Team

• Client:  Dusan & Jan
• Server: Abhilash
• UI:  Ji
• Integration: Jens
• Concept: Jens
• Content: Maria
• Database: Paul

Goals this semester

1.  Polish and clean up existing code base
2.  Simplify UI and gameplay
3.  Extend gameplay
4.  Integrate with simulation engine
5.  Port to Android

Polish and clean up existing game

• Code cleanup
• Separate the server into its own repository
• Deduplicate code and fix bugs
• Remove unused assets and models
• Clean up database
• not real time! An HTTP backend might suffice

Simplify UI and Game

Game Stages

• New - Tutorial
• Defense Setup
• Attack Setup
• Battle
• New - Post Game Report

Tutorial

• Detect when player first plays
• Point out the different phases and controls
• We want to lower the barrier of entry
• Assistant: will update you on what happened when you come back.

Defense Setup

• UI needs to be polished
• Potentially add structures for defense
• Reward exotic combinations
• Defense State needs to be persisted better
• Placement on Terrain is broken

Defense Setup - ecosystem management

• Use credits to modify existing ecosystem
• Plants grow, animals grow older or procreate
• Be rewarded for having a balanced ecosystem
• Use simulation data 
• Incentivise players to come back

Attack setup

• Introduce a ranking system
  • Based on ELO
  • Rewards upsets
• Prevent good players from dominating new players.
  • But still reward them
• Make everyone feel like they stand a chance.

Battle

• Needs most work

• Feels unnatural and clunky

• Switch to 2.5D  - Restrict Camera movement

• Add more information: know why you are losing

• Too random at the moment. Reduce luck factor as much as possible.

Clean up loading screen

• Picture doesn't fit with the rest​
  • Breaks immersion
• ​Use 2D Drawing of terrain
• Show statistics about both players
• Show random factoid

General 3D "engine" polish

• Top Down Camera. With rotation
• Prevent Camera Clipping
• Restrict zooming
• 2.5D
• Overlay Grid on terrain
  • Movement within grid
  • Unit placement within grid
  • Simplifies pathfinding
• Keep hills, inclines etc, but outside playable area

Improved Post Game Screen

• Make visually more attractive
• Show detailed statistics
• Leaderboard
• Show points earned or lost
• Avoid camera clipping!

Android Port

• Arguably the hardest game to port
• 3D: Restrict polygon count
• Code cleanup should improve performance
• Lower poly terrains
  • ​Smaller view distance for mobile
• Clash of Clans is mobile!
  • ​So it is doable
• Tablet performance
• Touch interactions
• Build new UI with Touch and Phone in mind.

Roadmap & Priorities

1. Main Priority: Fix bugs and clean-up code
2. Improve UI and simplify game rules
3. Extra features: leaderboards, rating, ...
4. Android Port

Questions?