Game Art & Design

Introduction Reflection

I hope to get a better understanding on how games are made from this class. With that knowledge learned in this class I would like to use it to create my own game. I want to do that because I think it would be fun to do, and be a valuable skill to have if I want to pursue a job in the future in the field. I think using a software like unreal engine would be valuable to me in the future because it is recognized by many game development companies, so it will be a more worthwhile to me than another software that isn't well known. It will also allow people to understand what I have done because what I use to do it on is well known. I think that it is important to have a code of conduct when working in game development because there are so many people working together for a common goal. That goal will be completed unless you have a common ground that everyone is treated on, and have the same opportunities. Code of conducts allow people to work better together because they are treated fairly.

Gameplan: What Remains Reflection

This game felt to me mainly like a text based game. This was because there were no visuals besides text, so you have to read a lot and it requires some way to input words like a keyboard. It also reminded me of the genre of choose your own adventure because you choose what path you want to go on in order to dodge certain obstacles and avoid death. The game this game reminded me of the most was the Oregon Trail Game. These two games have some very close similarities with play style. They both are text based adventures where you choose what you want to do and hope for the best outcome. In the Oregon trail game you choose what path you want to do, and use things you find along your way to help with the journey. This is very similar to the What Remains game because I found things on the beach giving me information on what I wanted to do. 

Life Cycle Reflection

How might the character you’ve created change the way you imagine playing What Remains when you start building in Unit 4?

The character that I chose might change the way I imagine playing what remains when I start building in Unit 4 by creating new decisions based on my characters ability and personality. My character is very strong and big, so I might try to go on a different path that involves strength rather than wits. My character can also control animals, so that might affect how he prepares for his journey and gathers help. His fear of drowning might change my characters decisions to go a certain way on his journey. The What Remains game is all about choosing where you want to go and with the character I chose his strengths and weaknesses might change what decisions are made.

Copyright Reflection

Why is it important for game developers like you to respect copyright and licensing rules when creating games?

It is important for game developers like me to respect copyright licensing rules when creating games because you may not have the rights to do certain things with an asset. You can't sell an asset if the license doesn't allow it because it doesn't give the creator any credit or monetization for it. You are just stealing their creation for your benefit, and that doesn't follow copyright and licensing issues. This is just untrustworthy but it is also unlawful, if you don't follow the rules they can sue you. In conclusion if you don't follow copyright and licensing rules then you illegally use certain assets you are being unjust and problems will occur.  

Unreal Navigation Portfolio

What similarities and differences do you see between Autodesk 3ds Max and Unreal Engine?

There were a lot of similarities and differences in 3ds Max and Unreal Engine including how the tools work, how it looks, and what you are able to do. In 3ds max you were able to change the view you were looking at something with alt and then left click and drag the camera where you want it to face. This is the same as in Unreal Engine; the user interface also have very similar designs with what the different icons or shortcuts are, like the move, rotate, and scale tool. Some differences between the two are that in Unreal Engine you can move around as you need to get to different places in the world it also doesn't have as many options to create and edit different objects. In conclusion there are many similarities and differences between these two software's because of tools, icons, and purpose.

How well do you feel learning 3D modeling last year prepared you for working in the Unreal Engine?

Learning 3d modeling last year prepared us for working with Unreal Engine pretty well. To this point adding simple objects is not complicated to move around and block out a shape because of our prior experience. There was a lot of things that we did learn last year that do not apply to what we are going to do directly, you might use some of the skills to add to the scene, but not create it. When we inevitably end up creating movement and code with blueprints, I think that will be where the 3d modeling experience will end. Doing 3d modeling last year will be good when creating a scene with blocks, but it won't help us when creating the actual gameplay. Our 3d modeling experience last year prepared us when working with Unreal Engine for specific things like map creation, but not many other things.

What did you find most challenging, and how did you work through it?

The thing that I found the most challenging in navigating Unreal Engine was understanding the movement when in the editor. When I get into the editor it was hard for me to go forward, backward, left, and right. I found out that when I press the wasd like you would expect moves me the way my camera is facing, so I would move my mouse where I wanted to go. The problem with that though was I kept going down too much, but the button e actually moved me up, so I would press that a couple times when I go too low. The thing that was most challenging to me was overcome because I kept doing it until it was comfortable to move around the world.

Inclined Planes Reflection

Why might using multiple Inclined Planes be more effective than just one?

Using multiple inclined planes might be more effective than just one because you can use them to direct better. When you put just one inclined plane down then the actor (ball) will only go in the direction that the plane moves it, but no where else. If you use two or more you can use the momentum from the ball and change the direction it goes. It might go down the first inclined plane and go up and around the second inclined plane changing its direction. It also allows you to control the speed that the ball goes, because it might be too fast, and using another inclined plane slows down its momentum making the speed more controllable. Using multiple inclined planes makes it easier to control how fast and in what direction you want the ball to go.

How does turning snapping on or off affect the way you build and test your level?

turning on and off snapping affects the way I build because I can either make more precise movements or more accurate movements. If I turn on the tool it allows me to go to a specific angle of 5 - 10 and so on without having to struggle to move my mouse exactly. It makes it easier for you to move when you don't need a precise angle. Turning off the snapping tool allows me to make more precise movements to angles to set up the object just right. To make an inclined plane chain reaction it is easier to turn off snapping because you can move the angle anywhere to line it up. Using the snapping tool changes depending on how precise or how easy I want to move an object.

What did you learn about problem-solving when your first setup didn’t work as expected?

When my first setup didn't work as expected I learned about problem solving by trying new things. I first put some blocks out, and then I saw where the ball ended up when I ran the program, and with that information I adapted. I moved the blocks I had to different places to see where and then saw where the ball ended up then. It was a lot of trial and error until I got the final result that I needed to get the ball in the bin. My first setup made me realize that you need to look at that attempt and grow and revise from it until you succeed.

Pictures of Inclined Planes

Lever Reflection

Why does the distance from the fulcrum change how much force a weight applies to the lever?

Having more distance from the fulcrum allows more force to be let out of the lever. If the lever is further away from the fulcrum it can gain more speed and momentum. With that momentum it is able to excerpt more energy into the lever which then releases it into the pancake. This will send the pancake a lot further just because gravity increases the force that gets applied to the lever. Moving the weight further from the fulcrum makes the lever put more force into the pancake making it fly further.

How does scaling a weight affect the outcome compared to moving it closer or farther from the fulcrum?

Increasing the weight affects the outcome compared to moving it closer or further from the fulcrum by making applying more force to the lever. When you increase the weight but leave it at the same spot relative to the fulcrum then it will apply more force than a lighter one. The mass of the heavier one gains more energy when going the same distance as a smaller weight. If you move something further, but the weight is lighter than a closer object, the further object might gain more force because it gains more speed. Moving something closer or further can impact the outcome because of gravity, but if you keep it in the same spot weight will matter more.

In what ways can customizing materials be useful for both design and gameplay in a project?

Customizing materials can be useful for design and gameplay in a project because it allows for more customization. When you can change what a material looks like it allows you to integrate a texture into a scene. You don't want a very bright texture in a dark room, so you can customize it to make it fit the mood of the project, making better gameplay. It also allows for more creativity when creating something because you can edit what it looks like. Customizing materials are useful in design and gameplay by allowing for better creativety.

Pictures of Levers

Wedge Reflection

How does changing the shape or sharpness of the Wedge affect the result compared to just moving it?

Changing the sharpness of the wedge affects the result by making the watermelon slice instead of rolling off when you just move it. If you make the shape of the wedge more steep then the watermelon won't just bounce off and roll away, but slice through. The watermelon will go into two pieces because there is one edge to slice with. When you just move the wedge the watermelon hits the edge and then goes to the side that momentum takes it to, rolling away. Moving the wedge changes where the watermelon will roll, and changing the sharpness will make the watermelon slice in half.

What did you learn about controlling chaos when working with multiple watermelons and buckets?

When working with multiple watermelons I learned to control the chaos by putting them in different places. When the watermelons are all at the same height they will meet at the funnel at the same place, and get clogged in the pipe. I found out that to fix this the watermelons need to get to the funnel at different times, so they have to be placed at different heights. When the watermelons do make it through the funnel they hit the wedge and slice in half into two buckets. These buckets contain the slices so they don't go everywhere in the scene. I learned that you need to place watermelons at different heights to get it through the funnel, and buckets to contain them when they slice open.

In what ways can experimenting with physics in UE5 help you think differently about solving problems in real life?

Experimenting with physics in UE5 helps me think differently about solving problems in real life because I can better understand how things work. It allows the ability to easily make modifications to a design for something without having to recreate it all together. You can more effectively and efficiently test how something works when using UE5 because there is nothing to stop you from doing it. Using UE5 helps me think differently about problems in real life because they can be more easily solved with trial and error to get a solution.

Extension Activity

How can you arrange the watermelons so they don’t get stuck in the funnel? Do you need to alter the proportions of the funnel? Where do the buckets need to be placed to catch all the pieces? Do you need more buckets, larger buckets – or both? Take a screenshot of your best attempt and upload it.

I arranged the watermelons all at different heights, so the watermelons arrive at the funnel at different times, and they don't get stuck. To get all ten watermelons I did need to alter the proportions of the funnel because it made it easier for more watermelons to slip through the hole even when it is touching another. To catch all the pieces I put the buckets in the same place as before because the slices should go to either side of the wedge. I made the buckets a little larger to be able to fit all the pieces without the bouncing or falling out, but I only needed two. The watermelons were easy to contain when you go them to fit through the hole because they lost most of the randomness from the bowl.

Pictures of Wedges

Extension Activity Pictures

Wheel and Axle Reflection

Why do wheels reduce friction, and how does this change the movement of objects compared to sliding?

Wheels reduce friction because they can roll down the hill, and this makes it move farther compared to sliding. Wheels don't have as much friction because the wheels are a circle and roll over the ground losing less energy compared to sliding. Sliding an object loses a lot more energy than using wheels because so much more of it is touching the surface it's causing it to slow down. When there is more of the object touching a surface it is going to slow down a lot more because of the friction it has. Wheels reduce more friction compared to objects sliding because their isn't as much resistance when it is going over the ground, so wheels will go further.

How did adjusting the Lazy Susan’s size or rotation rate affect where the ball ended up? What does this teach you about precision in design?

Changing the size or rotation rate affects where the ball ends up because it gets hit differently. If the Lazy Susan spins faster then it will hit the ball sooner and faster sending the ball off of it sooner and harder. If you change the size it will change where the ball will hit and move the ball to a different place. This teaches me about precision in design because if you just change one little parameter it changes where the ball will end up entirely. Adjusting size and rotation rate of the Lazy Susan changes where the ball ends up because of where the ball is hit, and at what speed it is hit at.

Why might adding sound effects improve a Rube Goldberg machine or a game level? Think about both the player’s experience and the designer’s goals.

Adding sound effects improves a Rube Goldberg machine or a game level design because it adds immersion. The player's experience is benefited with these sounds because it gives them feedback when they do something correctly. It makes them feel more rewarded than if nothing happened when they completed the goal. It also makes the designers goals easier to track because of the response when you do something right. Game designer goals and the player experiences are both improved when you add sound effects to a game level design because it helps the player understand what they have done and keep track of things when making a level.

Pictures for Wheels and Axles

Pulleys Reflection

Why is it important to leave a gap between the pulley basket and other objects when setting up a chain reaction?

It is important to leave a gap between the pulley basket and the other objects because the pulley wouldn't work properly if you didn't. The game's physics are calculated that when something touches the basket the action will trigger. If the basket touches the other objects then it will trigger without you actually making it do the action. If you are making a chain reaction then you can't have something go before it's supposed to or it will mess up the order. Leaving a gap is important with the pulley basket and other objects so the game physics will work properly.

How does changing the rotation or position of the pulley affect the outcome of the machine?

Changing the rotation or position of the pulley affects the outcome of the machine because they change where the boot will come up. If you move the pulley system to a place that is in line with a book then it will go up and hit it to knock it off. The position also needs to be moved in order to put the basket in the right place to catch the domino. If you don't rotate the pulley system it wouldn't be in line with the angled shelves that the dominoes sit on and fall off of. The pulley's placement and rotation changes the outcome of the machine because it might not catch or hit a domino when in a certain configuration, but it is in another.

If you were to redesign today’s pulley setup for maximum reliability, what would you change and why?

If I was going to redesign today's pulley system setup for maximum reliability I would make the pulley system shorter. Making the pulley system would allow me to put the boot that hits the target when the pulley is activated straight on and not at an angle. When you have to put the boot at an angle then it isn't going to be as consistent, so making it straight would make it more reliable. You need to shorten the design because the boot is too long for the space and would be stuck in the box if you made it that way. For maximum reliability I would make the pulley shorter in length to allow the boot to be straight and decrease the variable of it being angled.

Pictures for Pulleys

Screws Reflection

Why do you think the screw is considered a simple machine, and how does it change motion compared to the other machines you’ve used?

I think that the screw is considered a simple machine because it is one object that does one motion. The screw only turns one way, to blades appearing to go up or down as it does. There is nothing else to this machine, and it doesn't have have multiple parts to make the motion happen. It changes the motion compared to the others by spinning and working against gravity instead of with it. The lever and the pulley both used gravity to help with the movement, but the screw didn't. The screw is a simple machine because it does one task, and it changes motion by going up.

When extending a Spline ramp, what trade-offs do you notice between making the path smooth versus precise?

When extending a spline ramp you can make it more precise and not as consistent or smooth and move consistent. If you make the spline more precise it will get to the target quicker, but won't work all of the time. If the turns are too sharp then the dominoes won't hit into the next one, and it won't get to the target to begin with. Making it more smooth makes it so the dominoes will always hit one after another, even if it does take a little longer than the more precise route. Making a spline smooth lets you get a better result but slower than a precise route that is faster but a worse result.

How could combining Splines, Screws, and Dominoes allow for more creative chain reactions than using them separately?

Combining all these things allow for more creativity than using them separately because you have more options to do. If you just had the dominoes by themselves then it would get pretty repetitive and boring then making it get hit by something into something else. Using them together also gives more combinations to the order in which you want an action to occur. Let's say you won't have a ball in a bucket you could make the dominoes push it in or the screw drop it in. There are many more options than using splines, screws, and dominoes by themselves when you put them together.

Rube Goldberg Design Reflection

Collaborators

Joseph Crozier and Ellis Cundiff

Brainstorming Ideas

• Screw: Screw Elevator (tube, screw, wall), Push object up incline

• Inclined Plane: Ball rolls down it, make a jump

• Lever: Sorting Plinko thing (something falls onto lever, one side is weighed down, if its heavy it gets sorted to one side), Launch ball into a funnel

• Wheel and Axle: Roll a truck into dominoes, a ball, etc., Make it spin like a ferris wheel

• Pulley: Ball lands in basket and it kicks a block over into something, Pulley is activated and moves an object from previous part of the machine (like a ball that was used earlier getting reused)

• Wedge: Cuttable object falls onto a wedge (one side falls arbitrarily and the other knocks something over or activates a pulley), An object shatters and whatever side the more weight goes on makes the lever move.

• Misc Ideas: Dominoes in a row fall in ascending size and weight and the final one lands on a physics object floor that bounces an object somewhere else

What is the theme of your machine? Which role did you take? How did you make sure both me and my partner understands the design

The theme of our machine is to put a pancake in a toaster. Our goal is to make a chain reaction where eventually a pancake will be shot into a slot of a toaster. For our project I took the role of the developer because I wanted to be able to control where things were going. My partner took the role of the documenter because he wanted to be able to input on ideas, but be able to write what is happening.  With that said he does help me when I need it to do certain tasks. To make sure that me and my partner understand the design of our machine we both talk about what we are doing inputting ideas, and we created a visual of the steps of the machine together. 

Short Description

Our machine starts out with a ball rolling down an inclined plane hitting dominoes that get bigger from one to the next, until it falls off of the rafters. The domino then hits a block vibrating it making a ball fall off onto an inclined plane that leads to a screw elevator. The screw rotes up and the ball goes up with it until it falls out onto another inclined plane hitting a watermelon. That watermelon then falls down into a funnel and on a wedge, getting sliced into different pieces. The heavier of the two lands in a pulley system making a truck rise up and roll out onto a lever, the weight sends it back and down onto another one that does the same. The truck then rolls down an inclined plane into a vase that shatters releasing a ball down an inclined plane hitting a weight off its center of mass. The weight will land on a lever shooting a pancake up and into a toaster. 

Picture of our design

Analyzing Games Reflection

The term that I understand is the sound and music, this is seen in the game to have greater immersion and queues, and examples of this in Rocket League is car sounds, making goals, and getting power ups. 

Write a paragraph that shows what you now understand about this term.

Sound and music is an important elements in what make's a game more enjoyable. The developer needs to have good sounds, so it will give queues to the player with what is happening (Ex. Making a goal), and to increase immersion. The game won't be as much fun if the music is lack luster or not very entertaining, especially for this game where the gameplay is the same every round. If you are driving a car without car sounds then it isn't as much fun and it feels like something is missing, especially with a game centered around driving them. Sound and music is an important part of game development because it adds a lot to what a game feels like to the player and how they receive it.

Analyzing Mechanics Reflection

How can simple mechanics lead to complex gameplay?

Simple mechanics can lead to complex game play because they can be used in different ways. A simple mechanic might seem simple, but when you put it together with other mechanics it changes things. Making complex combinations for the simple mechanics makes the game play more involved. Using the mechanics in ways that allow you to do very specific maneuvers make the mechanics less simple. Complex game play is created from simple mechanics because of the way you use them.

Use examples from Tetris, Rocket League, or LEGO Fortnite to support your answer.

Tetris, Rocket League, and LEGO Fortnite all examples of how simple mechanics can be used in complex ways. Tetris has a quick snap, so the pieces go down immediately, and that is used to make the game play more precise and complex. Rocket League has the simple mechanic of driving a vehicle and boosting into a ball, but with those mechanics you can control the ball in the air and make crazy shots. LEGO Fortnite isn't very complicated, with simple resource gathering abilities, but you can use that to strategically build a base to avoid enemies and thrive the most.  Simple mechanics are used to make games like LEGO Fortnite, Tetris, and Rocket League more complex.

Why is it useful to understand game mechanics when analyzing or reviewing a game?

It is useful to understand game mechanics when analyzing or reviewing a game because you will be more educated. You will understand how things work in the game, so you aren't just giving critiques with a blind eye. Knowing what you are talking about will also allow you to sound more knowledgeable and more people will listen to you. You can't just give your opinion on a game without knowing why you are saying the things you are saying. Being educated on game mechanics when analyzing or reviewing a game is important to show you know what you are talking about.

Think about how this knowledge helps you explain what works — and why.

Knowledge of game mechanics helps me explain what works because I know the limits of the actions. If I can't jump in a game, then you wouldn't expect to be able to scale a wall. Knowing what the mechanics do in the game will help you gain knowledge on what you might be able to do. This is because you will find the limits of what your character can do, which you couldn't figure out if you weren't learning what the mechanics were. Knowledge helps you explain what works in a game because you will be more educated on what you can do.

Game Mood Reflection

Why is mood and atmosphere important in games?

Mood and atmosphere is important in game because they make the player feel a certain way. If you can make a player feel a certain way than that is your player base. If you can't make a player feel a certain way then you won't have a player base and no one will play your game. It is also important because it makes the player want to come back to the game no matter if it is because they want to know what will happen next because of uncertainty, entertainment, etc. A game should make a player feel a certain way, so mood and atmosphere are important in games, so they can do that.

How is it different from game mechanics?

Mood is different from game mechanics because it isn't something the character does. A game mechanic is something that the player performs because of what the developer allows them to do. A game mood is something the developer wants the player to feel not because they do a specific action. This can be because of sound when you go to a different place, visuals to make a conflict more intense, and pacing to make a scene have more of an impact. Game mechanics and mood are different because of the players ability in the game.

Write a paragraph that shows what you now understand about this term. Include examples of how the term is used in a game of your choosing.

Game mood is the way a game wants to make the player feel at a particular moment. This can be seen in the game Zelda Breath of the Wild, as sound, visuals, and pacing affect the way the player feels when doing an action. The sound will quicken and become more intense when you encounter an enemy in the game. The visuals become darker in places that are have more dangerous to signify that it is not as safe. The pacing is affected by what the player wants to do, if they play quicker the game will be more chaotic and if you don't it will be more peaceful. The game wants to make a player feel a certain way and that is done with the game mood.

Analyzing Fairness Reflection

Choose one of the four terms we started the FAIRNESS lesson with, and write a paragraph that shows what you now understand about it. Use your own words, and include an example from the lesson if you can.

• Symmetry & Balance

• Risk vs. Reward

• Player Behavior & Cheating

• Unintended Imbalance

Symmetry and balance are an important part in how a game maintains its fairness. Balance in a game is important so no one person has a big advantage to winning the game. An example of this from the lesson was putting a powerful item the same distance from all the players, so everyone has a fair chance for it. This allows every player who wants to get the item the chance to get it, and creates symmetry in the game. Fairness in a game is controlled by a lot of things, but one of the most important is making sure the game is balanced and has symmetry between the players.

Write a paragraph that shows what you now understand about this term. Include examples of how the term is used in a game of your choosing.

Fairness in a game is an important part of why people want or don't want to play a game. In Fortnite all the players can land at a certain spot for a specific item, and hope they come out on top. Other players can go somewhere else, but aren't able to get the item right away. This is fair because anyone who wants the item is able to get it. If one player was given the item at the beginning it would make them more powerful and win the game easier. If the game doesn't have systems in place that make the game balanced with no one person with an edge it will decrease the player base. You need to make the game fair, so more people will want to play because they do have a chance to win.

Unit Introduction Reflection

How can you navigate and explore the first level using the mouse and keyboard, and what does this allow you to observe about the available assets?

You can navigate the first level using the mouse and keyboard by holding down the right click and then moving using W, A S, and D. W goes forward, A goes left, S goes back, and D goes to the right. This allows you to observe that there are a lot of assets all spaced around so you could see them. There were different angles of roofs, kinds of wall, different buttons, and character animations. These will all be helpful in making a game more efficiently, so I don't have to make textures and basic effects from scratch.

What is the difference between a Static Mesh and a Blueprint in the Content Drawer? Provide an example of how each is used in the project.

Static meshes are objects that don't have any way to interact with them. This is besides having some collision, so you can walk on them, like the floating islands. A blueprint is an asset that allows you to interact with it. This means that you could open a door if it is a blueprint. There is a key you it can be both a static mesh and a blue print; if it is a static mesh it doesn't have any logic, and you can't interact with it, but if it is a blueprint you can interact with it to collect and unlock doors.

Describe at least three interactive elements demonstrated in the level when you playtested Level 1. How do these elements contribute to gameplay?

You were able to interact with many things in this level, including a lever, buttons, blocks, and platforms. Levers and buttons make the player activate something by standing on or flipping the switch. When activated a door might open, a platform might start moving, etc. You can also interact with blocks in the world because they have physics, so you can kick them around, but other than that nothing happens. Lastly platforms are able to be interacted with because they allow you to not fall through the floor because of collision.

How do you navigate to and open the correct map for building your game, and what is the name of the level you will be editing?

To get to the correct map you need to be in the content drawer. When you get to the content drawer you need to navigate to Hour of Code folder then to the Maps folder inside. When you click on the maps folder it will come up with multiple maps, and you want to click on is the Level HOC World. You double click this option and it will open up the level for you to edit and play around in.

What problem does the player encounter when pressing play in the default level, and what will students need to add in the next lesson to solve it?

When pressing play in the default level the player isn't allowed to stand on a platform. The player will need to add collision to this object, so the player won't fall through it when they are on top of it. Collision allows the player to be able to stand on an object, or not be able to walk through walls, go through ceilings, etc. 

Collision Detecting Reflection

Why do we need collision objects? Why can't the computer just use the static meshes to handle collisions?

We need collision objects, so the character that you are playing as doesn't go through them. If you have a wall you don't want the player to be able to walk through it. That is why there is wall, so you are stuck in the bounds of a certain area. The computer can't just use static meshes to handle collisions because that would be a lot for the game to handle. If you made every single thing that you didn't even interact with the computer would have to calculate where you are compared to that. This would take more time leading to the game lagging more.

What was the hardest part to understand about collision detection?

The hardest part to understand collision was figuring out what the random types were. The video was helpful in doing that though by activating each one and showing what one is which. It was pointed out that each of the X, Y, and Z represent an axis that would have more collision because of it. 

Picture of collision

Power Ups Reflection

Can you think of any other power ups that you would like to add to your game?

Some power ups that might be fun to add to this game would be a speed boost and a double jump. Adding a super speed power up would give fun challenges to be able to clear certain gaps without jumping by going off a ramp. That would break apart the constant jumping to see if you have the right path to get across. A double jump would make going up a high place more complex than just jumping really high once. This would add more of a challenge to the game making it more fun. There are many power ups that could be added to my game, but I think that a speed boost and double jump would be the most fun.

Video of Collecting the Power ups

Building Islands Reflection

What do you think is important to create player immersion when designing a part of a level using static islands?

It is important to make the world not feel so empty when using static islands to create player immersion. You can't just add one big island that you walk across to get to the next section with nothing on it. This doesn't give the player any challenge to get across and the world has nothing on it. This creates a boring level that will make the player leave and not want to come back. To make it more immersive add more islands, so the world is broken apart making it more appealing to look at. But, the most important part of adding more immersion to the game when you design it is adding scenery. This includes rocks, so the world isn't all flat and green. When adding immersion while designing a level it is important to make world broken up more by things.

What was most challenging with creating the animations for the moving islands?

The most challenging part with creating animations for the moving islands is to make the objects line up at the right points for the right amount of time. In order to do that I needed to move the object the tick counter to the right spot then click the key point button. If I didn't do these right at the same time then the object wouldn't move for the right amount of time. Once I figured it out the whole process went a lot smoother and the objects moved to the right place in the right amount of time. Moving islands was made challenging because so many things needed to be moved to the right place to work right.

If you had more time to work on the animations, what would you do to improve and make them more interesting?

If I had more time to work on the animations I would make the islands have a more complex path. With just this short amount of time the islands are only going back and forth with no other stuff happening. I would make the path go around something, so it wasn't just a straight line. I also may add some rotation, so the islands line up better with where ever it is docking to. This would make the animation of the path look more professional and more appealing to look at. The animation of the islands could be made more interesting if I added different routes and rotation to them if I had more time.

Adding Islands Pictures

Pro Reviews Reflection

What surprised you most when comparing two professional reviews of the same game?

What surprised me the most about comparing two professional reviews was how much they agreed, but how different their tones were. Both the reviewers IGN and GameSpot were both described the game as very similar to its original Spider Man. They said that the game was a little rushed, and you couldn't really slow down to really enjoy it. With all these commonalities they did say these things in different ways. GameSpot was a little more personal, and described the game from their personal experience, while IGN was talking more broad, and not just talking about their personal experience. Comparing two professional reviews surprised me because of how similar they were with content, while being so different in language.

How can reviewing two different opinions help you become a better game reviewer or designer yourself?

Reviewing two different opinions helps you become a better game reviewer or designer myself because you can get multiple perspectives. It is important to be able to know how many people review a game, so you know what you would like to read, and imitate it. If you only look at one review you might take inspiration from a person that you don't like as much. It also gives more information on how people receive a game, so you can take that into account when making a similar game. Multiple experiences and feedback are given when you read two different opinions, so you aren't as blinded by one thing.

Coins Reflection

Why do you think players can find it satisfying to collect things like coins?

I think that players can find it satisfying to collect things like coins because it adds more to the game. The game isn't as simple when you go around trying to find everything there is to offer in the game. It also encourages more exploration which game developers would want you to do. It also strikes at the completionist people because they want to do everything. These people don't want to leave any on the ground, and have a sense of accomplishment when they collect everything. Getting all coins or another item grants the player the satisfaction of entirely beating the game because there is nothing left to do. Adding coins to games can make it more satisfying because it's something to do and complete.

How could we improve the level to make it even more satisfying to collect coins?

We could improve the level and make it more satisfying to collect coins by adding a counter or a special coin. A counter would show the player how many more coins they need to collect in order to get them all. This would give the player a goal and more incentive to collect them all making it more satisfying when you actually do this. You could also add a special coin that is worth more, so it would feel more rewarding when you find one in a harder place. It would feel satisfying because you would go out of your way to find one and you would feel rewarded when you find one. Adding special coins or a counter would be a good way to improve the level and make it more satisfying to collect coins.

Pictures of Coins in the Level

Key Reflection

Why do we store the information about having the key in the Game Mode instead of in the door or the player?

We store information in the Game Mode so that any key can open any door and that when you die the key isn't deleted. If we put the key into the door it would not work for any door, and only that door. Because we put the code into the Game Mode it is able to run throughout the whole world, and will work on any door. If we put it in the character code then when the player dies it might delete which would cause problems. Putting it in the Game Mode makes it not be able to delete when you die, and it will stay in your inventory until you use it on a door. The information isn't stored in the door or player because that would result in problems like the key deleting or the key not working always.

What was the hardest part to understand when building the key and connecting it to the door?

The hardest part to understand when building and connecting it to the door was that I didn't connect certain things in the blueprints. Since I didn't connect those the things the key wouldn't correctly pick up, so I couldn't use it in the door. I need that key to be able to get through the door and complete the game, so I had to fix this. In order to figure out my problem I went through and watched the video again and saw the simple mistake. Attention to detail is very important when coding because one wrong thing sets off a problem for the whole game, and it won't work properly. Connecting things in the blueprints was challenging because everything had to be so precise.

Pickup Indicator Reflection

Why is it better practice to keep the logic for updating the timer inside the HUD instead of directly in the Game Mode?

It is best to keep the logic for the timer inside the HUD because it goes on your screen. Everything that appears on the screen or user interface (UI) is created in the HUD. You wouldn't want to put the timer in a different place then everything that is on the screen because it isn't as organized. When creating a game you need to be able to find where something is in case you want to change it or fix it because it broke. The logic for the timer should be in the HUD so it is better organized.

What challenges did you face when creating a new event from scratch in the HUD, and how did you solve them?

A challenge that I faced when putting  there was a lot to change. You needed to pay attention to the video closely to figure out what was needed to be done. If you didn't focus very hard then you wouldn't have a functioning UI for the character which is important for them. It is important that it works because it gives the player information that they need to understand what is going on in the game around them. I solved this challenge by rewinding in the video if I didn't catch something all the way, as to not miss anything. Paying attention was a challenge that I faced making a new event from scratch because it was so precise.

End Goal Reflection

What did you learn about how data is passed between blueprints and widgets?

I learned that data is passed between blueprint and widgets through their connections. You can put out two widgets out in the blueprints editor, but they won't do anything together if they aren't connected. The blueprint system acts as a more visual way to see code, and it acts as kind of like a story. If you want something to know if you have a key if the widgets aren't connected they don't know how to communicate with each other. The data passed between blueprints and widgets only works if they are connected so the know that they are related to each other, and should communicate.

Why is it helpful to organize blueprint code using nodes like “Sequence” and reroute pins?

It is helpful to organize blueprint code using nodes like "Sequence" and reroute pins because they show what is happening more clearly. It is easier to follow something that is divided into sections and your brain can break it up, than it is one long line of code. It is hard to know when a section of code starts and ends, so the sequencer allows you to make it more visually appealing to understand. The reroute pins allow you to easily follow where the connections are, and so you can follow the code like a story. Something will happen then another thing and so on, until the end of the code. Tools like "Sequence" and reroute pins organize blueprint code to make is easier to follow and understand.

Overview Reflection

How does your hero’s story (their lore) connect to the new world you will build in Unit 5?

My hero's story will connect to the world that I will build in Unit 5 by influencing what I build. I'm going to make the land darker because of the state that the world the character is in. When you finish the level I will make it brighter to signify that the valley has been saved from evil. I might make some of the props tailor to my characters story instead of making them basic. This could look like making a place where there would be a pasture where my character (a shepherd) used to live. The world that I build in Unit 5 is connected to my hero's story because it will affect how I make certain decisions with the scenery.

Do you need to change your hero in any way based on what you now know about the valley? Or should you keep your hero as they are and instead adapt the design of the world to fit them? Explain your reasoning.

I might want to make the hero a little more water friendly because his biggest fear is drowning in a lake. The first level that the character goes through is on a lake. In order for the game to go along with the story better I need to make him more comfortable with that. Other than that the world should be created in a way that goes along with his personality instead of trying to mold something that already exists into something different. I need to change a little about the character, but overall the world just needs to be built around him.

Thinking about your Unit 3 activities on game mechanics, mood, and fairness, which of those ideas will influence your world design the most in Unit 5? Why?

I think that the fairness is going to be the biggest influence for when I create my world in Unit 5. I want to make the player have a fair shot of beating the game while going through the main path of the game. I don't want to block the path with no way to get over it, so the game can't be finished because that would be unfair to the player. Another thing that is unfair is towards the developer is when the player doesn't actually play through the full game and goes over a wall. I will create the world in a way that this shouldn't happen. The biggest influence on my world in Unit 5 is going to be fairness for the developer as well as the player.

Write down 3 keywords that describe the mood of your Level 2 world. Example: mysterious, hopeful, dangerous.

The three keywords to describe my level would be gloomy, dark, and flickering. The world is going to be in some sort of trouble, so to show that it is in this situation the world can't be bright and shining. The world has to be gloomy with long shadows with a dark presence of what is beyond in the world. The light that is there to help you along the world is going to be flickering, so it is a little scarier because it isn't constant, and makes you imagine things in the shadows. The mood of my level described in 3 words is gloomy, dark, and flickering.

Level Setup Reflection

How did experimenting with lighting help you understand the importance of atmosphere in a game world?

Experimenting with lighting helped me understand the importance of atmosphere in a game world because it changed so much. If you change the lighting to make it more bright it will seem happier because sadness is associated with the opposite, darkness. It also made it seem later, or earlier because of the sun's shade and the longness of the shadows. This can make your seen feel more relaxing because it is the end of a day, and you are just seeing a beautiful sight. The importance of atmosphere in a game world is high because it can make the player feel a certain way in the scene adding to the immersion of the game.

Why is real-time global illumination (Lumen) such a game-changer compared to baked lighting?

Lumen is such a game changer because the developer can make changes to the scene depending on how light interacts with it. When developers used baked lighting they made specific textures that looked like light was interacting with it, so if they changed something it wouldn't look right. They would have to remake the texture to go with the change which could take a lot of time. Lumen makes this go quicker because it changes the shadows depending on where you put something in a scene in real time. Time saving is the main reason why Lumen is such a big game changer compared to baked lighting in game development.

What kind of problems could happen if your level didn’t have the correct Game Mode?

If your level didn't have the correct Game Mode you wouldn't have a player to move around as. You need to have the code that allows you to have character movement and walk around places, instead of just controlling the camera. You need to take the right Game Mode, so you don't have to recreate all of that code and it will be quick and easy. It will also assure you that you won't make any changes when trying to make the movement again. Not having the correct Game Mode would be a problem because you wouldn't move around like you did in the first level.

Sculpting Tools Reflection

Which sculpting tool did you find the most useful for shaping your world today, and why?

I found the sculpt tool the most helpful for shaping my world today. This was because without this tool I wouldn't be able to use the other tools. It allows me to make the terrain higher and lower creating valleys and lakes. The other tools just make you not have to be as precise when using this tool, but they aren't essential. You could create a whole scene with only the sculpt mode, it would just take a lot longer than using the other tools to aid you in it. The most helpful tool for creating my world today was the sculpt tool.

What challenges did you face when trying to make your landscape look realistic?

The most challenging part in trying to make my scene realistic was getting the scale correct. I would go in a certain view and create something that had a nice texture, but when I went down there it would be short or too tall. It looked good in that view, but it didn't look good as the player in the scene. I also struggled at making the texture look good and line up. I would make a certain part of a mountain look good, but then it wouldn't line up with some other part of the mountain. The main things that I struggled when creating a realistic scene was scale and blending.

How could you use reference images to improve the realism of your world?

I could use reference images to improve the realism of my world because it would give me something to base my world on. I would try to create something in the world, so if it looks like that then it will in turn look more realistic. It also allows me to give me a good Idea of something that I like the look of, so taking inspiration from that will look better. I'm going to do a better job creating something that I care about then something that bores or doesn't interest me. The realism of my world will improve if I look at a reference image because it gives me inspiration.

Landscape Sculpting Reflection

Which parts of the reference image were easiest to recreate in your landscape?

The easiest parts of the reference images was making the outline of the mountains above. This was easy because it is a basic shape that just wraps around the map. It was also easy to get the height of the map right once you got down closer to the map. This was easy because you could see the mountains from where you would be if you were playing. Making an outline of the mountains was the easiest part of making the map. 

Which areas were the most challenging, and how did you approach them?

The hardest part about making the landscape was that I didn't want to make the mountains to straight and boring. I approached this by making a basic shape that I was happy with. Then I added a roughness to it by changing the brush. The brush was changed to the basic default roughness map because I didn't have any other to choose from. Making the landscape not too straight was the most challenging part of making the map.

If you could improve one part of your terrain, what would you change and why?

If I could improve one part of the terrain I would make it have even more texture. I would change this because it would make the map not appear as boring and flat. This does come with its downsides because I can't make it too rough because it would look bad when playing the game. I would try to make the map feel more detailed without making it look too bad when playing. I would improve the texture of the map if I were to change the terrain.

Paint Landscape Reflection

How did painting with layers change the look of your world?

Painting with layers changed the look of the world because it made it look more realistic. The paint made it look like there was grass and dirt throughout the scene. For nothing really being there it made the area way more immersive and realistic. It made it feel like a real game map once we started painting the map. The map got more realistic when we painted with layers.

What choices did you make when adding grass and gravel, and why?

When adding the grass and the gravel I made the ground have more grass. I had the grass creep into the sides of the mountain because I like it better than the gravel on the mountain going down to the ground. I think that putting the grass up the mountain looks more realistic than rocks that go into the middle of a field. I added gravel to the bottom of the lake because there isn't going to be any grass there besides kelp. I made flat parts have more grass when I started adding gravel and grass.

How did adding water affect the atmosphere of your landscape?

Adding water to the scene affected the atmosphere by making it more immersive. Before we added the water it was just two colors which is better than only one of the grey that it starts with, but still not great. Adding the water gave the landscape a whole new color and feel. It made the area have more to it which creates more of a sense of immersion. Immersion was the biggest effect that adding water to the scene created.

Paths and Checkpoints Reflection

How did you use natural barriers and paths to guide the player through your world?

I used natural barriers and paths to guide the players because there is no where else to go. The mountains contain the character only allowing them to go forward and back. The path goes along this way to make a indication of where the player should go. You don't want to go too far off the path because then you don't no where you will be going because of the foliage that will be placed later. There is nowhere else to go if the natural barriers and paths are there to guide the player.

What choices did you make to make your checkpoints unique?

I made the checkpoints unique by adding different scenery. Some of the checkpoints have different parts; a cart, out houses, and items around the tables. All of the checkpoints follow the same theme of having a table with a tent over it and chairs. The tutorial had a sign to add as scenery, but I decided to add a flag. It added a little bit more color, so I liked it more than a brown sign. They all have a button that acts as the checkpoint where the player has to run over it for it to activate. The checkpoints are unique because of different scenery items added to increase immersion.

How do checkpoints change the way players experience your level?

Checkpoints change the way players experience the level because it allows them to be directed to certain places. They will always have a goal to get to with the checkpoints. The checkpoints give the players more motivation to play the game as well. You won't be sent back all the way if you mess up, so you can practice certain sections where you need more practice. It also allows the player to get more progress faster making it more fun. Being directed and speed are the biggest ways that a checkpoint will influence the experience of my level.

Trees and Plants Reflection

Which foliage settings made the biggest difference in realism for your world?

The foliage settings that made the biggest different for realism in the world were the radius and the density. The density tells the engine how many of the trees that can be put in one area. You need to decrease this in order for the brush to have a more realistic amount of trees place down when you draw. The radius ensures that when it is higher another object won't be placed in that. If you didn't have the radius up the trees could be placed almost within each other which is not found in real life. Radius and density were the biggest factors in having realism in my world.

How did adding vegetation change the atmosphere of your level?

Adding vegetation changed the atmosphere because it felt more immersive. Before the world felt flat and empty, but now there is more to it. The trees give something more to look at across the map instead of just the mountains. The grass was helpful in adding more detail to the ground, so the lower quality texture of grass doesn't look as bad. Both these things make the world feel more real because you could find this in the real world. Immersion was the biggest thing that was affected when adding vegetation to the world.

How can you use forests and fields not just as decoration, but to shape gameplay and exploration?

You can use forests and fields not just as decoration, but as gameplay and exploration because you can direct players to certain places and hide things in it. If you put the forest along a path then the player is more likely to stay on the path and follow it because there is nowhere else to go. It can also increase exploration if you add Easter eggs inside of it. Having things to look for make the player go around to places they might not go originally because they had no need to. Directing players and Easter eggs is how forests and fields can be used to shape gameplay and exploration.

Build a Castle Reflection

What choices did you make to design your castle’s exterior?

I made the castle have four towers and a center. The four towers are on each of the corners of the main building, and go up higher than the middle roof as well. The middle is lower so the towers look more pronounced on each of the sides. The middle is a square, and not a rectangle. Lastly the walls are mostly regular walls, but some of them have circular windows within them.

How did you organize your assets to keep the build manageable?

I organized my assets by grouping similar things together. If there was a wall then I would select all the different parts of it and create a new folder under a larger folder of the castle. This helps my work be more organized because I can easily navigate to certain parts of the castle. If I'm wondering where a stair is then I can go to the stairs section in the castle folder and find it there. Being able to navigate things quickly allow me to keep building more efficiently and make the build more manageable.

What atmosphere do you want players to feel when they reach the castle interior?

When a player enters my castle I want them to feel a sense of grandness. This is because each of the corners have a sort of back and forth stairs that go to a balcony to oversee the room. It also has the end goal on a platform with stairs and a thing over it. The platform creates a sense of importance to that area, and it is as the end goal is on it. Just like a throne room feels grand because it is above and superior this interior does the same. The stairs on either side of it serve no purpose, but to have thingsbe higher than the player increasing the grandness of th scene.

Flickering Lights and Shadows Reflection

Part 1:

• • How did adding lighting change the feeling of your castle?

Adding lighting made the castle feel more mysterious and life-like. The lights gave the scene a more gloomy feel because it did not light up the entire scene completely. 

• • What choices did you make to balance mood and visibility?

To balance the mood and visibility I made the light smaller, but brighter. This made the area around it brighter, so you could see things around it well. But, it did not go as far into the scene making the scene have a better mood. 

• • How can light be used as both decoration and a gameplay tool?

The light can be used as decoration and a gameplay tool because it can fill the scene and light it up. Lighting up the scene is a gameplay tool because it can direct the people in the direction of a certain area. This is functional because the player can use it while playing the game. It can also be used as a decoration because it can be a prop in the world. If you want a mysterious castle the light can be used to make it feel that way.

Part 2:

• • How did flickering light change the feeling of your castle compared to static light?

the flickering lights make the castle feel more realistic compared to the static light. It doesn't make sense that the flame is moving, but the light isn't changing at all. To make the castle have that realistic feeling then it is important to change it to a flickering light.

• • Why do you think it’s important to add variation between different light sources?

It is important to add variation because it shows realism and polish in your game. The player when playing would notice that the lights aren't different from one another ad not be as impressed. To get a player to like it you need to make the game feel polished and complete, and adding that variation does that. It also makes it feel more like the real world.

• • If you wanted to push the atmosphere further, where else could you use dynamic shadows?

If we wanted to push the atmosphere further I might add dynamic shadows to anything that emits a shadow. If the stairs are near a fire, then its shadow is going to be changing as the light level does. This could also be used on the roof and balcony in the room, whose shadows would also be affected in the real world.

Castle Village Reflection

What details did you add to make your village feel lived-in?

To make the space feel lived in I added things like buckets and food. I have a stall with tables that people might come together and sit at. These tables are decorated with a pot with a soup and bowls waiting for it. There are bottles and bread to go along with the soup. I also added buckets; for a well. People need water to survive, so having a well without a bucket would be unlikely. Having the bucket shows that the space is lived in because that is needed to survive in the village. Adding props like buckets and food make the village feel lived in.

How did coins and gems affect the way players might explore your level?

Adding coins and gems affect the way the players might explore my level in different ways. The coins are only placed along the main path, and act as a directional queue to see if you are going the right way. The gems are the opposite, and are placed outside of the traditional route. This encourages the player to explore beyond the base path and have more fun playing the game. Exploring in different ways; adventurous and content are what the gems and coins do to the gameplay. Coins and gems make players explore my levels in multiple ways.

Castle Village Pictures

Creative Expanse Reflection

How does your change connect to this essential question?

• How can creativity and variety make your world unique?

Creativity and variety can make my world unique because not everything is the same. I can add certain things that go beyond the instructions which increases the creativity in the world. If I'm creative, and add something different that wasn't explicitly said, then it makes my world unique. If you add variety it also makes the world unique because it isn't the same as everyone else's. It doesn't have to be large things to be changed in order to change variety to make the world more unique.

How can you balance decoration with gameplay flow, so the player doesn’t get lost?

You can balance decoration with gameplay flow, so that the player doesn't get lost by making a path obvious. If you add one specific path then it can guide the player on the main route that is needed in order to go through the world. The decoration can be placed elsewhere in the world to increase the player's exploration in the game, but have something that they can go back to. If they know where they need to go back to then they are more likely to explore more because they know what they are looking for because of the decoration, allowing more gameplay flow. Balance between decoration and gameplay flow can be done by having a central point, so the players don't get lost.

Video Tour

Challenges Intro Reflection

How well does your current world design support the kinds of challenges shown in the video?

I think that my world design supports the kinds of challenges shown in the video because of the way it was lain out. If I wouldn't have made a hill for the second level, then the challenge wouldn't have worked. The boulders that are supposed to spawn and roll down a hill wouldn't be able to. I also think the theme of darkness that I added to the theme could help support the challenges in the video. I can theme the challenges, so they fit with the vibe, and support the whole unique part of my level. The way the world was lain out and created will help support the kinds of challenges shown in the video.

What changes or adjustments might you need to make to your landscape, layout, or design to prepare for these challenges?

Some challenges or adjustments that I might need to make for my scene would be flattening the landscape and making things visible. For the second challenge where you are trying to dodge boulders as the a rolling down a hill, if the hill is too bumpy it might not work. I might need to change the hill to be flatter, so the boulders more predictably, and the game is more intuitive and fun. Also, since my scene is set in the nighttime I might need to make the area around the challenges lit up more. This will make the world more fun to play in because you know where you are going and what you are doing. Flattening the landscape and making things visible are ways the scene might need to change when making the challenges.

How should the challenges you add in this unit match the mood of your Level 2 world?

The challenges I add will add to the mood of the Level 2 world because they will go along with the theme of the world. The scene is dark, and set during the late hours of the day at nighttime. The world is lit up by street lamps, as to allow the player to navigate through the level. When building the challenges I will use the lights to help keep the mood of a nighttime stroll.

Sweeper Arm Reflection

How did adding ragdoll physics change the feeling of failure in your game?

Adding ragdoll physics changed the feeling of failure in my game to have more of an impact and be more fluid. Before we added the ragdoll physics the player would just respawn immediately, and it was very abrupt. Giving the player time to see how they died, and understanding what they did is important because it will give them something to expand upon. It also makes the death have more of an impact because you can see where you died, and so that you don't go immediately and not really have any thought in what could be done next time to fix what you did wrong. Giving the game more fluidity and an impact are ways that adding ragdoll physics changed the feeling of failure in my game.

What adjustments would you make to the Sweeper Arm to balance difficulty?

To make the sweeper arm balance difficulty I would make it go a manageable speed and not make the kill box unusually large. Making the not go to fast makes the player be able to calculate when they need to jump, so that they can get through the obstacle. If it was going too fast then the player would just have to jump blindly and get lucky if they got across or not. Also making the kill box the right size made the sweeper arm balanced because the player can see what can hit them and account for that when jumping. The speed and normal sized kill box are ways that I would make to make the sweeper arm have a balanced difficulty.

How does this first obstacle set the tone for the rest of the challenges?

The first obstacle sets the tone for the rest of the challenges for having a challenging but doable game with good detail. The detailed obstacles make the player think that the rest of the game will also be detailed. This sets a tone of a well done good quality game. It also sets the tone that the game will be challenging, but not too hard. The obstacles are a bit tricky, but with enough practice it is doable, and the player will take this idea into the next challenges. Having a put together game that's a good challenge sets the tone for the rest of the challenges.

Narrow Path Reflection

How did adding pendulums change the feel of the Sweeper Arm challenge?

Adding pendulums changed the feeling of the sweeper arm challenge because it made it feel more complete. Before adding the pendulums it was just the sweeper arms, and that got repetitive. It was just doing the same thing over and over again with minor differences, and that got boring. Adding the pendulums made the challenge more unique and have more variety. It was more put together because there are more combinations of how the obstacles can be placed. The challenge felt more complete when we added the pendulums.

What adjustments did you make to balance challenge and frustration?

To make challenge have a balanced of difficulty and frustration I changed sweeper arm speed and light level. The sweeper arms were too fast at some parts which just made the game not fun to play because it wasn't consistent even with practice. To combat this I slowed them down to make it more difficult, but still manageable with a few times through. I also changed the light level because my world is set during night time, so it is harder to see. I had to add more lights along the path to make the jumps easier to see, but still challenging to complete. Making the challenges easier to see and changed sweeper arm speed helped balance difficulty and frustration for this challenge.

How does polishing the environment change how players experience the challenge?

Polishing the environment changed how players experienced the challenge because it gave them more to look at and made the gameplay more smooth. The environment being polished made the challenge have just a little more detail, giving the player more to look at. That detail is important to keep the player engaged and impressed with your game making them want to come back and keep playing. It also made the gameplay smoother because it was more polished and put together. If I hadn't done the polishing the challenge might have parts that were too difficult or chaotic. The gameplay was smoother and the player got more to look from polishing the landscape making the player experience the challenge better.    

Boulders Reflection

How does the size and speed of the boulder affect how dangerous it feels?

The size and speed of the boulder make the level feel more dangerous because it is quicker and looms over more. It is more intimidating to be trying to get away from a big ball that could crush you in real life rather than one that you could stop in real life. Making it quicker makes the window to get away from the boulder shorter, increasing the risk for death in the game. This makes it feel more dangerous because it isn't so easy to survive going up the hill. The level gets faster and the boulders are more intimidating changes the level to feel more dangerous.

How did you balance safe zones and danger in your Boulder Hill design?

I balanced safe zones with danger, by spreading them pretty evenly around on either side. This allowed the windows to get to the next section because it can be tight, and change from side to side. Making them spread evenly made the danger balanced because I didn't have to worry about certain parts being way harder than others. If certain parts are too hard then it could turn them away, but if it is too short it may bore them and also turn them away. Spreading the safe zones evenly on either sides was a good way to balance the danger in the challenge.

What changes did you make to your Boulder Hill to improve fairness after playtesting?

After playtesting the challenge I added more safe zones and made the boulders spawn less. I made more safe zones because without them certain parts of the level wouldn't be reachable unless I made it unreasonably easy. I made the boulders spawn less because it made going to safe zones more consistent. This didn't get rid of the challenge of the level because you still need to pick when the gap is big enough. After playtesting I changed the challenge to have more safe zones and have the boulders spawn less.

How does the Boulder Hill hazard feel different from the Sweeper Arm challenge?

The boulder hill hazard felt different from the sweeper arm challenge because you aren't platforming, but trying to avoid something. The sweeper arm challenge had the player jump from one place to the next trying to get to a certain spot. The boulder hazard is a little different because it has the player trying to get away from an area, and not to it. If the boulder is in a certain place then the player needs to get out of its way to proceed. Having the player try to avoid something rather than go to it made the challenge feel different than the sweeper arm challenge.

How did adding destruction effects change the feel of the Boulder Hill challenge?

Adding destruction effects made the boulder hill challenge feel more complete. Before the boulders had effects they would just disappear into thin air and didn't look great. After adding the particles it made the dispawning of the boulders a little more plausible because they were hitting something and then falling apart. This completed the challenge because it was just a little thing that didn't effect gameplay, but just player experience. The challenge felt more complete after adding the destruction effects on the boulder hill challenge.

What choices did you make in your particle system, and why?

In my particle system I added a rock texture as the particles being emitted along with a transparent cloud. The rock texture appeared as small squares that were created when the boulder got destroyed. The transparent cloud was made by another particle effect system that was a white cloud that I moved the transparency down. This made the appearance of dust being created along with little pieces of rock when the boulder despawns or destroys. I divided to make a transparent cloud and a rock texture to the particles created because I wanted the boulder to look like it broke into pieces and dust.

How can visual effects help communicate gameplay information to the player?

The visual effects help communicate gameplay information to the player that the boulder is no longer there. The boulder appears to break apart, so the players can assume and make the connection that it is no longer there. If the visual effects weren't there the player would be more unsure if the boulder is there because nothing happened besides it disappeared. They might be confused and think something is wrong with the game because there are no visual effects. The player understanding if something is still in the world is a way visual effects give valuable gameplay information to the player.

Timed Gate Reflection

How does the timed element make this challenge feel different from Sweeper Arm and Boulder Hill?

It makes it feel different because you have to always be on point and paying attention. The challenge makes you get somewhere in a certain amount of time, so if you stop to reset then you won't be able to make it. The other challenges made before like the sweeper arm or boulder hill allow you to wait for the perfect time for something to happen. They allow you to be more cautious while the timed gate makes it feel like you have to be more reckless. Paying closer attention and being on point are the main ways this challenge felt different than the sweeper arm and boulder hill challenges.

What adjustments would you make to the open duration to balance difficulty?

I would make adjustments to make the gate open longer or shorter and balance difficulty. The gate may need to be opened for a longer period of time because you wouldn't be able to make it in the time frame. This would make the game easier because you have to move it, so it is possible. You can also shorten it, so it is harder to get to the end in the time frame. You just need to find the sweet spot where it is possible to get across, but not making it so easy that it isn't fun or too hard that it is also not fun. Shortening and elongating the gate open length are some adjustments that are needed to make the difficulty of the game fun and challenging.

How can timing-based obstacles increase tension without feeling unfair?

Timing-based obstacles increase tension without feeling unfair because they aren't too challenging, but you need to be more accurate. The actual challenge isn't too hard, so it doesn't feel unfair. Even though the challenge may be simple it doesn't feel too easy because you have to get it in a certain time. This makes you more antsy and have more nerves because more is on the line. Having more on the line also increases tension because it is riskier to go fast, but you may not make it if you go too slow. Making you be more accurate on a simpler obstacle increases tension while not feeling unfair in a timing-based obstacles.

Abandoned Village Reflection

How did you decide which props and obstacles to use in your village course?

I decided on the props and obstacles I did because of how they would fit in the theme of the challenge and my world. The challenge is supposed to be abandoned, so I decided to make the level more overgrown and nothing that would indicate people living there. This means that I didn't want to add food or smoke coming from a house because that would indicate that people had been there recently or a there. I also wanted the props and obstacles to fit the theme of my level, so I chose ones that would be similar to what was in the other areas of the world, and lighting that would go through it. Making the props and obstacles fit the theme of my world and the challenge was an important reason for why I chose what I did for the level.

What changes did you make to balance the gate duration with the path length?

I had to make the gate duration longer because of the path length, so it was more balanced for the player. Before adding the path the timed gate did not even last the time to run straight through the open landscape. I started by making the decoration for the level, and the layout that I wanted. Once I made it more complete and less of a rough draft I timed a clean run from one side to the other, and used that as the delay. Lengthening the gate duration was very important because of this, so the challenge was actually possible, and you could make it by the level to the next one. Making the gate duration longer was an important way that I changed it because of the new path length when adding the obstacles.

How does the “escape before the gate shuts” mechanic create a different kind of tension than previous challenges?

Having the player have to escape before the gate shuts creates a sort of tension because they need to hurry and are rushed. The player can't just go from one place to the next in their own leisurely time because they won't be able to complete it then. The gate will shut before they are able to make it through the levels if they don't hurry and go through the level. This creates tension because they have to do everything perfectly in a specific time frame. The player feels more pressure to complete the level, and the nerves and tension go up while they are playing. The other levels have tension because they are precise, but this one is because of the time.  Having to hurry through the level is how having to escape before the gate shuts creates a different kind of tension than other levels. 

Enemy Tower Reflection

How did ranged attacks change how you tested your level compared to previous challenges?

The ranged attacks change how you tested your level compared to previous challenge because I wasn't right next to it. The other levels you have to go through it, and go to specific parts of the level. This one there is no specific path that you have to follow as long as you get across the line of fire. The player has the ability to move all around an open area as long as they avoid the incoming projectiles. Having to choose your path from the ranged attacks changed how my level was tested.

What adjustments might you make to the tower’s sensing distance or fire rate?

Some adjustments that I would need to make the tower's sensing distance or fire rate would be to make it slower or a smaller range. The range should not be throughout the whole level because you could be doing something and a projectile comes out of nowhere and hits you when you aren't even to that challenge. The fire rate also needs to be slower, so you can predict where it will be and dodge it. Both these adjustments would be needed to make the level feel more balanced as you play through it. Changing the fire rate to be slower and the range to be smaller are adjustments that would need to be added when created the tower.

Why does adding a visible enemy in the tower make the mechanic more immersive?

Adding a visible enemy in the tower makes the mechanic feel more immersive because there is something actually doing this to you. If it wasn't there it would leave the player to wonder why these objects are being thrown at you, and why they are. It gives a story behind what is happening to you and something to look upon to understand it. The explanation of why something is happening is important to immersion because you can have an explanation. Understanding what is happening to you is how adding a visible enemy in the tower makes the level feel more immersive.

Predict Movement Reflection

How does changing ProjectileSpeed affect the predicted aim point and the player’s dodge options?

Changing the Projectile Speed affected the pedicted aim point and the player's dodge options to be more difficult. The projectile speed being up makes it so you don't have to calculate so far, and and it can go more directly to the player. This is because the player can't move as far between the projectile moving and the distance it needs to cross. It also makes the player have to react quicker because there isn't as much time to see where the projectile is going, and change trajectories to dodge it. Difficulty of the player's options increase as changing the Projectile Speed higher and easier if it is slower.

What values would you tweak first (AimOffset, Sensing Interval, Z offset) to make towers feel fair but challenging - and why?

I would tweak the AimOffset to make the towers feel more challenging because the projectiles aren't always the same. Sometimes the objects are more forward and back than the others. This increases variation that is harder for the player to find patterns in, making the challenge harder to get into. You could have one projectile go straight at you, and then the next one be more in front of you, and you have to see this and change directions to account for it. Changing the AimOffset would be what I tweak to make the towers feel more challenging.

If you turned gravity on for projectiles, what parts of today’s prediction approach would need to change?

If I turned on gravity for projectiles the range and speed would need to be changed in the prediction. The speed would have to change to account for it taking longer to get places. It would also have to be fast enough to actually get to the player before it gets to the ground depending on its speed. The range would have to be changed because it can only throw so far at a given speed before it hits the ground. You wouldn't want a super slow projectile that goes really high to get to you, or a really fast one that is impossible to react to. Changing the range and the speed would be important things when accounting for the new variable of gravity.

Tower and Potion Imp Reflection

Which per-tower variable (SightRadius, VisionAngle, TimeBetweenThrows) had the biggest impact on fairness - and why?

All of these variable affected and had an impact on the fairness of the level, but I think that the VisionAngle had the biggest impact. This is because the radius one doesn't change that much because if the imp sees you from very far away it will just hit a wall or object before colliding with you, so it isn't that big of a problem. The TimeBetweenThrows also isn't that big of a deal if you can find shelter and avoid the imp from seeing you. This and the fact that if you were hiding behind something and another one had a wide enough vision to see you it might hit you. You wouldn't want to be caught off guard while you are focusing on something else. The VisionAngle had the biggest impact on the fairness as you go through the level, even though they all affected it in some way.

What advantages did OnComponentHit provide over overlap events for fast projectiles?

The OnComponentHit provided a way to calculate if the object is hitting another object. Before it was trying to calculate if an object hit something at different intervals, but might check if it hit something after the object went through it. The OnComponentHit made it so the projectiles were consistently knowing when it was going through something triggering it to play some particles and destroy itself. It made the game more fair because the player didn't have to worry about an object going through an obstacle when they ran to hide behind it. Advantages of overlap events with fast projectiles was making the computer way more consistent in knowing when an object goes through something making the game more balanced and fun to the player.

How do the explosion VFX change player readability (did I get hit? where did it land?) and how would you iterate on timing/color/scale to improve it further?

The explosion VFX changed the player readability because they allowed the player to see what was happening. The player didn't have to guess if an object despawned or got destroyed because it was obviously indicating that it broke. This is because the VFX plays and shows the player that the bottle broke apart spreading its liquid elsewhere. I would iterate on this explosion VFX to make it better by changing the duration and size of the particles. I would try to make it look more like liquid is coming out of it by decreasing the cloud and increasing the particle size to indicate droplets. I would also make the timing a little longer on the ground because the liquid inside the bottle isn't going to go away immediately. Explosion VFX made the player understand what happened to the bottle when it hits something, and to improve the explosion I would change particle size and time.

Guarded Marketplace Reflection

Where did overlapping sight cones create the right kind of tension and where did it become unfair?

Overlapping sight cones created the right kind of tension when you could see both enemies, but became unfair if you couldn't. It created a fun tension when there are multiple projectiles coming at you when you can see both of them and react to where they are going. You wouldn't be able to know as much information about what a projectile's path is if you can't see where it's coming from. This is why it became unfair if the sight cones connected in the game, but you can't actually see the enemy shooting at you from where you are. This is because it makes it almost impossible to react to the oncoming projectiles because they are coming out of nowhere. Seeing both enemies was important for making the tension fun with overlapping sight cones, but it became unfair if you couldn't.

Which props or blockers most effectively guided players along your intended route, and why?

The most important props and blockers to guide the player through the intended route were the walls, spikes and the painted path. The walls were important because they prevented the player from going one way because they were in the way. This was very similar to the spikes, which were placed for the same purpose; to stop players from going a certain way. Having these blockers made the player go a certain way through the levels even if they didn't want to. The painted path is also important because the player would want to follow it because it is what guided them through the rest of the level. Walls, spikes, and a painted path were important to guide the player through the level.

After playtesting, what single adjustment (angle, radius, tower position, or cover placement) most improved fairness without killing challenge?

After play testing, I would say the cover placement was the most influential on making the game more fair. The enemies were all placed in good positions originally with sight lines that extend through the whole level. So, these aspects of the level didn't need to be adjusted that much, and if they did it wasn't because something was too hard to go through. With those placed towers and their sight ranges it was important to put cover down to avoid the projectiles. When there wasn't enough it made the level way too hard to get through, so adding more of it greatly improved the level's feel. Cover placement was the most important adjustment that I changed to improve fairness without getting rid of the challenge of the level.

Adjusting Feedback Reflection

What changes did you decide to make based on peer feedback, and why?

I decided to make the changes of making the jumps a little more fluid and making a path more clear. The jumps in my sweeper arm challenge was said to be not spaced out in good intervals. This made it harder to clear the jumps because you have to jump either very far to skip an object or very close to get to the next object. Both of these options were not the best, so a deleted some obstacles and placed them at a better distance to jump from one to the other. This hopefully helps the complaints that the jumps are placed on this challenge. I also added a place where you can go one of two paths, but one doesn't work, and the other is less obvious. This was to get the player thinking about what else they could possibly do, but I don't think it was obvious enough. This is why I added a red "x" that bobs up and down and rotates in a circle on the wrong path. This indicates that this isn't the right path and makes them try to find the other. Making paths more clear in my timed village and making jumps better spaced in my sweeper arm challenge were important things that I changed based on my peer feedback.

How did the feedback confirm or challenge your own ideas about your course?

The feedback confirmed my ideas that the game isn't cheesable, that the mood of my scene was good. If somebody found a way to go through the levels without going the intended way they would have written something down, so I could fix it. I tried to block off all the random paths, so having no one say they got around the intended route confirmed this idea. I made my scene during the night, and have streetlamps lined up along the path to light your way. I liked this idea and mood for my level because it was different than other ones that I had seen. The feedback that I got seemed to like it as well, saying that it looked good which confirmed that my scene was good in my world. The landscape was good and the game wasn't cheesable were confirmed by the feedback that I got from my peers.

Looking back, what part of your challenge zone feels most improved after these updates?

I think that the direction and fluidity feels the most improved after these updates because I refined these aspects of the levels. The jumps in the sweeper arm challenge are spread out in a more even way, and are placed good distances away from each other. This allows the player to jump across to other obstacles in an easier fashion, increasing the fluidity of the challenge. I also think the direction in the timed gate section was also improved the most because the player has a better idea of where they are going. There is a big floating red "x" that is in one of the paths to tell the player that it isn't the right way. This directs them better because at first they thought the jumps were just impossible. The things that felt the most improved after these changes are the direction and fluidity of the levels.

Decorate World Reflection

What area did you choose to expand or decorate, and why?

I chose to expand and decorate the areas between the levels because they feel empty compared to the other sections. The levels have a lot of time spent on them to make them feel more immersive as you go through and try to beat them. 

How do your changes affect the way players experience or understand the challenges?

How do you balance decoration with gameplay so the player doesn’t get lost or distracted?

Decorate World Reflection

What area did you choose to expand or decorate, and why?

I chose to decorate the corners of my world because they are a little empty. The challenges were all placed in there places around the map, and I spent time decorating them, as the assignments instructed. This did not include however transitions between the levels, so one moment you are in an immersive village and the next you are walking down a path with nothing to look at. This is why I chose to expand the corners of the map because I wanted to make them like a transition to the next part of the world, drawing you onward. I expanded them by adding hot springs on the side of the path and a little watch tower with an execution site. I wanted the world to feel a little more complete, and I did that by decorating the corners of the world because they were lacking detail.

How do your changes affect the way players experience or understand the challenges?

My changes affect the way players experience or understand my challenges not very much. My changes weren't made to change the challenges, and how you experience the, but more the journey to get to them. I could say that by making the rest of the world it made people experience the challenges in a better light because it was normal to them. They were already seeing a more detailed landscape, so when they got to the challenges it didn't look off. It might have looked a little off if the rest of the world was blank and boring. My changes didn't affect the experience or understanding of the challenges in that big of a way.

How do you balance decoration with gameplay so the player doesn’t get lost or distracted?

You balance decoration with gameplay so that the player doesn't get lost or distracted to not take it too far. You want to make the world feel alive, and not make the player overwhelmed. This is done by adding big objects that act as focal points with a few smaller props to fill in the space, but keeping it simple. If you have a stall only add a couple objects on it to make the player not get lost in what everything is. These things can keep the landscape interesting without sacrificing player interest in the challenges that you make. You can't take the decorating too far, so you can balance decoration with gameplay, so the player doesn't get lost of distracted.

Module 7 Reflection 1

Unit Introduction

• UI, cutscenes, or sound - do you think has the biggest impact on how players feel while playing your game, and why?

I think that the sound is going to have the biggest impact on how the players are going to feel when playing the game. This is because the people will be more immersed in the game with sound to listen to. The sounds also give feedback to the player, teaching them so they know what happened when they did a certain action. As the developer I want the player to feel rewarded and punished when doing something, so collecting coins and getting hit by things should make the player feel a certain way. Without the sounds the game would feel incomplete and that nothing really matter what you do.

Main Menu

• How does adding a background image or visual style change the way players experience your game’s first screen?

Adding a background image or visual style changes the way players experience my game's first screen because it gives them an idea of what the game is going to look like. The front of the screen has a picture of the islands in the first level, so the player can assume when looking at this the first time the level will look something like this. This is because they wouldn't think that the picture was just random and has nothing to do with the game. It also makes it look more appealing and polished, so the player wants to continue on to the game, and not assuming that it is just incomplete and not very good.

Pause Menu

• What part of the pause system was most important for making the menu feel responsive and reliable during gameplay?

The most important part of the pause system for making the menu feel responsive and reliable during gameplay was being able to press a button to open and close the UI. Being able to click a button to open the UI and then click it again to close it is a nice touch. It makes the game more responsive to the player because they don't hve to move their cursor to unpause the game. It makes it smoother and it just shows polish because we could have just let it only be unpaused by clicking the button in the middle.

Overall Question

• What was the most useful takeaway for you from these lessons?

The most useful takeaway for me for these lessons would be that a clean UI is important for the flow of a game. It is important to be able to have the player control what they want to do in a level, and not have to back out of the level to do that. It makes the player be able to choose a level and goes to the next when you finish the one prior. Without the UI the player wouldn't be able to interchange and understand what they need to do. It shows polish and completion for the game because you can navigate the fundamentals of what a player needs to play a game.  

Module 7 Reflection 2

Background Music - When have you noticed background music change in a game, and how did it affect how you felt while playing?

When I played the game I found that the background music changed the game by making it feel more complete.  The game had more too it and it increased immersion because there is more going on. You feel like you are in the world because you can hear what is happening, and not what is happening around you in the real world. It helped the player be more focused on the game because of the added background music. That is why the game was changed by the background music because it felt more complete and put together.

Ambient Sounds - How does random timing and sound variation make ambiance feel more natural?

The random timing and sound variation makes the ambiance feel more natural because it isn't repeating or creating unnatural patterns. In the real world you wouldn't hear birds chirping at the same intervals with every other bird in the area, so by adding variation in the music it sounds more like the real worlds. The variation also made the game more enjoyable because there is more to it that you wouldn't get from one or two sounds. It also makes the music more annoying if there are annoying patterns of weird sounds in your ears. The ambiance created by the random timing and sound variation is important because it doesn't repeat or create random patterns.

Boulder Sound Effects - How did today’s work with sound design change the way you think about how audio influences the player’s experience?

The boulder sound design changed the way I think about how audio influences the player's experience by not only changing the immersion but also the feedback the player gets. The audio of the boulders makes the challenge feel more immersive because they actually sound like a boulder rolling down a hill. The boulders in the real world wouldn't be silent, so adding a sound makes it sound more like this. It does this but also because of the attenuation radius (it gets quieter as you get further away) it gives the player helpful feedback of where the boulder is. They know that the louder the boulder is the closer it is, so might not want to run out then. The players experience was changed by creating more immersion and give feedback because of the boulder sounds.

What was the most useful takeaway for you from these lessons?

The most useful takeaway for me from these lessons is that music and sounds are very important to making a game more realistic and immersive. Music shows that you have polished your game and the world feels more alive. The boulders are given sound the pendulum are as well, and these things just make it feel more realistic because that is what would happen in the real world. The immersive element is also gained because you hear things that are happening in the game, so you feel like you are there and not just in the real world playing a game. Sounds and music are very important for realism and immersion is the biggest takeaway from the lessons in this section of the module.

Module 7 Reflection 3

How did planning separate sequences for each area change the way you think about pacing in a cutscene?

It changed the way I think about pacing because it doesn't all have to be in one take. I can cut from place to place to decrease the length of the cutscene and make it flow better. There isn't just down time that is showing you nothing important that you have to sit through. It also doesn't spoil the whole game because it didn't show you everything that was to explore. Planning each area for the cutscene helped the pacing in the cutscene to make it more fluid and entertaining to get the player to want to actually play the game.

Reflect on how these finishing touches elevate your game from a student project to something that feels professional.

The finishing touches added to the game made it feel like it was made from a professional because you would see these things in a game you would buy. The game doesn't just have a little bit of gameplay that we learned in class to get the concepts it expands the game to something that could be playable without the editor. The game just feels more put together because the levels transition smoothly with music and sound. These changes add depth and make the game more immersive because it isn't just some simple gameplay with nothing else to it. The finishing touches bring the game to feel like one made by a professional because it makes the game feel complete.

When have you noticed a game use music to guide your emotions or signal a shift in gameplay, and what effect did it have on you?

I have noticed a game use music to guide your emotions or signal a shift in gameplay in many games. This made me feel more stressed in time and calm and relaxed in others. In Zelda Breath of the Wild they have music that plays throughout the game, and when you get near an enemy it will quicken the pace of the music. This quickened pace in the music is then associated with danger and enemies, so it creates stress. This is seen in our level when you go into a challenge and it increases the music tempo by changing the track. The music also slows down or plays a different track in a safe place or area to make you calmer in Breath of the Wild and show you where or what is happening.

What was the most useful takeaway for you from these lessons?

The most useful takeaway for me from these lessons is that the game doesn't feel complete until you add these extra pieces. You could have a world with very good gameplay and it is very enjoyable, but there is no feedback. This would get boring because you would stay the same emotion, and not be rewarded. You want to play a game because you feel like you accomplished something, so if there is no sound or cutscenes to give you that feedback it will become boring. This is why the game doesn't feel complete until you have these elements implemented into the level. The game doesn't feel complete until you do these lessons is what is the most useful takeaway I got.

My Red Thread Reflection

What connects the different parts of your creative work - what is your red thread?

My red thread for my work is creating a world with main focal points, but have some other things to fill in space. This is seen in the first level with a couple challenges that are the main points, but have other places to go to get special gems. This is seen in the second level with the main challenges with foliage and some stalls about. These things help define my work and how I like the world to fill alive, and not have any parts that are boring and wouldn't want you to explore it.

Which design or storytelling choices represent you the most clearly?

The design choice the represents me the most clearly is making the challenges the main point of the game. The game has other places to explore and things to find, but I try to make the challenges the most important. This is why you will find other things in the level as a bonus to have other things to do, but you want to focus on the main points which are the challenges. This represents me because this is seen throughout all of the levels that I have done up this point, where they follow this theme.

Why do you think those choices feel authentic to who you are?

These choices feel authentic to who I am because I am a person who likes detail and things to do. If I don't have something to look at or something to do the game can get kind of boring. And I find myself wondering is it worth it to go all the way to this area to do a challenge if the journey is going to be boring. This is why I like to add detail to the scene and why these changes are unique to me and the worlds/levels that I create.

How could your red thread evolve as you continue learning and creating?

My red thread could evolve more as I continue learning and creating because I might want to decrease the amount of stuff, so the flow is a little better. The level might feel a little sporadic and cluttered which I might be able to fix as I keep doing stuff. If you do something you become better and better at it which is why it is important to keep practicing. This is why as I keep learning my red thread might evolve and change to a different way of decorating or creating a world.