Computer Science Project Abstract
ENKEPHALOS: BUILDING A COMPUTER ROLE-PLAYING GAME
Presenters:
Justin Blanchard, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 West Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; justinb@imsa.edu
Eric Bowden, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 West Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; ericb@imsa.edu
Mallory Chua, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 West Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; bookme13@imsa.edu
Sharon David, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 West Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; pngwnpwr@imsa.edu
Steven Lucy, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 West Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; stevenl@imsa.edu
Erica Sim, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 West Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; ladymute@imsa.edu
Erik Volkman, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 West Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; eryanv@imsa.edu
Jered Wierzbicki, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 West Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; jered@imsa.edu
Advisor:
Gene Skonicki, On-Line Learning, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 West Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; gene@imsa.edu; 630-907-5909
Abstract:
Interactive video games are massive artistic projects at the forefront of technological innovation in the consumer market. What goes in to the construction of a non-trivial computer game? First we imagined the game: Seth, an unassuming teen male living in the middle of a cornfield, finds a book, chaos, which is his passport into the fantastic dimension of a world similar to ours. Seth leaves the farm to find his fortune. Along the way, he must decide whom to trust at each stage in the game, and his own powers and identity develop accordingly as he chooses to side with the forces of good, evil, or neither. The player travels through old neighborhoods, cellars and pawnshops, antique book stores and back alleys, hospital wards, monasteries, underground night spots and back again to discover the truth of their own character, bringing about one of several unique endings. To realize this vision, our programmers built a large technological framework including an isometric tile map editor and scripting system; our designer laid out game systems in detail; our artist drew concept art, tiles, and character sprites; the writers designed the game world, wrote character and scenario sketches and dialogue, and made them believable; and finally, we struggled to pull it all together into a playable demo by April.