Game 1 design process (catch up post - Part 1)

I have been remiss and haven't posted anything about our first game for the semester, so here's a catch up post to start it off.

The task was to create a game with the following:

• a prehistoric theme, 
• using Unity's inbuilt physics engine for movement, 
• have a fixed camera,
• at least two GUI elements on screen,
• simple sounds (at least one of each environmental and dynamic),
• using C#
• incorporates 3D models, textures and lighting.

We got the brief in Week 3, I think, or possibly Week 4. A web build was due in Week 7 (last week), but that didn't happen, so it will now be due in Week 8 (this week). The overall product is due in Week 11.

Design Process

As soon as we got the brief I knew immediately that I wanted to use physics from this Unity tutorial which I had looked at while doing our little 2D shooter game last semester:  http://unity3d.com/learn/tutorials/modules/beginner/live-training-archive/fun-with-explosions

The prehistoric theme was not too difficult a concept to work with. It was more difficult thinking of something suitably prehistoric that uses that kind of physics. Obviously things that walk were out, I needed something that bounces... like a ball... or a bubble. Oooh, prehistoric tar pits!

And there was my character and basic concept.

Then I went and looked at general "prehistoric" art and images, trying to get a feel for colours and styles. I really liked the colours in this one:

And I liked the feel and style of images from The Land Before Time movies:

So that was my starting kind of point.