Weight: 15% (Group)
Due: Week 7 (February 17th, 2016)
In the Historical group assignment, students research a particular place and time in history, using information gathered to create an indoor / outdoor level using the Unreal Engine.
Students have already been required to research their particular focus in depth, referencing images, text, film, sketches and other sources as reference material for their level. This information should already be assembled, and will make up a significant portion of a project log that will be submitted with the final level. You should consider things like architectural style, culture, building materials, as well as environmental and historical climate for the period.
Because class rosters change from semester to semester, you may find that you have been separated from your original group. Should that be the case, you’ll be assigned to a new project team, where you and your new group will have the opportunity to choose between the research you and your old team gathered, or the research the new team you have just joined has gathered.
In the event that more than one group is working from the same research, all efforts must be made to create a duplicate copy of that research for the other team.
This does not mean you will be working on the same level!!
Each group will take that base of research and drawings in a different direction, creating unique projects from the same base research.
As a group, you will:
- make use of World Machine or UE4 to create a landscape,
- use Maya to model your own placeholder static meshes,
- make collision volumes for your level
In later gates, you will replace these with final models and materials.
Be aware that your assignment MUST have indoor and outdoor elements – consider how you will bring these together, and how you will deal with the extents of your level.
One of your first tasks as a team: Assemble an overhead map that clearly maps out the extents, features and elements that will go into your level. From this, you can start to build an Asset List and divide tasks.
That list must be managed on Trello (with me included on your project). Without Trello, you’ll invariably start generating assets you’ll never use, and end up wasting time. The list will be long, and daunting… remember it’s a group assignment, leverage the skills of your team!
Consider how you will divide tasks. If you’ve got a strong modeler, texture artist, and level designer, you’re off to the races. Consider dividing up work by job roles, or if there isn’t a specialist in your group, consider dividing the task.
You must provide a Gantt Chart with a list of timelines and objectives. If set up correctly, this can easily be done with Ganttify and your Trello board.
Each objective must be assigned to an individual or individuals. This Gantt Chart should be made at the beginning of the project, and updated throughout.
Make sure you consider the cascading effect of the production pipeline. DO NOT get stuck working linearly, but instead work in parallel for best time management (and sanity!!).
Upon submission, students will be required to provide the following:
- All Project Management Links
- Gantt Reports (Burndown etc.) mapping your Production Cycle
- All level file(s) submitted to BitBucket, Built and Playable
- All required external texture and static mesh package(s)
Please provide any digital materials, neatly organized, as a submission to the Drop Box. I will not accept loose papers for this assignment.
Failure to submit the assignment by the project deadline will result in a 0 (zero) in accordance with course policy.