A week before the start of the second term, I prepared a plan for managing my time between developing my honors project and writing my dissertation. I created a timetable to help keep track of my tasks and establish a routine I could consistently follow. I decided to treat this as if I were working a regular job, meaning I would spend eight hours per day developing and writing, with two one-hour breaks in between, one day where I would only work for four hours, and a dedicated rest day. This approach would help me be more efficient without overworking myself.
First timetable I made during winter break
I also planned to divide the twelve weeks allocated for building my honors project level into three stages of development. The first two weeks will be dedicated to pre-production, during which I will sketch a rough layout of the level and conduct early research for my dissertation. The next eight weeks will focus on creating the level in Unreal, gathering feedback from student playtesters, and simultaneously writing the first draft of my dissertation. The final two weeks will be spent polishing the project before submitting the final build and dissertation to MLS (My Learning Space).
My main goal for the first week of pre-production was to sketch a rough layout of what the level would look like in the final build. The level will serve as a tutorial, introducing players to the three time powers—Slow Down, Fast Forward, and Rewind—while also helping them get comfortable with movement. It will be divided into six sections, starting with an open area for a basic movement tutorial and ending with a challenging platforming section to test the player's understanding of the game’s mechanics.
By the end of the first week, I had drawn the first two sections of the level: the movement tutorial area and the easy platforming section. For the first section, I wanted to give the player enough space to get used to the character's movement while subtly guiding them on what to do without making it too obvious. To achieve this, I added a locked door leading to the next section, with the key placed at the end of a simple platforming course. The second section raises the stakes slightly by introducing moving platforms, a bottomless pit, and the sprint jump mechanic, which allows players to reach distances that a normal or double jump cannot.
Level Layout (1/3)
Level Layout (2/3) (Incomplete)
At the same time, I have also been conducting research on the game SUPERHOT as part of my critical research for the dissertation. I plan to play two of the three games in the series (SUPERHOT and SUPERHOT: MIND CONTROL DELETE) and record my thoughts after each play session. Additionally, I watched a GDC talk by one of the developers, where he discussed the process of creating SUPERHOT with his team. This, along with my recordings, will be extremely helpful when I begin writing the critical research section of my dissertation.
Next week, I aim to complete the full level layout so that I can start building it in Unreal the following week. I also plan to start playing SUPERHOT so that I can document my full experience.
As of the time I am writing this, I have completed the entire level layout for Time Crunch. I finished drawing the layout for the slow-down section, which was incomplete last week. While working on the section for the fast-forward ability, I reflected on the feedback I received last year when I showcased the first build of Time Crunch. Most players mentioned that they didn’t find much use for the fast-forward ability, so I kept that in mind and designed traps and obstacles to complement it, such as a spike wall that closes in on the player and fast conveyor belts that make it difficult for the player to move forward. I also added spike traps that go off when the player steps on them and a path of crumbling platforms near the end.
I considered creating a separate section for the Rewind power but ultimately decided to make it a small area where the floor opens up beneath the player, forcing them to use rewind. My main reason for this decision was to keep the scope manageable, ensuring I would have enough time to build and polish the level. I then spent the rest of my available time drawing out the final section of the level, which would test the player’s ability to effectively use time powers as well as their platforming skills.
I also started playing SUPERHOT for the first time, and based on my research on the game's length, I believe I am about halfway through. Additionally, I made sure to record a voice log after each play session.
Level Layout (2/3)
Level Layout (3/3)
This week marked the start of the development phase of my project. Over the next eight weeks, I will be building a greybox for the level and then adding textures and sourced assets before week ten. Before starting construction, I wanted to adjust the speed and duration of the slowdown and fast-forward abilities from my previous build of Time Crunch, as improving these mechanics was one of my main goals from the last iteration of the game.
After making these adjustments, I began working on the first two sections of the level: the movement tutorial and the easy platforming section. By the end of the week, I successfully built both sections without any issues. However, I won’t know if they function well until I conduct playtesting, which I plan to do after completing the greybox.