Welcome to Team Ransom
evil_grin.jpg

6-20

OK, well, fellas, enjoy the break because we are gonna be swamped this next quarter. and like john said, good job all, and i cant wait to tell you what to do then, hehe, jk. ok, well back to work for me, peace
-Jesse-


6-12

Awesome job guys. Not just for our team Ransom, but for team Juggernaut as well. Much applause and acclaim. I can't wait to work with them to produce a kick ass prototype. Seeing what they can do, we're definitely expected to deliver a great game prototype, regardless of which game gets picked. Till then, everyone enjoy their month off
Peace out
-John


6-09

OK, well here is the Jail, with some extra features Jail Final


6-03

All of the team's assets are under the Archive section in our navigation menu up top. There is a link to everyone's individual homepage, our artwork, as well as videos of our prototype. When I get more to post, I'll do accordingly. Job descriptions should also be posted by now on everyone's individual pages. Also, Javy is working on our game packaging in .PDF format. YAY ONE MORE WEEK! Can you smell victory guys? - Mike

5-29

updates! updates! updates!!!!!!!! (ok it's not that great of an update, but whatever…read on)

Mike and Javier compiled all of our art assets in the archives page, under the link Art Assets.

Professor Grace has evaluated our progress thus far. He is happy with our communication and work ethic as a team. He understands now that our theme is heavily on the viking aesthetic. However he fears that we've lose our original concept of the time/dimension travel aspect. Our jail escape level is a success, but Grace wants to see that original concept shine through. In a nutshell, he wants us to prototype that gameplay idea once again (even if we have to substitute a crowbar for a "sword", or the crossbow as a…well, crossbow). We've come up with the idea that we can have a streamlined version of the "dimension/time-shift" idea by having something simple (even if it's a hallway, or several rooms) short level where the weapon/equipment changes (to prototype the original idea). He also brought up a fun possibility of having a race with an NPC or enemy through a level for a certain item/weapon, much like our original paper prototype way back when.

As mentioned, the prison level is succeeding, so no further tweaks are needed. John, and if anyone else can help him, will try to construct the short level idea that was previously mentioned.

Just figured we'd fill in the other members of the team that couldn't make it today of our situation.
Also, glad to hear our producer's feeling better. Glad to have you back Jesse.

Time is short, but we are all competent and diligent workers, so it is far from impossible.

Crunch time, anyone?

-John


5-27

John's trying his hand on the Hammer Editor. John's level, for the most part, will consist mainly of just plain geometry such as blocks for the time being, so as to get the basic layout. John will try layout a level design for the "transition", or "dimension shift" aspect of the game. John also finds it weird to talk about himself in the third person. John out.


5-16

Met at school on friday. Figured out how mike was doing, court was good, and he had some models to show, which is good. Smitty showed, and showed his progress with importing models. John was at work, i had spoke to him beforehand. Javier was in class. As a reminder, I am not going to call any of you about anything unless you are late. Check here and check the forums for everything. If you can't do that, and are surprised about everything that we do, then you may have to find a new team. Also, I found all the things i need to browse and export models from the game(Jesse).


5-15

Posted the GDD. Worked on decompiling the MDL files from Half-Life, unfortunately you cant physically browse the MDL files. Now in the process of figuring that out. Now we are entering the modeling stage. John, Mike, and Javier are modeling props to make our level seem more like we want it too. Also, Josh is expanding our level, he has built a well for the village center, and that will be another part of our level.
GDD


5-13

Concept_Work
MDD

5-13

finished the GDD, just have to clean it up. Smitty has figured out how to import models into the source. Concept work collected and sorted, turned in. Meeting is going to be this friday at 10am, at the school. So please there, if you can't please let Jesse know.


5-6

well, we have finally gotten a working proto of our jail. Mike and Javier are pounding out some models, I'm working On the Gdd, John is working on some more Concept work, and Smitty hammered out the Jail level, and now working on more. Here are some links to our videos of the level, enjoy.

First Solution
Second Solution
Guard Reaction


5-01

Down but not out. Down but not out guys. We're meeting tomorrow at nine here at school


5-01

well, no proto for today, epic fail.

Game Stats


5-01

environment and setting concept artwork from John


4-29

an idea from John:

a grappling gun.
I talked to about it briefly with the team and I discussed it in the forums. But I really think just a simple gameplay addition of a grappling hook (or any apparatus that can snatch objects from a distance and help the character reach and scale buildings) can make our game fun, and can separate it from Half-Life (which, as Jesse and I realized as we played the game is VERY similar to our game ideas).

benefits of this gameplay:
-adds a whole dimension to puzzles and levels, as well as a whole new gameplay element itself
-the character should have at least one re-occuring weapon/ability throughout the level, so it just doesn't become "character A set in viking level with an axe", and then "character A set in ancient greece level with a spear", thus, our character has more…character.
-it'll be like Spiderman with no Topher Grace!
-think Bionic Commando with puzzle elements and a different setting


4-23

ok, well the forums are now up and running. It is on a different site, but the link is in the navigation bar up top. So sign up and then use this forum for ease of use for ideas and such. Here we should keep posting our progress and any fun pics.


4-23

Actually, the forums have been blown up, I am in the process of making new ones, and i will link them from here.


4-23

Now we are at the time when we need to decide upon an engine to use. Shall we use Unreal editor or Source?


The forums are up and running, so use them to post ideas and comment, it will be a ton easier than having to navigate a ton of pages.


Team Ransom: Week 4

Today we play tested out concept ideas. John had a survival level that seemed a bit hard, but had good ideas. We may need to have better cover or less pressure fire or the ability to take out some enemies in the beginning. But the concept is solid. Also Jesse had his level, in which it was a puzzle based level. There were some problems with the exactly where you supposed to be going, but there were some puzzles that were easy to solve once direction and concept was given. Puzzle idea were repeated, and the use of keyed doors got old real fast.


Team Roles:
Producer/Lead

  • Jesse

Technical Guru

  • Josh

Art Director

  • Mike

Art Junkies

  • Javier
  • John

Jesse's Game

Screenshots of John's level (a.k.a. super happy fun hour frustration level!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Team Ransom: Week 1

Today we have set up the Wiki and begun the initial prototyping phase of our game on the computer. The game is set in multiple landscapes, for you have been retched from your reality and forced to fix and right others before you can return to your own.

  • Where will you end up?
  • Who will you fight next?
  • How will you get out of this never ending maze of worlds?

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