Cardboard and Steel
This page contains video that requires Flash Player 9 or higher. In order to view the video, please ensure that you have the latest version of Flash installed, and that you have JavaScript enabled within your browser.
Honestly, who doesn't love Penny Arcade? Actually, I have a friend who doesn't, because he claims that Gabe and Tycho have "sold out" - and I can kind of see where he's coming from, particularly in light of all their recent charity work. I mean, is there anything more solipsistic than setting up a foundation to donate money and toys to children's hospitals around the globe? Next thing you know, they'll be frowning upon kicking puppies, or refraining from running down orphans with their SUVs. They might as well just slap on some Patch Adams clown noses and be done with it, because this whole altruism kick they're on is a slippery slope (or, if you prefer, a rain-slick precipice).
But, what can I say - in spite of Gabe and Tycho's lamentable good-samaritan streak, I can't help but be a Penny Arcade fan. Therefore, it's only fitting that my first 3D game should serve as an homage to the duo's beloved Cardboard Tube Samurai character. It may not be as slick (see what I did there?) as Hothead's take on the PA mythos, but we tried our best to do right by the comics just the same.
One of the main lessons I took away from this project was how to prioritize and estimate game features and scope when working with limited resources. Because the schedule only allowed a few months for development, we decided early on to focus on realizing a specific scenario from the comics. That scenario, rescuing the kidnapped pig of a local villager, allowed us to have a complete progression arc that begins with the player receiving a clear goal, presents obstacles that must be overcome through exploration and combat, and ends with the successful completion of the required tasks. This emphasis on crafting a single, tightly structured mission really helped turn the end result into a much more satisfying experience.
My own responsibilities this time around included serving as system architect for the code base, as well as implementing the game's camera, Lua script interface, and a large portion of the gameplay logic including object placement and behavior. I was also in charge of maintaining the design document and writing all of the character dialogue.