Today, we all learned a bi about the unity web player interface. We also dicussed the storyline of our game in our group.This is our plan so far:

You start on an isolated planet that has been colonized by humans, and is ruled by a corrupt dictator. The planet has mainly relied on solar power for energy. Unfortunatly the planet's sun has burned out into a white dwarf resulting in an energy crisis. While the middle classes fought over what little energy is left, the dictator has been hoarding nuclear power. The player must over throw the dictator using a special electric gun powered by the batterys dropped by the robot gaurds in the dictators mashion.

We have our theme, character, and city style now. If there's anything you feel the need to do at home, just let the group know so that we know what to expect when we come back in. Great work today.

Exploration-based

Cyberpunk-AI theme

Character: Mechanical-Assistance-Bot (MAB) A self-aware robot designed for every day assistance of humans (think nanny-bot). Humanoid (two arms, two legs, torso, one head), metal chasis, dome-faceplate, neon sea-green lining, (think-tron meets total recall soldiers) white metal plating. 

City: Cypher, Cyberpunk themed, totally abandoned. MAB is the only known inhabitant. Lots of trash, broken lights, burned out lights, faint music coming from abandoned clubs. 

Lana & Noam:

1. What is Science Fiction?
Many things are similar to the current world, except for some differences like:
- Advanced technology
- Aliens
- Different planet/solar system
- Time travel
Science Fiction is something that is based off of theirs of possible (or impossible) future technological development or ideas of events that could happen.
This can range from something as broad as time travel, to something as specific as an alien invasion.
- aliens
- teleportation
- parallel dimensions/universes
- AI/robotics
- space travel (major)
- genetic modification
- extremely advanced weaponry/devices (think lasers)
2. How can we define the difference between fantasy and sci-fi? Is Star Wars fantasy or sci-fi?
Fantasy and Science Fiction differ in many ways. First and foremost is that Fantasy focuses on thins that could never happen or are simply not realistic, while Science Fiction focuses on theories or possible advancements in technology or universal events. (Think contrast between elves, fantasy, and aliens, science fiction. Looking at these two you can make these comparisons: elves do not exist, and thus are “fantasy”. Aliens, in all probability, do exist, thus they are Science Fiction. Although whether or not they resemble xenomorphs is a different matter.) So yes, Star Wars is Science Fiction.
 

Wes:

Technology that doesn't exist.

Axel:

Often futuristic, plot is based heavily on science.

Connor:

fiction based on imagined future scientific or technological advances and major social or environmental changes, 
frequently portraying 
space 
time travel 
life on other planets.

Cameron:

Technology
Time travel
Future
Extraterrestrial life
Major social/environmental changes
Differs from our own world

Kajsa:

A world where technology and it's implementations heavily affect living things and the world in any way. "[It] deals with the reaction of human beings to changes in science and technology"

William:

A fictional story with futuristic or alien technology

Wesley:

1. Science fiction generally involves possible realities based off of new innovations
2. Fantasy involves more expansive realms than in science fiction. Star Wars is one example of where the two overlap. You have futuristic technology, while at the same time having many different worlds with depth far beyond even the movies.

Evan:

I think about star wars and star trek when i think of sci-fi. Because those include life in outer space and time travel and teleportation and those are all things i think of when i hear sci-fi. I think of amazing of technology when i hear sci-fi, things like lightsabers and cool spaceships.

Maia:

1. A world/universe where some advancement in technology greatly affects the populace
2. Sci-Fi has a basis in technology and science, while fantasy is not based in reality

Nate:

a story about fictional science.
starwars is both.

Jacob:

fiction with elements unlike our world, more scientific than magical

C.Jackson:

1. Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginative content such as futuristic settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, time travel, faster than light travel, parallel universes and extraterrestrial life.
Star Wars is Fantasy.

• Fighter games 
• Different levels of kill missions 
• Kill enemies to save the universe 
• Pick a theme world 
  • For Example:
    • Desert
    • Underwater
    • Underground
• Once you kill someone, get their soul 
• Has a circle somewhere on the body (similar to iron man) that changes color or design when it advances level and the color or design determines how it can fight 
  • Arm 
  • Glasses
  • Face 
• Have a character development for the main character and the enemies 
• Future world: metropolitan 
  • Parts will be underground 
• Going deeper into the world will be harder and more dangerous 
• End of the game will be the core of the world 
• Or make it planets 
  • Different plants are different worlds 
• Fighting with hands and legs 
• Health system 
• Can jump (only once) 

1. What is science fiction???

2. How can we define the difference between fantasy and sci-fi? Is Star Wars fantasy or sci-fi?

The objective of this studio was to make a video game that would incorporate music. We soon decided that instead of a mobile musical game like we were originally tasked with creating, we wanted to create a racing game that would still have a musical aspect. We split up into different group not limited to the environment, track model, physics, and car model. Using Unity, Rhino, and Garageband we were able to create all of the aspects of our game.

TRACK & CAR MODEL:

Rhino was used to create both the track and to manipulate an already created car. As a group, we decided on a BMW Z4. We had to pull the car apart so we could animate each individual piece. The wheels needed to spin on their appropriate axis, the steering wheel would have to rotate realistically, and if we had enough time we could have made the doors, hood, and trunk open at the push of a button.

The track and the NuVu Studio sign were also created in Rhino. We would have liked to incorporate more of a 3D track the bended into downward curves, but problems arose between Rhino and Unity. They didn’t cooperate, so we made due with a mostly two dimensional track. A tunnel and rollercoaster style pylons made it more realistic so it wouldn’t have the same universal lighting, and not look like it was floating above valleys and mountains.

ENVIRONMENT:

Having an aesthetically pleasing environment is what makes or breaks most games. The track and car might be solid, but without an immersive environment, the game feels empty. The environment was based in mountainous island. The terrain was created by a game engine called Unity. Unity is a game engine that gave us the ability to create all of the basics needed for a realistic game. We could manipulate the terrain, for instance we could add mountains, water, light, textures, physics and many details that would make it more realistic.

In our final, the terrain had two planes instead of just one, making the space we had to work with bigger. This gave the user more track to go around, and more places to explore. Of course, this put a lot more stress on the computer, and some of them could not even run the the game without having terrible frames per second. The terrain had a couple bodies of water. One of these was a small lake, which was more like a pond. The other body of water was a very wide river, which was surrounded by tall spiky mountains. Directional light that looked like the sun made it much more realistic and not just a light coming from nowhere.

We also added a waterfall that we used a particle dropper for. This works by gameobject that drops a ton of particles at once, and because they all have physics they drop down to the ground making a waterfall. You can tell that it is a waterfall because each one of the particles had a texture that looked like water.  You can change the particle size if you want to which can make it more realistic, because you don’t want a drop of water to be huge.

This whole terrain works by a ton of physics that were added into the game. You can customize these physics to say, hold the car if it runs over it. Our car stays on our terrain by a bunch of mesh colliders that are both on the wheels of the car and the the environment that was built. When the car runs over the terrain all of the colliders hit each other which keeps the car on the surface, not sinking beneath the surface.

MUSIC SCORE:

Lastly, we created a music score that would immerse you into the game. The music flowed with the visuals and enhanced on the island-like feeling of the map.

OVERALL DESIGN:

In the end, we had a semi-functioning racing game that was controllable with a mouse and keyboard. It could still use the polish of a professional game designer, but for beginner level experience the physics, environment, models and music came together to create an immersive experience.

Science fiction role-playing games cross several different media and bring the excitement of exploring new worlds center-stage for game players. From Destiny to Halo to Call of Duty, one of the largest science fantasy role-playing game series, fantasy games have dominated game culture for decades.

In this studio, students will program their own innovative fantasy video game using Unity, a cross-platform game engine for video game development and interactive media installations. Send the main character on an interactive virtual quest through multi-continental worlds similar to the World of Warcraft’s land of Azeroth, or design whimsical fantasy worlds like Mario’s Mushroom Kingdom, or create a hybrid sci-fi/fantasy story based in a world like Gaia from Final Fantasy VII, or transport the main character across time and a variety of Ages like in the Myst series!

Alongside the game design, students will conceptualize a storyline for the character and flex their digital art skills. After coming up with an initial idea, students will conceive the rules and structure of the game (gameplay). They will then create the game environment, levels, and missions. Finally, we will move to the production phase and bring all the elements together into a single or multi-player online game!

Focus Skills/Subjects/Technologies:

  Game Design

  Illustration

  Storyboarding & Storytelling

  Game Production & Editing

 Sound Design & Sound Effect Creation

  3d Modeling

  Adobe Photoshop

  Unity

Zoom your way through this studio by building your own RC model of a sci-fi vehicle! Learn about all the components that make your vehicle vroom: motors, batteries, engines, radio signals, types of chassis and wheels, and robotic intelligence.

In this studio, students will be constructing an electric vehicle with a sci-fi theme. They will also evaluate the merits of nitro and gasoline combustion. Students will ride the waves of radio frequency and modulation, thus understanding how transmitters and receivers communicate. Other topics of discussion include on-road versus off-road suspension, how RC models compare to full-sized cars, and levels of robotic intelligence (automaton, remote control, teleoperation, full autonomy). Students will experience the hands-on joy of soldering, drilling, and building circuits before applying a custom paint job for the finishing touch. Then it’s off to the races in a final exhibition where the fantasy cars whoosh to save the world!