Post-Mortem for Prototype #0

When the semester started, the entire project existed in a swirling vortex of caution and indecision. When pitching the idea last spring, we knew that we wanted to create a story-based game that focused on emotions outside of the typical adrenaline/fear/frustration cycle so prevalent in the market today; that was the easy part. Knowing how to do that, though, is the tough part [notice how I said "is," as in "there's no perfect solution"]. We talked some over the summer, going back and forth on scripts and basic mechanics.

Then Fall came around. The entire team talked in circles, for the first two weeks, tossing around ideas that only our mothers would be kind enough to condescendingly remark, "Nice try," and pat us on the head. Luckily, Brenda and Jesse were not so benign.

This prototype came about after some difficult discussions with our advisors about the direction of our project. We decided that it would be a more efficient use of our time if, instead of focusing on one solution for the entire semester, we branched out and tried many different things. So, we got our goal in order, so as to provide focus, and brainstormed scenarios and mechanics for #0.

Within eight days, our first prototype was playable. While it doesn't represent the extent of what we hope to accomplish, we all learned many valuable lessons.

What Went Right

1. We built an interactive story.
Having a tangible result of all of our meetings, theories and experiences was a huge confidence boost for the entire team. We had proof that we could work together to create something, even though the structure was very similar to "Choose Your Own Adventure," just with less page turning.

2. We learned how to use Flash, AS 3 and XML.
Basically, everyone got a handle on the tools we would be using for the rest of the semester. Flash was used for animation, AS 3 for the coding, and XML for calling text to be displayed. The coding side was especially important, as we were able to build a framework to use for the rest of our prototypes.

3. We got more experience in voice direction.
Previously, we had used voice actors in other projects, mostly for our respective Building Virtual Worlds course. There was less emphasis on casting and quality then, and we felt that there was a great opportunity to use voice as another means of getting the player invested in the story. In addition to focusing less on quality, there was generally only one person in BVW recording and directing the actors. This time, we got a taste of having the writer and the producer agreeing on how the actor could approach a line, and then clearly convey that thought.

4. We made people laugh.
An unexpected reaction was that we made people laugh. It happened at first when we showed incomplete builds to some faculty members. Then, it happened again when we presented it to the university president's guests over the appropriately-titled President's Weekend. It was encouraging to see people responding well to our combined efforts, and maybe even planted a seed in our minds for future prototypes...

What Went Wrong

1. No Revolution, Only Evolution - Kinda
The system of controlling the intensity of a character's emotional reaction has the potential for interesting gameplay, but since it was coupled with a simple branching story, the impact of the mechanic was not felt by players. Perhaps if the intensity was an aspect of a larger system that gave the player a better idea of what their choice would result in, then there could be greater success.

2. Assets coming in from across the Pacific
In our team of five, we only have one artist. Toward the end of development, he went to the Tokyo Game Show, a trip that had been scheduled earlier in the month. It just so happened that there were still characters that we needed by time he left. These were built in less-than-productive conditions, and around the show's tight schedule. We ended up having to tweak Cathy right before the President's Weekend, but as mentioned before, the showing ended up going well.

3. No iteration
Even before we were done with this prototype, everyone was eager to move onto the next project. As soon as it was in working order, any enthusiasm that we had for #0 dissipated. As such, iteration was the last thing on people's mind. Also, since we were so far behind in creating anything, we were satisfied with getting into a project that we felt was strong enough to iterate on repeatedly.

What We Learned

The most important lesson learned was that enthusiasm is paramount to the success of any project. It is one thing to say that enthusiasm is key; it is quite another to know this fact and to see it in action. #0 also gave us a strong example of a safe prototype, something that wasn't bold in any way. It will always serve as a reminder, letting us know that we can do more.