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Project Details

Organisation: Republic Polytechnic
Mentor: Mr Tan Kok Cheng
Group Members: Tay Yi Jun, Aaron Shen and Chew Xuan Zheng
Name of Project: Games Design and Programming: StickFighter


Brief description of the project

Beginning January 5th, we embarked on a Games Design and Programming course offered by Republic Polytechnic, with an ultimate aim being a game created solely by groups consisting of either two three members each, with the assistance of our mentors. For the first two weeks of the attachment, we were taught the basics of the Python programming language, such as guiding a robot through a maze; then the more complicated lessons such as giving characteristics to a robot or generating random numbers and much, much more. Then, we were left alone apart from the assistance and guidance from our mentors to program our very own, original game from scratch.


Results

Our game, ‘StickFighter’, is a simple 2D arcade-like game, inspired by a game named “LittleFighters”. It consists of two real-life players battling each other through the use of a stickman character of their choice; the Archer, Mage or Knight. Players can control the characters by moving them up, down, left and right; and can choose to use its powers too. The first character to reach 0 health loses.


Reflection

3 content/knowledge skills you learnt

Firstly, the most important and essential skill, programming. We learnt the basics of the Python programming language and learnt how to apply the different styles and concepts we picked up in the creation of our very own game with Pygame. We also learnt that what we saw as trivial mistakes in programming such as the spelling and indentation actually played an integral role in ensuring that the program would successfully work.

Secondly, on a more interactive level, we learnt how to operate Audacity, which is a program used to incorporate music and sounds into the game to give players a more interesting experience. We also made use of and became somehow proficient in Microsoft Paint and Moviemaker for the animation and the short movie we had before our game respectively.

Last but not least, we learnt the most basic concepts of any game; such as the necessary balance between different characters such that none are overpowered or others too weak. A reward system would also entice players to try their best at the game so as to feel a sense of satisfaction after seeing that their score is high. The game must also be neither too simple nor too hard, so the player will not lose interest in it.

Two interesting aspects of your learning

Firstly, the three of us learnt how to work well with each other. Although this was not exactly a normal project, we managed to split the work according to our strengths, with some working on the more interactive parts of the game while others took care of the more complicated programming.


Secondly, we learnt how to not only consider one point of view but instead widen our perspectives; for example in game programming, there is a whole spectrum of different ways and codes to use in the programming of a particular game which will yield the same results. Although different codes can be used to create the exactly same game, some will, for example, ensure a more smooth-running game so we have to go about finding out which one that is.

One take-away for life

Apart from the unique knowledge of Python programming, the feeling of satisfaction of experiencing our very own computer game running smoothly, going exactly the way we programmed it to be after all that hard work and sweat put in.


Gallery


Games Design & Programming - WOW! @ Temasek Academy


Games Design & Programming - WOW! @ Temasek Academy

Games Design & Programming - WOW! @ Temasek Academy

Games Design & Programming - WOW! @ Temasek Academy

Games Design & Programming - WOW! @ Temasek Academy


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xuanzheng
Latest page update: made by xuanzheng , Feb 15 2009, 6:04 AM EST (about this update About This Update xuanzheng Edited by xuanzheng

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