Production Project- Session 5

SUMMARY

Role

Sound Designer

Intention (SMART Goal)

By May 10th as the sound designer on team 1, I will define how audio helps game context by following the book “Level Up” by Scott Rogers for our game design session 5 project.

PRE-PRODUCTION – INQUIRY

Leader(s) in the Field / Exemplary Work(s)

Scott Rogers

Scott Rogers has a 16-year and counting career in game design and published the book “Level Up”. He shares his expertise and talent in this book offering helpful tips and techniques.

Training Source(s)

Video notes-

layering and adjusting volume to change the sound

the exciter to a sound is important

pitch-shifting can make the same sound drastically different

Project Timeline

  • Brainstorm game idea
  • Program NPCs
  • Make art assets
  • Make a task
  • NPC talking sound
  • Make another task
  • Make background
  • Make character sprites
  • Program movement
  • Make text boxes
  • Draw protagonist sprite
  • Make walking sounds
  • Make talking sounds

Proposed Budget

PRODUCTION – ACTION

The (FILM, SOUND, or GAME Creation)

Our game

Skills Commentary

Slideshow

In this session, I focused on sound effects for our game. I added mechanically triggered sounds like talking sound effects and animal noises. I also adjusted the audio levels and organized my work by commenting on my code.

POST-PRODUCTION – REFLECTION

21st Century Skills

Ways of Thinking (Creativity, Innovation, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving)

Through this session, I used critical thinking and problem solving to work through many bugs that came up, specifically when I had issues with the talking sound effect. I tried many different ways to combat this problem, I looked up solutions, I asked others who also had this problem, and found a solution on my own.

Ways of Working (Communication & Collaboration)

I collaborated with my team and my role team throughout this entire session. Helping others work through problems and having others work with me through problems. Continually keeping my group updated with where I was and where they were. Sharing resources and ideas throughout these two months.

Tools for Working (Info & Media Literacy)

As a team, we used Construct to make our game. I used Soundtrap to record and make music and sound effects. I used experimentation and help from YouTube and Construct tutorials to create my work.

Ways of Living in the World (Life & Career)

This session has taught me much more about the importance of collaborating with others and sharing ideas. Along with thinking out of the box for problem-solving issues.

Reactions to the Final Version

“The collision on the last level is weird and it is uncomfortable that we have to jump and then move.” – Lizzie

“The graphics are good” – Spencer

“Fun game! I like the use of pixel art to create a semi dark but light hearted game” – Knight/Sorea

“love the mechanics that are displayed here.” – martythemavrick

Self-Evaluation of Final Version

Throughout this session, I achieved my goal of providing an addition to the game and its story through sound effects. I met my SMART goal and gave effort to all my work over these past 2 months.

Grammar and Spelling

Grammarly

Editor

Vicky

Production Project- Session 4

SUMMARY

Role

Sound Design

Intention (SMART Goal)

By March 2nd, as the sound designer on team 1, I will make two mechanically triggered sounds by following videos on game music theory and will have created two sounds that fit into the game for our session 4 project.

PRE-PRODUCTION – INQUIRY

Leader(s) in the Field / Exemplary Work(s)

Toby Fox

Toby Fox’s work on the soundtrack from Undertale is very inspiring to me and stands out from many other game soundtracks. Undertale’s catchy music stays with many people after playing the game and is used all over.

Training Source(s)

Video 2 notes-

Play with how the notes sound

Creating delay effects

Adjust the depth of notes

Change up the waves and octaves

Envelopes to help notes fall off rather than an abrupt stop

Adding reverb adds a lot

layered notes and harmonies

Project Timeline

February 7th to March 2nd [SESSION 4]

Add +5 seconds per level

Animated Fog Effect

Volume Slider In Menus

Moving Rocks

Bumping Sounds

Fixing Wall hit-boxes

Changing Visuals/Sound w/time

3rd Level

4th Level

Bugfixes

Proposed Budget

PRODUCTION – ACTION

The (FILM, SOUND, or GAME Creation)

frostbite

Skills Commentary

Through this session I added the bump sound effect to our game, there was lots of trouble with this task as the sound was bugged every time I put it in the game. It was often glitchy and sounded different from the sound effect I had made originally. I problem solved to come up with the best solution I could possibly make.

POST-PRODUCTION – REFLECTION

21st Century Skills

Ways of Thinking (Creativity, Innovation, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving)

Through session 4 I used critical thinking and problem solving to come up with solutions for difficulties I came across in sound design and with the entire game. With many bugs and glitches, there was lots of compromising and adjusting the team and I had to do.

Ways of Working (Communication & Collaboration)

I worked with my team by communicating with them anytime one of us gets on Construct. We shared information and ideas to keep a consistent theme for the game.

Tools for Working (Info & Media Literacy)

I used soundtrap to make the song and sound effects. As a team, we used Construct to make the game.

Ways of Living in the World (Life & Career)

This project increased my ability to collaborate with the people on my team and problem-solve issues.

Reactions to the Final Version

“I liked how parts of the smart goal were highlighted.” -Michelle Advisory Member.

Self-Evaluation of Final Version

I achieved my goal of making two mechanically triggered sounds and I think they fit well in the game, I got good feedback from my team and peers for the work I had done.

What I Learned and Problems I Solved

Over this month I learned to think out of the box for solutions to difficult problems. Struggling with making the audio sound right or as close to right as possible this session was not easy but by making sounds quieter, trying different versions, and muting other sounds I made improvements to the bump sound effect.

Grammar and Spelling

Grammarly

Editor

Jacen Bratcher

Production Project- Session 3

SUMMARY

Role

Sound Design

Intention (SMART Goal)

By January 28th, as the sound design and theme manager on my game design team, I will make a song by following videos on game music theory and will have created a song that fits the theme of our game for our January project.

PRE-PRODUCTION – INQUIRY

Leader(s) in the Field / Exemplary Work(s)

Toby Fox

Training Source(s)

Project Timeline

Coded movement / buttons

Added sprites for character/rocks

Made level

Made Soundtrack

Made Menu sprite

Made Game Over sprite

Life functions (timer, restart, death sequence, win sequence)

Made Win screen

Added soundtrack

Added sprites for Menu / Game Over / Win screen

Proposed Budget

PRODUCTION – ACTION

The (FILM, SOUND, or GAME Creation)

frostbite

Skills Commentary

For our game, I made the background music that played throughout the game. This song was inspired by the Undertale soundtrack.

POST-PRODUCTION – REFLECTION

21st Century Skills

Ways of Thinking (Creativity, Innovation, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving)

I used creative thinking to make the song on my own and come up with my own theme.

Ways of Working (Communication & Collaboration)

I worked with my team to make sure that the song fits the theme of the game and worked well together. Constant communication and updates throughout the team was needed to get this done.

Tools for Working (Info & Media Literacy)

I used Soundtrap to make the song.

Ways of Living in the World (Life & Career)

This project increased my ability to develop creative work and collaborate with the people around me.

Reactions to the Final Version

“I really enjoyed the sound, it was very calming and fit the rest of the game.”

Self-Evaluation of Final Version

I think the song I made for our game fit the game well, it fit all the requirements I wanted, and got good feedback with the product.

What I Learned and Problems I Solved

What I learned from this session was how to think further out of the box and how to input sound into the game. I problem solved with not only my role but helping other people in sound design and my team. I helped others save sound from Garageband, fix bugs, and make creative ideas. For my role, I problem solved how to input the song I made in the game and how to make it loop.

Grammar and Spelling

Grammarly

Editor

My mother.

Resource notes

notes + timestamps-

2D Game Art Tutorial (Stylized Landscape in 10 Minutes!)

starts background

use layers

add dark contrasts

use contrast to differentiate the background and platform

add borders that fit with the world background

shadows behind objects

with any piece add in one object that catches your vision at first

add texture

3 Tips to Making Simple, Gorgeous Artwork for Your Game

players are looking for striking art direction

art that catches your eye without complex graphics

monochromatic world builds- 1 or 2 colors (they should go together)

utilize negative space

CONSISTANT ART ELEMNENTS (text, characters, world should all match theme)

“What are you good at that you can incorperate into your game?”

Production Project – Session 2

SUMMARY

Role:

Worldbuilder/ background design

Intention (SMART Goal)

Build a path/maze for the character to go on

PRE-PRODUCTION – INQUIRY

Leader(s) in the Field / Exemplary Work(s)

Michel Koch is the world builder/designer for the game Life is Strange. His work is a great example and inspiration.

Training Source(s)

Instructional videos, construct help page, and background/world design ideas

Project Timeline

Start November 8th

Design a simple starting character

Code character movement

Build a world around the character

Code damage with the walls

Design starting screen, pause screen, and ending screen

Create background music

Code the background music into the game

Add small details

Finish final build done by November 29th

Proposed Budget

Time needed- From November 8th to November 29th

Resources needed- computers, Constuct, Trello board, Soundtrap, and Pixilart

PRODUCTION – ACTION

The (FILM, SOUND, or GAME Creation)

https://kennedyleft.itch.io/team-4

Skills Commentary

World design, using pixilart I made the top half of the wall and saved it and imported it into Construct, I coded it so the wall causes damage, was solid and edited the hit boxes. I coded damage by making it so that when the sprite was on collision with the wall it would go to layout 4 which was the game over screen. I repeated this for the bottom half of the layout.

Coding movement, I added an event and clicked system. Then clicked “Is between angles” then added another event and click on keyboard. Then “When key is down” and made the key “w”. Then I added action “Simulate control” and made it go up when “w” is pressed. I repeated this for “a” “s” and “d” making them go lefet right and down.

POST-PRODUCTION – REFLECTION

21st Century Skills

Ways of Thinking (Creativity, Innovation, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving)

I used problem-solving to fix bugs like the characters’ movement and the character not taking damage. I used creativity to make the second world background and the starting screen.

Ways of Working (Communication & Collaboration)

I kept my team updated every time I went into Construct and helped run our stand-up meetings daily. I didn’t just help my team but offered to help other teams to problem solve.

Tools for Working (Info & Media Literacy)

I got used online tools for design inspiration and used help pages when I couldn’t come up with a solution to fix bugs on my own.

Ways of Living in the World (Life & Career)

I can use all these skills to help guide teams in the future, I can use my communication skills in everyday life with the people around me.

Reactions to the Final Version

Some critique we received for our final version was the theme and how the background of the first level and the music didn’t go together from Larry.

Self-Evaluation of Final Version

The final version reaches some of the Heath Brothers SUCCES model. For example, it meets simple, unexpected, concrete. The game isn’t too compliucated to get confused, it has an unexpected jumpscare, it works well and is consistent.

What I Learned and Problems I Solved

What I learned throughout this project is how to problem solve. I grew by dealing with bugs and communicating with the rest of the team. This will influence my work in the future by expanding my skills of problem-solving, teamwork, and communication.

Grammar and Spelling

I used Grammarly to help me with my grammar and spelling.

Editor

Chance