Project 3 - Temple Divers
Group 9 - 12/7/22
Temple divers is a puzzle-based game set in a world where ancient temples with amazing treasures are being discovered. Every playthrough is a series of challenges where you and your opponent as temple divers, try to conquer the temple before other temple diver can.
(Reference Image)
This game appeals to ages 13+ with the interest of exploring temples while clearing its traps and puzzles. Elaborating on the 13+ and player types, we created simple but brain scratching puzzles that you would see your parents play.
We didn't want the puzzles to come off too easy too difficult so we made "easy" and "hard" variations of each puzzles along with a time limit. During the play testing phase, we noticed that players had lots of time left and weren't suffering the punishments. We made the decision to remove "hourglass cards", since for example having a provided time like 5 minutes on an easy maze didn't make sense.
My inspiration for puzzles in this game came from small puzzles in "Highlight Magazines" I would get when I was a child which had spot the difference, word scrambles, and stories. Along with referencing and keeping in mind simple yet fun mini games from the game series "Mario Party".
(Reference Image)
Going forward, I want to keep the mindset of short and simple and to be more collaborative with my partner rather than trying to make an original idea in my head that would be too complex for what we are doing now.
Project 3 - Temple Divers
Group 9 - 11/14/22
Temple Divers is a multi-puzzle co-op based game set in a world where ancient temples with treasures to be discovered. Every playthrough is a series of challenges where you and your partner play as temple divers that try to conquer every temple.
Starting off this project, I brainstormed types of puzzles that could be replayed like mazes and word searches. A few games that were scrapped because of complexion like the organizing potion idea I had. I wanted things like a custom alphabet and hidden clues in each puzzle, but wasn't realistic in the given time.
Project 2 - Midnight Munchies
Group 3 - 10/24/22
Midnight Munchies is a baking stealth boardgame where you play as a hungry college student sneaking into the kitchen. Avoid staff and seek out ingredients to make your ideal midnight snack, cinnamon rolls!
This game is catered towards college students that enjoy stealth based baking games. The gameboard revolves around the character, abilities, and movements. This would appeal to players like collectors, strategists, and even jokers. The "midnight munchies" appeals to broke college students craving something sweet in the middle of the night.
A Problem that showed up during our prototype phase were ideas. We had many ideas for this game like difficulties, custom staff placements, and special abilities but in the time given, it was just not possible so it was scrapped. Something I learned from this is that it's fine to scrap ideas because the goal is to make a playable game rather than have too much which becomes overwhelming
Feedback from game observations made me notice that rules are important, but too many words makes the new player uninterested. Throughout the playtests, constant word changes and shortening of explanations were made and more straight to the point with a few examples.
(custom player/character coin)
Small issues that occurred were unfinished tasks like having finalized physical items for example the print out custom coins that act as the character and staff. This didn't have any big effects on the developmental process since we just substituted the coins with real coins like pennies and dimes.
(custom staff coins)
Regarding solutions towards tasks and management, I took charge on simplifying tasks for each week. We broke up the project, like one week we worked on getting the gameboard setup and how we wanted mechanics to work that affect the board, or polishing the rule sheet.
Going forward, changes I would make about my developmental process would be keeping the idea of "simplification" in mind. This would act on things like rules, making it simpler straight to the point, or ideas that are too elaborate and making them ideal in the time given.
Project 2 - Midnight Munchies
Group 3 - 10/16/22
Midnight Munchies is a baking, stealth based boardgame where you play as a hungry college student sneaking into the kitchen at night. Sneak around to gather ingredients while avoiding staff to make your ideal midnight snack, cinnamon rolls!
During this week, I playtested 4 games in our classes form post, including: group 4 "Toad Race", group 5 "Tempo Takeout", group 9 "Guess That Artist", and group 14 "Food Tactics". I personally enjoyed "Guess That Artist" since it was a simple and enjoyable game for me as someone who listens to a lot of 2010 pop and 80's rock.
1. Elaborating on the game "Guess That Artist", I'll be identifying it's Formal Elements starting with player appeal. This game was pretty easy to understand but based on the genre, it would appeal to college students who enjoy music and the idea of survival with given 5 lives/attempts.
2. Moving onto its objectives, the game wants you to beat the other player by guessing the song artist without losing all your lives/guessing wrong. It has a high stake possibility of using all your guesses in a row to win, but one mess-up could lose all your lives.
3. Next are the procedures, you choose one of the offered playlists and spin the spinner to randomize the song you must guess. You are given 5 lives where you could do "concours" to continue your turn but at the cost of your lives.
4. The rules are pretty simple, being that you play with 2 people and while guessing a song you have 25 seconds and 5 lives. You take turns until one of the players lose all their lives, along with a fun punishment system of having to sing a humiliation song.
5. Resources for the game were kept nice and simple and can all be found online like the custom spinner or you could print out the customized artist squares or keep them as they are in a sheet. Time was another resource being you have only 25 seconds to guess the artist.
6 + 7. Conflicts that could occur would be that maybe a player doesn't know any song artists on their given playlist. Boundaries of Guess The Artist would be the limitation of playlists like only having 2010 pop and 80s rock.
8. Lastly, the outcome of Guess The Artist would be either winning by encoring 5 times in a row or having the other player lose all their lives. Then losing by running out of time, lives, or guesses.
Postmortem - Modded Solitaire
Group 2 - 9/21/22
Cool Solitaire is a modified version of Solitaire in which the player gains points and spends them on multiple abilities. Saving and spending points adds an extra challenge to this classic game! Our target audience are those who enjoy playing Solitaire with a few extra alterations.
After reaching the finalization process for our modded solitaire, we had some time to think about our game and receive multiple feedbacks and ran into a few problems, one being alterations. After having a few weeks to think about and hear feedback, we wanted to add a bit more to our point shop, so we added a "Reveal" ability to pick any facedown card and flip to either use in play or add into the waste pile. We also specified that the "Recycle" ability should be shuffled rather than just turning the deck over.
Another problem we felt already existed was the lack of images to our rule sheet since it felt very bland and wordy. The use of more images like labeling would help or pictures of us actually playing the game, along with some overall touchups to the already existing images. Feedback also told us that the font for our rule sheet was hard to read which was understandable because since its wordy, the words felt mashed together and was distracting.
(From Final --> ---> Midway ---> beginning)
Overall task completion went well along with communication. Communication was key since we had to work outside of class and find times where we both free. I felt we both did an equal amount of contribution to this project and are proud of the outcome of our Solitaire game.
Text Before --> After
Going forward in future projects, I would continue making sure each of us are heard and can collaborate on the ideas. Something I would like to change about our development process and management going forward would be to get it done earlier rather than leaving it for the weekend.
Project 1 - Modded Solitaire
Group 2 - 9/4/22
Problems that occurred during the brainstorming process were changing aspects and keeping it simple without creating a new overcomplicated game. We decided to shave off a row and add more cards on each to make the player go through the side deck and use points from the foundation. I think adding a top row that's shown would put a simple twist causing a bit more decision making on wanting to use points.
Another problem were explanations and overthinking. While explaining, I kept stopping because I struggled on how to word it, so I tried to playthrough it while talking it through. This left room for my group member to understand but also in her own way, interpret and give feedback. As we came towards a conclusion on how we wanted the game to work, we forgot about the basics which should be kept in mind during the process.
