Topic: Making a game with Maratis

I am on a mission to make a small but complete game with Maratis. I guess the process would serve as a good tutorial on how I will make it. So I will post the process here. I will also be updating my other posts with content also (like the bvh animation page and the game assets page) as I create content for this game.

I will be making a basic dress up game using my character select demo as a base:
http://forum.maratis3d.com/viewtopic.php?id=775.
And now for my first step:

STEP 1: TIME TO PLAY!

So, I'm off to play some dress up games. This way I can collect some ideas, and get some inspiration for how I want my game to be. Along the way I will sketch some ideas down.
2013-11-10

TIME TO PLAY Resources:

-Toca Hair salon
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/toca-ha … 32660?mt=8

-Fashion Star
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fashion … 00503?mt=8

-Design it Princess Fashion
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/design- … 16499?mt=8

-Style me Girl
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/style-m … 14229?mt=8

STEP 2: DESIGN PROTOTYPING:

So, I want to prototype the design of the game. I won't be using models I made, just models I could find for free to fill in space. I just want to get the impression of the setup of the game. I could even use basic primitive, but that isn't fun. I am going to upload several photos of this phase.

https://sites.google.com/site/maratisfiles/files/Screenshot%20%28860%29.png
https://sites.google.com/site/maratisfiles/files/Screenshot%20%28861%29.png
https://sites.google.com/site/maratisfiles/files/Screenshot%20%28866%29.png

STEP 3: OORRWEDO

If you haven't checked out my tutorial on "How to Game" You can here:
http://forum.maratis3d.com/viewtopic.php?id=811

I am going to turn it into a game following the OORRWEDO process:

1) Objectives:

Walk through the store choosing your wardrobe.
Apply your wardrobe to the mannequin to see how it looks.
When satisfied, apply your wardrobe to a runway model.

2) Obstacles:
3) Reward:

You get to see your wardrobe on your model as they walk the runway. You also get money if your wardrobe is successful.

4) Rules:

Points are given based on how pieces are paired. Each article of clothing has an initial point value attached to it. The maximum score for a complete wardrobe is 10 points. However, certain articles of clothing conflict with other articles of clothing, taking away from the overall point value of the wardrobe.

For instance, if you have a brown top which has +2 points, and khaki colored slacks +6 then you get 10 points. However, if you have a brown top (+2) and purple slacks, you get no points for the purple slacks unless they work in a way (accessories).

(I will be working out the rules as I continue the project, for now, I am going to start on the next step.)
2013-11-12

STEP 4: GATHERING THE TOOLS

I have been doing some testing to see what tools I can use to make this game. This is the list of tools I will be using:

Google Sketchup 8(level design)
Quidam(character creation)
Makehuman(character creation)
Blender(rigging, animation, and exporting)
Poser(cloth simulation)
Gimp(photo editing and normal map creation)

STEP 5: BLOCKING

Okay, I am going to start blocking in some stuff. I am not focused on details or fine tuning. Just blocking in place holders. First I am going to work on the level (this game will only have one level. Then I will work on some basic coding. Perhaps I will use my customizable game script to get started.

I also added a background sound to the mall level to set the mood of the level. I might try to block in some walking people.

Level

https://sites.google.com/site/maratisfiles/files/Screenshot%20%28881%29.png

Menu

https://sites.google.com/site/maratisfiles/files/Screenshot%20%28883%29.png
For now the menu doesn't work when you click it. I will apply the unprojected point function as was used in my State level to make it work.

Better Menu

https://sites.google.com/site/maratisfiles/files/Screenshot%20%28889%29.png
Using unrpojected point (Thanks Vegas)

Crowd

https://sites.google.com/site/maratisfiles/files/Screenshot%20%28885%29.png
I used "One Bone Animation" to slide these billboard people around (check my posts)

Text Box

https://sites.google.com/site/maratisfiles/files/Screenshot%20%28888%29.png
The graphic for this text box is easy to change. The rectangle is just a place holder.

STEP 6: GAMEPLAY & GAME MECHANICS

Now to figure out the gameplay (that is what makes a game interesting after all).

Thinking...

Last edited by Tutorial Doctor (2013-11-18 06:48:45)

Re: Making a game with Maratis

At a standstill. Looking for a quicker and easier FREE way to create clothing. I found a software called Virtual Fashion Pro 1.5. I can't get it to export. Will not continue until I figure this out.

Re: Making a game with Maratis

You can use Bsurfaces.
See video at about 15'.

Re: Making a game with Maratis

Hmm. I try to click on the link to the file and I get a website about free teeth cleaning.

Edit. Okay, Bsurfaces is included with the latest version of Blender. Thanks.

https://sites.google.com/site/maratisfiles/files/Screenshot%20%28874%29.png

First attempt at using it

Last edited by Tutorial Doctor (2013-11-14 17:21:01)

Re: Making a game with Maratis

Looks promising... big_smile

Re: Making a game with Maratis

Tutorial Doctor wrote:

Hmm. I try to click on the link to the file and I get a website about free teeth cleaning.

What url shows up when you are hovering ?

Re: Making a game with Maratis

www.bsrufaces.info

Shows up when I hover over

Found the link

http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthr … faces-v1-5

Last edited by Tutorial Doctor (2013-11-14 19:21:52)

Re: Making a game with Maratis

It certainly makes making hair really quick.

I just made a crazy shape and draped it over this mesh. Then I added a displace modifier and a subsurf modifier. Unwrapped using Smart UV project.

note: I had to pin the center-most face so that it would not topple off of the head (put it in a vertex group and used the "pinning" box in the cloth settings.

https://sites.google.com/site/maratisfiles/files/Screenshot%20%28876%29.png
https://sites.google.com/site/maratisfiles/files/Screenshot%20%28877%29.png
Okay, used it for a dress also. This is how I will proceed. Thanks com3d
https://sites.google.com/site/maratisfiles/files/Screenshot%20%28878%29.png

Last edited by Tutorial Doctor (2013-11-15 20:18:23)

Re: Making a game with Maratis

I know my issue. My ideas are too radical. And if what I am making can't meat my ideas (perhaps limitations on my part) then I will scrap the whole thing. I have so many ideas for this now that I can't keep it basic. I am working on animation right now though.

The gameplay aspect will be easy, but the game mechanics part might be a little difficult, because I want it to be engaging.

Last edited by Tutorial Doctor (2013-11-24 03:52:00)

Re: Making a game with Maratis

I was really inspired lately when I went into my brother's room and saw him playing a game. This is a screenshot from the level he was playing:

http://wimages.vr-zone.net/2013/08/AC4-Black-Flag-Present-Day-4.jpg
http://www.ps4home.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Assassin%E2%80%99s-Creed-IV-Black-Flag-Present-Day-Screenshots-4-Copy.jpg

Last edited by Tutorial Doctor (2013-11-27 23:15:05)

Re: Making a game with Maratis

Okay, been learning a lot of stuff on Gamedev.net. I think a level like the one above is possible. I am going to try a new process to development and I am going to try to make it as fast as possible. I think I will have to break it down into small manageable pieces and do things in stages.

So taking the first screenshot I could break up the modeling like this:

Modeling
Texturing
Lighting
Sound
CGS (Customizable game script for testing environment)
Add a Character to walk around.

Then I can break up each task into smaller tasks

Modeling:
Main area shape
Seating
plants
Machines

I could iterate over these with details:
Large Details
Medium Details
Small details (if needed)


Texturing:
Floor
Wall
Ceiling

Lighting:
Ambient Occlusion
Spot & Point lights

Sound:
Main Ambient sound
Secondary ambient sound
Voice overs

etc.

I can use either the SDLC method or the RAD method as my process for doing this. Since this is a test game, I will a mixture of the two models, leaning more towards the RAD system (I want this to go quickly).

So I:

PLAN
DESIGN
CONSTRUCT
DISPOSE

Last edited by Tutorial Doctor (2014-01-01 06:52:09)

Re: Making a game with Maratis

This process is a good process, but this particular game will be a little too challenging for my first game (at least the scale of my idea for the dress-up game go to big).

I am going to go for a simple 3rd person game with progression through levels. No extra characters, and no complex mechanics.

I will post the progress here...

Re: Making a game with Maratis

Okay, I have an idea. I'm going to make a maze game. This is simple enough.

Re: Making a game with Maratis

I am getting closer to being able to make the 3rd person game:

http://forum.maratis3d.com/viewtopic.php?id=763

Re: Making a game with Maratis

The screenshots above are looking a lot more doable now that I have a UV unwrapping technique and export workflow in Blender established. The lighting shouldn't be that hard either.