1. Presents… Presentation Created By: Julia Tartakovsky

2. Project Manager, Web Developer & Programmer ( AI and Integration ): Julia Tartakovsky Integration and AI Programmer: Anton German 3D Modeling and Artwork: Santi Vitayaudom Game Engine Programmer: Cole Krumbholz Game Team:

3. Game Concept: - Remake of the 8-bit Nintendo ExciteBike Game - Game Platform: Electro Utilizes a physics engine http://www.evl.uic.edu/rlk/electro/

4. Game Features: Multiple AI’s Finely tuned physics engine to maximize the FUN factor Interesting obstacles and complex terrain Complete Menu System ( Start, Controls, High Scores (I/O) & Exit ) Detailed model of the snowmobile

5. Game Features: Complete game sound effects ( multiple sounds per event ) Collidable objects & powerups ( boosts and cool offs ): Heads Up Display: overheating bar, speedometer & time Varying camera angles (I.e. dramatic camera angle during a boost including a shake effect]

6. Complex AI ( Part I ) Decision Point Driven The track is divided in multiple decision points At the decision point the AI randomly selects from a number of paths Some paths are more advantageous than others Multiple waypoints per path ( not a straight path )

7. Complex AI ( Part II) 1st group of waypoints is the most advantageous Causes AI to avoid most difficult obstacles, drive over boosts & cool off spots 2nd group of waypoints is of medium advantage Half of the time it causes AI to drive over disadvantageous locations & half the time it drives over boosts, cool off spots and ramps 3rd group of waypoints is least advantageous Causes AI 3 out of 4 times to avoid boosts, cool off spots & drive over various terrain Waypoints:

8. Complex AI ( Part III) AI Personalities There are 3 types of personality AI can have MAD AI enters AGGRESSIVE state within 15 units from player and returns to PASSIVE state when it’s 2 units behind it (by that time the AI would have already rammed the player due to momentum) AI will go into AGGRESSIVE state 90% of the time within the distance mentioned above

9. Complex AI ( Part IV ) AI Personalities ( continued … ) There are 3 types of personality AI can have ANGRY AI enters AGGRESSIVE state within 10 units from player and returns to PASSIVE state when it’s 3 units behind it (by that time the AI would have already rammed the player due to momentum) AI will go into AGGRESSIVE state 70% of the time within the distance mentioned above

10. Complex AI ( Part V) AI Personalities ( continued … ) There are 3 types of personality AI can have SHY Never goes into aggressive state Exclusively follows its randomly chosen WP groups AI is in the high speed mode 50% of the time

11. Finely Tuned Physics Engine: Focus on FUN and Playability over “accurate simulation” Dynamic collisions ( Between terrain, snowmobiles and obstacles ) If at first it doesn’t work, try, try again.

12. Main Menu with Submenus ( Part I ): Main Menu with animated submenus ( All menus are screens )

13. Main Menu with Submenus ( Part II ): Main Menu with submenus ( All menus are screens ) Play Not a separate screen, but it is on main screen and it initiates start of game Controls Separate screen High Scores ( Scores ) Input/Output involved Exit Not a separate screen, but it is on main screen and it exits the menu and overall the game.

14. Main Menu with Submenus ( Part III ): High Scores ( a.k.a Scores. Looked at in greater detail. ) Reading in from file for outputting existing high scores to screen Writing to a file for saving high scores Top 5 scores stored Player gratification … FUN!!!

15. Detailed Snowmobile Models: “Person” on the snowmobile is animated Moves up when the snow mobile jumps and sits down when the snow mobile is on the ground More real and action look and “feel” of the game Snowmobile Models: Different colored models Detailed models for enhanced look

16. Integrated Game Sounds (Audio Effects) : Complete game sound effects ( multiple sounds per event ) Event-driven Sounds: Hitting against the rail Various Landing Sounds ( sound randomly selected ) Numerous collision sounds Cool Off & boost picked up sounds Overheat alarm sound Ready, Set, Go noise Wipeout Sound Lap Sound Engine Sounds ( frequency adjusted to match RPM )

17. Game Indicators: overheating bar speedometer time

18. Varying Camera Angles: Varying camera angles Short dramatic camera angle during a boost ( zoom in & forward-like view ) Default game camera angle ( side scrolling view )

19. How Visual Effects Implemented: Snow ( wrote a vertex program to modify the behavior of Electro Galaxy Implementation ) Shadows Sprite overlayed below the snowmobile Attempted to modulate the ground texture with a shadow texture ( chose to not use it because it was not the best solution in Electro ) Reflections: Electro Environment Maps

20. General Game Finite State Machine: QUIT GAME MAIN MENU FSM designed by Anton German CONTROLSHIGH SCORES GAME LOOP Finish Line Play Exit

21. Concepts That Were Learned From Lectures and Attempted/Applied: High Scores Screen FSM concept was used in the game Simple indicator bars Physics incorporated into the game ( very essence of the game) Menus/ User Interface -- important for a complete feel to the game Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) FUN aspect of game is VERY important

22. Tradeoffs Made in the Game & Why: Originally we were going to have two-wheel bikes in the game: After testing the game out with a two-wheel bike we came to the conclusion that it’s extremely unstable. Next we decided to use a two-wheeler in appearance, but in reality a four wheeler ( 2 invisible wheels ) – undesirable ATV vehicle concept for the game: The ATV game was later scraped because we came to the conclusion the game was still not quite stable and was extremely BORING looking … And that lead to the birth of eIF-Zero, a neat looking snowmobile game – very FUN and stable!!!

23. Some Thoughts … Q: How would you have approached the development of the game if you had the chance to do it all over again. Iterative complexity increase in the physics system ( not start from a two-wheel bike ) Refine pieces of the game throughout development Choose the theme early on Cole would have paid more attention to college math class Q: How has this experience affected the way you think about commercial games Now we can really appreciate all the work that goes into a game It’s MUCH easier to play the game than make one

24. FUN Features: Boosts Varying Camera Angles Complex and challenging AI to compete against High Score List Exciting Physics Complete game sound effects ( multiple sounds per event ) Challenging game play Overheating Need to avoid situation by use of objects & smart game play Seek cool off rings and go through them Time oriented game

25. Questions? http://www.cs.uic.edu/~jtartako/BurningMouseStudio.html http://www.cs.uic.edu/~jtartako/BurningMouseStudio.html

26. Thank You http://www.cs.uic.edu/~jtartako/BurningMouseStudio.html http://www.cs.uic.edu/~jtartako/BurningMouseStudio.html