Database

One of the biggest challenges for me while working on this game has been developing a working database that is able to communicate with the game and vice versa.

The database we are using is mySQL driven and as such cannot interact with flash directly, however it has been possible to transfer information between the database and the game via php scripts.

The first thing we do in this process is to send the information, we want the database to recieve, from flash to the php script. In this example I will use the coin system, so flash will be sending the users unique id and the amount of money earned to the php.

The code we use is as follows:

_root.addCoin = function() {
coinbag = new LoadVars();
coinbag.user_id = userID;
coinbag.amount = coinIncrease;


replyCoinbag = new LoadVars();
replyCoinbag.onLoad = openCoinbag;

coinbag.sendAndLoad("http://www.academy.artdesignhull.ac.uk/coinIncrease.php",replyCoinbag,"post");
};
function openCoinbag(success) {
if (success) {
_root.currencyFigure.text = "$"+this.currencyFigure;
}
}

This script creates the function "addCoin" which can be called at any point in time, this exact script will also work for the shop to reduce the coin as a negative number can be used with no errors.

Now the two figures sent to the php come into play:

coinbag.user_id = userID;
coinbag.amount = coinIncrease;
:
The PHP script that controls how these figures are used is:

< ? php
include('db-connect.php');
$result = mysql_query("UPDATE `users` SET `currency`=`currency`+".$_POST['amount']." WHERE `user_id`=".$_POST['user_id'], $conn);
echo mysql_error($conn);
if ($result) {
$a = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM `users` WHERE `user_id`=".$_POST['user_id'], $conn);
if ($a) {
$details = mysql_fetch_array($a, MYSQL_ASSOC);
echo("result=");
$id = $details['user_id'];
$userLoggedIn = $details['displayname'];
$currencyFigure = number_format($details['currency'], 0, '.', ',');
echo("ok&user_id=$id&user_name=$userLoggedIn¤cyFigure=$currencyFigure");
} else {
echo mysql_error($conn);
}

} else {
mysql_error($conn);
}
?>"

This script adds both figures to the database and then checks the users info in the database before sending back all the figures to flash. Before sending the currency figure back it converts it from a regular number such as 28574 to 28,574.

Once it has been sent the final lines of the flash function come into play:

function openCoinbag(success) {
if (success) {
_root.currencyFigure.text = "$"+this.currencyFigure;
}
}

This takes the new currency figure and adding a $ to the start of it, applies it to the currency text box.

This is one of the more simple functions of the database and while there is a leveling / stat system almost complete there are still some bugs with it.

Help me!

As the game has become quite advanced and detailed, I have added a help button and explanation of what's going on for every screen. I think it makes a real difference, without cluttering up the screen or affecting performance. We have also added a character of lady gaga to the help screens and many other parts of the game to emphasize her role in the academy and root the project in the criteria of the brief.
Character design was originally going to be handled by Matt with help from a friend to develop a style and his drawing skills. However they had let us down and left one of the most important parts of the project empty and so John stepped in to create a Lady Gaga char. I then added a cartoony outline in flash and altered the alpha levels to match the game's visual style, while keeping it slightly more detailed so she stands out. We also redeveloped the customisable character for the same reasons.
John has also been busy creating detailed environments for many areas of the game such as the arcade and classrooms which massively improve the visual range of the game and I think make it feel much bigger.
Calum has converted the music to MP3 so Matt can use it with the banner media player and has started on a new track.

New Banner

While I was happy with the information on the banner, when put next to the other vibrant and varied content it looks quite plain. I have therefore redesigned it, making it slightly taller as we can fit in more detail and as the user will have had to scroll anyway, I don't think it will change their experience.
I took the visuals from the Career screen which I think are some of our strongest imagery and shrunk them into place, converting the clock icon into the sun. The banknote is now a bit prettier and there is a simple title of the game as well as a space for the user ID. I have completely redone the XP bar and I think its much more streamlined and suits the rest of the interface.
All of the info is arranged along a horizontal line and are cushioned to the pixel so that each text box can fill and the page will look balanced.
The moving icons have stayed as I think they still work really well and I've added the spinning gothic flower from some of the game buttons, some randomly generating sparkles and a fade/wipe glow on the title.

Its really just a case of tidying things up for three weeks now, with a list of loose ends for me and John, database work and 2 minigames to polish for Matt and sound effects and music on the way from Calum.

GO TEAM

Linx

I have uploaded the latest versions of everything for the meeting tomorrow; the last meeting before the Christmas break. Having this extra web space is great as I'm not having to worry about running out of space.
I have added links from the campus and career screens to open the 4 minigames we have so far in new tabs. When completed, there is a 'finish' button on the score screen which will close the tab and could add code to upload the score variable to the player's stats. This tab system means that the player will return to their last location within the complex menu structure we are developing, which would otherwise be quite fiddly to implement.
Apart from the cursor, which we think can be added by php over the two swfs, we have completed everything agreed with Jay in the last tutorial and I think we're getting there! All of the bits and pieces left to do on the current content are small finishing features and we really just need more games and the media player.
Character design Matt is working on will also help to theme the game more significantly around Lady Gaga, while her music and visual style recurs throughout the interface and fashion.

Mall Development

I have edited the 40 items I created earlier in Flash into two sizes and added them to the mall shopping screens. Through a fiddly bit of keyframe spamming, the user can now navigate through pages of items and select any from the smaller slots to view at a larger size. They will also see the items cost and statistics, which I have balanced to make each set varied and fair.

Character Customisation

Two days hard work and we now have a character customisation screen within the Pad swf. We decided upon 5 main areas to alter in this demo as competitors such as Vampire Wars have a similar range. Details such as individual watches and earrings might be unnecessary and impractical with this type of game and could instead be incorporated into entire purchasable outfits.
As it is, the user can access the customisation menu in the bedroom of the pad, choosing from 5 boxes of icons for skin tone, hair, top, pants (Americanism), and shoes. A total of 40 options grants a wide range of possibilities even at this early stage and should make the character and gaming experience feel more unique. John coloured and edited the images for me and created the great bedroom background.
I have also refined the wallpaper and carpet menus to make them far more effective and tie in with the theme of the interface, as well as enhance the other visuals of the pad.
All the latest has been uploaded to our specific Uni domain and the website structure and style has been developed slightly.

MOAR TWEENZZ!!!11!

After a tutorial with Jay we identified areas to refine in the interface and games so far. I have worked backwards into the many save files I've made for the main campus and created smooth tweens between the different buildings and refined the interface throughout with help from John for the visuals.
The boat and car games both now have a tutorial screen and have been developed to be more challenging and look better. Damage is now active on the car and upon collision with other traffic, the damage stat will drop from 100, changing a visual on the car every 20%.
With the pace of the progress on all of the games, we may not have as many as we had hoped, but unlike our last group project, 100% of what we make will be visible for the user.

MIDI Sequencing

A screen shot of paparazzi midi sequence opened in Anvil midi studio.

Progress report.

I think my head will explode if I have to listen to another Lady GaGa song on loop all day again! Working on getting Paparazzi into a MIDI sequence, has a slightly more complicated melody then the songs completed so far but it is coming along. I am also having a go at putting some mini games together for the arcade in the mall.

On a roll..

We now have several minigames under way, with the playable section of the game starting to take shape. I have been developing an 'operation' boardgame style minigame set in the campus library, where the player has to click and drag a trolley along narrow isles trying to collect books. touching the edges of the shelves will lose them points, while picking up books will increase their score. It is reminiscent of the wire-buzzer games where a steady hand and patience are vital, while remaining quick and fun. Moving doors and rotating barriers make the action more challenging and special hidden hittest bars prohibit cheating.
Me and John have been working on two games set in and around the city, focusing on the career aspect of the content.
Firstly, set in the marina just off shore, the player is practicing for their speed boat licence. Here they move a boat around the screen collecting life rings and avoiding drift wood. Advanced math driven coding allows for a beautiful physics led movement which works really well on the water. As with classic 90s games, the player can leave the screen and will reappear from the opposite edge, as the format is fun, varied and works well with the open looping background of the lapping waves.
The final project is very extensive, being a top-down driving game set on the city streets, where you are training to become a chauffeur. The user drives to collect celebrities and drop them off at a film premiere, having to avoid traffic, watch for red lights and keep an eye on their fuel. Using a range of variables and hittests, the player can carry a realistic limit of three passengers, collect $100 for each celebrity successfully delivered and refuel at a petrol station. Fines will be charged for dangerous driving while intricate collision detection will keep you on the road.
Each of the games have a countdown timer to give structure and the player is moved to a final screen showing their score when their time is up. Pressing to return to the main navigation screens could upload their scores to their tracking statistics if we can get a database working, although it may be as extensive as we had hoped in the time we have left.
Calum will be developing a pool minigame for the Mall arcade area, which will have insanely extensive code to cope with the geometry and physics. games like this will reflect the casual minigame hub which the project encompasses, with an easy drop-in drop-out structure.

PROGRESS!!

A month into the project and I think were making great progress.
Me and John worked 3 days straight last week to get the entire infrastructure to the game in place. The user can now navigate through the campus, career and compete screens to get to a minigame noticeboard and with the first minigame from Matt, they will be able to play an actual game. The mall now has a visual and several shop fronts where the player will be able to purchase the 40-50 items so far created. The pad has a very crude and early visual which will develop further.
The content is actually online; structured like a website for quick loading and with preloaders to make the experience more professional.
Calum has created a second midi track for pokerface which is HILARIOUS and will add a great casual atmosphere to each game.
We managed to grab web tutor kev for a few minutes last Friday and have arranged server space and an hour-long tutorial with him to set up databases, hopefully to make the game genuine and functional.

All we need now is to sort the tutorial screens and spam minigames!

Minigame the First

Today we completed work on the first mini-game.

It's a shooting game in which the player uses a hose pipe to shoot the paparazzi as they flee the grounds of the academy, destroying their cameras and the pictures they took in the process.

The game records not only a high score but also the number of paparazzi that escaped.

It also scales to become harder as time passes so that the closing stages of the game are pretty chaotic.

Game Music

Today I have been working on creating sound for the game. As It is based on Lady GaGa the sound track will all be her music especially as it was part of the brief to promote the artist. I have worked on MIDI sequencing some of her songs using Cubase. Using MIDI files will create a classic retro video game feel, as the files are small it will aid with fast loading times and also it is probably the best way of creating a piece of music yourself without recording a full band. The song started today was ‘Just Dance’, hopefully there will be several more songs to form the games soundtrack.

Banner

This is the developing 800x600pxl banner to be set at the top of every screen of the game. The main buttons created by John each invert when the mouse is hovered over giving the player feedback. The row of icons are taken from John's textures and cycle across the screen to make it more interesting. The clock top-right was designed by Matt and ticks round according to the second hand of the users computer, adding a point to the schedule statistic every time it hits 60. The rest of the layout and icons are for all of the other stats the player will have, allowing them to see them at the top of the screen whatever section of the game they are in.

Presentation

The presentation and first meeting with Joel are complete and I think it went really well. We got just about everything across in the powerpoint and we all spoke during the presentation. We got some useful feedback from Joel as well as discussion in the group about areas to improve:
The campus/career/compete sections will require good definition within the game. The acamedy lessons will be introduced by LGG, the carrer minigames be the only source of money and the competitions be where the player's 3 stats are implemented. The competitions could also be for a fixed special prize or trophy.
to avoid every player having the identical experience as with the main competitors, there could be stages where the user chooses a path such as a choice of one of three careers or lessons.
There should be an impact within the game from the player's dominant stat. This could be visual or change what they can do or buy in a rock/paper/scissors style.
A St Trinnians concept put forward by Calum could give the game more of a narriative setting and unique style.
The portable tamagotchi concept should be included as one of our goals to accomplish for the project, even if we can't connect it to the game databases.
It has been confirmed that LGG can be a mentor rather than the protagonist as the brief says, as this way the experience will be more personal.
Top items could be actual LGG outfits and we will need to remember to maintain the visual style based around her.

This week we hope to build a preliminary core mechanic for the game; with the money, level and XP working.

Some work in progress

I've created a logo, it may or may not be used and may be subject to change due to being an early version

I've also created the buttons to be used as the main navigation within the hud they have taken the same style as logo to try and add a consistency throughout the eventual application , i really like how these have turned out and ive also made inverted versions to be used when you hover over them to get the user some feedback, all of these can be found on the skydrive for now.

Over and out, back to Photoshop i go

Further research

Further investigation into the target market for the Lady Gaga game has revealed the following as popular gaming websites for girls aged 12-17:

www.stardolls.com
www.ggg.com
www.y8.com
www.bratz.com
www.addictinggames.com
www.heavygames.com
www.neopets.com

Also the following shortlist was highlighted as being the most entertaining mini-game themes for our target market:

Maze based games
Pairs/Matching games
Memory games
Dress-up/Fashion games
Jigsaw puzzle games
Colouring/Designing games

Killers Concept

We're developing ideas for each artist and will generate several for our final chosen one.
Las Vegas, Nevada. The Killers new lyrics are stolen by The Bravery and Fall Out Boy (their industry rivals) and become embroiled in a web of extra terrestrial conspiracy in the deserts around Area 51. The content would take the shape of a side scrolling action/adventure game fighting the corrupt military, aliens and their rivals in order to GET BACK THOSE LYRICS!

Early Development

We have started to experiment with styles for the visual design as well as discuss core mechanics for gameplay which could be applied to either of the 3 artists.
Matt has been developing an artistic style for the characters with an american friend, which look really professional and unique. I have also experimented with drawing in Flash for the simple item images, using thick cartoony outlines and strong colours. After a bit of development we decided the style could work, using the msn group Skydrive to share and discuss work.

Market Research

Following our discussion I conducted some market research with our target audience regarding what they would expect from a game based around Lady Gaga and they detailed the following as content that they would like to be available either to be won or purchased:

-Outfits worn by Lady Gaga on tours/music videos.
-Video and Audio clips from tours/music videos/interviews.
-End game content to include "attending tours/gigs with Lady Gaga"
-End game loot to include celebrity features like a Limousine.


Possible Mini-game ideas:

-Pop Quiz about Lady Gaga and her music.
-Memory games based around dance routines.
-Mock interviews playing the role as Lady Gaga.
-Memory games based around photo shoots.

Lady Gaga concept 1

Looking at the game market, some of the most successful titles especially causal games such as Nintendogs (possibly the best selling game to date at 22 million sales) are bought by females; mainly teenagers. We therefore felt a casual Flash game designed around Lady Gaga might have the greatest market appeal.
The first concept is a dance/singing/fashion academy where the player would enrol; completing tasks in lessons or careers through minigames. It would be run by Lady Gaga and so all of the content would be themed around her. A story and non-player characters will give the user a motivation lacking from many casual games.
Experience, money and loot would be generated from completing jobs. RPG elements such as levelling up and improving player statistics could keep players coming back every day. Other concepts like a player character and property which the user could customise extensively and a wide variety of loot might make the game more appealing.
A number of multiplayer aspects could also be included, from gifting items and competing with friends.

BLOG STARTED

Yesterday we got the brief - definately unexpected, but after thinking it through we've come up with a few ideas.
The brief is to design a game for a record label for the fans of either Dizzie Rascel, The Killers or Lady Gaga. The game itself could be any genre but would have to avoid the 'rhythm action' format such as with "Rock Band" and "Dance Dance Revolution".
At first we didnt think the brief had much scope but after an hour of brainstorming for each of the artists, we had a few good concepts. While we havent yet finalised which artist to design for, we are all agreed that the current popular web based management games should be a key influence. Massively popular titles such as Mafia Wars (25 million users) and Farmville (45 million users) offer a relatively basic gameplay. If we could develop a detailed core mechanic we feel our Flash knowledge could create a more animated and much more varied gaming experience.