While I was working on the Flappy Bird game, I had to make a prefab of the column obstacles. I didn’t know that a prefab was or what it did. Prefabs also came up in the UFO game, which made me curious. I figured out that they must be very important when using multiple objects, so I looked it up.
I researched prefabs and found an article in the Unity documentation called Prefabs. According to the article, a prefab is basically a template of a object in a game. Using prefabs allows you to edit one specific object and then make copies that have that same change. Even though the edits in a prefab copy over, you can override some things for a certain object. If you go to assets and then click create prefab, you can make a prefab. After you do that, you drag the object onto the prefab. You can also just drag the prefab from the project to the scene view. After reading that article, I learned that prefabs are very easy to use and make creating a game easier. Prefabs:
Technologies, Unity. “Prefabs.” Unity - Manual: Prefabs, docs.unity3d.com/Manual/Prefabs.html.
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Since I have finished my programming tutorials and am about to start making games with Unity, I thought it was appropriate to research how to make video games. Learning how to make games is very important especially, if you are thinking about becoming a game designer. I did what any seriously interested in game design would do, which was look up information on the web.
I searched the web and found an article called How to Make a Video Game. Creating a game is not a simple and quick process. The article went through some steps that anyone could follow. The first step is to envision the game. You can’t just jump into making the first game that pops into your head. You need to lay down the framework before getting into the development. I learned a few basics that are fundamental to making of a video game. First, you need to know the genre of the game and the budget. After you have determined that you have to take in consideration the games’ plot, length, and most important your experience. You can’t try and make a big complex game if your a beginner. You need to know your limitations and use them to your advantage. After you have envisioned your game, then you can figure out what kind of software would best suit your needs. GameMaker and Unity aren’t the only programs that you can use. There are many other programs that may better suit your needs but you have to be aware that some cost money. Every program works differently, so you would have to explore. After determining your vision and software, then comes the fun but challenging part, designing your characters and the games’ environment. I know that Photoshop can be helpful, but also know that it is expensive. You can use programs like Gimp to design characters for a 2D game. What I didn’t know that you can use a free program called Maya for your 3D modeling desires. I thought that you had to pay for that and blender. One of the most important things I learned is that after you’ve built your game there are two more things that you have to do. The first time is to try out your game to find out problems. Then you can export your game and share with the world for feedback. How to make a game:
Widder, Brandon. “How to Make a Video Game (Experience Not Required).” Digital Trends, Digital Trends, 8 May 2017, www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/how-to-make-a-video-game/. We have finally stopped the 3d modeling animation unit. I didn’t finish all the assignments because I was very behind. I have a screenshot from one of mine on my selected works page, so that you can see what a finished animation looks like. Now that we’re done with 3d modeling, we are doing something different. We are finally coding!!!!! I love coding even though it can be frustrating. Coding requires patience and precision. I feel that coding is very important for a future game designer or any person interested in a digital field like web design. Our “project” for this unit is following a bunch of tutorials. We aren’t doing C++, but instead C#. Most game designing programs use C# or some other kind of script for its programming. C# is very common, so it is very important to understand and learn the language. So to help better my understanding of C#, I researched more about it.
I browsed the internet for more information and found an article on Microsoft about C# called “A Tour of C#”. The article tells you about many aspects of the language and even has subpages on some of the aspects. According to the article, C# has a unified type system which allows it to support different types. It supports value types and reference types. The types share mutual operators. I clicked on the subpage for types, because I had just finished an assignment on type and don’t fully understand how to use it. Within the value and reference types there are subcategories. Value types are sorted into four categories: simple, enum, struct, and nullable value types. Examples of simple types are float, double, and bool. Reference types also have four subcategories: class, array, interface, and delegate. Examples of class types are strings and arrays. Info about C# and Types:
Works Cited BillWagner. “C# Types and Variables - A Tour of the C# Language.” C# Types and Variables - A Tour of the C# Language | Microsoft Docs, docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/tour-of-csharp/types-and-variables. BillWagner. “A Tour of C# - C# Guide.” A Tour of C# - C# Guide | Microsoft Docs, docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/tour-of-csharp/index. As you may or may not know, I have finally finished my rigging assignment. I had been stuck on it for about two weeks, but now I’m having trouble on the next assignment, animating. The kind of animations we are making is different then how we did them last year. Last year we used just the auto keys animation tools, but this year we are using the MassFX tools. The MassFX tools include rigid bodies. I’m in the process of learning how to use rigid bodies, so I went to the 3DS Max website to learn more about rigid bodies.
According to the Rigid Body Overview article, a rigid body is an object that doesn't change its size or shape. I learned that constraints are used for joined rigid bodies. There are three types of rigid bodies: dynamic, static, and kinematic. The default rigid body is kinematic, but it can be changed at any time. Kinematic rigid bodies are objects that are moved by the animation. They can’t move objects, but can be moved. They don’t support concave physical shapes. Dynamic rigid bodies can touch and move other objects, while also be moved by those objects. Like kinematic rigid bodies, they can’t use concave physical shapes, but they can simulate concavity. Static rigid bodies aren’t used to animate because they aren’t animatable. I learned that static rigid bodies are better for optimization and are the only one of the three bodies that can actually use a concave physical shape. Things about Rigid Bodies:
“Rigid Body Overview.” Autodesk Support & Learning, knowledge.autodesk.com/support/3ds-max/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2017/ENU/3DSMax/files/GUID-E8ED96F1-1F64-4EE3-944C-586B70CE0C54-htm.html. “3ds Max | 3D Modeling, Animation & Rendering Software | Autodesk.” Autodesk 2D and 3D Design and Engineering Software, www.autodesk.com/products/3ds-max/overview. One thing that has been coming up a lot in this class is character design. On two different assignments we've had to sketch them, but not truely design them. By this, I mean create them with a backstory and a purpose. So for the purpose of being prepared, I decided to learn how to design a character.
I found a seven step process on how to design your own character on wikiHow. The first step is to get an idea of the purpose your character. The second step is figure out the gender and if it is a main character or not. The third step is give it a personality and figure out if it relates to its purpose in the game. The fourth step is very common in the creation of a character whether in a game or a book, which is finding its strengths and weaknesses. The fifth step is determine the characters relationship to other characters in the game. The sixth step is to discover your character's play style in the game, for example is it one who in a chaotic situation takes charge or waits for someone else to make the first move. The last step is very important, which is to create more characters. Designing your character isn’t just about its outside self, but it’s inner self. How to design a character:
This week in class, we learned about Game Theory. I thought that the most interesting thing in Game Theory was the Prisoner’s Dilemma. I feel that understanding the Prisoner’s Dilemma is very important because it can applied to many different situations or scenarios. I wanted to know more about the Prisoner’s Dilemma and how it can be used in different scenarios, so I researched the Prisoner’s Dilemma.
I learned from the Investopedia, that you can apply the Prisoner’s Dilemma to business and economics. For example, when buying a car, you have two options, either take the set price or bargain. In situation you could walk out with a new car and more money in your pocket, or a new car and less money in your pocket. The same situation applies to negotiating your salary. You may get more money, or you could really piss off your future employer and get less money, or not have a job at all. This could also apply to businesses with rising and lower prices. If one defects and the other doesn’t, one gets more money and the other less. So this, is a very good thing to think about when making choices.
Works Cited Picardo, CFA Elvis. “The Prisoner's Dilemma in Business and the Economy.” Investopedia, Aug. 2016, www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/110513/utilizing-prisoners-dilemma-business-and-economy.asp. This week, we did a finding employment activity. The goal of the activity was to create a resume and cover letter for our fake job. I took a lot of time finding a job, because when I would find one, it wouldn’t fit the criteria. It either didn’t have a site, or didn’t relate to GAD. The job I found had a requirement in which you needed to have some skill in C++, which I have a little. I love to code, and understanding the language of C++ is very important if I want to be successful in the game design field. To try to understand the language, I researched to learn and refresh my knowledge.
I learned on GeeksforGeeks that C++ is a programming language used for competitive programming. This language has some similarities to Java, in which they both use inheritance. Which in this case, is for reusing code and creating relationships. I learned some more features about C++ on cplusplus.com. Since C++ is build off of C, it is compatible with it. C++ is portable which can make things easier, if you're on a Mac and need to switch to a Windows. Knowing how to code in any language, not just C++ is very important. Coding can be very useful in life for different reasons like website creation and making things better. Things about coding and C++:
Works Cited “A Brief Description.” Cplusplus.com, www.cplusplus.com/info/description/. “Setting up C Development Environment.” GeeksforGeeks, 2017, www.geeksforgeeks.org/setting-c-development-environment/. So, this week we edit our sites and turned it into a digital portfolio. While finding artwork to put on my portfolio, I stopped and looked at everything I made last year. In the beginning of the year, I sucked at everything including making infographics. As you keep going, you see some changes in my work. When you compare my work from last year to this year, there is a change in my infographic making skill. If you look at the infographics, there isn't a big chance in the artwork. All that's different is that it has 3D art. Between the two years, I learned that infographics aren't supposed to be very wordy, and should be more focused on the graphics. The content is important, but it shouldn't be the focus. I learned how everything should be evenly spaced and not crowded. Infographics are very important and useful. You should know how to make an efficient infographic. This is a skill that I intend to keep improving over the years.
Things to remember when making an infographic:
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AuthorI'm a student at Durham School of the Arts, and currently in the Game Art Design pathway. I like playing the Sims 4, playing with dogs, and riding horses. This blog will reflect my learning and discoveries. Archives
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