Tower Climb Platformer
Assignment Overview
The purpose of this assignment is to introduce learners to the fundamentals of audience engagement in creative media production, with a specific focus on 2D platformer games. Students will explore the characteristics of their target audience and learn to tailor their creative decisions to meet audience expectations and industry standards. By creating their own sprites and 2D pixel art designs for a tower climber game in Unreal Engine 5, learners will develop essential skills in creative problem-solving, technical proficiency, and audience engagement. These skills are crucial for careers in game design, animation, and interactive media production.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this unit, learners will be able to.
Analyze and identify target audience characteristics to inform creative decisions in game design.
Conduct research to develop ideas and creative proposals for engaging with a specific audience.
Design and create 2D pixel art and sprites suitable for a platformer game.
Plan and develop creative solutions that align with the needs and preferences of the identified audience.
Apply technical skills in Unreal Engine 5 to develop a functional 2D platform tower climber game.
Evaluate and reflect on creative decisions to assess their effectiveness in engaging the target audience.
Present and communicate ideas effectively to peers, incorporating feedback to refine the final product.
Critically assess personal development and set SMART targets for future projects.
Unit Criteria
Unit 10: Engaging With An Audience In Creative Media Production
LO1: Understand the audience for a chosen creative media production activity.
1.1 - Analyse the characteristics and context for a chosen media and communication activity.
1.2 - Interpret research activity to develop ideas for creative production.
LO2: Be able to plan and implement a creative media production activity for an identified
audience.
2.1 - Demonstrate independence in decision making in planning and developing creative solutions.
2.2 - Select appropriate media and processes to communicate ideas for an identified audience.
LO3: Be able to use evaluation in support of creative media production for an identified audience.
3.1 - Critically evaluate creative solutions against identified audience characteristics.
3.2 - Critically evaluate and reflect on learning to inform personal development.
Task One: Research & Audience Analysis
Conduct research into different types of tower climb platformer games, focusing on the intended target audience. Analyze how audience characteristics influence game design decisions, and explore legal and ethical considerations, including the PEGI rating system.
Unit Criteria: LO1 (1.1, 1.2)
Task One Breakdown:
Research and document different types of tower climb platformer games.
Identify and analyze the characteristics of the target audience for your game.
Explore the impacts of audience characteristics on your game design decisions.
Investigate legal and ethical considerations, particularly focusing on the PEGI rating system.
Task Two: Sprite & Pixel Art Design
Create your own sprites and 2D pixel art character designs based on your research. These assets will be used in your 2D platform tower climber game.
Unit Criteria: LO2 (2.1, 2.2)
Task Two Breakdown:
Develop concept sketches for your game’s sprites and characters.
Create final sprite designs and pixel art using relevant software.
Ensure that your designs align with the identified audience's preferences and expectations.
Document your design process and decision-making.
Task Three: Game Development
Follow tutor-led tutorials to create a 2D platform tower climber game in Unreal Engine 5. Implement your sprites and pixel art designs into the game and develop a game level.
Unit Criteria: LO2 (2.1, 2.2)
Task Three Breakdown:
Attend all tutorial sessions to learn the basics of Unreal Engine 5 for 2D game development.
Implement your sprites and characters into the game environment.
Develop a fully functional game level using your assets.
Test and refine your game level to ensure it meets audience expectations.
Task Three: Game Development
Follow tutor-led tutorials to create a 2D platform tower climber game in Unreal Engine 5. Implement your sprites and pixel art designs into the game and develop a game level.
Unit Criteria: LO2 (2.1, 2.2)
Task Three Breakdown:
Attend all tutorial sessions to learn the basics of Unreal Engine 5 for 2D game development.
Implement your sprites and characters into the game environment.
Develop a fully functional game level using your assets.
Test and refine your game level to ensure it meets audience expectations.
Task Five: Evaluation & SMART Targets
Critically evaluate your project’s success in engaging the target audience and reflect on your learning. Set at least two SMART targets for future improvement.
Unit Criteria: LO3 (3.1, 3.2)
Task Five Breakdown:
Write a detailed evaluation of your project, focusing on how well it met the needs of the target audience.
Reflect on your learning experience, identifying strengths and areas for improvement.
Set two SMART targets to guide your future projects and personal development.