Introdction

Explore the great but corrupted Temple of Midore valley as a rightous knight on a mission. Fight dangorus foes in an everchanging dungeon to rid it off its curse. Finding hints along the way to what caused this calamity.

That is what it was supposed to be anywho.

Post-Mortem

My work on the project

In the Lost Sanctity project, I was the main programmer, leading the implementation of various aspects. My contributions extended to creating and animating a lively slime enemy, along with programming its behavior. I also crafted portions of the tower tile set, adding the finishing touches to the dungeon’s top part. Additionally, I made the initial sprites for our first weapons, including the sword, torch, and club. Taking charge of Git, I managed merges and conflicts effectively.

Although my main focus is programming, I sought to enhance my skills in pixel art. This diversity of roles allowed me to expand my skill set.

What Went Well

Our team swiftly aligned on the game’s theme and atmosphere, fostering a cohesive vision. Role assignments went well. We had effective communication through frequent meetings. The utilization of Aseprite as standard art tool and strategic task delegation further streamlined our workflow.

What Went Wrong

Attempting to introduce new features just a week before the deadline proved counterproductive, resulting in a buggy outcome. My AI system, initially functional, lacked adaptability to handle various enemy types. Coding extensively without ongoing testing close to the deadline was a critical error. TLDR: We oversocoped.

What I Have Learned

This project deepened my understanding of Unity’s animation system and honed my pixel art and animation skills. I recognized the complexity of random dungeon generation. Going forward, I aim to improve my communication, providing clearer explanations of my code and enhancing my team collaboration skills.

For the next project, I plan to prioritize early testing, implement a feature hard stop three weeks before the deadline, and focus on debugging, polishing, and relevant documentation in the project’s final phase. Discarding code after the prototype stage and emphasizing testing during this phase are crucial lessons.

In setting expectations, a strong emphasis on everyone staying updated on pipelines and documentation is vital. I am considering delegating programming tasks based on categories and their interactions within the game, factoring in individual skill levels.

Final Words

While LostSanctitity faced challenges and ended up with unforeseen bugs, the experience has been valuable. Reflecting on the overscoping and fixation on our idealized vision, I view it as an opportunity for a do-over, armed with newfound insights and a commitment to improved project management.