Although there are several features that still need to be implemented, for example achievements and rewards, with the deadline creeping up the most logical next step was to ensure that the project looked professional and similar to a finished product. Due to the nature of the project, UX was extremely important, as the gameplay mechanics are simple and limited but rely heavily on visual elements.
One of the key factors that needed to be polished was the adoption certificate signing and the interaction with the pet, since these parts are significantly relevant to building the bond between the player and the pet, which is one of the main aims of this project.
For the interaction with the pets, the goal was to make their current emotion clear, whether they were hungry, happy, confused, etc. To achieve this, a script was implemented that changes the pet’s expression while also spawning a pop-up emoji-style thought bubble. This ensured that the player would notice the emotion, as some people might otherwise miss the subtle change in expression.
public void setHappyCritterMood(bool showPopUp)
{
skinnedMesh.SetBlendShapeWeight(middleIndex, 0f);
skinnedMesh.SetBlendShapeWeight(downIndex, 0f);
if(showPopUp)
{
spawnInteraction(0);
}
if (EyeMaterial && emotionEyeTextures.Length > 2)
{
EyeMaterial.SetTexture("_BaseMap", emotionEyeTextures[2]);
}
}The expression changes within the critter worked through a texture swap for the eyes and by adjusting the mouth shape using BlendShapes. This allowed the mouth to shift from a happy smile to a sad frown.