LESSON #10: Digital Playtesting & Introduction to Character Animation

with Mecanim

DGMD E-70 Principles of Game Design

TODAY:1. Digital Prototype Testing/Sharing

2. Team Meetings

3. Unity 3D Animation Pipeline: Animation Clips, State Machine,

Components, and GameObject -parenting.

PART 1: DIGITAL PLAYTESTING

SET UP (10 minutes):1. Teams Choose Tables

2. Set up game digital prototype on 3 laptops.

3. Decide initial Observers (1-2) and Players.

4. Discuss: 1-3 points/instructions to share with visiting players? Write them down!

PART 1: DIGITAL PLAYTESTING

PLAYTEST ROUND #1 (20 minutes):1. Observers stay to manage playtest, Players

find other games to play.

2. If team chose 1-3 instructions, give them.

3. Players attempt to play prototype (5-10 min). Observers take notes!

4. Players fill out questionnaire (5 minutes).

5. Time permitting, discuss answers.

PART 2: TEAM MEETING

(10 minutes):1. Convene at your team table to discuss

observations and questionnaire answers.

2. Discuss Production goals for the next week (next top priority Backlog items, potentially

influenced by tester experience/ observations) and divide work equitably.

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE:

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 1. PNG texturesand ReferenceImage

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 2. Reference Plane

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 2. Reference Plane

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 2. Reference Plane

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 3. MODEL: Mesh Tools/Create Poly Tool

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 3. MODEL: Multi-Cut Quads

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 3. MODEL: Select faces and Extrude: front and back

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 3. MODEL: Select depthEdges, get ring, Connect and Scale

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 4. TEXTURE: Create Blinn Material andApply to object.

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 4. TEXTURE: Open Create UVs/ Planar MappingOption Box

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 4. TEXTURE: Project on Z axis

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 4. TEXTURE: Planar Map Surrounds Object.

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 4. TEXTURE: Open Window/UV Texture Editor.

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 4. TEXTURE: RightClickHoldto select UVs…

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 4. TEXTURE: …Scale and Move…

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 4. TEXTURE: …to fit Meeple front view.

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 4. TEXTURE: DoubleClick the center lineand hit Separate in UVTexture Editor.

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 4. TEXTURE: RightClick to choose UVs/UV Shell, andselect back half.

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: CREATE MEEPLE: 4. TEXTURE: Move back half to the right, hit Flip UVs.

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: ANIMATE MEEPLE: 5. Select object and hit [s] toadd keyframes.Turn on Auto Keymode Toggle,change time andtransform object To set more frames.

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: ANIMATE MEEPLE: 5. 3 motions:Idle (10-40) Walk(50-70) Jump(80-100).

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: EXPORT MEEPLE: 6. File/ExportSelection

PART 3: 3D Animation Production: EXPORT MEEPLE: 6. Turn on Bake Animation.

In advanced options set version to FBX 2011.

Export!

PART 4: Unity Animation Pipline: SET-UP: 1. Create Ground

Plane or Box.2. Add Directional Light (with shadows) and Point Light to illuminate space.

IMPORT MEEPLE: 1. Add the FBX and PNG to the Project.

2. Add the Mesh to the Hierarchy

PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline: • Select Project FBX, in Inspector define clips for

three motions.

PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline: • In the Project, RightClick to create a a New Animator Controller. Add to Hierarchy mesh

PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline: • DoubleClick Animator in Project to open State

Machine.

PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline: • Drag Animation Clips from Project into Machine

PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline: • Add parameters: Bool “walk” and Trigger “jump”

PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline: • Add components: Physics/Rigidbody,

Physics/Box Collider, C# Script

PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline: • Add components: Physics/Rigidbody,

Physics/Box Collider, C# Script

• Do NOT add them directly to the Animated Mesh! The result will be an object that always returns to the origin.

PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline: • Instead, create a new Empty Game Object,

locate at the origin, and add all 3 Components.

PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline: • Then move the Animated Mesh to the origin

and parent it under the Empty GameObject.

PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline: • Be sure that the script reference to the

Animator in the script refers to the child!:

void Start(){ anim = gameObject.GetComponentInChildren<Animator>();}

PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline: • To play the animation, use if statements and refer

to the animator’s parameters:

if (Input.GetKey ("w")) {anim.SetBool ("walk", true);rigidbody.velocity += transform.forward * speed;

}

else if (Input.GetKey("space")){anim.SetTrigger("jump");rigidbody.AddForce (Vector3.up * JumpSpeed);

}

PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline: • … and don’t forget to end the animation AND

velocity:

else { anim.SetBool ("walk", false); rigidbody.velocity = new Vector3(0, rigidbody.velocity.y, 0);}

Production Scheduling: Course Milestones

• Due Week 8: Paper Prototypes: “Fun”• Due Week 9: Digital Prototypes: “Quantity.”• Due Week 11: Full Playable Prototypes: “User Clarity.”• Due Week 12: Revised prototypes: “Fun.” • Due Week 14: Prototype Complete: Multiple levels

populated, bugs fixed, full Art and Audio.• Final Presentations: Playable Game and Marketing

materials: Trailer, Website, Press Release, Icon.

Due Next Week:HOMEWORK #10: Final Game, 3rd Digital Prototype TEAMS: 1. Divide Unity production work evenly (start adding

art and audio). Focus on play CLARITY.2. Meet with your team at least twice to discuss

progress, solve problems, and consolidate build.3. Test clarity with at least two new players.4. Submit third digital build to class next week.Individually: Progress Report #3: Submit typed page: What you agreed to produce, what you accomplished, self-evaluation/related screenshots.

Have an Phenominal Week!

And don’t forget to email us with questions:

Instructor: JASON WISERJasonWiserArt@gmail.com

Available an hour after class and daily email.

Unity TF: Julia Knightjaeteekae@gmail.com

Lab hours: Thursdays 7-7:40, daily by email