As the week begins, we welcome a guest speaker, Paul MacGillivray, who discusses game production and the crucial role of project management. Understanding the importance of teamwork and time management, we are tasked with preparing a meal and timing how long it takes, considering all the key elements involved. I suggested making ramen, and everyone loved the idea. We created two versions of ramen: one that takes over six hours to prepare and another that takes just 43 minutes. Through this exercise, we concluded that higher-quality ramen requires more time to make.
This activity sparked our creativity, and we developed a game plan for cooking the ramen efficiently. We created two roadmaps for each type of ramen and discovered that many tasks could be completed simultaneously without interfering with one another. Completing this activity highlighted the need for collaboration, and we recognized that apps like Miro, GitHub, and Discord would be essential for our success. With valuable support from our technical teacher, Ross, I assisted my teammates in setting up these apps.
After all the crucial lessons, our group presented the work we had accomplished throughout the week. I showcased my extensive research on all the items and explained the reasoning behind every picture and style chosen. The group appreciated my efforts and assigned me the task of sketching the best two designs for each item. The selected items were tweezers, forceps, a zip bag, a flashlight, fingerprint powder, a fingerprint brush, an instant camera, and an evidence bag. These items are typically found in the laboratory section, where I work closely with Olivia, the environment artist. We focused on three environments: the laboratory, hallway, and various rooms, with my concentration on finalizing the items for the laboratory later in the week.
Our group is making good progress, having defined the vertical slice and assigned various moods and roles to each person, but additional work is necessary over the weekend. Our next activity involved discussing worst-case scenarios, led by Sophie, who lectured on handling crises. This lecture was beneficial, as it is essential for our future projects. In our groups, we deliberated on how absence can affect effort and commitment, recognizing that not everything goes according to plan. We discussed contingency plans to determine who would cover tasks if any issues arose. I was assigned to handle the complete sound design if Suri could not contribute, which makes sense since we have been collaborating closely. If I am absent, Olivia can take over the item’s design.
This exercise opened my eyes, as I had missed a month of learning last semester due to a viral infection, making me acutely aware of the importance of having a backup plan. Over the weekend, I continued working by gathering materials to draw the items myself. I collected papers, pens, and pencils in various shades and colours and began my sketches.