Game Design Optimisation

GAV4056-N

Endless Runner Game

Deadline Date: 6th January 2025

ICA ASSESSMENT

ASSIGNMENT TITLE

Endless-Runner Game

DELIVERABLES

You are to create an endless runner prototype game for PC within Unreal Engine. The endless runner must contain certain requirements that will allow you to show optimal game design techniques (see later pages) however may be of any theme or design you decide. The game prototype should also be targeted to play on a mobile device in addition to PC, making changes to your design where necessary to accommodate for the the change in platform. This should be submitted as an Unreal Project but must be accompanied by a video, that details what you have implemented, shows your game in action and describes blueprint design, class design and algorithm implementation.

DEADLINE

The deadline for ICA submissions is:

6th January 2025 | 4pm | Blackboard

Endless-Runner Guidance

Your endless runner should have multiple game design choices that are optimal for creating a game to industry expectations. Each of your prototypes must include all of the Must Have implementations and must include at least two of the Should Have implementations from the list below. You may include more from the should have list and/or include more advanced implementations from the could have list or research and implement another optimal game design inclusion for further marks.

Must Have (Your Game MUST have all of these)

● Be an endless runner (with the path the player will take being determined through some sort of algorithm, not a level you have completely designed)

● Have at least three types of pickup/collectable, all with distinctive differences (for example, two collectables that both give points, one more than the other would not count)

● Have at least two interactive NPC/enemies, all with distinctive differences (for example, the same enemy with a different texture would not count)

● Be playable on a PC and Mobile platform. (through emulation or physical device)

● Have a control scheme and UI that changes per platform. (PC and Mobile)

● Include a main menu and a highscore board, with optimised layouts per platform.

● Have clear, well designed Blueprint classes that uses concepts such as parent and child classes; interfaces and override functions.

Should Have (Your Game MUST have at least two of these)

● During gameplay, the Spawn function or the creation of new objects is not used / does not take place

● Highscores are saved and stored, with considerations taken for cheating and storage space.

● The layout of a given endless runner session can be saved/remembered in some way and later reloaded, so the player can play the exact same endless runner level they have played again

● A software design pattern has been utilised, is explained in blueprint comments and an accompanying document (500 words) that shows figures and describes how the pattern is used. You may not use a Blackboard as this pattern

Could Have (Your Game can include these for further marks)

● Networking (Multiplayer? Scoreboard sharing? Login System?) with additional marks given for Cross Platform. networking

● Additional game modes that significantly changes gameplay and control scheme for both PC and Mobile platforms (Gyroscope? Controller?)

● An additional game design optimisation you have researched and justified

To reiterate, at MINIMUM your project must contain ALL of the concepts within the “Must Have” list and at least TWO of the concepts from the “Should Have” list.

ICA SUBMISSION

ENDLESS RUNNER HAND-IN

Project submissions will be made digitally through a link made available on Blackboard. Please ensure you have checked your work, the assessment deliverables, the marking criteria and the guidance checklist prior to submission.

The details for submission have been outlined below and should be zipped into a .zip format:

● A video that shows off your game on PC and Mobile. The video file should be no longer than 10 minutes but should show all of the concepts you have implemented from the lists, differences between your Mobile/PC versions and show in editor blueprint images or walkthrough.

● A read-me.txt file, that indicated what version of unreal was used and any references to assets used to help create the game

● Any additional supporting files should be included within the .zip too

● A link (or included with the submission) to your project that can be downloaded if needed

○ The file should be named: STUDENTNUMBER-GDO-Project.zip

NOTE ABOUT DIGITAL SUBMISSION

It is understandable that due to Blackboard file limitations, some of you may not be able to submit your project via blackboard. In this instance, you must submit a link to download the project via an online service (such as the University provided OneDrive).

If this is the case, please test this link. Failure for the module team to be able to download this because of permissions errors you have made will result in your work being unmarked.

This download link should remain active for one year, and not be edited after the hand-in date. Any edits made to the link after the hand-in may result in your work being unmarked.

ICA EXTENSIONS

DETAIL

There is the possibility of an extension being granted which extends the initial deadline date for your team, with no penalty. Following this revised deadline, a one week grace period will commence. In order to request an extension, contact your tutor in the first instance who may refer you onto your module or course leader. Please note that extension requests require evidence and all of the following are NOT VALID reasons for requesting an extension:

● Study related circumstances (personal equipment failure, printer problems, failure to take back-up copy of work, misreading the examination timetable, oversleeping, taking the wrong examination).

● Normal exam stress or anxiety experienced during revision or the assessment period.

● Personal disruptions within a student’s control (moving house, change of job, normal job pressure, holidays, weddings, failed travel arrangements, financial issues, poor time-management, routine medical appointments, disruption to routine caring responsibilities).

● Grounds of religion, unless notification was given at the start of the academic year.

● Foreseeable and preventable circumstances.

● Statement of a medical condition without reasonable evidence (medical or otherwise) to support the case.

● Complaints against staff or in relation to delivery of the module/programme. (These are managed through the University’s Student Complaints Policy and Procedure).

● Medical circumstances outside the relevant assessment or learning period for which appropriate adjustments for extenuating circumstances have already been made.

● Long term health condition, for which a student is already receiving reasonable and appropriate adjustments.

● Medical condition supported only by retrospective evidence (such as a doctor’s note stating that a student was seen after the illness, and that a student declared they had been ill previously).

● Late disclosure of circumstances, where a student could reasonably be expected to have contacted a member of staff about the problem, but did not do so.