The goal of this game dev challenge is to make a game and try to release it (or have it going through the release process) within 90 days of starting the project. The game I’m working on (with a member of our team, Nacho) is titled Magigunner (for now). Magigunner is a dungeon crawling FPS that will be available for VR and PC. Below you can read about days 27-32. You can expect updates every 3-6 days until the challenge is complete!
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90 Day Challenge
Start Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2019
End Date: June 17, 2019
**All fx and art are from the Unity Asset Store with slight edits to fit the environment and VR optimization
Day 27 of Game Dev Challenge
The week started off a little rough. We began realizing that the game didn’t have as much sticking value, or retention, as we hoped. Even with the new enemies, it was becoming more of a shooting gallery which we definitely want to avoid. As we sat with these thoughts I updated the enemies (flyingSpiders == superScary), finished the implementation of the base tutorial dungeon loop (video from the last post), and added the new guns to the treasure rooms. Nacho continued working on the environment.
Coding Overview Day 27
— Fixed bugs with Enemies (such as spider being able to fly)
— Finished Updated Tutorial Dungeon Base loop
— Updated Treasure Rooms with new guns
Wanna help us test Magigunner?
Day 28 of Game Dev Challenge
I’m the kind of designer when a problem exists in my game’s design I have to fix it immediately (probably a side effect from programming). I woke up pretty restless and immediately began doing research on dungeon crawlers and FPS games. Once the team got together we grabbed everyone available and began redesigning Magigunner. This time we focused on the value that dungeon crawlers have as a single player game. Based on feedback from Amino we saw potential in creating a more fleshed out single player experience. Thus we ditched all multiplayer design features and came up with an upgrade system for the magiguns and overhauled the story to fit the more gritty artwork. We also decided that we will be trying to attempt to convert the game to traditional after we get all the VR features in. So many seemed interested to try the game and we understand that VR isn’t the most accessible medium right now.
Coding Overview Day 28
—Decided on and Wrote base story
—Team Planned out upgrade system and general player abilities/guns
—Player will use Scrolls and Mana to upgrade guns
Day 29 of Game Dev Challenge
While I continued to update the story Nacho was able to finish drafting designs for various rooms within the Sewers. He then switched over to Unity and built out the first room of the Sewers.
Dev Overview Day 29 (changed name)
—Designed Sewers (First Floor of Dungeon)
Magigunner Story Summary (Draft)
You play as a Mythical Beast Hunter who works for the Kingdom of NoNameYet. You’ve heard tales of a monster that lies at the heart of an abandoned Royal Army fort. Rumors say that the Royal Magic Gunners and Monster Tamers who used to work there were part of an accident. Now monsters roam the halls and attack any who enter almost as if on command. As a Mythical Beast Hunter, you can’t ignore the call of potential prey and set out to rid the fort of its monsters and slay whatever other evil may be lurking in those dark halls.
Day 30 of Game Dev Challenge
My team had two major deadlines approaching (Days 31 and Days 33). I spent most of Day 30 refining a Pokemon-esque system I’d started on the previous day (no complaints this has been a dream of mine for a while).
Dev Overview Day 30
—Finished first room of Sewers
Day 31 of Game Dev Challenge
For me a big client meeting and then right into more client work. Meanwhile Nacho continued building out the Sewers in Unity.
Dev Overview Day 31
—Continued work on Sewers
Day 32 of Game Dev Challenge
About 12 hours of non-Magigunner work.
Conclusion
It’s still been hard balance project work with client work, but I’m really grateful for Nacho as he’s a consistent reminder of what needs to be done. I’m also a little sad I didn’t get the game on Itch by Day 30 of the game dev challenge but should be possible (at least for VR players) by day 45 (maybe traditional by day 60??).
Super into the project yet? Read the very first and see how it all began!
Goals Going forward
—Get VR version of game up on Itch by Day 45
—Switch from tutorial to finishing Sewers level (will be more engaging for players)
—Create Different Level Guns
—Build Itch page
—Start prepping for marketing
Changelog
—Changed Base Game Design
—Fixed bugs with Enemies (such as spider being able to fly)
—Finished Updated Tutorial Dungeon Base loop
—Updated Treasure Rooms with new guns
—Designed Sewers (First Floor of Dungeon)
—Finished first room of Sewers