Midpoint Progress Update (10 - 18 - 25)

Welcome to my Midpoint check-in!

Honestly can't believe so much time has passed since my last little update, time sure does fly pretty quickly. I've really learned more from each of the class periods we've had this semester, and it has truly helped me with familiarizing myself with Unreal Engine 5. I had not had much experience working with Unreal, and so this truly helped me dive deeper to further improve my skills as a Video Game Designer. Although I still have a long way to go to hone my skills, I am happy with the progress I've made this far. Now, for my midpoint, I would say my main focus was being able to block out every single one of the rooms for my game. As one would call it, the "level blockout" in order to fully immerse the player into the world around them. 

The very first thing I wanted to do when creating my level was make sure that each of the levels would be filled with obstacles such as parkour, hidden keys, and enemies. In thinking this out, it really made me think about how immersive I wanted the experience to be for the player, as it would greatly affect how they play and how they progress through each of the rooms I wanted to create. When it came time to finally start blocking something out for a layout, I decided to go with what I do best and draw it out. I gathered various references from games which were all centered around stealth and being able to get away from enemies to make it towards your next goal. From there I made my own unique level layout in order to truly see where I wanted each piece of my game to be. I added unique shapes to differentiate each of the obstacles or materials that were going to be spread throughout the level, such as the level start being a green star while the level end is a red star.  

I believe reaching this point in my game is an achievement for me because no matter how confused I would get on how to add or edit certain things, I kept pushing through to get my final result. With each failure serving as a stepping stone for me to learn and grow. I am able to move freely through Unreal, and have even gotten used to the shortcuts they have for us to make things easier when creating or even renaming certain objects. Being able to have these skills to bring my thoughts and ideas to life, is truly humbling when it comes to how much time and dedication it takes, but it is SO worth it.

I'll be going further in depth as to what changes I made to my Unreal project.

The GDD (Game Design Document)

When the semester first started, we as a class were provided with a GDD template that would allow us as game designers to truly block out what we envisioned for our game. Through this I was able to understand what I wanted for the players mechanics, the environment, and the feel of the game for the player themselves. Being able to build on those ideas helped me as the creator know what changes to make so that the stealth aspect of the game would still be active throughout the entirety of my game. It also greatly helped when I did some playtesting with a few of my friends, and I was able to document the changes pretty well based on their feedback and the GDD. I've adjusted the number of enemies that would be included throughout each of the rooms, and added checkpoints where a key is gauranteed to be nearby for the player to hopefully be able to move on to the next room while avoiding the enemies. I've also removed some rooms, like 7b, and changed up the layouts of others, like 6a.

• Gameplay Loops: I defined the times where the player would need to be careful when walking around certain parts of the rooms as there were enemies patrolling those ares. I also defined when it would be alright for the player to move on throughout the level without having to risk dying.
• Player Mechanics: The player has the ability to dive forward, crouch, jump, crouch walk, throw items, and pick up various keys scattered throughout each of the room levels. These core mechanics help the player engage with the level and think clearly about what their next move should be.
• Player Emotions: When it came to how I wanted the player to feel, I wanted them to have the fear of always being watched by the EnemyAI throughout parts of the rooms, and for them to feel uneasy. I also wanted for the player to feel as though they are lost in a giant maze where everything looks the same but is slightly different, as this would allow for the player to feel interested in what would come next.
• Level Design: I made assure that the EnemyAI would patrol various parts of the room they were in, this helped create moments where the player would have to be careful as to where they moved in order to avoid being killed. I also made different paths that the player could take but could still reach the same destination by the end of the game. Allowing for checkpoints to be scattered throughout various rooms so that the player would be allowed to save their progress. Some of the paths that I created are dangerous, involving a lava floor that will instantly kill you if you touch it. Along with moving platforms that would fall if the player stood on it for too long.

Map Level Layout Concept

When it came to the layout I wanted for my game, I wanted there to be an option for the player to go through a different route, instead of all of the rooms being linear to one another. I also wanted to be able to clearly see where I wanted to include different things in each room, as it would allow me to blockout the basic layout, and then change things later down the line if I didn't like the feel of it.

My main inspirations for this game came from the backrooms and subliminal stealth games that me and a few of my friends played together. Through the inspiration from those games, I wanted to be able to create something that would invoke the same intense feeling of uneasiness when going through a place where something is always lurking in the shadows. With the very first 2 levels being the calm before the storm, and allowing the player to get a taste that will keep the curious and want them to keep going forward. Though in room 3 it all takes a turn and becomes more intense as enemies start scouting the area. This means that the player will be needing to prioritize staying out of the sight from the enemyAI in order to continue moving forward, as the enemies so far will remain unkillable. Their movements will need to be thought out and planned carefully if they want to make it to the end. There is also the way that each room is similar, yet different, with twists and turns around each corner leading you deeper into the depths of the game. Some areas even leading to dead ends with no other choice but to turn back and find another way. I wanted for the player to seek a way out of a place overrun by hideous enemies that are around each and every corner. With no room left for breaks until they finally make it out alive.

There are brief moments where the player will be able to find peace through checkpoints, but most of the time, they will still remain out in the open. This means that even with the checkpoint, the player relief won't last for very long, but it'll be just enough for the player to catch their breath before having to move forward once more. The player will have to prepare themselves for the next upcoming challenge, as tensions continue to rise all the way until room 8 (where the boss will be located).

I believe this concept of my level will serve as the building blocks to continue building off of for the continuation of my semester, and even with this being my midpoint, I believe it will truly allow me to get the feedback necessary to keep improving my game.

Finished Level Layout

The YouTube video I uploaded above shows every single one of the rooms that I have created for my game, and this is the most up-to-date showcase. All the current changes were done for my upcoming midterm exam for my Game Design 1 class. My goal for showing the fully blocked out rooms, is to fully see how the player and enemyAI fit into their environments. I was originally worried that the model skins I had chosen would not fully blend in to my theme, but I was mistaken, and it seems to have been the right choice from what others have told me.

Characters & Enemies

When it comes to the character skins I used, I would like to include the links to where I obtained them from.

• Here is the link to the  Survival Character skin which I used on my main character. (Created by Arberry)
• Here's the Mutant skin which I used for the EnemyAI. (Created by May3d)

I am very grateful for the free assets, and their models are honestly amazing and easy to work with! Although I did have to take the main characters shirt and backpack textures away due to github saying it was over 100GB and it would not upload.

Main Character - Viewport

This is the main character I have for my game, and although he may be missing a shirt and his backpack textures, I'll be sure to add them back once github allows me to (mans was dripped out before I had to remove the textures). The player is only able to see in third person perspective as they venture throughout each of the levels, as I figured it would work best with what I am currently trying to make (stealth game). 

Main Character - Event Graph

I had to split this into 3 different photos due to how it wouldn't allow me to zoom out anymore when trying to get all of the blueprint in frame. Many of the changes that were made to the main character were made during the class walkthroughs. Some of these changes were the addition of the dash movement and the crouch movement. 

• Dash: The dash is going to be used in order to get away from the enemies fast enough so that our player doesn't die. If the player times it correctly, they should be able to dodge the attacks of the enemyAI when spotted, and then run to cover. I made the key for this one v.
• Saving & Loading: During class we created a way for the entire game to save and load through various checkpoints, this helps the player keep track of all the progress they've made throughout the game. Rather than starting from the very beginning every time, this allows the player to continue immersing themselves in the game.
• Crouch: Made so that the player can either hide behind objects and to go through small or tight spaces to reach the next area. I will say, some of my test players told me it looked a little wonky whenever the character would move forward. Though that's mainly just because of the animation looping from on area to another. I made the key for the crouch left ctrl.
• Jump: Allows the player to jump from one place to another, specifically for areas with parkour across lava pits. Funny thing is, one of my friends was crashing out at the 2nd room of parkour because of how they couldn't get past it, pretty sure they died over 30 times trying to get across (I made sure to incorporate a checkpoint there for that specific reason).

Each one of these mechanics served as a way for the player to navigate through each of the rooms and actually make them feel like they were apart of the world itself. Both the mechanics and the environment I created are intertwined, as the player needs to master them in order to successfully make it through each stage.  Although this game won't have a fighting mechanic for the player itself, later on I will hopefully create an object or puzzle of sorts that can be used to take the main boss down.

EnemyAI - Viewport + Loss Condition

This is the EnemyAI that we build during class time, it is able to attack the player and kill them within 1 or 2 hits. I would say that the newest thing I changed from the enemyAI was its skin mesh, and it was changed to the Mutant. 

I am also planning on adding a main boss later on, but for now I wanted my main focus to be on getting each of the minor EnemyAI's setup and ready for the player to avoid and hide.

EnemyAI - Event Graph

When it comes to the EnemyAI, we also worked on this during class. Some of the things we added include:

• The Hit Feature (A.K.A - The Bonk): When the AI gets you within their sights and they are close enough of a distance from you, they will attack you and deal massive amounts of damage to our player. So far I've seen our player die to a two hit attack from our EnemyAI.
• Vision: The EnemyAI has a field of view where they can detect anything in front of them, and they will chase after the player if they see them, so the player must ensure to remain hidden or at the very least be able to escape fast enough.
• Loss Condition: For the player, any time they are killed by the EnemyAI they will lose all the keys they were carrying around with them and they'll respawn at the last checkpoint and from there they'll need to collect them once again in order to move forward to the next room.

EnemyAI - Patrolling

Here is a video I took of how the EnemyAI should be patrolling throughout each of the rooms, I made sure to create three target points for each of the EnemyAI. I specifically created three because of how this worked best when it came to visually seeing each time they would move. I think overall during the playtesting, it really made it so that the individuals playing didn't think it was too easy going up against the EnemyAI.

ABP & Animation Graph

Animation Sequences

These were the original animation sequences that we added into our game before being able to start creating our actual animations. We would turn our Animation Sequence into an RTG MIXAMO Animation, and then from there we would be able to create our animation Montage.

RTG MIXAMO Animations

As seen in the video above, these were the three RTG MIXAMO animations that we chose as a class for our animations when it came to the crouch idle, crouch walking, and standing dive forward. I was pretty happy with the ones that we had chosen during our lesson in class, so I did not feel the need to change them due to how seemlessly they flow throughout my entire game.

Animation Montage

These Animation Montages would be what allowed me to hook up the animation to the EnemyAI or even the player, it is crucial to create these as your project will have some broken animations if you don't. I myself had to fix one when creating it because I realized I had missed a step, so I need to always double-check and make sure I've done it correctly.

ABP - Manny

Here, I hooked up each of the animations to the correct nodes. With the Walk/Run animation graph I made sure to connect the RTG_MIXAMO_Crouched_Walking to the output animation pose, as this would be what our players movement would look like when crouch walking. Then with the Idle animation graph I made sure to connect the RTG_MIXAMO_Crouching_Idle to the output animation pose in order to allow the player to crouch in place. If I had placed any of these backwards, the animations for my player would be broken.

ABP - EnemyAI

ABP - EnemyAI Animation Graph

Similar to the animations I added to my Main Character, I also made sure to include the walking animation for our EnemyAI whenever they are chasing after the player after they've spotted them. It really makes my EnemyAI more immersive and all the more terrifying to go up against.

Other Blueprints Created

BP - Door Viewport & Event Graph & Timeline

The door asset was used to create a door that would only unlock with the help of a key found lying around the map. I made sure to make it so that it wouldn't open unless the player themselves had a key picked up already. No key = No Acess to the next room.

Here I made a timeline for when the door would open up after the player finds a key for it, it really took some tweaking here and there to make sure that I liked how fast the door would open after the player open the door. This was something that we as a class went through together near the beginning of the semester.

BP - Finish Line Viewport & Event Graph + Win Condition

This was the same as door, but this time the idea I had in mind was to make it so that after so many doors, the player would finally be able to be free from the clutches of the game. This would prompt a "You Win" screen to pop up after they touch the door. No key is required for this door, as the player will finally be free. Reaching this door will always let the player win and beat the game.

BP - Checkpoint Viewport & Event Graph

This was the checkpoint I created in order for the player to be able to save their progress throughout various stages of the game. It was also so that way they wouldn't start all the way back at the beginning of the game every single time they died, as that would frustrate MANY players due to the constant repeat of all the rooms just to get past a singular spot in the game. All the player has to do is walk over the checkpoint, and their game will be saved from that point forward.

BP - Falling Platform Viewport & Event Graph & Timeline

During the creation of my waypoint, I also decided to add a falling platform into my game from the assets that were given to us. This falling platform allows the player to stand on it for a period of time before falling to the floor and bringing whoever is unfortunate enough to be standing on it at the time down with them. At times this will lead to certain death over lava pits (specifically rooms 1 and 8).

BP - Killing Floor Viewport & Event Graph

This was another one of the assets that had been given to us prior to building our game, and it makes it so that when the player touches the red substance they will die immediately. I wanted to include this in my game to create a more stressful environment for the player as tensions continue to rise throughout each of the rooms. When I play tested my game with the help of my friends (bless their poor souls) It would evoke feelings of frustration from them as they wouldn't move in time and wind up falling to their death into the lava pit.

BP - Key Viewport & Event Graph

This Key blueprint was what I created for the player to be able to pick up from off walls or the floor in order to be able to unlock the doors and move onto the next room. 

BP - Distraction Item Pawn Viewport & Event Graph

When it came to distractions the player could use, we as a class decided to create a rock that the player is able to pick up and throw in the EnemyAI's direction to distract them for a bit of time. I will be adding more of this throughout each of the rooms as there are some enemies that need to be distracted in order for the player to make it past them successfully.

Materials Instances

When it came to the material instances that I was using, I opened them up after creating them. I converted each of the texture objects to texture samples, and then proceeded to get WorldAlignedTexture and WorldAlignedNormal in order to have more control over how big I wanted the texture to be when placed onto an object. I made sure to connect the texture samples to the TextureObject(T2d), and then I connected their XYZ textures to their respective nodes on the material. I also added a Scalar Parameter in order to better adjust the size of the texture overall, and I attatched it to the texturesize(V3) to control it.

I also made sure that each of the textures for the material were properly created. Then I dragged and dropped the normal and rough textures into the material graph so I would be able to connect them to the material node.

After that, I was able to mess with the size settings and adjust it the material to how I thought would better suite my map level. After learning how to adjust the size of the texture without having to resize the actual object itself was amazing. This allowed me to learn how to do it for other materials as well, in case I ever think the materials look a little too chunky or too small.

MI - Backrooms Carpet

This was the material instance I created in order to create the carpet flooring that I was going to use throughout each of the rooms. It includes the normal and the rough texture to add depth to our material.

MI - Backrooms Wallpaper

This was my chosen material instance for the wallpaper that I was going to be using for the walls of my rooms throughout my whole game. I also included the normal and rough textures in this one as I would like to add greater details to the walls later down the line. Like dark writings on the wall or even blood splatters. I believe adding these later down the line would help make the environment more immersive for the player.

MI - White Ceiling Tiles

When it came to the material instance, I chose to go with this texture for the ceiling as it fit the theme of the backrooms extremely well. Like my past two material instances, I chose to add the normal and rough textures to add depth to the ceiling that the player is able to see  sometimes (I mainly just wanted it to look nice).

MI - Lightbulb

For this material instance, I duplicated the orange emissive like that I had and altered the color in order for it to appear more white/yellow rather than the pure orange it was originally emitting. I think it was honestly one of my best changes because before I had changed all the ceiling lights to this color EVERYTHING looked orange, it was pretty bad.

MI - Red Emissive

I duplicated the orange emissive material instance that I had already made previously and then just altered the color to a darker red tone rather than an orange tone. I specifically made this for the boss room that I was making, and it really made the place look all the more creepy and terrifying in my personal opinion.

Conclusion

I will say coming this far has been difficult as I have been doing school full time while also working full time, but I believe that I really have improved through various forms of trial and error. Bringing this game to life has truly been a wonderful experience, and I look forward to continuing to improve my skills as a video game designer.  By putting myself in the place of the player and having others help me play test my game, I've learned that everything needs to have some intention behind it so that the message can be conveyed clearly to the player. Allowing for a more immersive experience to take fruit from there.

I won't deny that there is still SO much more that I need to improve on, but I will keep putting in the work to fully happy with my outcome by the end of the semester!

Thank you for taking the time to read through my ramblings, and have fun playing my game. Until the next one! <3