U76 level design pt2 2015 16

PEARSON Hopwood Hall College BTEC Higher National Diploma in Creative Media Production (Games Development) Year 2 Arts & Performing Arts ASSIGNMENT NO. Weeks 16 - 22

Level Design pt 2 Tutor Alex Dobson Learner Name Issue Date 08/01/2016 Formative Feedback - 12/02/2016 Final Deadline 26/02/2016 This assignment covers Grading Criteria from the following units: Unit 76 Level Design for Computer Games Learning Outcome 2 Be able to produce gameplay functionality within the space of 3D computer game level environments Learning Outcome 4 Be able to assemble 3D computer game levels using lighting, materials and imported assets

AIM & PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT This unit aims to teach learners how to use 3D game engine technology to design interactive spaces for computer games to the standard required by the computer games industry.

PROLOGUE Level design is a key part of the game development process, bridging the gap between art and programming. Level designers create the experience that the player will have, both by constructing the 3D environment in which play will take place, and by writing scripts to trigger events in the environment.

SCENARIO You are a member of a small games development company taking on the role of level designer you now must follow the development process for designing interactive 3D computer game levels the focus to create a prototype level/environment for your character for the client game Monkey Planet.

In this second part of the assignment you are required to create a fully functioning game space you will arrange libraries of 3D assets, images and sounds required in your 3D space and apply materials and lighting techniques to your environment(s) concept. You will then focus on making the space more interesting, developing the skill of balancing dynamic elements with the negative space of the environment to enhance game play experience.

PEARSON Hopwood Hall College BTEC Higher National Diploma in Creative Media Production (Games Development) Year 2 Arts & Performing Arts

Level Design - Gameplay Functionality Learning Outcome 2: 2.1, 2.2 and M2, D1, D2 Be able to produce gameplay functionality within the space of 3D computer game level environments. You will fully justify your use gameplay functionality using specific examples to highlight key points. You will also gain peer and client feedback on your completed game level and suggest Evidence for Assessment: Appropriately named executable file of game level Report in a format of your own choosing explaining your use of the elements listed below Explain and justify how you have used the following gameplay aspects within your level, giving specific examples: Visibility; line of sight; Point of view/camera model, eg first-person, over-shoulder third person Exploration; linear play, non-linear Genre, eg survival horror; Player choices in game Peer feedback/Improvements Explain and justify how you have implemented the following functionality aspects within your level, giving specific examples: Control system, eg real-time, turn-based; input devices (mouse, keyboard, game controller) Virtual camera (field of view, orthographic, perspective) Entities, eg pickup items, vehicles, physics-based objects; player utility In order to achieve M2 you must fully justify your choice of research sources the techniques and methods you have used in the creation of your playable level and choice of control system.

To achieve D1 you will fully justify how your playable level meet specific criteria for “Monkey Planet� as discussed with your client. You will propose improvements as to how you can further improve game level aspects and control system to achieve the desired standard required for marketing the game to the public. You should critically compare your final technical outcomes and playable level to the client specifications and intentions fully justifying decisions taken and your overall performance.

In order to achieve D2 you will take responsibility for developing all aspects of your playable game level or your section of the level. You must ensure that you manage and organise your research and level creation effectively, timely and presenting all work appropriately to industry standards.

Ways you can submit work/evidence: Artwork/Sketch pads Digital Portfolio Digital/Traditional Presentations OneDrive Voice Recordings/Video blogs Written Reports (Its Learning)

PEARSON Hopwood Hall College BTEC Higher National Diploma in Creative Media Production (Games Development) Year 2 Arts & Performing Arts

Level Design - The Build Learning Outcome 4: 4.1 and M3, D1, D2 You will assemble a 3D computer game level using lighting, materials and imported assets, working to a standard acceptable to an employer or client. You will also produce an in depth critical report on the following aspects of your completed game level.

Justification of chosen lighting: types (point, spot, direct); parameters (attenuation, colour, brightness); lightmapping; dynamic shadows; shader parameters (ambient, diffuse, specular) Justification of chosen materials: mapping coordinates, unwrap UVs, textures (tiling, clamp, repeat, power-of-two dimensions, square textures, bit depths); texture channels (diffuse, ambient, emissive, specular, normal); shaders, eg Phong, Blinn, anisotropic; colour channels; alpha channel; alpha blending, eg additive, multiply; z buffer; texture position; texture scale How you have used created/imported assets: foliage; human-made props; animated objects, eg characters, opening doors, rising lifts; physics-based objects, eg storage boxes, rigged vehicles; sounds (3D mono, stereo, volume, pan) Presentation: Presentation of working game level to client, log client and peer feedback Self/level Evaluation: Critical review of processes and outcomes against original intentions including peer and client feedback Evidence for Assessment: Appropriately named executable file of game level Report in a format of your own choosing explaining your use of the elements listed below In order to achieve M3 you will present or give an account of how the control system and game level aims relate to the game “Monkey Planet” and your intended audience and client specification. Aims and objectives should be clear and concise and will illustrate exactly what is trying to be achieved and how this has been implemented within the game level.

To achieve D1 you will fully justify how your playable level meet specific criteria for “Monkey Planet” as discussed with your client. You will propose improvements as to how you can further improve game level aspects and control system to achieve the desired standard required for marketing the game to the public. You should critically compare your final technical outcomes and playable level to the client specifications and intentions fully justifying decisions taken and your overall performance.

In order to achieve D2 you will take responsibility for developing all aspects of your playable game level or your section of the level. You must ensure that you manage and organise your research and level creation effectively, timely and presenting all work appropriately to industry standards.

Ways you can submit work/evidence: Artwork/Sketch pads Digital Portfolio Digital/Traditional Presentations OneDrive Voice Recordings/Video blogs Written Reports (Its Learning)

PEARSON Hopwood Hall College BTEC Higher National Diploma in Creative Media Production (Games Development) Year 2 Arts & Performing Arts Indicative Reading/Web Links http://store.steampowered.com/ http://steamcommunity.com/greenlight/ http://www.unrealengine.com/udk/ http://forums.epicgames.com/forums/366-UDK http://www.unrealengine.com/udk/documentation/ http://udn.epicgames.com/Main/WebHome.html http://prezi.com/ http://eat3d.com/ Links This unit links with the following units in the Edexcel BTEC HND in Creative Media Production: • Unit 46: 2D Digital Graphics for Computer Games • Unit 47: 2D Digital Animation for Computer Games • Unit 49: 3D Computer Game Engines • Unit 69: 3D Modelling for Computer Games • Unit 70: 3D Environments for Computer Games • Unit 71: 3D Animation for Computer Games • Unit 72: Rendering and Lighting for Computer Games Animation.

• Unit 75: Computer Game Design Techniques.

This brief has been verified as being fit for purpose Assessor Alex Dobson Date 20/08/2015 Signature Internal Verifier Signature

Date

PEARSON Hopwood Hall College BTEC Higher National Diploma in Creative Media Production (Games Development) Year 2 Arts & Performing Arts Assessment Feedback Sheet Unit 76 Level Design for Computer Games Criteria Reference

Learner

To achieve the criteria the evidence must show that the student is able to:

Achieved?

(Tick)

LO 2 2.1

Apply interactive gameplay within a computer game level working to a standard acceptable to an employer or client

2.2

Apply the functionality of a computer game control system within the space of a 3D computer game level environment working to a standard acceptable to an employer or client

LO 4 4.1

Assemble a 3D computer game level using lighting, materials and imported assets, working to a standard acceptable to an employer or client.

Higher Grade Achievements (where applicable)

Grade Descriptor

Achieved?

(Tick)

Grade Descriptor D1: Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions

M2: Select/design and apply appropriate methods/techniques M3: Present and communicate appropriate findings

D2: Take responsibility for managing & organising activities

Achieved?

(Tick)

PEARSON In addition to the above PASS criteria, this assignment gives you the opportunity to submit evidence in order to achieve the following MERIT and DISTINCTION grades

Grade Descriptor

Indicative Characteristics

Contextualisation

M2 Select / design and apply appropriate methods / techniques

The selection of methods and techniques/sources has been justified

To achieve M2 you must fully justify your choice of research sources the techniques and methods to be used in the creation of a playable level and control system.

M3 Present and communicate appropriate findings

Coherent, logical development of principles/concepts for the intended audience

To achieve M3 you will present or give an account of how the control system and game level aims relate to the game Atavism and your intended audience.

Aims and objectives should be clear and concise and will illustrate exactly what is trying to be achieved and how this has been implemented within the game level.

D1 Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions

Realistic improvements proposed against defined success characteristics

To achieve D1 you will fully justify how your playable level meet specific criteria for “Monkey Planet� as discussed with your client. You will propose improvements as to how you can further improve game level aspects and control system to achieve the desired standard required for marketing the game to the public. You should critically compare your final technical outcomes and playable level to the client specifications and intentions fully justifying decisions taken and your overall performance.

Substantial activities/projects / investigations planned/managed /organised

In order to achieve D2 you will take responsibility for developing all aspects of your playable game level or your section of the level. You must ensure that you manage and organise your research and level creation effectively, timely and presenting all work appropriately to industry standards.

D2 Take responsibility for managing & organising activities

PEARSON Hopwood Hall College BTEC Higher National Diploma in Creative Media Production (Games Development) Year 2 Arts and Performing Arts ACHIEVEMENT SUMMARY Unit Formative Feedback

Action Plan

Summative Feedback

Feedback: Student to Assessor

Learner Signature & Date Assessor Signature & Date