Exploding Barrel First Pass

I basically changed up my exploding barrel from what it was (the Tesla Coil) to an Edison light bulb.  I have the scripting down for light hits to make it spark and heavy hits to instantly detonate, but I'm having issues figuring out how to make the glass on the bulb shatter pre explosion.  I also plan to add zapping electricity sounds and particle effects rather than the fiery explosion placeholders that are there now.

For now here is my script:

And a video of it in action

Sophomore Spinout 2017: Low Poly Model 2016 Tesla Model S -premod.

If you haven't been able to tell the big project for us this semester is Sophomore Spinout 2017.  Spinout is a game developed by the whole Sophomore class where we choose a car to model, make a thematic racetrack to race, and an arena to battle our cars.  After choosing out cars we have to envision a modded out version of them that is battle ready.  I chose a 2016 Tesla Model S.



 When I was thinking of cars to do I decided to choose one of the most controversial cars on the drag strip.  The Tesla is known for having pure torque and blazing speeds off the line.  This is what led me to come to the decision that the Tesla would likely be super powerful in a multiplayer battle arena, because, in my opinion, battle is much more fun than just racing.

For the concept of my Tesla, instead of making a Mad Max post apocalyptic bruiser like most of the others, I decided my car would be a sci-fi futuristic tactician.  The Tesla utilizes the massive amount of torque to catch enemies, and sticking with the electric car theme, has a Tesla Coil gun that rises out of the frunk to roast them in an aoe lightning arc fashion.  The car features a wider lower body than the base Model S, and will have emissive inserts that change color when hitting an enemy with the coil weapon.


 The coil weapon will be reminiscent of something like this with protective heat\flash shields.  If you start the above video at about 7 minutes you can see the beam shift color on impact with metal.  Hit registration is something I think will set this weapon apart if I can make it work.  We tested previous years' Spinouts and I could not tell when I was hitting the other players or not.



We had to start off with low poly models of our cars.  Below are a couple screenshots of the progress so far.  I was able to pull these off with about 5k triangles, with optimization to come next.

Front Quarter Panel unmodded Low Poly smoothed

A couple issues our teacher noted were angles on the back bumper and headlights, being a bit too sharp and the rear wheel well being a bit too far back.  I will address these in the modding stage as all of those issues are likely to change drastically with the body kit.

Rear Quarter Panel unmodded Low Poly smoothed

Race Track design Brainstorming

After choosing the 2016 Tesla Model S to model as my car for our racing game, I figured I might as well stick with the Tesla theme.  My level Will take place in a futuristic/tron-ish environment, mixed with the insides of electrical components as well as "sci-fi physics." The overall level design is inspired by the original blueprints of a Nikolai Tesla's "Tesla Coil" and has a couple twists that align with it.

I'd really like to make the map extremely contrasted and make most of the light pure electric to go with the theme.

 

Drawing this map in an isometric format proved to be kind of difficult to wrap my head around because it involves view pane shifts but the track is closed course, and in theory fast paced.  I'd like to make it so skilled players can stay permanently boosted.

The Color scheme I've chosen will be electric blue, it's complement, and lightning yellow and it's complement.
 

 

The hazards I'd like to have the player dodge come in the form of multiple arms and ports that lightning will arc from and Light bulbs that explode in this fashion on impact.

Exploding Barrel PrePro

 

 "Lightning Explosions"

 

For our Sophomore Car Game Project at Ringling I'm planning on sticking to my Tesla Theme for my Tesla Model S.  For the exploding barrel we have to design I am thinking of making Tesla coils that link to people who drive by, increase intensity when they get closer, and detonate within striking distance.  This would give me access to a range of particle effects such as lightning, sparks, and "lightning explosions".

Tesla Components

Electrical Surge

My Materials would be pretty simple to emulate, just basic metals, so it would give me more time to be able to focus on particles and making those great.

A quick sketch

Spiky Block Scripting

This assignment had us Script a falling spiky block designed to show character and kill the player if he hangs around for too long.  The character walks through a box trigger and begins the event as well as the blocks animation.



 Here is a view of the code as well as the block in action.

Unreal's Blueprint organization makes things very readable.

 

Platformer Proposal Map

Level Name: Gears

The goal of gears is to unlock the door barring progression right next to the player start.  Since this is a tutorial level I wanted to involve a mechanic where there would be gears in the level representing the base workings of the game.  The level will take place inside a machine and will feature moving cogs (used as rotating platforms via the teeth) as an obstacle.  The level will have two levers that need to be pulled to unlock the goal door and every time a lever is pulled I would like to switch the mechanics in the level. (such as making the cogs rotate the other way,  possibly reversing or changing the direction of moving platforms, or even changing spike threats with alligator threats.)

Platformer Level Analysis

For my Platformer level analysis I chose the game Limbo.  The introduction to the game just throws you right in with no direction which I believe serves the purpose of the game.  The initial challenges are easy and ramp accordingly but still remain easy.

It took me a couple tries to figure out the controls of the game, it was an annoyance to have to search in the options what to press for such a simple control scheme.  That being said, after conquering the first challenge of figuring out how to move figuring out other things were pretty intuitive.  I thought the introduction of jump and slide (1) nailing down the movement while simultaneously highlighting the danger of spiky objects (2) in the world efficient.  I did get held up however again trying to figure out which key to hit to interact with objects near the cart at number (3).  This is your second taste of physics in the world as the cart rolls back and fourth. 

Jumping on the rope to slide down (4) highlights that movement isnt restrained via jumping and that falling is a danger.  The map goes from flat to interesting slopes here which end abruptly in water that kills you (5) and that amps difficulty toward the end of what I would call the "tutorial area."

In terms of positive and negative feedback, you either get stuck, die, or progress. It's basic but concise

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