Game Design (Option II: Learn on your own a freely available gaming engine and develop a game)

This report details the process of developing a prototype for a new choice-based narrative video game, tentatively titled Act One. The game follows a group of high school teenagers on the precipice of adulthood, with the player acting as a new student who becomes involved in their problems and relationships. The player’s in-game decisions and dialogue choices ultimately affect what happens to the characters, with the story branching off in many possible variations. In an article for Variety, indie game developer Rami Ismail posits: ‘developers have more choice than ever to choose what they want their game to be, and […] players have an increased expectation to be able to play games the way they want’. My intent with Act One is to appeal to players who enjoy immersing themselves in the narrative experience that video games can offer, and allow them to be an active agent in the way the game unfolds. The extent to which each character’s narrative arc develops depends on the player. They ultimately decide which characters to form personal relationships with, to what extent they interfere in their lives, and at what pace to explore the in-game environment. As a result, my prototype focuses on testing out and experimenting with the technologies and mechanics that allow the player to make these decisions. InfiniteAmmoInc, InfiniteAmmoInc/Yarn. GitHub. Available at: https://github.com/InfiniteAmmoInc/Yarn [Accessed April 10, 2019]. Ismail, R., 2019. There’s No Such Thing as a Hard Game (Or an Easy One). Variety. Available at: https://variety.com/2019/gaming/opinion/theres-no-such-thing-as-a-hard-game-or-an-easy-one-1203176853/ [Accessed April 9, 2019]. Nelson, P., 2015. Designing Branching Narrative. The Story Element. Available at: https://thestoryelement.wordpress.com/2015/02/11/designing-branching-narrative/ [Accessed April 22, 2019]. Petty, J., 2018. Top 12 Free Game Engines For Beginners & Experts Alike. Concept Art Empire. Available at: https://conceptartempire.com/free-game-engines/ [Accessed April 2, 2019]. Pluralsight, Unreal Engine 4 vs. Unity: Which Game Engine Is Best for You? Pluralsight. Available at: https://www.pluralsight.com/blog/film-games/unreal-engine-4-vs-unity-game-engine-best [Accessed April 2, 2019]. Pontypants, 2018. Unity VS Unreal - Which Engine Should You Choose? Sunday Sundae. Available at: https://sundaysundae.co/unity-vs-unreal/ [Accessed April 2, 2019]. Secret Anorak, 2018. UMA 101 - Getting Started with UMA. YouTube. Available at: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkDHFObfS19zFVfbrfB14P-u5QJJQyvtP [Accessed April 2, 2019]. Secret Lab, 2016. Yarn Spinner. Secret Lab. Available at: https://www.secretlab.com.au/blog/2016/2/10/yarn- spinner [Accessed April 10, 2019]. thesecretlab, thesecretlab/YarnSpinner. GitHub. Available at: https://github.com/thesecretlab/YarnSpinner [Accessed April 10, 2019]. umasteeringgroup, umasteeringgroup/UMA. GitHub. Available at: https://github.com/umasteeringgroup/UMA