Devlog 3 Nature

Question

How can nature be incorporated into this prototype without it effecting game play?

After both Ben and I brainstormed this prompt together we both decided that we wanted to completely change the medium of dimension that we were using. We decided to plan this prototype in 3D rather than 2D which we used for the last two prototypes. We thought that this prompt should add value and depth to this prototype from the players perspective. 

We wanted to focus on a different input system as previously it was mainly game-pad based. So for this prototype keyboard was also implemented for the player as the features of our game-pad were not supported for the build that we wanted. It still worked but it was extremely buggy and would not work the way in-visioned. For the game-play aspect of this prototype we wanted to build the game around nature so we came up with ideas such as:

• Give the player the ability to control nature.
• The nature within the prototype is adaptive towards the player.
• The player can interact with nature, for example the player can plant seeds and grow plants. 

For my prototype I wanted to focus on the nature within the prototype is adaptive towards the player. My vision for this prototype was for the player to walk past certain parts of the levels and the nature in that area will grow and move according to player movement. I feel like this would keep the player engaged in game-play constantly giving the player different nature to look at whilst travelling through the level environment.

When it came to creating this prototype I came to realize how difficult this was to execute in 3D. I changed dimensions back to 2D as I found this a more achievable goal within thee time-frame given. I went with the 2D platformer style of game-play. The nature in this prototype is represented as small circular bulbs in the background.  When the player walks past these bulbs in the level they open up showing different wildlife adding to the environment of the level whilst improving the player experience. 

I executed this through unities built in animation feature. When the player walks away from the plant it closes back down waiting on the player to walk by again. There would be many different plants which would be adaptive to the level environment that contain many different colors and shapes.