2024/10/19 - Interior Refinements, Lighting System Tuning, and Feedback Preparations

Morning: Interior Design Iteration Today, I focused on refining the design of the interiors for the game’s houses. I experimented with different furniture layouts and decor, drawing inspiration from the scenes I’d previously created. I worked on creating a lived-in atmosphere, ensuring that every room looked as though the residents had left in a hurry. My objective was to capture a realistic, yet unsettling feel, giving the impression that the events of the game had an immediate and disruptive impact on the environment.

I compared rooms by reviewing their completed setups and evaluated which elements enhanced the atmosphere and narrative. I wanted consistency but also aimed to vary room details to keep each location distinct. Based on feedback and previous experimentation, I further developed rooms with specific items like bookshelves, dining tables, and lamps in particular corners. This helped achieve the desired ambiance of abrupt departure.

Early Afternoon: Blueprint and UI Integration In the early afternoon, I continued tweaking the blueprint code for the lighting system. The lighting system’s goal was to seamlessly transition between day and night and dynamically respond to power states. I reviewed the construction script and blueprints, examining how all the variables interacted, including the electricity flow and the conditional checks for flickering effects.

While inspecting the blueprint nodes, I kept an eye on efficiency and overall clarity. Adjustments were made to streamline the flow, ensuring the event graphs remained cohesive. At the same time, I tested various scenarios in the game to identify any potential issues with Krigz’s AI behavior while reacting to lighting triggers.

Late Afternoon: QA Tester Form Creation I developed a detailed QA tester feedback form to collect structured and specific responses from players. My goal was to obtain actionable insights from testers that would help improve various aspects of the game demo. I created a set of comprehensive questions covering gameplay mechanics, visual experience, audio, AI, navigation, and overall performance. The final question was an open-ended section for testers to offer suggestions or additional feedback.