By: Tony Marino (Programmer)
Vision Mode System
This quarter I ended up splitting work between the two different projects. On Shadow Pervades I maintained and updated the Vision Mode System that I created last quarter. The system swaps between two different post-processing effects that affect the Player’s perception of the world and allows quest and level developers to highlight/change materials on objects of interest in the scene. The vision modes can be used to convey smell and sound cues a dog might pick up on in a visual sense. The most difficult part was keeping track of all the objects that need to have materials or visibility swapped based on the vision mode in an efficient manner that is easy to understand for team members. I also did some work with materials in relation to the vision modes.
Killectables ABS Stats/ABS Shape
For the Killectables project I did some work on the Ability Block System (ABS) for both shapes and stats. The shapes are meant to define the affect area of an ability. They are meant to be interchangeable, as is the entire ABS system. The stats are outside the system, but are where character and ability stats are stored outside. The challenge was that it had to all be modular inside the ABS node system, similar to an AI behavior tree.
Reflections
I really enjoyed the culture and atmosphere here at DOGS. It really feels like an active studio with people in our room every day of the week outside of class time working towards the same goals. I have learned a lot about the Unreal Engine in the process, as well as gained valuable experience. It is constantly a balance between learning and getting work done to advance the project to meet our deadlines. This class provides a great opportunity to experience the industry and explore specializations in an educational environment.
By: Matt Caputo (Programmer)
Winter Quarter Work
- Shadow Pervades
- The Vision System
- Smell-o-Vison
- Echo-Vision
- Killectibles
- The ABS System
- Began the development of the combat system Which includes:
- Creating the Shapes System
- Beginning the Effects System
- Working with the Input System
- Began the development of the combat system Which includes:
- The ABS System
- The Vision System
Reflections
What did I like?
I enjoyed the entire experience of being in this class. My classmates were all friendly and helpful, the professors were nice to learn from and spend time with, and what we’re working on feels more ‘real’. Being able to work on a large project with so many people is an experience I can’t regret, I learned so much from just doing whatever needed to be done or was asked of me and any difficulties I had were immediately alleviated by my classmates who could show me what I needed to do or get done. Easily, my favorite College experience in all 4 years.
What would I improve?
In terms of the people I get to work with and the professors, I wouldn’t change a thing. I would like a larger work space so everyone can have a computer, some space to walk around in, and a fridge would be nice to store food in because of the long hours spent working here with everyone.
What would I want to do next quarter?
Next quarter I would really enjoy working on Killectibles primarily. Getting in on the ground floor for Killectibles allows me to more freely understand what’s going on in the game and know what to work on next.