Custodial Carnage POC complete

Most recently Custodial Carnage (The game that I am currently producing) finished our Proof Of Concept or Prototype build. Our team (Random Encounter) has created a game where you play as Niel Stryker, a custodial engineer, who has to clean up the school he works in from all the kids who have been zombified. Luckily Niel packs his own lunch and was not infected by whatever was in the cafeteria food. Niel must use any and every item in the environment (including spiked medicine balls, dissected frogs and hockey sticks) to rid the school of these enemies.

Here is our base build for our game. Its very fun to play. I cant wait for the ricochet to be up and running.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUg-6o0P92k

Currently reading this book based on game design. This was recommended to me by Ari Patrick

Will be posting a writeup on what I thought of this book soon!

Critical analysis of Gears fo War 2

I am currently working with Ari Patrick http://blog.aripatrick.com on analysis of an FPS. We are currently examining Gears of War 2 Menu, HUD, and first 2 levels in extreme detail.

The following are being examined:


INTRODUCTION

- Theme
- Story Overview (setting)
- Key features/Selling points

INTERFACE

- Front end menu
- HUD (How does it interest the player, is the single player of interest from this)

CHARACTER DESIGN
- Player (Appearance - can the player relate to the person in a single sitting)
- Personality (Dialogue, breaks the 4th wall)
- Allies (Appearance - do they complement the player, do they help)
- Enemies (Do they feel/look like a threat, what is required for an attack)
- Neutrals (Appearance, how does the game define neutral)

LEVEL DESIGN
- Scale (size of the level and time to completion)
- Appearance (What catches the players eye)
- Paths (Linear or non-linear, does the player care)

WEAPON DESIGN
- Variety (Are the weapons something the player wants, do you care to want more/less weapons)
- Scale (weapon drop and placement vs. size of map)
- Appearance (do the big weapons feel/look big (powerful))
- Usage (Range - shotgun (close range), sniper (long range), These are two extremes, what falls in between)
- Rate of fire
- Reticle/scope change
- Bullet Management (how long, reload time)

CUT SCENES
- Length (how long does it take to complete)
- Pacing (how long it takes relative to the pacing of the gameplay)
- Is it informative/entertaining.

TUTORIALS
- Integrated into gameplay (is the tutorial separate or part of the game, does the player need tutorials)

CONTROLS
- Console controls (How do they feel relative to competitors, is it easy to pickup and play)

Progressing with Random Encounter

Random Encounter is the name of the team that I will be producing Custodial Carnage with. Custodial Carnage is a 3rd person "shooter" involving the player controlling a janitor in a school filled with teenage zombies. As Nick Stryker you will move through a Boiler Room, Science Lab and Gym picking up objects and throwing them at the enemies to gain points. The secret behind the zombification of the school is revealed in the final stage when you confront the Lunch Lady Boss, Helga...