I still have to come up with a good title.. » seashepherd

Pathfinder

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:29:36 +0000

Today’s improvements to the game consisted in the implementation of a pathfinder functionality.

This will allow AI objects to “travel” across the levels, calculating a path that intentionally avoids predefined areas.

As you can see in the picture above, the program determines particular paths, that represent “walkable areas” (green lines), and unwalkable zones (the areas that surround the red cubes).

These maps are generated automatically, providing an extremely powerful tool to manage AI movements.

The script comes from the A* Pathfinding project from Aron Granberg.

In my particular project I intend to use this path finding functionality to drive AI vessels, such as an ally Zodiac during inflatable boats confrontations.

Another possible usage could be the reenactment of the pursuit between the spy vessel Shonan Maru 2 and the Steve Irwin, challenging each others’ seamanship skills in dangerous mazes of iceberg fields.

MV Steve Irwin, ready to roll!

admin — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:12:50 +0000

..and I’m finally satisfied with this model..!

The MV Steve Irwin is the flagship of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a non-profit marine conservation organization that operates to protect ocean wildlife, enforcing existing regulation against poachers, and much more.

I’m going to use this model in an advergame that for long time i’ve been planning on developing, and that will probably evolve from the existing Overfisher prototype.

But for now, enjoy the show..!

3D Studio Max: MV Steve Irwin – 3

admin — Mon, 24 May 2010 19:05:15 +0000

..and yet another day working on 3D Studio Max.

Today I faced for the first time the problem of texturing a model. I ended up following this really good tutorial:

Using UVW Mapping Texture Technique In 3D Studio Max – http://www.republicofcode.com/tutorials/3ds/unwrap_uvw_mapping/

Talking about the model itself, it is not perfectly accurate, ok yea, not accurate at all , but for the level of detail needed in the game it is more than enough.

It must be reminded in fact that the average potential player will probably have only heard of Sea Shepherd via the tv show Whale Wars, or even just its cartoonish version signed by South Park.. My goal was to make the vessel recognizable.

The next step from here will consist in texturing the helideck, and probably add a couple of Zodiacs on the deck of the vessel.

3D Studio Max: MV Steve Irwin – 2

admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 17:34:22 +0000

..And here the result of another day working on this wonderful project!

Whale Defense Response

admin — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 18:34:38 +0000

..originally thought as an academic project, the production of this game became something different, something real.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=foQOJp3U_vE

The main idea, when i started, was a vague “to study Advergaming“.
..Suddenly I realized that if I wanted to brand a company via a game, I had to have a very deep understanding of the organization i was dealing with, to efficiently identify which values and which messages to communicate via an interactive application.

..This process brought me through a long period of analysis of the history and identity of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, the organization chosen as topic of the advergame.

This allowed me to create a campaign motivated by a real issue, pushing me towards the necessity of finding a concrete solution to the problem I chose to face.

What fascinated me about this project was the nature of Advergaming itself.

I consider this marketing strategy to be an often misunderstood and underestimated one, which can reveal itself incredibly powerful, if developed properly..

The Issue

Most of you have just heard of these guys on tv news, without paying to much attention.. You know, those gangs of punks, driving inflatable boats at near-miss distance from whaling vessels, holding banners representing “eco-terrorist thoughts”..?

Ok, the guys I worked for (..or better said, worked with) are the evil cousins of them.

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is a non-violent no-profit organization, who aims at protecting marine animal wildlife via direct action. In the case of the issue concerning this project, this direct action takes the form of physical obstruction of whaling operations, justified as enforcement of the international commercial whaling ban disregarded by the Japanese government.

Using a loophole in the treaty, in fact, year after year the Japanese whalers carry out whaling operations under the false pretense of being “researching” the cetaceans. Where diplomacy and international pressure fails in enforcing the international moratorium on commercial whaling, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society takes a stand to protect biodiversity, and to face the illegal poachers.

The Game

The player will play the role of an anti-whaling activist, opposing the whaling operations.

Initially she will be asked to document the situation but, keeping faith to the real course of events, when faced by the ineptitude of governments and their games of power and economical interests, the goal of the game will pass progressively from the will to Expose the poachers, to the will of Confronting them.

This can be seen both as challenges the player will face, and also with the fading mood of the history, fading towards a more and more dramatic struggle.

This progressive deepening of the intensity of the story will essentially provoke emotional immersion in the game, enhancing the possibilities of successfully communicate a message embedded in the story.

Converting a game into an AdverGame..

..and this is where the magic happens. Emotional immersion will hopefully ease the chance of having the player embracing the set of values pushed by the game (carefully chosen to communicate a message positive to the brand).

Moreover, interaction with the game will enhance the retention of this message, in a much more powerful way than other more classy forms of advertising.

A last attempt to make this application useful for the organization, is the idea of embedding a last playable level unlockable only on the main Sea Shepherd website. This will close the gap between the casual gamer and the organization, in a situation in which the player will suddenly realize that the history she is immersed into is actually real, and that action and information is at one click of distance.

Technicalities..

Bababa the game was developed in Actionscript 3, putting particular effort in developing a program with a flexible and pondered architecture.

Working alone, I preferred to organize my available time into multiple sprints, with the recurrent production of prototypes widely tested in both quantitative and qualitative manner by relevant representative of my target group. This allowed me to focus on the usability of the game, in the intent of enhancing it’s entertaining potential, improving the chances of both a viral effect and the retention of the message due to the repetition, seen as replay value.

And yeah, i had some kickass good time doing this stuff..! ..handed in wanting for more!

Big Sonic crop ‘n chop (plus some flashy stuff)

admin — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:07:46 +0000

A quick video made to represent the experience given by the advergame, if developed a step further..

www.youtube.com/watch?v=foQOJp3U_vE

GUI uncovered

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:10:52 +0000

I’m currently working on the visual aspects of the game: For now I did the menu, navigation etc.

Tomorrow I’ll be refining the ingame graphics, and hopefully improving that horrible attempt of drawing a credible representation of the Nishin Maru

You can try the prototype following this link.

As usual, any comment will be a helpful source of reflection

Designing the GUI

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:57:43 +0000

Oh yes, you read it well.

The scary moment of having to begin to design the graphic user interface is arrived, brought more by deadlines than by motivation..

(yes, i do hate designing stuff SO much)

Nevertheless, here a quick preview of what’s going on behind the scenery.

The levels are ready to be dispatched, those which i chose to develop (just a more polite way to say that i didn’t code the last one yet.. )

So, here ye go, some graphic beauties!

edit: ..ah, sorry for the misleading ultra mega spectacular tweet.. just fishing visitors, you know, business..

The Advergame, as it will be. Really. Hopefully.

admin — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 11:12:52 +0000

Ok, here finally the moment in which everything begins to come together getting the form of a game..!

Here follows a script of what’s going to happen in the game, how and most importantly why.

Intro Level 1

Introduction of your goal of documenting illegal whaling activities to expose them to the international medias’ attention.

Tip: Show how to drive boat and use camera.

Level 1

Weather: Fog.

Sea: Medium density of icebergs.

Navigate through icebergs to reach the Yushin Maru.

30 secs – Yushin Maru enters. Low density icebergs.

Hitting an iceberg or getting targeted by watercannons will result in loss of boat integrity.

Take pictures harpoon. (3 camera shots)

Condition: (1) at least 2 good pictures to pass to the next level, (2) boat integrity.

End Level 1

Condition not met:

(1) Not enough material to expose the illegal whaling activities.
(2) Boat sank.
Back to intro level 1

Condition met:

Show pictures.
International medias do not react.
Necessity to take direct action to enforce law.
Bottle throwing function unlocked.

Intro Level 2

Whaling fleet position identified, planning a surprise morning attack. Navigate a zodiac through the icebergs protected by the darkness and engage with the vessel.

Tip: Show how to throw bottles.

Level 2

Weather: Night.

Sea: High density of icebergs.

Navigate through icebergs to reach the Yushin Maru. Hitting an iceberg will result in loss of boat integrity.

Condition: 2 minutes without running out of boat integrity.

Intro Level 3

Yushin Maru reached, and the vessel is whaling: Engage throwing bottles of buthiric acid (TO BE CALLED STINK BOMBS) before the vessel hunts a whale.

Level 3

Weather: Sunset.

Sea: Low density of icebergs.

Throw bottles. (5 shots) Every hit generates an economical loss for the whalers (proportional to the efficiency of the hit).

Hitting an iceberg or getting targeted by watercannons will result in loss of boat integrity.

Condition: (1) At least 1 bottle on harpoon and 1 bottle on deck. (2) Maximum time. (3) Boat integrity.

End Level 3

Condition not met:

(1) You ran out of ammunition, the whalers could keep hunting whales.
(2) You were too late, the whalers hunted a whale.
(3) Boat sank.
Both cases will represent this using the sound of a whale getting hit by a harpoon. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LHm_busA-o 1:47)

Condition met:

You stopped the Yushin Maru from hunting whales creating considerable economic damage to the whaling company.
Unlock Prop Fouler.

Intro Level 4

Finish the job by shutting down the factory vessel. Be quick, you’re running out of fuel and this is the last chance to engage with the vessel before being forced to head back to the harbor.

Tip: Show how to deploy a prop fouler.

Level 4

Weather: Clear.

Sea: Low density of icebergs.

Throw bottles. Deploy prop fouler. ) Every hit generates an economical loss for the whalers (proportional to the efficiency of the hit). A successfully deployed prop fouler generates a massive economical loss.

Hitting an iceberg or getting targeted by watercannons will result in loss of boat integrity.

Condition: (1) Throw 2 bottles on deck. (2) Maximum time to successfully deploy a prop fouler. (3) Boat integrity.

End Level 4

Condition not met:

(1) You could not taint the deck, allowing the whalers to keep on processing the meat.
(2) You had to head back to harbor because you ran out of fuel. The whalers kept on hunting whales.
(3) Boat sank.

Condition met:

By harassing the whalers you created them enough economical loss to make the hunt of whales inconvenient for the fishing industry. You successfully enforced the law on whale conservation, saving lots of ‘em.
Highscore equals amount of economical loss done to the whaling industry.

Highscore tab, challenge a friend.

Bonus level unlocked, but it is playable only on “mother site”.

Intro Bonus Level

The anti whaling campaign is over. Take the control of the chopper and drive the Steve Irwin through an iceberg field by giving indications.

Tip: Show how to drive the chopper.

Bonus Level

Weather: Fog.

Sea: Middle density of icebergs.

The player will control the chopper. Left click positions a marker, as part of the route that the Steve Irwin will follow. The SI, driven by the cpu, will follow this markers in order to get out of the iceberg field.

Hitting an iceberg will cause damage to the ship.

Condition: Boat integrity.

End Bonus Level

You made it. The crew is save and the mission is accomplished. Now go and read more about Sea Shepherd.

So, what’ch u think?

..Could it be useful to represent what Sea Shepherd is fighting for?

This final concept differs from my original ideas in the fact that it introduces the “economical loss” factor to the whaling industry. For what i read and heard so far, that is the main weapon SSCS is fighting whaling with. Am I right? What do you think about this idea?

..to give ya more stimuli to look back over the whole process, here the link to the post in which i pitched the first game concept: Link.

High seas reportage

admin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:53:55 +0000

I’m currently working on the functionality that will allow you to take pictures to the whaling vessels.

This will be one of the first challenges, teaching the player how to navigate the zodiac.

The camera in fact has a very short “range”, and this means that the player will be forced to drive very near to the vessels, dodging icebergs and avoiding to crash against the enemy ship. This requires good control over the throttle, making the player understand the enhanced control over the vehicle if managing the speed appropriately.

The player will have only a limited number of possible shots, in order to make the function more challenging.

When activating the camera a target will appear, indicating the point that the camera is directed to. Getting targeted by a watercannon will influence this function, making it more difficult to aim the right spots.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXozooDznhw

A new prototype will be posted on Wednesday..!