Week 3

there are two major styles of workflows:
- waterfall - rigid, follow-on structure where one section must be completed before the next can begin. This is best for documentation.
- agile - the workflow is separated in smaller cycles, which allows more flexibility for iteration.
a Game Design Document (GDD) contains all of the essential information about the game's concept, including outlines for levels, sources of funding, risk assessment etc.
these documents can be printed or digital - it comes down to preference
research should complement the GDD and will significantly strengthen the design. This can be:
- what kind of plants/animals/architecture are present?
- where does light come from?
- how big or small the level needs to be?
- what level-specific mechanics are necessary?
- how does the character move across different terrain?

player agency is "the player's ability to impact the story thorugh the game design or gameplay" (Bycer, 2015).
players generally love to see their influence/impact on the game's story
it's important to consider player motivation during development
- why would they make certain choices?
- how can we encourage the player to continue with the game?
- how do we stop the player from becoming bored and/or demotivated
- what rewards are available?
a mission is when you are sent to perform a service or carry out an activity
a quest is an act or instance of seeking during an adventurous journey
a goal is the end point where effort is directed

Bycer, J. (2015, January 6). Player Agency: How Game Design Affects Narrative. Game Developer. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/player-agency-how-game-design-affects-narrative

This a recommended workflow for this unit.

we spent most of this class working on our level design project
because a couple of people have dropped the unit, we've had to shuffle around group roles and tasks
I'm going to be working on asset production for the Ancient Greek and Nordic levels, as well as the narrative element for the whole game

For next week:

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