Presents…

1. Presents… Presentation Created By:Julia Tartakovsky

2. Julia Tartakovsky Project Manager, Web Developer & Programmer ( AI and Integration ): Integration and AI Programmer: 3D Modeling and Artwork: Game Engine Programmer: Anton German Santi Vitayaudom Cole Krumbholz Game Team:

3. Game Concept: • - Remake of the 8-bit Nintendo ExciteBike Game • - Game Platform: Electro • Utilizes a physics engine • http://www.evl.uic.edu/rlk/electro/

4. Game Features: • Multiple AI’s • Finely tuned physics engine to maximize the FUN factor • Interesting obstacles and complex terrain • Complete Menu System ( Start, Controls, High Scores (I/O) & Exit ) • Detailed model of the snowmobile

5. Game Features: • Complete game sound effects ( multiple sounds per event ) • Collidable objects & powerups ( boosts and cool offs ): • Heads Up Display: overheating bar, speedometer & time • Varying camera angles (I.e. dramatic camera angle during a boost including a shake effect]

6. Complex AI ( Part I ) Decision Point Driven • The track is divided in multiple decision points • At the decision point the AI randomly selects from a number of paths • Some paths are more advantageous than others • Multiple waypoints per path ( not a straight path )

7. Complex AI ( Part II) Waypoints: • 1st group of waypoints is the most advantageous • Causes AI to avoid most difficult obstacles, drive overboosts & cool off spots • 2nd group of waypoints is of medium advantage • Half of the time it causes AI to drive over disadvantageous locations & half the time it drives over boosts, cool off spots and ramps • 3rd group of waypoints is least advantageous • Causes AI 3 out of 4 times to avoid boosts, cool off spots & drive over various terrain

8. Complex AI ( Part III) AI Personalities • There are 3 types of personality AI can have • MAD • AI enters AGGRESSIVE state within 15 units from player and returns to PASSIVE state when it’s 2 units behind it (by that time the AI would have already rammed the player due to momentum) • AI will go into AGGRESSIVE state 90% of the timewithin the distance mentioned above

9. Complex AI ( Part IV ) AI Personalities ( continued … ) • There are 3 types of personality AI can have • ANGRY • AI enters AGGRESSIVE state within 10 units from player and returns to PASSIVE state when it’s 3 units behind it (by that time the AI would have already rammed the player due to momentum) • AI will go into AGGRESSIVE state 70% of the timewithin the distance mentioned above

10. Complex AI ( Part V) AI Personalities ( continued … ) • There are 3 types of personality AI can have • SHY • Never goes into aggressive state • Exclusively follows its randomly chosen WP groups • AI is in the high speed mode 50% of the time

11. Finely Tuned Physics Engine: • Focus on FUN and Playability over “accurate simulation” • Dynamic collisions( Between terrain, snowmobiles and obstacles ) • If at first it doesn’t work, try, try again.

12. Main Menu with Submenus ( Part I ): • Main Menu with animated submenus ( All menus are screens )

13. Main Menu with Submenus ( Part II ): • Main Menu with submenus ( All menus are screens ) • Play • Not a separate screen, but it is on main screen and it initiates start of game • Controls • Separate screen • High Scores ( Scores ) • Input/Output involved • Exit • Not a separate screen, but it is on main screen and it exits the menu and overall the game.

14. Main Menu with Submenus ( Part III ): • High Scores ( a.k.a Scores. Looked at in greater detail. ) • Reading in from file for outputting existing high scores to screen • Writing to a file for saving high scores • Top 5 scores stored • Player gratification … FUN!!!

15. Detailed Snowmobile Models: • “Person” on the snowmobile is animated • Moves up when the snow mobile jumps and sits down when • the snow mobile is on the ground • More real and action look and “feel” of the game • Snowmobile Models: • Different colored models • Detailed models for enhanced look

16. Integrated Game Sounds (Audio Effects) : • Complete game sound effects ( multiple sounds per event ) • Event-driven Sounds: • Hitting against the rail • Various Landing Sounds ( sound randomly selected ) • Numerous collision sounds • Cool Off & boost picked up sounds • Overheat alarm sound • Ready, Set, Go noise • Wipeout Sound • Lap Sound • Engine Sounds ( frequency adjusted to match RPM )

17. Game Indicators: • Game Indicators: • overheating bar • speedometer • time

18. Varying Camera Angles: • Varying camera angles • Short dramatic camera angle • during a boost • ( zoom in & forward-like view ) • Default game camera angle • ( side scrolling view )

19. How Visual Effects Implemented: • Snow ( wrote a vertex program to modify the behavior of Electro Galaxy Implementation ) • Shadows • Sprite overlayed below the snowmobile • Attempted to modulate the ground texture with a shadow texture ( chose to not use it because it was not the best solution in Electro ) • Reflections: Electro Environment Maps

20. General Game Finite State Machine: Finish Line GAME LOOP CONTROLS HIGH SCORES Play MAIN MENU Exit QUIT GAME FSM designed by Anton German

21. Concepts That Were Learned From Lectures and Attempted/Applied: • High Scores Screen • FSM concept was used in the game • Simple indicator bars • Physics incorporated into the game ( very essence of the game) • Menus/ User Interface -- important for a complete feel to the game • Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) • FUN aspect of game is VERY important

22. Tradeoffs Made in the Game & Why: • Originally we were going to have two-wheel bikes in the game: • After testing the game out with a two-wheel bike we came to the conclusion that it’s extremely unstable. • Next we decided to use a two-wheeler in appearance, but in reality a four wheeler ( 2 invisible wheels ) – undesirable • ATV vehicle concept for the game: • The ATV game was later scraped because we came to the conclusion the game was still not quite stable and was extremely BORING looking … • And that lead to the birth of eIF-Zero, a neat looking snowmobile game – very FUN and stable!!!

23. Some Thoughts … • Q: How would you have approached the development of the game if • you had the chance to do it all over again. • Iterative complexity increase in the physics system ( not start from a two-wheel bike ) • Refine pieces of the game throughout development • Choose the theme early on • Cole would have paid more attention to college math class  • Q: How has this experience affected the way you think about • commercial games • Now we can really appreciate all the work that goes into a game • It’s MUCH easier to play the game than make one 

24. FUN Features: • Boosts • Varying Camera Angles • Complex and challenging AI to compete against • High Score List • Exciting Physics • Complete game sound effects ( multiple sounds per event ) • Challenging game play • Overheating • Need to avoid situation by use of objects & smart game play • Seek cool off rings and go through them • Time oriented game

25. Questions?http://www.cs.uic.edu/~jtartako/BurningMouseStudio.htmlQuestions?http://www.cs.uic.edu/~jtartako/BurningMouseStudio.html

26. Thank Youhttp://www.cs.uic.edu/~jtartako/BurningMouseStudio.html