Python

Python

1. Self determined criteria

   • SD1
     • Strategic combat
       • combat must not be mindless attacking and should require a [dodge] action
   • SD2
     • Resource scarcity
       • players have limited ammunition, forcing them to choose between fighting or fleeing in 100% of encounters

2. Ideas for story

   • Add counters/trackers
     • inventory
       • Tracks inventory after getting something
     • Fear tracker
       • When entity is close, fear % goes up, >80% of fear causes you to fail
   • Track player name
     • Entity is able to call out [player name]
       • "[player name], come out, where ever you are."

3. Prescribed criteria

   • Story needs 10 variables
     • dodging choice
     • Inventory
     • player_health
     • cerberus_health
     • Runaway_choice
     • Open_choice
     • Enemies_defeated
     • fear_meter
     • player_name
     • attack_choice
   • Atleast 2 choices for each input
     • "Open it" or "leave it closed
     • "take over" or "fight back"
     • "Accept" or "Decline"
   • While loop
     • While true so the user can choose whether to open or leave the dusty cabinet
     • While true so the user can choose to pick between "enter" or "walk away"
     • While True for the user to be able to pick "north" "west" "east" and "south"
   • Variables that match storyline
     • dodging choice variable because game is combat related - so that player can dodge attacks
     • fear meter variable because game is horror-related - after defeating an enemy your fear increases
     • Attack choice variable because game is combat related

4. Coding constructs

   • FOR loops
     • A for loop is a tool that tells the computer to repeat an action for everytime in a list
       • for number in: print(number)
   • IF statements
     • A conditional statement that executes a block of code only if a specified condition evaluates to true
       • If temperature > 20: print ("it is a warm day")

5. Algorithm constructs

   • Iteration
     • When something is repeated, goes in a loop.
       • DECLARE count SET count TO 0 FOR count = 1 to 10 OUTPUT count END FOR OUTPUT 'finished'
   • Selection & condition
     • Selection statemnt uses a condition to select which line of the program will be next
       • CALCULATE totalcost IF (totalCost > $10) THEN OUTPUT 'no delivery charge' ELSE OUTPUT '$5 delivery charge' ENDIF OUTPUT 'thankyou'
   • Assignment
     • Storing a value in variable
       • DECLARE studentName SET studentName TO deez
   • Sequence
     • Intructions processed one after another
       • DECLARE count SET count TO 1 OUTPUT the value of count
   • Modularisation
     • reduces complexity of systems, deconstructing it into independent units
       • FUNCTION delivery_charge CALCULATE totalCost IF (totalCost > $10) THEN OUTPUT 'no delivery charge' ELSE OUTPUT '$5 delivery charge' ENDIF OUTPUT 'thankyou' END FUNCTION

6. Existing text based adventure games

   • Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy
     • sci-fi Space escape game based on a book
       • Strengths
         • Standalone comedy
           • sarcastic text
           • witty insults
           • comedy writing
         • Imaginative design
           • translates sci-fi concepts into interactive text scenarios
       • Weaknesses
         • Unforgiveness
           • insignificant choices early on can make the game unwinnable unknowingly later on
         • Blind guess work
           • have to guess which objects to interact with based purely on trial and error descriptions
   • Forest of lyrica
     • Surviving a magical changing forest
       • Strengths
         • Streamlined controls
           • utilises a choice based game that keeps the gameplay smooth and flowing
         • clear-goal oriented design
           • gives player a definite main objective, plus optional hidden goals for an alternative true ending
       • Weaknesses
         • Short playtime
           • game can be completed quickly compared to other text based games
         • replay value
           • playthroughs lose their sense of mystery after figuring out the optimal text choices