Conclusion / Reflection:
Throughout the many months of developing “The ELD”, the project saw a lot of changes. Initially, we had intended to make a PS1 multi-perspective horror game that consisted of four levels. Whilst we came short as a team on some aspects of the game, such as only having three playable levels, overall we stuck to the plan and produced a finished game.
At the start of the project, we were ambitious and perhaps naïve to the amount of work that would be necessary for certain features. We wanted to have a chase sequence at the end of the game, for example, where the player backtracks through each level to escape the factory. We quickly realised how difficult this would be however, on a strict time limit, and so we pivoted. As a group, we decided that the game should now end on a jumpscare that the entire game has been building up to. Whilst not as technically ambitious, I do like the new abrupt ending as, in my own experience, chase sequences can kill the momentum and tension of a game if you have to retry them a few times.
We also wanted to include cutscenes at the start and end of the game to add more depth to the story. Whilst this would have been nice, we decided to prioritise the gameplay and levels instead – as the cutscenes can be added if we continue the game further.
On a personal note, I had to cut the wire puzzle from level 2 due to time constraints. Whilst this was frustrating, I managed to adapt the puzzle and make a simplified version – in order for the rest of the level as a whole to still work.
Furthermore, I didn’t originally intend on texturing and importing the 3D models into level 2, however my team asked me to as they were struggling to complete their own tasks. Thankfully, I was already on schedule for my tasks thanks to my personal project plan, and so I could easily take them on board.
Overall, I have loved working on “The ELD” with my team. Not only did I gain further knowledge of game development and teamwork, but it was also just a great experience. Whilst the development process has been stressful at times, I have learnt how to adapt and overcome obstacles whilst still managing to produce a finished game on time.
The only negative part of the development would be the uneven split of jobs amongst the group. Whilst I didn’t mind taking on more responsibility, some members barely contributed in the grand scheme of things. However, we still managed to produce a full game and I gained valuable experience for future games.