Bug Fix, Bug Fix, Bug Fix
As the header for this section implies, this sprint was heavily geared towards bug fixing, which was a bit more for Connor, but I helped out a little bit. Aside from that, my big task this week was getting each section of the level into a more playable state. For the most part, it was about organizing things in each room to make sure that things worked the way they were intended. However, things started to change the more I did work on each room; by the time I was done, I didn't really like the final product that much. In the end, I decided to rework my designs and essentially start over.
Since I had other things I wanted to get done this week, I only had time to redesign one room. I started with the first room, and made a paper sketch of what I wanted it to look like. The big thing about it was that it incorporated a new concept; pushing blocks off platforms and onto each other to get to higher areas. By the time I was done with the new room, I was really happy with how it came out. I got some good feedback on the design from others to, so I know that it can still be improved.
QA Feedback
The majority of QA this week was about testing for anymore bugs, but also getting some more concrete feedback on the artistic direction. Most of the team had wanted to try putting snacks in the side areas, which I originally thought was a bit strange, and didn't contextually make sense. However, most of the QA testers thought that this was a good idea, so I can get on board with the direction. It was a bit closer to an even split on the topic, so I would recommend that we do this with moderation. Overall though, this was probably the most successful testing session that we've had, with tester feedback be mainly positive. My goal though is to still get this higher, and I think we're on the right track to doing this.
Next Sprint
With the pressure of Midmortems really setting, it looks like this sprint is gonna be pretty heavy. My big goal is to really refine the level design. While I think it's getting better, there are certain things that others want to see improved. This week, I'll be redesigning the other 2 rooms, and making some adjustments to the first room as well. I also want to schedule an additional QA session to specifically test the designs, and see what testers think. I know I've got a lot on my plate, but I'm at a point where I really wanna move forward with this game, so I'm ready to go all in.