production diary

1. BTEC ExtendedDiplomainCreativeMediaProduction
IG4 Final MajorProject
ProductionDiary
Luis Vazquez PROGRESS UPDATE PLAN FOR NEXT MONTH / WEEK (IncludingPossible
Contingency Plans If ProblemsAnticipated)
Mon W/B 05/01/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Beganproject.Firstsessionsinvolvedestablishingthe nature and
scope of the project, aswell asbeginningtoorganise the project:
so far,a firstdraftfor the projecttimelinehasbeencreated,which
alsoincludesthe varioustasksthatI believe Iwill needto
accomplishinorderto complete thisproject.
Complete all projectplanningstages.
Beginto doresearch(primarilysecondary,thoughif
progressisparticularlyfastImay begintogather
primaryresearchas well).
Mon W/B 12/01/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Duringthisweek,Ihave beencompletingthe firstpreliminarytask
of the project,whichistodescribe andexplainthe varioustypesof
projectbriefs.
Complete firsttask,inowntime if necessary.Gather
some primaryresearch.
Mon W/B 19/01/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Preliminarytaskiscomplete–summariesandexamplesof creative
designbriefs.Beguntogathersecondaryresearch,particularly
lookingat2D shootergames.Completionof preliminarytaskwas
rather slow,soI mayhave to increase the pace at whichI gather
researchinorder tonot delaythe projectunnecessarily.
Complete bothresearchtasks(primaryandsecondary
research).Begintodesignthe game forthe project(may
have to do inowntime).
Mon W/B 26/01/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Acquiredsecondaryresearch,mostlyfocusedonolder2dshooters,
withanalysisof gameplayandvisual design.Alsocurrently
preparingtocarry outprimaryresearch(viaa surveyand possiblya
focusgroup).I alsohave createda preliminarymock-upof the
designforgameplay.Progressisstilltoo slow;projectisstartingto
fall behindschedule,soImust ensure thatthisdoesn’timpactthe
productionphase.
Acquire primaryresearch;prepare more in-depth
designsforthe project.(Bothgameplayand
conceptual).
Mon W/B 02/02/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Createdconceptart for game,initial gameplaydesignsandideas
generationcreated.Needsome more in-depthenemyconceptart
and designs,aswell asthe previouslystatedprimaryresearch.
Complete primaryresearch;create more designs/
conceptart. Pitchprojectto ‘client’.
Mon W/B 09/02/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Createdmore detailedconceptartforgame mechanics,NPC
behaviours,andgame flow.Begunworkonandcompleteda
projectproposal sheet,whichdetailsthe project,itsobjectives,
and itstarget audience(s).Alsobeguncreationof aprojectpitch
presentation,thoughthe processisgoingrelativelyslow.
Complete projectpitch;expandmore onconcept
designs(particularlyonenvironmentandvisual
designs).
Mon W/B 16/02/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Expandedonconceptdesigns,gatheredtogethervariousconcept
worksand preparedthemforuse ina visual elementof myproject

2. BTEC ExtendedDiplomainCreativeMediaProduction
IG4 Final MajorProject
ProductionDiary
pitch.
Mon W/B 23/02/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Preparingtogive projectpitchpresentation.Includeswritinga
script(ratherthan optingfora strictlylinearspeech,Ichose to
create a seriesof notestoremindme of whatI needto talkabout
inthe presentation),preparingavisual element,which I’vedone
by puttingrelevantimagesintoapowerpointpresentation.
Presentprojectpitch;beginthe developmentstage of
the project.
Mon W/B 02/03/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Gave pitchpresentationtoteacher.Idofeel thatthe presentation
was somewhatlowquality:Ihadgottenconfusedwiththe flowof
informationandthe layoutof the presentation’scircumstances
had thrownme off,butI ultimatelygave informationas
appropriate andwasable to explainmyideasandreasoning
accurately.I am alsoworkingoncompletionof atechdemo,which
will demonstratethe gameplayof mygame ina playable form.
Complete techdemo,beginworkongraphical assets.
Mon W/B 09/03/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Programmingtechdemo,mostlycomplete–currently contains
complete movementmechanics,shootingandmelee combat,and
twoenemyvariants.Needtocomplete layoutof enemyspawns,
and mayneedto add insome newmechanics – consideringa
sustainable shieldforuse inthe shootingposition.Alsoneedto
add a failure state.
Finishtechdemo – experimentwithnewmechanics.
Beginworkon graphicsand sound.
Mon W/B 16/03/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Tech demoiscomplete –one level createdwiththree wavesof
enemyspawns.Nowcreatinggraphical objectsandreplacing
placeholderswithmore finalisedsprites.
Work on visual elements,includingcoding.Tweak
currentnumbersto improve gameplay.
Mon W/B 23/03/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Improvingvisual elements,focusingonplayerspritesforthe
moment. Includesnewstandingspritesformeleeandranged
stances,melee andrangedattackanimationsandmelee and
rangedmovementanimations.Alsocodedthese intomygame,
usingmypreviouslymade techdemoasthe base.
Finishoff playersprites,workonenemy sprites.
Mon W/B 30/03/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Continuingtoproduce individualspritestouse forplayer
animations.Iamcurrentlyhavingsome difficultyportraying
movement;Imayneedtoresearchanimationsforthe purpose of
helpingme tomake myown.
Finishplayersprites.
Mon W/B 06/04/15 Overthe course of thisweekandnextweekproductionwill be

3. BTEC ExtendedDiplomainCreativeMediaProduction
IG4 Final MajorProject
ProductionDiary
(Detailed Weekly Summary) slowerdue tobeingelsewherefrommyprimarysetof computers
and projectfilesandmaterials.While Iaminthis position,
however.Iwill take the time toexamineenemydesignsinvideo
gamesand lookat howI can applythose designtechniquesand
ideastomy ownwork.
Mon W/B 13/04/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
I have produceda setof basicideasforhowenemies shouldlook
and behave ingame,preparedtobeginproductiononthese
enemiesonce Ihave completedmyplayersprites.
Mon W/B 20/04/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Basic playerspriteshave beencompleted,includingshooting
animations.Workingonattack animationsforenemiesand
changedattack patternsslightly.Sofarall animationsare very
short four-tofive frame animations,whichare effectiveat
depictingsimplermovementsbutseemtohave some difficulty
withdetails.
Finishbasicenemyattacksprites,workonnewenemy
types.BeginworkonBG graphics.
Mon W/B 27/04/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Enemyattack animationsforbasicenemytypeshave been
completed,givingabitmore varietytothe gameplay.The coding
has alsobeenadjustedtomake the movementof the enemies
consistentwiththeiranimations.CompletedBGgraphicsfor the
firstlevel.
Complete additionalenemytypes,prepareBGsfor
additional levels.
Mon W/B 04/05/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Completedone newenemy,withgraphics andcoding,including
multiple-partobjectsystem. Progressisgoingslowly;I will needto
complete multipleenemiesandbackgroundata fasterrate.
Complete newenemytypes,create graphical assets.
Mon W/B 11/05/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Produced additional enemytype,withcodingandmovement,with
thisI shouldbe nearcompletion,andnowIneedtoconstruct the
final assets,includingbackgroundsandsound.Imayuse and/or
editroyaltyfree soundeffectsforthe projectif needbe.
Complete graphical assets,create/acquire soundassets
and applythemtothe game.
Mon W/B 18/05/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Workingon fixingcurrentissueswiththe game system –primarily
the way that mygame switchesbetweentwosetsof sprites.I’m
havingan issue where the spriteschange evenif the objectdoes
not move upor down.So far I’ve beenunsuccessful infixingthis;it
may windupinthe final versionof the game.Despitethat,Inow
have a fullyworkingversionof the game,sanssound.
Addsounds to the game,and some tertiaryfeatures
(title,game over,etc).

4. BTEC ExtendedDiplomainCreativeMediaProduction
IG4 Final MajorProject
ProductionDiary
Mon W/B 25/05/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
I have producedforthe game a title screen,aninstructionsscreen
and a game overscreenfor the game,complete withcoding.Also
gatheredtogetheraselectionof personallymade androyaltyfree
soundassetstogetherforthe game,thoughsome will needediting
before addingthemtothe game.
Editsoundsand add themto the game.
Mon W/B 01/06/15
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Addedall soundsandcodedthemintothe game,completingthe
game project.Exportedthe game as a singularexecutable file for
usage and review.Ultimately,Ifeel thatthe productionof my
game was sloweddownquite alotduringthe graphical asset
productionphase.