Development Journal - Nov 1


Update Overview

This week, our goal was to incorporate the feedback we received from the playtesting session we ran on Friday to complete our Alpha release.

Progress

Implementation

Controls & Cues

  • Added interaction cues for both xbox controller and keyboard/mouse input. For the xbox controller, now using online open source icons, but will use assets from the design team later.
  • Added interaction cues for new interaction modes.
  • Changed crosshair’s sprites and made sizing dynamic depending on if objects are/aren’t detected. Inverted +, o crosshairs to make interaction more salient.
  • Fixed canvas size for the TV play/pause controls being inconsistent
  • When a branching item is picked up, both versions are picked up together and a choice is presented to the user
  • Changed control mappings such that inspect is button west and cancel is button east

Scenes

  • Main Menu changed to fit designs. It now renders as a 3D image instead of a canvas.
  • Created a new Memory scene to act as our puzzle location
    • Made a copy of attic that only includes the side bedroom, with static blocking the windows
    • Added camera effects when in memory scene to evoke feeling like you are in the tape
    • Added button on TV canvas to enter memory scene and a new Input Action to leave memory scene back to attic
    • Added Memory scene canvas to inform users the tape is rewriting itself when a branching item or all three key items are placed in the right locations. Automatic transport to the attic in front of the TV after these two cases is done.
    • Players will be immediately transported into the Memory scene once they insert the tape, select a branching object, and open the TV to introduce the teleportation into the tape mechanic.
  • Branching items have been moved closer to the TV
  • Changed control mappings such that inspect is button west and cancel is button east
  • Attic textures were updated to match the new assets
  • Objects were resized to fit Vini’s model 
  • TVmodel now has emission and light sources on video playing.

Object Interactions

  • Removed placement mode, made objects snap to raycast hit or puzzle target upon placement
  • Hovering the cursor over an interactable object will cause that object to be highlighted for the duration the cursor is on it

Camera

  • Hided cursor and adjusted horizontal camera speed.
  • Readapted camera position to resizing on change.

Puzzle Logic

  • Refactored puzzle logic related code for cleaner architecture
  • Refactored object distance code for cleaner architecture. Objects can be placed in their correct locations and no longer removed.

Scripts & Tapes

  • Colored versions of the tapes were created

Assets - Models

  • New decoration models added.
  • Main attic textured.
  • Tape 1 colored.
  • Main menu designed.
  • Paused menu sketched.
  • Glitch shader finished.

Assets - Audio

  • Audio fully implemented for tape 1 original and branches 
    • Background music
    • Voiceovers and effects for animatics

Challenges

  • World vs local vectors inconsistent across functions made placing some objects difficult
  • Difficulty with saving a scene state made initial implementation of scene hopping difficult. This resulted in a cut corner with two attics in the same scene and teleportation of the player between them.

Files

ReminiscenceGame (2).zip 91 MB
Oct 27, 2023

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