Trello Workspace

Trello was our main task management software. We updated tasks every sprint, which were 2 weeks long, and kept track of their statuses throughout the sprints. Each task was assigned to different members of the team who were capable of completing the task. With this organization of tasks, we were able to keep stay on track and stay organized without feeling the pressure of time or overwhelmed by the number of things that need to be done. 

Competitive Analysis

As we started narrowing down what kind of game we wanted to make, we decided to conduct a competitive analysis on games that were similar to the kind of game we wanted to make. We looked into successful side-scrolling games such as Super Mario Bros, Limbo, and Terraria. Our key takeaways from this analysis was that we wanted to create fair obstacles that would get the player thinking of how to progress,  but not too overwhelming that the player loses sight of the progression. 

User Flow Map

Our user flow map helped us identify and organize what we needed in order to make our game's user interfaces. Ideating what information would need to be hosted on each screen based on user needs greatly helped us come up with a layout that we would later present to playtesters. Additionally, writing the general "plot" of the game served as a useful guideline as we further developed our ideas. Fleshing out the flow also helped with the pacing and development of the story, as well as map out any challenges the player might face during their journey in the game. Since there are some novel terms used in these diagrams, we added clear definitions so that every member is on the same page about what unique words may mean in the context of the game. 

Requirements and Design Document

We compiled all of our requirements and designs into a live document, which we will continue to use throughout the project. This document helped us keep track of all of our assets and code and develop the general idea of the game. The RDD contains much of our documentations, such as storyboards, individual assets, and progress on the overall game. 

Prototyping

After all the ideation and research, we were finally able to step into designing the game. We started with sketches and wireframes, then moved on to higher fidelity mockups when we reached a satisfactory point with the designs. We eventually would divert from some aspects of the design as we evolved the game, improving its usability by removing confusing or overwhelming features. 

GitHub Repository

We used GitHub to have multiple people working on the project. With it's commit tracking, we were able to incrementally develop the game and tackle issues as soon as they arise. 

Unity Workspace

For our project workspace, we used Unity. While our team wasn't experienced in Unity, there were a lot of resources about it since it's such a common tool. We were able to run and test the game directly in the workspace and had an easier time arranging the interface. In the early stages, we used placeholder shapes like triangles and squares to indicate the player character and interactable objects. As the game became more fleshed out, we were able to update the graphics into a cohesive and aesthetic game.