Devlog #4 - Getting Back Into It.

Week 7 - 12.09.2018

Since the last time I checked in, there were a few additions here and there but not as much as I expected because right after we got back from our break, I got a good ol' eye infection (which slowed things down a bit)!! Most of last week was trying to recuperate and make clear what we wanted from the game by the end of the next 6 weeks. We were able to re-scope and note down what needed to be done vs. what we wanted done. This week, I was able to get more work done on the models and scenes where I worked on the character models I created before the break and rigged them up to be ready for posing, animating and putting them into the scene. We had a few issues with the unity version control that we're using but my teammate found a work around for it so progress should be smoother from here. 

Another thing I was working on this week was creating assets for the different table settings for the start, middle and end of the dinner. At the moment, the scenes are split up but after this week, I'll probably discuss the options where we could possibly make the scenes and their transitions flow a little better, so you're not just taken out of the date and plopped back in. Even though we plan things before we start working on them, there are always more ideas that are either better or worse that come up as you're working and they're all things that are worth thinking about. Anyway, I pretty much just had to change up the table setting to suit what has happening during the date. At the start, there's no food so the setting has to be neat and laid out as a normal table should be at a restaurant and at the end, the table is cleared except for a bill in the middle of the table. Little things like this might help the player understand the progression of time during the date however, we still need to make it more clear.

Something that I am still working on and needs to be done eventually is remodelling the environment. This isn't a big priority but there are models that aren't that great and were quickly done within a week last year that I want to update so that will be done some time soon. Ideally, I'll be working on models and building the environment for 2-3 weeks and the rest will be for working on the game design and gameplay itself.

Also, another little thing to mention is that I did a quick demo and talk through of the game in front of a panel with some Melbourne industry members and from that, I was able to see the things that they liked and things they were unsure about. I was able to get feedback in the sense that what I was doing was going in the right direction as well as all the other directions I could also possibly take it. It was a good little push to help get me going along!! 

I don't think this week's devlog was as good as the last but I'll be getting back on track now! There'll be more work and content to come it's kinda scary because the last half of the semester has just started and yet we're so close to finishing already...

Thanks for reading and I hope to produce more work soon!! (And I hope anyone reading will also look forward to it too) :-)))

-Jo