DGMD E-70
Principles of Game Design
LESSON #11: Digital Playtesting &
Introduction to Character Animation
with Mecanim
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:
PNG textures
PART 3: 3D Animation Production:
ANIMATE MEEPLE:
Select object
and hit [s] to
add keyframes.
Turn on Auto
Keymode Toggle,
change time and
transform object
to set more frames.
PART 3: 3D Animation Production:
ANIMATE MEEPLE:
Create 3 motions:
Idle (10-40)
Walk (50-70)
Jump (80-100)
The provided FBX
has these motions
ready to import into
Unity3D.
PART 3: 3D Animation Production:
EXPORT MEEPLE:
1. File/
Export Selection
PART 3: 3D Animation Production:
EXPORT MEEPLE:
2. Turn on Bake
Animation.
3. Export!
PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline:
[A] SET-UP:
1. Create Ground
Plane or Box.
[B] IMPORT MEEPLE:
1. Add the FBX and
PNG to the Project.
2. Add Directional
Light (with shadows)
and Point Light to
illuminate from the
opposite direction.
2. Add the Mesh to
the Hierarchy
PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline:
• Select Project FBX, in Inspector define clips for 3
motions (enter time ranges. Idle & Walk loop!).
PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline:
• In the Project, RightClick to create a new
Animator Controller.
Add the Animator Controller
to the Hierarchy mesh
(leftClick drag it onto
the Hierarchy mesh).
PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline:
• DoubleClick the Animator Controller in Project
to open the State Machine.
PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline:
• Drag Animation Clips from Project into the State
Machine
PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline:
• Add parameters: Bool “walk” and Trigger “jump”
PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline:
• Next we add components: Physics/Rigidbody,
Physics/Box Collider, C# Script ….
PART 4: Unity Animation Pipeline:
• Next we add components: Physics/Rigidbody,
Physics/Box Collider, C# Script
• BUT 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 this 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);
}
• Save & play! [W], [A], [S], [D] to move, [Space] to jump.
• NOTE: If the animation does not play, be sure you dragged
the Animation Controller from the Project onto the mesh
in the Hierarchy (under the Empty GO)!
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 #11: A FUN Game: 4th Digital Prototype
with revised play, more levels, some more art, & audio
TEAMS:
1. Divide Unity/Art/Audio production equitably.
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 fourth digital build to class next week.
Individually: Progress Report #4: Submit typed page:
What you agreed to produce, what you accomplished,
self-evaluation/related screenshots.
Have an Phenomenal Week!
And don’t forget to email us with questions:
Instructor: JASON WISER
[email protected]
Available an hour after class and daily email.