Industry Practice: Session 12: SMART Targets for Next Formative

Industry Practice: SMART Targets for Next Formative

With this formative pitch presentation completed, I think it is helpful to reflect on what I have done up to this point: thinking about my strengths and what I have done well, as well as things I could improve on/ weaknesses to be aware of.

SMART Targets

Specific: Right now, I need to focus on my assets. This means the final character design, sprites and backgrounds.

Measurable: By the end of this project but also by next formative, I want to have a character design sheet, several different sprites for the character, and a background/backgrounds depending on what direction we take with our characters.

Achievable: I want to create a group of high quality assets that will make it into the final game.

Relevant: Due to the runtime of the game, I need to be aware that even if I produce a lot of assets, many of them won't make it into the game, therefore I will focus on my efforts a smaller, more condensed group of high quality assets.

Timely: Due to the time constraints of this project, I think this is the best course of action to take. When I am finished, I can create some bonus art or something depending on the group direction.


Group Things

The Script

The script concept we have up to this point is a group effort, with each of us contributing our own character and mini-plot that has a place within the game. The overarching story involves each of our characters having a therapy session with the main character (the therapist) about each of their conditions, with multiple endings depending on how things are handled by the player. 
There are multiple factors that we have to be aware of in order to deliver the story in the way we want it to be delivered. Firstly, we only have a maximum of 10 minutes playtime for the game to end, which means if we equally divide that time between all our characters that is under 2 minutes, which isn't accounting for extra scenes like an intro or endings. I think it is still possible to deliver the story we want to within this time if we are conscious of time constraints.

I do like how we have taken a smaller, more focused approach with our game, with less characters but more screentime for the main characters we are each designing. It also allows us to be more creative and focus all our time on the characters we have created, and means it will be less heavy with the amount of different assets we have to design.

The Assets

As for the assets I think we will need to design at this stage, I think each of us will need a good variety of sprites for each occasion, especially since each character will have situations where they respond negatively or positively. Because of this, I think each character will at minimum need:
Positive Sprite
Negative Sprite
Neutral Sprite (with variations)
Good end Sprite (Unmasked)

As for backgrounds, with our characters taking the main stage, we were discussing making these greyscale in order to bring attention to the characters (also their differing corresponding colour schemes). Right now, we are only really going to have a character-specific background and the therapist office. 


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