Posts by selmitto

  • WIP in WIP, post your level screenshots!

    Quote from Kenturrac

    thx!

    yeah, the gun is a mix of interactive entity and a particle emitter.

    i will upload the whole documented sourcefiles and a postmortem soon. maybe some people can find some inspiration in there and build up even better projects. but its true flowgraph and probably kismet 2 are some fking awesome tools

    Very nice! I'd love to see more details about that.

    I never played with Flowgraph. Is it really similar to Kismet?

    I'm asking this because there's a Unity plugin called uScript, which seems to work really the same way as Kismet:

    http://www.detoxstudios.com/products/uscript/

    http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/84594- ... -for-Unity!

  • How to break in the games industry - an insiders' guide

    I'm thinking the same. We are a creative industry, right? I mean, there shouldn't be any problem "breaking the old standards" to include relevant information/ improve the layout in the CV, but that's just my opinion and I would like someone to confirm it if that's really the case...

    To make a single page CV I will certainly have to use two columns. I downloaded some MapCoreans' CVs to use as layout reference ;P

  • Behind the level: Competurn

    This post is a copy of an article I wrote in my blog at http://blog.anselmo.gd/?p=789. It's mirroed here so you guys can read it without leaving this home

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    This was one of the maps that I designed to compete in a challenge held by the MapCore community, The Perpetual Testing Challenge. As a restraint of it, the level was built entirely in PeTI (I didn’t use the Hammer Editor). Check my portfolio anselmo.gd/competurn

    [Blocked Image: http://blog.anselmo.gd/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/alAnselmo_competurn.png]

    My Goal

    When I first opened PeTI, I intended to design a level “on the fly”. I didn’t use any pre-planning for Competurn: I just wanted to see how the simplified editor could stimulate and help a designer’s creation and with what depth I’d be able to play with ideas. I just allowed the level to flow naturally. While designing it, I could think in a concept and prototype it right away. This iterative approach made me able to implement and combine variations of interesting ideas that stuck in my mind after I played the full game Portal 2. However, I still kept in mind important things like how the player would move around the environment and how the puzzles were configured.

    Gameplay and Design Decisions

    I decided to create an environment that would converge the action of the level, so that various puzzles could be integrated into a fairly small space. In it, during the puzzle-solving, the player would revisit places he had been before – during the solution of a previous puzzle. All of it resulted in a hub-style room for the gameplay.

    Level Flow

    Al anselmo | Competurn, Level Flow map (Portal2)

    [Blocked Image: http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/6383/a6d1e235290e46e9993323b.png]

    With this kind of layout, Competurn offers multiple puzzles with a challenge that rewards the learning curve of the player: the same base mechanic is used at different times during the progression in the level, but with different purposes. For example, early in the level, the player has to play with the Propulsion Gel (speed gel) to create a speed corridor and fling himself to press a distant pedestal button; later, the same fling is required to help transpose a cube to complete another puzzle. In the last steps, the player reuses what he had learned in the first actions, adding new layers of challenge and short-term goals to be beaten each time.

    Aesthetics

    In the challenge, it wasn’t allowed to detail the map with props and new textures. So, I tried to create some interesting aesthetics with the few elements provided in PeTI. For this, I created an effect to be seen right at the beginning of the player’s flow, when he is walking into the center of the test chamber: I combined Turrets and a Franken Turret (the defective one) to make the latter move toward them and bump them, making the Turrets fall and get destroyed. This eye candy effect created some special effects with the falling Turrets shooting as they died, giving a feeling in the player’s mind that somehow the environment was fighting itself.

    [Blocked Image: http://blog.anselmo.gd/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/alAnselmo_competurn_turrets_fight_.png]

    The Falling Edgeless Safety Cube

    The first and simple puzzle asks the player to grab a ball and activates a switch, which as an output will activate a Propulsion Gel Dropper. But how would I properly lead the player to his first action, leading the player to the correct flow? The way I placed the falling ball (or as it’s called in the game, “edgeless safety cube (!)”) was very important design-wise.

    [Blocked Image: http://blog.anselmo.gd/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/alAnselmo_competurn_fallingball_.png]

    • • Since the very moment the level starts, the ball is dropped by a dropper hidden in the ceiling, making the fall of the ball a curious detail.
    • • Only the dropper itself is hidden from the player’s view.
    • • The ball falls in an angle that makes it hits two surfaces, resulting in different audio feedbacks. There’s a small area of floor surrounded by a pool of

    deadly goo:[Blocked Image: http://blog.anselmo.gd/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/alAnselmo_competurn_ballfloor.png]

      • • Floor: when the ball hits the floor, it makes a distinct noise. For the player, this is the first signal that something gameplay-related is happening in the level. This small area of floor is important in Competurn because it is where the player will have to shoot a portal to make the ball fly through, catch it, and use it to progress on the first puzzle.

        • • Deadly Goo: the previous sound effect of the ball bouncing on the floor is then amplified by the “SPLASH!” noise that is resulted by the object falling in the pool of deadly goo. When it hits the deadly goo, the ball is destroyed and a new one is dropped, restarting this falling ball loop.
    • • Both of these sound effects combined by a sudden appearance of the ball work to attract the player’s attention: as the player enters the level, he walks through a hallway and the only direction that he can continue walking is to the right. When he does it, his attention is attracted by the falling ball.


    [Blocked Image: http://blog.anselmo.gd/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/alAnselmo_competurn_hall.png]


    Flying through the turrets

    The main objective is to reach the exit, open and walk through it. But, the exit is placed on the first floor in the environment, and the player cannot go there so easily. I wanted to make sure that this experience would be exciting, remarkable and would involve some action. The player will have to solve a series of puzzles that as a result will catapult him right on the top:
    [*]1. Covers the floor with the Propulsion Gel and walks on it, increasing his running speed.[/list]

    • 2. Propels himself upwards, on a specific area in the level, to reach a pedestal button.
    • 3. While on air, activates the pedestal button that is standing upside down on the ceiling. The player has a really short time to perform the actions 2 and 3 before falling down through the portal he used to propel himself and loses the interaction distance with the pedestal button.

    [Blocked Image: http://blog.anselmo.gd/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/alAnselmo_competurn_pedestalbutton.png]

    • 4. As a result of the activation, an angled panel will show up on the wall. The panel will remain angled for some seconds before it goes back to its normal (and flat) state and the player be forced to return to step 2. Because of the level flow, I made sure that the angled panel would be visible when the player returned from the previous momentum (2). This would directly indicate its importance for the player.
    • 5. Shoots a portal on the angled panel and the other portal on a wall below it, runs through it and… FLIES!

    This is where the experience I mentioned takes place. When the player flies through the angled panel, he will land on a faith plate which will fling him across the level right on another

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    , and then, it will make the player fly through many killer turretsthat are suspended in a small chamber on the roof, landing right in front of the exit. This has an interesting effect because it all happens really fast and the turrets will give the illusion that they would attack the player as they play the sound of “target acquired!“.

    [Blocked Image: http://blog.anselmo.gd/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/alAnselmo_competurn_turrets.png]

    This was designed only for the fun and the effect it could cause. It’s not designed to present a challenge for the player or for the turrets to kill him. In fact, because of the player feedback that I received telling that the turrets were annoying, as also because in PeTI it’s not possible to tweak precisely some aspects (e.g. the angle of view of turrets aim and shoot), I had to make them really harmless.

    Player Feedback

    Playtesting is, by far, the most important part of any development. It really doesn’t matter if you have the best concept, or if your mechanic is really innovative. It won’t be fun and it won’t exceed the player’s expectations if not enough playtesting is done. The many feedbacks I received from the players via the Steam Workshop was insanely great. It’s magic how distinct their playstyle can be from ours and how many ways they find to exploit and break our maps, isn’t it? I love it! I love when they demonstrate so much engagement that they report what they think/ feel/ find with text, images and videos. This helped me a lot, and I have to thank everyone who could share theirthoughts and comments on my map. This is the reason why Competurn is (currently, as I write this) on its 1.6 version. Improving your map based on solid player feedback is the best thing we can do. I have to thank VALVe for creating a platform where we get even closer to our players.

    [Blocked Image: http://blog.anselmo.gd/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/alAnselmo_competurn_feedbacks__.png]

    Several different ways of solving the puzzles were discovered by the players. Some were cut out for being exploits. Others were kept because they weren’t a big deal and I wanted to reward players with creative solutions, as also because they required a lot of skill to be performed.

    In the End

    In addition to the relevant experience that I acquired in the process of putting my hands in the design tool, design a level and iterate it based on real player feedbacks, I had a lot of fun! I’ll continue using PeTI to prototype puzzle ideas, but I’ll then iterate them in Hammer.

    Now that you know it better, play Competurn, and have fun you too!

    [Blocked Image: http://blog.anselmo.gd/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/alAnselmo_competurn_subscribe.png]

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  • How to break in the games industry - an insiders' guide

    Quote from Furyo

    Never ever make the recipient of your application have to ask for more details. The drop out rate is enormous. More is better.

    Thank you for letting me know. I'll translate my CV and get ready to unload a massive amount of emails

    Another question regarding CV:

    It was kind of general sense that CVs shouldn't be longer than two pages.

    But, at the same time, I saw/ read/ watched people saying that a CV should have only one page...

    It's really hard to filter everything to make a one-page curriculum and yet have the relevant information. I remember someone saying in a podcast (I think it was one from http://gim.acanaday.com) that "if you cannot make a one-page CV, your are not a good designer".

    What do you guys have to say about it?

  • Black Mesa Source

    Shame on you all who didn't finish it!

    And please play the entire Half-Life (2, EP1 and EP2). Don't wait for VALVe release the next part of the series

    Go, play it today and you can easily finish one of the best games, before BM:S gets released. It must be interesting to play HL1 right before BM:S to see what they made.

  • Black Mesa Source

    Quote

    ":3mt10nia]Why didn't you posted it then dux? I actually missed this, and I got this channel subbed, wut.

    Sometimes I miss some posts because the email notifications get automatically sent to my spam list. Weird.

  • How to break in the games industry - an insiders' guide

    Good question /\

    Also, here's mine:

    • 1. In the email I'll be sending to studios with my cover letter and portfolio link, should I also attach my CV?

      • 1.1. Or, should I wait it to be requested?

    Everywhere I read I conclude that in our industry, CV is not that important. All that counts is the portfolio and to demonstrate that you can do awesome works/ projects ("prove that you can design/ develop x"). (if my conclusion is not right, please let me know! )

  • Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

    Quote from KungFuSquirrel

    Yeah, the lack of iron sights (other than sniper scopes) made me so happy playing the last couple nights. (also, Al & HP, had a blast playing with you guys the other night!)I'll second the interface complaints, but I'm still enjoying the hell out of it. I can see myself sticking with it for a while.

    Me too, it was really fun! My ping wasn't the best, but I had a lot of fun playing with you guys ;]

    Quote from Jetsetlemming

    I can understand that. When almost every single other FPS released since 2005 uses ADS, and especially when guns in CSGO can be so inaccurate especially while moving, I can totally see getting frustrated by it at first. It's a bit different than if he had, say, says "Right now it's kind of bothersome in 2012 to play a competitive shooter that doesn't have your health regenerate" or something like that. Basic control mechanisms are muscle memory type shit, and games that defy them can throw you off.

    I honestly find myself missing it when I need to shoot at someone at long range in CS. Zooming in on the FOV makes accurately aiming where I want much easier, as it makes my targets more visible.

    Yeah, guns are really inaccurate while moving, and also if you are standing on a stair: I died horribly once when I was playing with HP and KungFuSquirrel in de_train because I had mistakenly walked on a small stair in the middle of the map and tried to kill a CT that was standing in front of me. I couldn't hit him because of my giant wide open crosshair, and he killed me obviously.

    I believe this lack of iron sights are part of the core of CS and are one of the points that distinguish the game among the others. I have to say that I instinctively tried to zoom-in to try to see my enemy closer, but I forgot that I wasn't playing a different game. It's a lot harder to see the enemies, indeed. But IMHO that's part of the game. What isn't fair at this moment is the (already mentioned ) skins/ silhouettes of each player that makes our lives a lot harder when we have to detect if the guy in front of us is a friend or foe, in just a split second.

    I agree that if he said that in regard of the health regen would be a lot worse ;D

    btw, what is "ADS"?