10-23-2024

This week we released our Alpha build with a playable level and new features.

Progress

Programming

• Implemented end menu and a pause menu with controller support
• Added a rail grinding system for railings in the environment
• Worked with the art team to create a complete sandbox level
• Added a player respawn system after their deaths
• Added particle effects when the player lands on the ground

Art

• Rune stone collectibles are now animated
• Magic scroll added as a new type of collectible, animated
• Updated player character model rig, with 2 new animated tricks
• Polished start/end menu and level selection art
• Designed UI elements for timer, controls, and text pop-ups
• Springboard animation updated

Audio

The audio team has been on break as CS team and Art team try to catch up and provide more feedback for audio.

Challenges

• Programming:
  • Merging changes across different branches caused various conflicts that took considerable to resolve
  • Implementing UI interactable with controller was difficult
  • Cinemachine camera stopped working in the Alpha build, causing camera control to be more jarring

• Art
  • Converting Maya assets into fbx files caused issues due to some deformers not translating well in the export. Animations and assets were delayed in delivery because of this.
  • Player Animation did not work well on the model as some of the animation is already being handled by Unity.

Next Steps

Programming

• Improve the UI to be fully compatible with controllers, and incorporate the newly completed UI arts
• Polish the rail grinding system to more precisely detect events
• Fix Cinemamachine to avoid camera clipping through the environment
• Implement environment, collectible and character trick animations

Art

We are aiming to add more animations to the player model populate the Alpha level with more interactable assets, including

• Stairs
• Rocks
• Grass
• Skybox
• Breakable barrels

Audio

• Complete the main theme and menu music

See you next week!