The Key to Adventure Beta

Transcription

1 This sample chapter is for review purposes only. Copyright The Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Name: Lesson 10 The Key to Adventure Beta Objectives Students will modify an existing game to include more interactivity. Students will design and implement an explosion and key objectives. Students will program path movements for enemy obstacles. Students will program the proper function to provide the player with three lives. 152 Introduction to Video Design Situation Date: Class: The creative director has reviewed your alpha game build from Lesson 9. The maze functions well, but the game needs more immersion. You have been assigned the task of learning about game immersion and challenges versus rewards within games. Later, you will improve the game. How to Begin 1. Read the passage below. 2. Complete the review questions. 3. Turn in all materials. 4. Complete the game build. Reading Materials A game with little challenge will quickly become boring for the player. In the Maze game from Lesson 9, there is very little challenge, or difficulty. This makes the game easy to play, but not very interesting to play after the first time. By adding difficulty, objectives, missions, tasks, and obstacles, the player can become more immersed in the action of the game. Immersion is the degree to which a player connects with the game world. Critical to immersion and the success of any game is the association of risk to reward. Risk is making a move that could cause damage to the player s character. For example, a player takes a risk when jumping over a hole. If the player jumps too soon, the character will fall in the hole and lose a life. In this way, the player takes a risk in jumping over the hole. For every risk, there must be a reward. A reward is a benefit given to the player. In the case of the hole, the game programmer might place a coin or other token on the opposite side of the hole that the player must collect to score points. Without the reward, the player would probably just avoid the hole and find another path. When creating an obstacle or hazard, like an enemy or a hole, the programmer must always balance the risk with the reward. Jumping a hole might get the player to a coin. Defeating an enemy might give the player a new ability. The reward must be great enough to make the player take the risk of injury to the character or defeat. Another element that needs to be looked at when designing a game is the skill level of the player. Part of the approval process for a game idea is to select a target audience. The target audience is the typical player that might purchase the game. Usually, a target audience is separated from everyone else by specific demographics. Demographics are observable features of a person, including age, gender, income, education, cultural background, and so on. If the target audience is 8-year-old boys, a cartoon-style game based on the popular Scooby Doo character may be appropriate. On the other hand, if the target audience is 20-year-old college students, the game would likely need to require greater skill and have more action than the game designed for a younger age group. The age and skill of the target audience help determine the amount of challenge and action needed in a game. A successful game must have skill progression. Skill progression describes how a game starts easy and gets harder as the player progresses through levels. By increasing the skill required to complete higher levels, the game presents increasing challenges to the player. Skill progression Lesson 10 The Key to Adventure Beta 153

2 also helps teach the player how to properly play the game. The first level is easy so the player can learn how to use the controls and discover the moves needed to play the game. In the second level, more challenges are added and the level is slightly more difficult than the first. Each level continues to add more difficult challenges until the final level, which should be the most difficult to complete. When creating difficulty, remember the ultimate goal of the player is to defeat the game by achieving the victory condition. There is a progression of challenges that lead to the victory condition. Atomic challenges are the smallest possible challenges. This term comes from the atom, which is the smallest particle of an element. Atomic challenges are simple, like jumping a hole or hitting a target. By combining atomic challenges, sub-missions are created. Sub-missions are tasks that need to be completed in the game. A sub-mission might be collecting 100 coins, finding a key, or other in-game challenges. All of the sub-missions combine to form a game mission. A mission is a combination of sub-missions needed to complete a major set of tasks within the game. A mission is often completing a game level from beginning to end. For example, a mission might be to destroy all enemies on the level and collect supplies needed for advanced levels. After completing all of the missions, the game is over and the player is victorious. This is the final victory condition that ends the game. In addition to understanding skill progression and challenges, the designer must understand the emotion of the player. In some cases, the player might get frustrated trying to defeat an enemy or overcome an obstacle. The player will likely stop playing if the character repeatedly dies and the player has to start over from the beginning. Repeating the same tasks over and over again gets boring. Additionally, the feeling of joy from defeating a powerful enemy might be shortlived if the player later does something that requires battling the same enemy again. To avoid these conditions, designers use checkpoints and bonus lives. A checkpoint is a saved location in the game from where the player can restart if the character dies. A bonus life is often used as a reward for the player taking the risk of battling powerful enemies or achieving a certain score. Together, checkpoints and lives allow the player to test different strategies in the game through trial and error. Eventually, the player can learn the correct choices to achieve victory. A designer needs to understand how to properly build challenge throughout the game. Each atomic challenge, sub-mission, and mission must meet the needs of the game and provide adequate reward. Taken together, these challenges must also be appropriate to the age and skill of the target audience. Finally, these challenges must build throughout the game to teach the player and allow for skill building. Every game should be made so a player can eventually build enough skill to make it to the end and achieve the victory condition. In the end, a player should have enjoyed the game and not feel frustrated. 3. risk: 4. reward: 5. target audience: 6. demographics: 7. skill progression: 8. progression of challenges: 9. atomic challenges: 10. mission: Review Questions Review Questions and Activities Vocabulary Questions Write a definition for each of the terms listed below. 1. challenge: 2. immersion: 11. An atom is the smallest particle of an element. Research atomic structure, then describe the parts of an atom. Applied Technology Language Arts Mathematics Science Social Science 154 Introduction to Video Design Lesson 10 The Key to Adventure Beta 155

3 12. List four of your favorite games and describe how the game designers used checkpoints to help the player during gameplay. Situation After reviewing your alpha game build from Lesson 9, the creative director has determined it needs more adventure! You will now improve the game by adding features such as doors that need to be exploded open, locks and keys, and enemies guarding the objectives. Do a good job; your performance evaluation will be coming up soon. You want a good evaluation! 13. Suppose a game rewards the player with a bonus life at 1000 points, with each bonus life rewarded after scoring another 1000 points plus 10% of the previous reward level. For example, the second bonus life is rewarded at a score of 2100 points. What score must be achieved to obtain a fifth bonus life? Extra Life Score Plus % of Previous Score Total Score Needed Research video game addiction. Write an explanation of what role you feel immersion plays in this condition. 15. Research the demographics of your town. List five demographics that you feel are key to describing your community. Describe what you think the statistics say about your community. How to Begin 1. Open the Maze game from Lesson 9 and save it as LastName_Maze_Beta. 2. In the previous lesson, you created some sprites and objects that were not used. You will use them in this lesson, along with the following sprites and objects. Create all objects as visible and solid. Sprite Name Image File Object Name SPR_Detonator_Down \Sprites\Maze-Platform\ OBJ_Detonator_Down detonator_on.png SPR_Detonator_Up \Sprites\Maze-Platform\ OBJ_Detonator_Up detonator_off.png SPR_Diamond \Sprites\Maze-Platform\ OBJ_Diamond diamond_sparkle_strip32.png SPR_Dynamite_Pack \Sprites\Maze-Platform\ OBJ_Dynamite_Pack dynamite_pack.png SPR_Dynamite_Stick \Sprites\Maze-Platform\ OBJ_Dynamite_Stick dynamite.png SPR_Explosion \Sprites\Maze-Platform\ OBJ_Explosion explosion strip7.png SPR_Spider \Sprites\Maze-Platform\ spider_down_strip8.png OBJ_Spider Applied Technology Language Arts Mathematics Science Social Science Obstacle Barriers To make the game more challenging, you will add barriers. Barriers are objects that block pathways. The player must either destroy the barriers or figure out some other way to get around them. 3. Open the Room Properties dialog box for the Level 1 room. 4. Place instances of the doors object to block the exit to the maze, Figure To place them on top of the exit objects already in place, uncheck the Delete underlying check box. It is important to keep the exit objects because they contain the programming for moving from room to room. 5. Open the Object Properties dialog box for the OBJ_Doors object. 6. Program the door object such that IF the avatar collides with the door, THEN the avatar movement stops. 156 Introduction to Video Design Lesson 10 The Key to Adventure Beta 157

4 Locks added Detonator Dynamic pack Doors added Figure 10-1 Figure In a different location, place a couple of locks to block the explorer s path. 8. Open the Object Properties dialog box for the OBJ_Lock_Gold object. 9. Program the lock object such that IF the avatar collides with the lock, THEN the avatar movement stops. 10. Test play the game. Now the player cannot reach the exit. If you have placed the doors on top of the exit objects and the player can still navigate to the next room, you will need to move the doors and exit objects so the avatar collides with the doors before reaching the exit objects. 11. Save your work. Barrier Demolition Another way to clear a barrier is to blow it up. This is more fun! The explorer happens to be a demolition expert and gets to use dynamite to blow up the doors and other objects. So cool! Note: the dynamite is also considered a passage key. You will do some advance programming in a bit, but first get the basics done right. 15. In the Level 1 room, place an instance of the OBJ_Dynamite_Pack object somewhere between the starting position and the doors, Figure Place the OBJ_Detonator_Up object in a place between the dynamite pack and the doors. This should be in a place that will shield the avatar from the dynamite blast, like behind a wall. 17. Open the Object Properties dialog box for the OBJ_Avatar object. You will program this logic statement: IF the player presses the space bar, THEN create an instance of the OBJ_Dynamite_Stick object at (16, 16) relative to the player. This will place a stick of dynamite just above the avatar s head. 18. Add an event for the player pressing the space bar. 19. Drag the Create Instance button from the Main 1 tab and drop it into the Actions: column. 20. In the Create Instance dialog box, click the Self radio button, Figure Passage Keys To allow the player to pass through a barrier, a passage key must be placed within the game. The passage key need not be an actual key. It can be anything used to eliminate the barrier. You will program two different passage keys to allow the player to get through the doors and locks. 12. In the Level 1 room, place one instance of the gold key in a location where the player can access it before reaching the lock barrier. 13. Open the Object Properties dialog box for the OBJ_Avatar object. 14. Program the key such that IF the avatar collides with the key, THEN destroy the key AND destroy the locks. Since the lock barriers will be destroyed, the player can get past the barrier. 21. Click in the Object: text box and select the dynamite stick object from the shortcut menu. This is the object that will be created. 22. Enter 16 in the X: text box and 16 in the Y: text box. 23. Check the Relative check box and click the OK button to save the action. 24. Close the Object Properties dialog box, saving the changes. Create Instance 158 Introduction to Video Design Lesson 10 The Key to Adventure Beta 159

5 Apply the instance to the avatar Block of code for exploding the dynamite Enter the location Select the object to create Make the location relative to the avatar Figure 10-3 Figure 10-4 Next, you need to program the detonator so when the player pushes down the handle, the dynamite sticks explode. The logic statement for this is: IF the avatar collides with the OBJ_Detonator_Up object, THEN change the OBJ_Detonator_Up object to the OBJ_Detonator_Down object AND create an explosion AND destroy the dynamite stick. Blowing up the Doors To make the doors blow up and allow the avatar to pass, programming needs to be added to the OBJ_Explode object. This will also correct the problem with the repeating explosion. 36. Open the Object Properties dialog box for the OBJ_Explosion object. 37. Program this logic statement: IF the explosion collides with the doors, THEN destroy the doors. Note: this is an example where you might want to use the Other setting because using the Object setting will destroy all doors. 38. Program this logic statement: IF the explosion animation ends, THEN destroy the explosion. See Figure Start Block 25. Open the Object Properties dialog box for the OBJ_Detonator_Up object. 26. Add an event for a collision with the avatar. Even though the detonator is not the object that will be moving, the collision is still between the detonator and the avatar. 27. There are many actions that need to happen all at once, so begin a block of code by dragging the Start Block button from the Control tab and drop it into the Actions: column. 28. Add an action that creates an instance of the OBJ_Detonator_Down object at (0,0) relative to the OBJ_Detonator_Up object. 29. Add an action that destroys the OBJ_Detonator_Up object. 30. Add an action that creates an instance of the OBJ_Explosion object at (0,0) relative to the OBJ_Dynamite_Stick object. 31. Add an action that destroys the OBJ_Dynamite_Stick object. 32. Close the block of code by dragging the End Block button from the Control tab and dropping it at the bottom of the Actions: column. See Figure Test play the game to see if the doors explode and that the explosion does not repeat. 40. Debug the game if needed. 41. Save your work. End Block 33. Test play the game. See if you can walk up to the doors and press the space bar to place a stick of dynamite. After placing a stick of dynamite, run into the detonator to see if the dynamite stick blows up and the detonator plunger is depressed. Note: the doors will not be destroyed; this will be programmed in the next section. 34. Debug the game if the stick of dynamite is not placed or does not explode or if the detonator does not change to the down position. Note: the explosion will be fixed in the next section. 35. Save your work. Figure 10-5 Click Select 160 Introduction to Video Design Lesson 10 The Key to Adventure Beta 161

6 Resetting the Detonator Did you notice as you test played the game that you only get one chance to activate the detonator? After you activate it, it is stuck down. If you put the dynamite in the wrong place, you can place more dynamite, but you have no way to set it off. There needs to be a way for the player to reset the detonator. You will program the game so that when the player presses the [Enter] key, the detonator will be reset to the up position. 42. Open the Object Properties dialog box for the OBJ_Detonator_Down object. 43. Program this logic statement: IF the player presses the [Enter] key, THEN destroy the OBJ_Detonator_Down object AND create an instance of the OBJ_Detonator_Up object at (0,0) relative to the OBJ_Detonator_Down object. Program this as a block of code. See Figure Test play the game. Check to see that you can destroy the dynamite sticks, place a new dynamite stick, reset the detonator, and destroy the new dynamite stick. 45. Debug the game if needed. 46. Save your work. Figure Check the Self radio button. 51. In the Variable: text box, enter VAR_One_Stick. Remember, when you later reference this variable, it must be spelled exactly the same. 52. Enter 0 in the Value: text box. 53. Click the OK button to save the action. This programming sets the number of dynamite sticks the player has to zero. The player will begin with no dynamite and will need to pick up one stick at a time. Next, the avatar needs to be programmed to pick up a stick of dynamite. 54. Add an event for colliding with the avatar. Even though the dynamite pack will not be moving, a collision with the avatar occurs when the avatar runs into the dynamite pack. 55. Drag the Set Variable button from the Control tab and drop it into the Actions: column. 56. Check the Self radio button. 57. In the Variable: text box, enter VAR_One_Stick. This variable must be spelled exactly the same as it was earlier. 58. Enter 1 in the Value: text box. 59. Click the OK button to save the action. This programming allows the player to pick up one stick of dynamite when the avatar touches the dynamite pack. Now, you need to reprogram how the player can place the sticks of dynamite. Here, the computer needs to check to see if the avatar is currently carrying a stick of dynamite. If so, then a stick of dynamite can be placed when the space bar is pressed. If the avatar is not carrying a stick of dynamite, nothing happens when the space bar is pressed. 60. Add an event for pressing the space bar. 61. Drag the Test Variable button from the Control tab and drop it into the Actions: column. The Test Variable dialog box is displayed, Figure Variable name Player will start with zero sticks of dynamite Set Variable Programming with Variables The game is much more fun destroying things always seems to help! But, the dynamite is automatically available to the player. This is too easy. To increase the challenge, you will program the game so the player can only carry one stick of dynamite at a time. Variables will be used to achieve this new challenge. A variable is a programming item holding a temporary value (number or text) that can vary or change. Remember that pack of dynamite you placed earlier? The player will pick up a single stick of dynamite each time the avatar touches the dynamite pack. 47. Open the Object Properties dialog box for the OBJ_Dynamite_Pack object. 48. Add a create event. 49. Drag the Set Variable button from the Control tab and drop it into the Actions: column. The Set Variable dialog box is displayed, Figure Block of code for resetting the detonator Set Variable Figure Click the Self radio button. 63. Enter VAR_One_Stick in the Variable: text box. Be sure it is spelled exactly the same as it was earlier. Test Variable 162 Introduction to Video Design Lesson 10 The Key to Adventure Beta 163

7 Start Block Create Instance Figure 10-8 Make sure the variable is spelled correctly Enter the value to test Select the operation 64. Enter 1 in the Value: text box. 65. Click in the Operation: text box and select Equal to from the shortcut menu. In earlier lessons, you learned how qualifiers work. This test-variable action is the qualifier for the rest of the actions needed, which will be in a block of code. If the qualifier does not show the value of VAR_One_Stick equal to 1, then the block of code will not be executed. The first action in the block of code is to allow the player to place a stick of dynamite when the space bar is pressed. 66. Drag the Start Block button from the Control tab and drop it into the Actions: column below the test-variable qualifier. 67. Drag the Create Instance button from the Main 1 tab and drop it into the Actions: column below the Start of a block entry. 68. In the Create Instance dialog box, program the action such that an OBJ_Dynamite_ Stick object will be created at (16, 16) relative to the OBJ_Avatar object. 69. Drag the Set Variable button and drop it into the Actions: column at the bottom of the block of code. 70. In the Set Variable dialog box, program the action to set the value of the variable VAR_ One_Stick to 0. This is needed because otherwise the player would be able to place an unlimited number of sticks of dynamite without having to go back to the dynamite pack. 71. Drag the End Block button from the Control tab and drop it into the Actions: column to close the block of code. 72. Test play the game. You will notice a bug with the sticks of dynamite, which will be discussed in the next section. 73. Save your work. Bug Type Meaning Examples A Major problem! The game cannot be released.... B ame the error. C Common problem. T.. D be enhanced.... Figure 10-9 Set Variable End Block Level B Bug When you test played the game, you should have noticed you can place an unlimited number of sticks of dynamite, even before you run into the dynamite pack. This is considered a level B bug. See Figure Remember, when you first created programming for placing a stick of dynamite, pressing the space bar was the event. However, the programming you just created with the variable VAR_One_Stick also has an event of pressing the space bar to place a stick of dynamite. 74. Open the Object Properties dialog box for the OBJ_Avatar object. 75. Select the event for pressing the space bar. 76. Click the Delete button to remove the event and all associated actions. Enemy Movement 77. Open the Room Properties dialog box for the Level 1 room. 78. Place the OBJ_Spider object room somewhere between the dynamite pack and the detonator. 79. Create a path for the spider to move back and forth to block the way. See Figure Creating a path was explained in earlier lessons. Name the path Path_Spider. Use your cursor and the coordinate display to determine the location of the spider. Then, draw a path from its current location to another location so the spider will cross where the player must travel. The path you create may be different from what is shown in Figure if you place the spider in a different location. To get the spider to move along the path, you now need to program it to do so. 80. Open the Object Properties dialog box for the OBJ_Spider object. 81. Add a create event. 164 Introduction to Video Design Lesson 10 The Key to Adventure Beta 165

8 88. Drag the Set Lives button from the Score tab and drop it into the Actions: column. 89. In the Set Lives dialog box, enter 1 in the New lives: text box, check the Relative check box, and click the OK button to save the action. 90. Drag the Jump to Start button from the Move tab and drop it into the Actions: column. The Jump to Start dialog box is displayed, Figure Set Lives Path for the spider 91. Click the Object: radio button. Then, click in the text box that appears and select the avatar from the shortcut menu. This will return the player to the starting position, which is called respawning. In this case, the respawn checkpoint is the starting position. 92. Click the OK button to save the action. 93. Drag the Test Lives button from the Control tab and drop it into the Actions: column. 94. In the Test Lives dialog box, enter 0 in the Value: text box, click in the Operation: text box and select Equal to from the shortcut menu, and click the OK button. 95. Drag the End button from the Main 2 tab and drop it into the Actions: column, Figure Jump to Start Test Lives Set Path Figure Drag the Set Path button from the Move tab and drop it into the Actions: column. The Set Path dialog box is displayed, Figure Enter 2 in the Speed: text box. 84. Click in the At end: text box and select Reverse from the shortcut menu. This will cause the spider to walk back to the starting point. 85. Click in the Relative: text box and select Absolute from the shortcut menu. This is absolute because you used the absolute coordinate location of the spider. 86. Click the OK button to save the action. Now, the spider will move along the path, but the player can run over it without anything happening. The OBJ_Spider object needs to be programmed to be an obstacle. You also need to program the game so the player begins with three lives. Running into the spider will remove one life from the player. 87. Add an event for colliding with the avatar. Select the avatar to return to its starting position End Figure Code for removing lives and ending the game Figure Select the path Enter the speed Set the spider to reverse Figure Introduction to Video Design Lesson 10 The Key to Adventure Beta 167

9 Set Lives 96. Close the Object Properties dialog box for the OBJ_Spider object. 97. Open the Object Properties dialog box for the OBJ_Wall object. 98. Add a create event. 99. Drag the Set Lives button from the Score tab and drop it into the Actions: column In the Set Lives dialog box, enter 3 in the New lives: text box, leave the Relative check box unchecked, and click the OK button to save the action. This gives the player three lives at the beginning of the game Test play the game. Make sure you run into the spider to test the lives and respawning Debug if needed Save your work. Destroys the spiker, adds 1000 to the score, and plays a sound Rewards At the end of Lesson 9, you added reward objects (OBJ_Blue_Gem) and programmed them to increase the player s score. At the beginning of this lesson, you created another reward object (OBJ_Diamond). Place several instances of this object diamond on Level 1 in hardto-reach places. Program the OBJ_Diamond object such that IF the avatar collides with the diamond, THEN the player score increases AND the diamond is destroyed AND a sound is played. The point value for the diamonds should be higher than the blue gems. Figure Test play the game Debug any issues Save your work. Greater Risk, Greater Reward As part of any good game challenge, taking a risk will give a reward. A challenge you will now add to the game is to allow the player to blow up the spider. When the dynamite explodes, the spider will be destroyed and the player will receive a reward. Since the player will take a great risk in placing a stick of dynamite near the spider, the reward should be large. The programming here is actually pretty easy Program this logic statement: IF the spider collides with the explosion, THEN destroy the spider AND add 1000 points to the player score AND play a sound. See Figure Test play the game. Level 1 should be complete, but levels 2 and 3 still need improvements. Going Beyond 113. Save a copy of your game as LastName_Maze_Gamma Try programming the detonator to reset using a timer instead of the player pressing the [Enter] key Use your skills to problem-solve a solution to the issue that occurs when the player exits level 1 and tries to reenter level 1 from level Add challenges that require more skill than just getting a key or blowing things up Save your work, build the game as an executable, and submit it for grading Debug level 1 as needed Save your work. First Playable Level Milestone Time to celebrate! You have reached the first playable level milestone. All other levels should be much easier since the basic programming will remain. Before you ship your game off to be evaluated, you need to complete a few additional tuning steps Add the new game information to the title page and help, including the use of the [Enter] key and space bar Design and program changes to levels 2 and 3 to increase challenges and rewards. Add your personal touch to the design of each level. Add appropriate sounds and transitions for a refined game. 168 Introduction to Video Design Lesson 10 The Key to Adventure Beta 169

10 STEM Review Questions and Activities Review Questions 8. Define variable, as used in computer programming. 1. Describe what a barrier is in a video game. 2. Review the bug type table in Figure 10-9 and identify the type of each bug listed below. Error Report freezes when pressing two keys at the same time. Avatar s shoes are red on all levels except level 6. Bug Type 9. If blue gems are worth 15 points, diamonds are worth 25 points, and the spider is worth 100 points, how many of each gem has the player collected if the score is 170 and the player has destroyed the spider? There are three possible combinations that equal 170. Solution A B C # of Blue Gems 15 points # of Diamonds 25 points Spider 100 points Level 1 is much harder than levels 4 and 5. Extra life bonus awards an extra life and 100 extra points the first time it is used. Evaluation Activities 10. Personal Evaluation 3. What are the demographics of the target audience for this game? Justify your opinion Score Concept Is the idea well developed? No main idea. Clear throughout. 4. Describe what a passage key is in a video game. 5. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Describe how this scientific principle is applied in the game build for this lesson. Aesthetics Do the look and colors fit the game? Sound Effects Do the sounds play well? Are the music and ambient sounds appropriate? Functionality Does everything work? Poor quality graphics and color. No sound; sounds too loud or not related to the game. Unfinished, could not play; major errors. Awesome graphics and theme-based colors. Good sound for each item at good levels. Plays perfectly; no bugs, glitches, or errors. 6. Describe the first playable level milestone. 7. If the spider obstacle is moving along a path that is 57 pixels in length and it takes three seconds to return to the starting point, how fast is the spider moving (in pixels/second)? Applied Technology Language Arts Mathematics Science Social Science Replay How likely are you to play this game again? Applied Technology solved, too easy or uninteresting. Language Arts Cannot wait to play this again! Total Score (higher is better) Mathematics Science Social Science 170 Introduction to Video Design Lesson 10 The Key to Adventure Beta 171