Production dev Blog 3

Hello everyone. Welcome back to Production blog 3 for Steel Spector. My name is Daniel Lee, and I am the producer of this game. Our team has been focusing on coordinating the overall game for the creation of an electronic prototype. Steel Spector is a fast-paced first-person shooter developed for PC. One of the key features of the game is the ability for players to hack into and take control of enemy bodies, thereby swapping weapons and abilities. Sprint 3's main goals were to complete all playable models, test the use of the characters' main abilities, and test the tutorial level. Lead Designer Leland gained a lot of feedback through public testing. Through public feedback, we were able to obtain data on what bugs exist in the game and what parts need to be fixed. Now, I will introduce the work we did in this Sprint 3.

Modeling/Animation

The modeling team of Steel Spector created amazing Body Types that can be controlled through hacking. In Steel Spector, players have the ability to hijack enemy units using hacking skills and move their own units into the enemy's, focusing on completing the light, medium, and heavy body type robot models for each corresponding Body Type. The modeling team successfully crafted all models, meticulously separating each part to allow the animation team to rig them. Players who pass the tutorial with these playable characters will enter Level 1 and encounter the subway. Feeling the need for props related to the subway station, the animation team, on behalf of the modeling team working on the Body Types, crafted various related props. Additionally, the animation team successfully implemented the rigging of the Heavy Body Type, enabling it to have more movement. The work I have mentioned so far, as well as more examples, can be seen in the images below.

Programming

The programming team added features to enhance the flamboyance of the game by incorporating specific functionalities for each body type controlled by the player. Players are limited in the number of dashes they can use per body type, allowing them to choose a body type and strategize accordingly. One of the major advancements was the integration of a frame system that allows for the selection of various character frames. This was crucial because each frame offers unique abilities that suit different play styles. Players can continue combat using the unique abilities and weapons specific to each body frame. Each ability has a cooldown period, so they must be used wisely. Additionally, based on the playtest results obtained before the end of the sprint, the programming team improved the feedback provided during the use of hitscan weapons, enabling players to understand the precise performance of the guns they are firing. Furthermore, a mechanism was added that cancels hacking when attacked, making gameplay more interesting by requiring players to be more cautious during engagements with enemies. Lastly, the sound designers implemented FMOD into Unity, ensuring that the sound blends well with the game. Below are the works produced by the programmers.

Star Launcher

Railgun

Dash

Hacking Transfer information

Energy Shield

Enemy AI Aggro Range

Level Design/VFX

The level designer reorganized the tutorial level based on the results of previous playtests. They enhanced the detail of the map by placing Modular Walls in Maya using Prefabs from the earlier tutorial level and then importing them. After revamping the tutorial, the level designer created a blockout map for Level 1 and made it accessible to all team members, demonstrating the need for subway-related props. Additionally, the overall lighting settings were adjusted to better capture the atmosphere of a dark subway.

The level designer also created a Rocket Particle Effect to enhance the detail when firing weapons. The rocket is enveloped in flames, mimicking the launch of a real rocket, thereby highlighting the uniqueness of the Secondary Weapon. Furthermore, to convey the sense of an old, neglected subway, floating dust VFX were created to enhance the feeling that the subway has been abandoned for a long period.

2D Art

The 2D Artist created ability icons related to the Secondary weapon for each Body Type. Icons for the Star Launcher, EMP, Charge Forward, Railgun, and Overcharge were represented through simple icons. The 2D Artist used a visually appealing background of green composed of zeros and ones to give a Matrix-like feel, effectively conveying the essence of the game being related to hacking through the cover image.

Sprint Overview

In this sprint, a total of 127 points were allocated, and we completed 74 points. Calculating the current velocity from Sprint 1 and Sprint 3, it's 73. The ideal velocity is 57, so the data results show that there is a lack of work-related tasks for team members. Therefore, we will engage the team members in activities that can make the game more exciting. Moreover, our team will implement all the necessary features in Sprint 4 to create a finished version of the game. If there are additional things worth adding, we might include them in Sprint 5. However, our primary goal before that is to perfectly implement and finish the game, so we will put in more effort to produce Steel Spector, which can be played primarily with fast-paced hacking. Please look forward to the advanced development of Steel Spector.