Capstone Artifact Two
Paintball Survival
Paintball Survival started as a barebones game with some functionality but lacked a user interface or a goal for the player. I added elements to make it a fun, user-friendly game focusing on UI design and showcasing Game engine mastery. The goal of the game is to elimanate as many of the emeny AI a possible without getting touched.
Tools Used: Unreal Engine, FL Studio.
Highlighted Skills: Game Engine Mastery, Graphic Interface Design, Game Physics, Complex Logic Problem Solutions, and Audio Design.
UI Design and Blueprints
Widget Blueprints
Enemy Blueprint and Spawner
First Person Blueprint
Projectile Blueprint
Paint Splatter Material
Game Mode Blueprint
Game Music
Menu Music
Reflection
The Process:
When I started the project, It had minimal functionality and could barely be called a game. Firstly I had to plan an objective for the player and a way to implement the functionality. So I started jotting ideas on my whiteboard and finally decided to make a survival shooter game. Firstly I created a simple level that the player can use to avoid the enemy AI. Then it was time to create the enemy AI. I wanted to have the spawn randomly and also move at different speeds. I also made them spawn more frequently as time goes on to make the game harder the longer the player is alive. I played around with health values to ensure the game was not too easy or hard for the player. Then I created an easy-to-understand user interface. Lastly, I made music for the menu and gameplay to bring it together.
What I have learned:
I learned the importance of planning and setting goals. Following a set path helped to complete the game in a short amount of time without too much difficulty. I had to learn how to incorporate music into the game and the menu because I have never incorporated music in any of my games, and it has been a rewarding experience. I also learned the importance of testing because it had to find a balance in difficulty so that the game would not be too easy or hard for the player. I would constantly change values and test repeatedly to ensure the game has balance
Challenges:
One challenge that I faced was creating the enemy spawner logic. I was having issues where the enemy would spawn into the level at all. I had to talk myself through the code to devise a solution that finally worked. I have also never worked with music in a game; therefore, I had to learn how to add the music so that it would switch between tracks from the menu to the gameplay. I am glad I took the time to learn it because it helped tie everything together.
Incorporating feedback:
Based on feedback, I made multiple changes to the spawn, health, and damage values to accomplish balance. The game was very unbalanced in the beginning. Therefore feedback and testing played a vital role in achieving balanced and fun gameplay. I also received input when creating the music for the game. I tried a few options, and ultimately the feedback I received helped me decide on the tracks for the game.
Improvements:
I completely changed the entire game from a project that was used to learn blueprints in Unreal Engine to a functioning game. I added a player objective and made a playable level. I added an enemy AI to damage the player. I also added a UI to navigate the game. I created gunshot sound and music in FL studio to add to the game.
