MOUSE PLAYHOUSE (VR)
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Designation: Programmer
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Team Size: 18 Developers
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Department Size: 4 Programmers
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Genre: Virtual Reality (VR) Puzzle/Sandbox
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Engine / Platform: Unreal Engine 4.13.0 / HTC Vive & Windows PC
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Development Time: May - Dec 2016 (20 weeks)
Project Overview
High Concept
Mouse Playhouse is a virtual reality puzzle and sandbox game. Players are able to enter and move around in a virtual world and interact with every part of the environment using the VR motion controllers. Every object in the world is interactable and players have the ability to manipulate the objects as per their wish. The game consists of fifteen puzzles and the objective is to complete these puzzles in order to progress further in the game.
The game is set in a family's home with most of the activity happening in two main rooms of the house: the father's office which acts as the level select hub and the children's playroom with serves as each puzzle level. Each puzzle is set on a table in the center of the playroom and the objective of each puzzle is to get the children's pet mouse (or mice in some levels) to the block of cheese by solving the puzzle in the minimum number of moves.
RESPONSIBILITIES
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Grid System: Created and programmed the grid that shows up on the table every time an object on the table is picked up.
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Pickupable Object Mechanics: Implemented the mechanics for all the objects that can be picked up by the player (hereafter referred to as pickupables).
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AI Movement: Programmed the movement physics and behaviour system for the mice and the cat robots known as meowbots.
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Interactable Object Mechanics: Designed and implemented the mechanics for all the objects that can be interacted with by the player (hereafter referred to as interactables). They are different from pickupables as they cannot be picked up.
For a detailed explanation of each responsibility feature:
Blueprint Samples
Here are some samples of the blueprints that I worked on for this project. All the parts of the blueprint that are highlighted green are my contributions to the respective systems.
Blueprint 1 (1 of 2): This is part of the function that is used to generate the grid squares in order to create the grid that shows up every time an object on the table is picked up.
Blueprint 2 (2 of 2): This is part of the function that is used to generate the grid squares in order to create the grid that shows up every time an object on the table is picked up (continued).
Blueprint 3: This function is called whenever a pickupable enters a new state during its change of state. All the logic that is related to entering a new state occurs inside this function.
Blueprint 4: This function is called every frame for every pickupable in order to update it in its current state. All the logic required to update the pickupable occurs inside this function.
Blueprint 5: This function is called whenever a pickupable has to leave its current state during its change of state. All the logic involved in leaving the current state occurs inside this function.
Blueprint 6: This function interpolates over time and sets the position and rotation of each character pawn during its move from its current location to its next location on the grid.
Blueprint 7 (1 of 2): This blueprint consists of all the logic that involves all interactable objects. This example, more specifically, also contains logic pertaining to the radio object.
Blueprint 8 (2 of 2): This blueprint consists of all the logic that involves all interactable objects. This example, more specifically, also contains logic pertaining to the radio object (continued).
Screenshots
The first set of five levels are set during afternoon time with afternoon lightning.
The second set of five levels are set during sunset time with sunset lightning.
This is an example of a typical puzzle level in the game with the cheese as the goal.
The first set of five levels are set during afternoon time with afternoon lightning.
Team Tinkertainment
Team Tinkertainment consists of eighteen developers: five artists, six level designers, four programmers, two producers and one game designer.
Front Row (L - R): Samuel Pate (Level Designer), Nina Maxine Davis (Artist), James Lee (Level Designer), Michael Feffer (Lead Level Designer), Alexandre Fourès (Level Designer), Mario A. Rodriguez (Producer).
Middle Row (L - R): Taylor M. Gallagher (Artist), Devanshu Bishnoi (Artist), Mitchell T. Massey (Usability Producer), Taylor McCart (Lead Artist), Benjamin D. Gibson (Programmer), Steve Kocher (Level Designer).
Back Row (L - R): Jeremy Hicks (Programmer), Jacob Lavender (Level Designer), Taylor N. Bishop (Lead Programmer), Mace Mulleady (Artist), Clay Howell (Game Designer), K. Komal Shashank (Programmer).
