found status.
• simple story?
• better audio - I am looking at you jump sound :D

Game 5 - Post Mortem - 2D Puzzle Platformer

My Game 5 is "2D Puzzle Platformer".  If you want to join in either with the same Genre or your own, use the tag 12Games12Weeks on Twitter and/or itch.io, I would love to see what you create in this time also!

MVP 

The most basic MVP would a grid that you can swap adjacent tiles.  sets of 3 or more clear. Score and a time/move limit. New tiles fall in from above.

Results

Took ~2 hours of work to complete. Started with the 2D platformer code as a base.. Game can be found here: https://adroitconceptions.itch.io/12games12eeks-5-2dpuzzleplatformer.

What When Right?

• Starting off with the 2D Platformer code made this go really quick
• Came up with a few simple (level 1-1 simple) puzzle idea right away.

What When Wrong?

• the Unity example 2D platformer script had a bug 
• not sure if it is a code bug with the 2D rigidbody
• fix was to manually sync the Transform position with the RB's position every time it got moved.
• the Unity example 2D platformer script didn't respond well to the moving platforms
• Coded the platforms to detect the player and move the player with the platform
• Solution still had some edge cases that were off

What Lesson(s) Did I learn?

• Work out gameplay systems in a demo level until they work correctly, then build into levels.

What did I take away?

• adding puzzles to the game made it much more interesting to me

Milestones/Workflow/Tool Usage

• Start with Prior Project
• Create moving Platform
• Debug moving platform physics
• Create switch
• Link switch to platform
• Update level to add puzzles

What would I do if I was to work further on this (Expanded from an MVP to a full game)?

• better art
• more enemies
• attacks
• more puzzles
• more levels
• simple story?

Game 4 - Post Mortem - Color Matching Game

My Game 4 is "Color Matching Game".  If you want to join in either with the same Genre or your own, use the tag 12Games12Weeks on Twitter and/or itch.io, I would love to see what you create in this time also!

MVP 

The most basic MVP would a grid that you can swap adjacent tiles.  sets of 3 or more clear. Score and a time/move limit. New tiles fall in from above.

Results

Took ~2-3 hours of work to complete.  I did have 5-10 hours of code work in on some puzzle matching logic already worked out. Mostly working out UI/Score/Clear Effects. Game can be found here: https://adroitconceptions.itch.io/12games12weeks-4-color-matching-puzzle.

What When Right?

• Got a good focus on on doing a MVP (well slightly more).
• Had some good ideas on how to handle score
• Ability to reuse Main Menu/End Screen Code

What When Wrong?

• (&#(#&@$# Monolithic Classes - almost all the code is in a 'Grid' class that basically manages every bit of game logic.

What Lesson(s) Did I learn?

• (&#(#&@$# Monolithic Classes
• Making things that you might not have any desire to do can still help you learn better coding and ability to think about problems.  This was definitely the most complicated 'thinking' about how to make the game work.  AI for the fighting game and the RTS are the only two I think could take more thinking about how to structure the actual game logic.

What did I take away?

• (&#(#&@$# Monolithic Classes 

Milestones/Workflow/Tool Usage

• Grid auto generating
• Tile Moving Logic
• Matching Logic & clear & replacement
• Clear FX
• Score UI
• Countdown screen (needed something to cover up that the code does a few 'clear' cycles before the board is ready) - was less complex then any other idea I had for getting the game to a starting state.
• Score Final screen & Game Timer
• Main Menu

What would I do if I was to work further on this (Expanded from an MVP to a full game)?

• <shrug> - not sure what I could add to the Genre - at least using it as a stand alone game.

Game 3 - Post Mortem - 2D Platformer

My Game 3 is "2D Platformer".  If you want to join in either with the same Genre or your own, use the tag 12Games12Weeks on Twitter and/or itch.io, I would love to see what you create in this time also!

MVP 

The most basic MVP would be a block that can move and Jump (and maybe an attack).  Some platforms.  An enemy. Pits. Level complete. Level failure state. 1 level.

Results

Took ~5 hours of work.  Mostly working out Enemy AI/movement issues. Game can be found here: https://adroitconceptions.itch.io/12g12w2d-platformer.

What When Right?

• Getting faster at implementing the repeatable parts of the project and getting a better idea what they are.
• Got a working basic 2D platformer AI unit.

What When Wrong?

• Enemy AI had issues with edge/other Enemy detection so they moved nicely.
• Enemy AI movement script had issues because how the Unity tutorial handled movement, which looks like an API issue. 
• Couldn't get camera to follow cleanly when Lerping... even if done in fixed update - same as character - got some weird 'stuttering' of the character. - removed lerping for now.

What Lesson(s) Did I learn?

• Finding your flow really helps with efficiency.
• I am Doubling down on the functional improvements from the delegate pattern.
• Take it easy on the polish for MVPs - really speeds things up.

What did I take away?

• Would be nice to workout a tile-map brush thing to place prefabs, would make placing enemies, pickups, etc much more inline with the level creation.

Milestones/Workflow/Tool Usage

• Flat level area for testing
• Tile map + tile I had created
• Full character movement
• basically the Unity tutorial + a few modifications to use my input remapper script
• Coin picks & score UI
• Game manager listens to Delegate, coins send message on pickup
• level complete Trigger
• again fires to a delegate which the game manager is listening to
• Player death from pits
• again fires to a delegate with the game manager is listening to
• Camera follow script
• Enemy/Enemy AI
• Loading Screen/Finish up UI

What would I do if I was to work further on this (Expanded from an MVP to a full game)?

• Better camera follow script
• Power-ups/attacks for player character
• Player character sprite/animations
• More Enemies
• Better Tiles for levels
• More Levels
• Better Audio
• Input Remapping
• Options Menu

Game 2 - Post Mortem - Top Down Shooter

My Game 2 is "Top Down Shooter".  If you want to join in either with the same Genre or your own, use the tag 12Games12Weeks on Twitter and/or itch.io, I would love to see what you create in this time also!

MVP 

The most basic Top Down Shooter would probably be a simple area shooter with spawning enemies.  1 player, 1 weapon, 1 enemy type, Basic Enemy AI.

Results

Took ~5 hours of work, However I had maybe 5 hours of frame work code already laying around from a LDjam game and a Controller/Keyboard/Mouse input swap script worked out. Game can be found here : https://adroitconceptions.itch.io/12games12weektds

What When Right?

• Was able to re-use some assets
• Worked out a simple camera 'edge detection' behavior, needs some improvement - on any aspect ratio outside of 16x9, I expect it would have some issues.

What When Wrong?

• Nothing other then it taking longer then expected given the preexisting assets that I had to start with.

What Lesson(s) Did I learn?

• The power of Delegates for sending messages around between scripts.  It does a great job at decoupling scripts. 
• Got to use the tile system for the first time, was easy to use and made laying out a level much faster then placing prefabs by hand 

What did I take away?

• Use Delegates
• I could probably write a basic main menu scene that just needs an image, Title, & colors changed to match the game - same with a pause menu & level select menu - at least for the purposes of Game Jam games.
• Dark work has the greatest reoccurring value, but the least direct effect on a playable game

Milestones/Workflow/Tool Usage

• Player Moving/Shooting
• This when quick as it was basically grab my preexisting code
• Enemies Spawning / AI / Dying
• This also when quick as it was basically grab my preexisting code
• Player Hurt/Dying
• The preexisting code already had a hook for 'I am dying' it just didn't do anything, I just needed to send an event in this and the Menu controller script paused the game and displayed the final score menu.
• Main Menu
• This went quick - other then getting an image for the background - use some pre-existing configurations
• Pause Menu
• When quick - reused a few script blocks from the last game here.
• Final Score Screen
• basically a copy of the Pause menu with out the unpause button and a script to put the score in the big box
• Build Level
• went quick.
• Final 'Polish'
• Played with the enemy spawner code a bit to get a nice ramp up of difficulty
• Played with the 2 current guns to make some level of differentiation between them.  Still not sure if the slow firing high damage gun has any good use cases over the machine gun currently.

What would I do if I was to work further on this (Expanded from an MVP to a full game)?

• More Guns
• More Enemies
• More Arenas / Create Missions
• Pickup/powerups
• Leaderboard
• Better Audio
• Input Remaping
• Options Menu

Game 1 - Post Mortem - Racing Game

My Game 1 is "Racing Game".  If you want to join in either with the same Genre or your own, use the tag 12Games12Weeks on Twitter and/or itch.io, I would love to see what you create in this time also!

MVP 

The most basic racing game could be a square with physics moving around the screen with some collision.  I am going to up this slightly and make simple 3D racing game.  One vehicle, one level/course, UI for lap count/speed/lap speed would be the primary items

Results

Took ~5 hours of work, one of which was fighting with an issue with the pause menu and controller support. Game can be found here : https://adroitconceptions.itch.io/12games12weeks-racing

 

What When Right?

• Learned some new Blender stuff
• Array & curve modifiers
• Car Physics were easy to get a hold of
• Unity Tutorial on Wheel Collider
• Lap tracking system worked out well
• Used a sequence of triggers that are enabled one at a time to track process around the track

What When Wrong?

• Figuring out how to get the menu system happy with controller input
• Odd physics issue with car (body collider moved on me when I put the 'modeled' body on)
• Weird Click in audio

What Lesson(s) Did I learn?

• Put useful snippets of code were I can find them easily so I am not digging through projects to find them.

What did I take away?

• I would like to work out a generic menu controller script/package as I keep reinventing the wheel for menus
• I would like to work out a joystick remapping tool / Event Manager Script as  Xbox controllers are mapped differently on all 3 of the PC platforms and the build in Unity Input system is non-functional when it comes to remapping.

Milestones/Workflow/Tool Usage

• Moving vehicle
• Unity to build plane and basic car via primitives, got physics working on basic car.
• Script for user input to activate car
• Nice looking track car / audio
• Blender to build road & archway models
• Gimp for road texture
• Build scripts for archway for if it was enable to activate the particle system and enable its ability to send 'next' to the track tracker
• Used Audacity to record myself making an engine sound then clipped it down into a short loop (couldn't get ride of the clicking sound - seemed to be an artifact of the recording start/stop)
• UI / Track progress
• Car script controls the power to the wheels, angling of the wheels, wheel rotation, engine sound based on player input, feedback from the wheel colliders, and rididbody speed/direction.
• Track tracker sends a lap complete message to the timing script at the completion of each lap & sends messages to enable arches
• Timing script also handled the menus, it does the count down, tracks the lap count and total time, sends message to car to start/stop it

What would I do if I was to work further on this?

• More levels
• Level Select Screen
• Scenery
• Music
• Leaderboard
• Better Audio
• Input Remaping
• Options Menu