Assessment Task: GameSalad

Here you will find all the information needed to complete the unit on game development game using GameSalad.

This is a live document so keep checking for updates.

Task 1: Tutorials

Follow the GameSalad tutorials to become familiar with the program and to build your skills. Several video tutorials and assets will be made available for you to use and the GameSalad Windows manual will also be available. You can also find tutorial videos on YouTube that may be useful. I would expect these tutorials to be completed for homework.

I have provided tutorials for 4 games:

• Monster Whack.
• Control and Collect
• Missing Number
• Rolling

You must complete a minimum of 3 tutorials. You can chose to complete 2 of these and 1 that you have sourced yourself.

When complete, re-name the folder that contains your game and all the assets and upload to the T:Drive/Year10students/game design

Mark /20

Due Date: 7/3/14

Task 2: Analyse Similar Products:

Play Games! Analysis one GalmeSalad game and one other simple game that has been designed for mobile devices.

Take screen shots of the game and analyse in terms of:

• Aesthetics and Graphics: optimised for mobile device; Text/Instructions/scores, clearly legible; buttons large enough to use on touch screen.
• Usability: Game works well, easy to navigate and play; pause/save options; intuitive; seamless landscape, portrait, and full screen display; leverage and understand the device.
• Performance: Loads fast, no lag, fast start up time etc
• Game play and Marketable: Addictive, unique, can be adopted across multiple audiences

Mark: /10 ( /5 for each game)

Due Date: 14/2/14

Task 3: Design Brief:

Write a 250 word statement of what kind of game you will make...who it is for...why you have chosen this kind of game...describe the basic outline for your game and what you hope to achieve. You should conduct same basic research into simple and yet popular games to justify your choice of game genre, sprites, theme music etc.

Mark: /10

Due Date: 28/2/14

Task 4: Game Design- 'Wireframe' Mock-up

You need to design and plan you game before you start making. Design elements such as screen layout, (menu & game screens), characters & sprites, attributes, backgrounds, scoring, sound effects and music all need to be considered.

Sprites should be sketched roughly by hand and then can be created in MS Paint or an on-line pixel art maker such as pixelartmaker or make pixel art. Photoshop can be used if you have the skills! (save as .png)

Free and opensource (CC) .PNG files or .OGG flies can be downloaded and used as well, but I encourage you to create your own if possible. If you just grab assets from the internet, you will not be able to publish your game due to possible copy-write issues.

You will not receive full marks for the final game if you wholly use only other people's assets.

You should create design sketch for each scene of your game. (single A4 page per scene). Annotate to explain relationships, links, attributes etc.

A simple working game is better than a complicated game that does not work!

You designs need to be check by me before you go ahead.

MORE EXAMPLES

Why Sketch?

Mark: /20

Due Date: 7/3/14

Task 5: Project Planning: Gantt Chart

This is a large project so you will need to create a Gantt Chart in order to keep on track so that you complete the project on time. Game developers working in industry are required to meet tight deadlines and use project management techniques such as this. In fact good project management skills will be very useful for you as you continue you studies and I encourage you to use this technique.

At the bottom of the page there is an Gantt chart example and a template for you to use.

Mark: /10

Due Date: 14/3/14

Task 6: Create your Game!

Make an awesome game!

Along with your game you should include supporting documentation that includes:

• Explanation of the target market
• Description of the game-play and object of the game.
• Any bugs that you have not ironed out at the time of submission
• All original art work, music, sprites that you have design and made yourself.
• Any other relevant information.

You should break your the making of your game up into smaller tasks.

Eg:

• Design Home screen
• Create menu buttons
• design actors 1 & 2
• find background music
• Design ramp
• Draw background on MS Paint

These mini tasks will then be written into a Gantt Chart and times allocated. This is a significant piece of work and should reflect significant time and effort on your part. Use secondary applications such as Photoshop, Gimp and Audacity to generate you assets whenever possible. You should clearly indicate to me that you have created your own assets not only in the design stage of this task but in the supporting documentation as well. A simple, well made game such as Flappy Bird is better than a half completed, more complex design.

When complete, the folder's containing the games will be compressed (.zip) and uploaded to the T:Drive/Year10students/games

Mark: /30

Due Date: 3/4/14

TOTAL MARKS: /100\