FBAUL-IST GAMING 2018
BLINK THROUGH WORLDS
BLINK THROUGH WORLS is a project of partnership of the course DCNM at the University of Fine Arts in Lisbon together with IST Master's students.
We are developing a game based on exploration!
Team
The group is:
Maria Belo (FBAUL)
Beatriz Grilo (IST)
Gonçalo Baptista (IST)
Joana Arezes (IST).
Presentation of members:
“My name is Beatriz Grilo, I’m 22 years old and I’m a student at Instituto Superior Técnico taking the course of Game Development Methodology.
I play mainly mobile games but appreciate visually appealing games with a well written story and lots of places to explore.”
_Beatriz Grilo
“My name is Gonçalo, I’m 21, and I’m a student at IST taking the MDJ course.
When playing video games, I like to explore as much as I can, especially in dungeons, where I don’t like to progress until I’ve explored every path; and I like to collect everything there is to collect.”
_Gonçalo Baptista
“Hi, my name is Joana Arezes, I’m 21 years old and I’m a student at IST, taking the course of Game Development Methodology.
I play video games occasionally, mostly mobile phone games. I like visually appealing games, with a good imersive story and games where I can collect stuff.”
Joana Arezes
"My name is Maria Belo, I’m 22 years old and I’m of DCNM at the University of Fine Arts in Lisbon.
When i play video games, i like to see in them a good history and creative processes to get to the end. The part that i most enjoy watching are the graphics and all the effects created to make the player experience unique."
_Maria Belo
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Concept:
Blink, the main character of our game, will have to overcome several challenges until he reaches the end of the game. He will have to solve puzzles, riddles, collect objects and improve while fighting enemies, with a peculiarity, he will have to do it between two worlds: the Living World & the Spirit World.
Contrary to the cliché, the Living World is more depressing, and the Spirit World is "better". In the Spirit World, Blink will have special powers, and will be able to see how the world used to be. In the Living World he will encounter monsters and beasts that he'll have to fight.
Influences:
Stranger Things: The Game : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OthEKbkPftk
• Similarities - top-down dungeon crawler with a focus on exploration.
• Strengths - solid gameplay, exploration, references to the series.
• Weaknesses - a bit repetitive.
Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DffmjYMXfN8
• Similarities - top-down action adventure RPG with two worlds.
• Strengths - universal praise, one of the best games of its time.
• Weaknesses - very few, some system limitations.
Guacamelee : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Yt-ULaEf7g
• Similarities - two worlds, living and dead.
• Strengths - good world-switching mechanic.
• Weaknesses - Repetitive enemies.
Gameplay loop and conceptual map:
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Although we are in different areas, the group is working as a team to enrich the game!
​
March 30th 2018
Since the very first posting, the team got together to get to know each other better, to discuss ideas about the game and to start developing the main character of our game, Blink.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Blink is a curious boy who likes to explore and adventure, but he cannot imagine the challenge he will have to face. During the game, he will acquire special powers as well as an armor and a sword to defeat the enemies.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
While my colleagues are focused on the game's gameplay and programming, I searched for various styles of graphics that resembled our ideas, coming to the design of the main character, which received very positive feedback from the team.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
We will now start thinking about the logo and the scenarios. We are all anxious to see Blink in his adventures!
April 15th 2018
The game logo was created around our character. I wanted to transmit the adventurous spirit of Blink, represented by his sword. To make it less aggressive, I played with the lettering, generating empathy with the game from the beginning.
We also began to think about the movement of the attacks, preparing Blink for his battles. However, to have battles, Blink needs enemies and for that I started to draw the monsters.
The project has been a challenge, as I never done game animation before. I am very enthusiastic with the game and with all the necessary processes to reach the expected result. It has been interesting to see how everything works, from the creation process until the preparation of the files to deliver to my colleagues.
April 30th 2018
​In a conversation with my colleagues, we concluded that Blink needed an archenemy, so we created one: an old man. He will steal our character's pet, so Blink will fight everything and everyone to recover it.
I started to draw all the new elements that will appear in the game: a cat, the cage with the cat, the old man, the ghost. These will join the previous elements.
Considering the old man is a villain in our story, he has to interact with the main character, so I drew him walking in various positions and attacking with his wanderer.
Throughout the game Blink will pick up various objects such as a hammer, a key, etc. So I created all these objects and the inventory to place them.
I started by testing some colors for our scenarios, since we will have two worlds. The real world, where the main story takes place, and the spititual world, where Blink will have to defeat enemies and decipher puzzles to get stronger and retrieve his cat.
May 15th 2018
Mojo- Games showcase
On May 29, in TagusPark, was the exhibition of all the games that were developed during the semester. I had the opportunity to be with my IST colleagues and to play several games developed with different concepts and processes.
It was very interesting to see the results of the games and witness the designs that my colleagues implemented. There were many games and all the illustrations were different, which was very curious, because each of them suited the style of their respective game.
​
Although my team's game was not finalized, it was interesting to receive feedback from the people who tried it and the suggestions they gave. Seeing the characters and their respective animations on the game was very gratifying and I received positive feedback from my work.
From my point of view, this experience had positive and negative points.
On the positives was undoubtedly the whole experience of doing the animation of a game and comprehend the whole process for that to happen, from the first paper sketch to the computer implementation.
The Mojo, and most specifically this game, opened up a new range of knowledge, but also a chance to contact with several people working in other areas, and this is without a doubt a good point.
On the other hand, the fact that the game was not complete becomes a negative point, because it would be very interesting to see all the dynamics and elements that I did in the game. There are several possible reasons for that, mainly a lack of communication between the group.
Finally, I think that this partnership between IST and FBAUL makes perfect sense and was very interesting and important for me as a student, because it has opened up new paths for my future.
May 30th 2018
