Final Reflection

I’m pleased to say that I’ve been a part of several interesting projects this trimester. In GAD171, I worked on a heist-themed card game called ‘The Lucky Diamond’. My group created this in response to a prompt we were assigned, and I’m satisfied at how it turned out. We didn’t quite get to achieve all of our desirables with this project as we ran out of time, but we managed to develop a working game. I kept track of all of the data we collected during play-testing in the form of a spreadsheet so that we could adjust the game accordingly. For instance, we removed a few cards from our starting deck that were repeatedly not being played after observing the pattern in the data. 

In GAD170, I created three different games using Unity Engine. The first was a very basic platformer to help us get familiar with programming, and the second was a simple recreation of the classic Snake. The third is the one I enjoyed the most, as it was a free-choice of what to make. I decided on a maze adventure-puzzle where the player must navigate a labyrinth, collecting keys to open doors and avoiding enemies along the way. I used code from the previous assignments as templates to build a functional prototype. 

My favourite project this trimester was the final assignment for GIM110. We designed a multiplayer survival game, using mechanics from both the Survival and MOBA genres. I had the most fun working on this one because we had the freedom to design without worrying about producing it ourselves. I was lucky enough to be part of a wonderful team for this assignment. 

I’ve learned so much this trimester that it would be impossible to summarise everything on this one page. I now know about mechanics, dynamics and aesthetics from our frequent analyses in GAD171, as well as other important concepts such as Skill Atoms and paper prototyping (Week 4; Week 11). I also learned how to use Unity in GAD170, although my programming skills could use more practice. I understand a little more about coding than I did when I began but because we missed out on the basics, I still feel as though I don’t know enough. However, I do feel that I’ve gotten the hang of reflecting on my work and recording changes, thanks to the feedback I received across my units throughout the trimester. Previously, keeping a changelog was a daunting task that required lots of concentration to maintain, but I feel that I’ve become better at remembering to log changes as I go. This includes recording my progress in assignments. The other noteworthy skill I acquired was trusting myself and my abilities during group work. I have (in the past) had a bad habit of becoming extremely anxious and withdrawing, doing only the bare minimum to get the assignment out of the way. The learning environment at SAE has taught me that as long as I am doing my best, everything will be fine. 

Keeping a consistent level of reflection in my weekly Learning Journals was an ongoing struggle this trimester. Part of the problem was that it was completely unfamiliar, and thus I didn’t really understand what was expected of me. Lack of motivation was also a problem. Around Week 9, our GAD170 lecturer, Glenn, provided a better, more specific framework for us to build upon. I found that by using it I was able to write significantly better Learning Journal entries, and so the last three or four weeks of each unit are the best. Additionally, I had some trouble actively analysing my reflections and giving my personal thoughts on each topic. For much of the trimester I was just taking notes of our class discussions, rather than providing any opinions on them. Across all of my assignments, I noticed that we had very minor communication issues. I have made notes on this in my Brief post-mortem reflections, and I believe it comes down mostly to differing opinions and personalities. This isn’t a problem, as such, but I will need to keep it in mind in future. 

Now that I know more about what to expect next trimester, I will be far more prepared. Specifically, I know what a good Learning Journal entry looks like, so I will take better notes to help myself. Also, I’ve learned that writing my reflections in class as I go is easier than trying to do so at home. Another major way that I’ll be able to improve is by managing my workload. I understand what has to be done in order for all of my Learning Outcomes to be met, but this trimester I ended up with a crunch at the end. 

I’ve gotten much better at recording my process as I work on Briefs. GAD170 is the easiest class to do this in, as process evidence can be a screenshot of whatever I’m working on plus a quick description. I will need to find a way to accurately document how I’m tracking in other classes. 

I was very ambitious this trimester with my assignments; several times, I could not get all of my planned deliverables finished within the given timeframe. Conciseness and knowing one’s limits are very important skills to have, and are two things that I have been actively working on throughout. My final assignment for GIM110 is a good example - we were really excited with our idea and gave ourselves too many tasks to complete in the few short weeks we had left. 

Having come from a traditional university setting, giving my personal thoughts on my work is a bit foreign, though I know it’ll get easier as I progress. This trimester has been an incredibly steep learning curve for me and at times I wondered how I was going to pass any of my units. Looking back, while I wasn’t wrong to be worried, I’m really proud of how much I achieved. I’m looking forward to next trimester, now that I’ve settled in a bit better.