Master's Degree Final Thesis - Part 1: Ninja Tales 2D

This project was presented as a final thesis in the academic year of 2007/2008.

The project consisted of two parts:
- A proof of concept of a RPG videogame in 2D and 3D. This game was developed for the Xbox 360 and PC.
- A hardware device that has a connection to the XBOX 360 platform, which allows the player to use the Wii remote as a game controller (given its versatility and easy handling).

This entry is focused on the 2D side of the game. Since it is a proof of concept developed for a degree with a really technical background, features such as the story, music or graphic design were not contemplated.

The game has a 2D map where the character can choose to explore either on foot or by car. When the character is on foot, he won’t walk very fast, and he will encounter random battles with enemies along the way. When the character is driving the car, he will go faster and random battles will not appear.

The character can check out a general map with his position in the world. The battles with the enemies take place in a 3D world and they will not be displayed in this video.

Additionally, the player can configure the two characters of the game (being the blue and the red ninja). They have a basic equipment and objects such as throwable objects or potions.

The basic equipment consists of the three sections below:
- Offensive: Usually weapons of all sorts that enhance the ninja’s offensive ability.
- Defensive: Usually some sort of clothing (jackets or breastplates) that enhances the defensive ability of the character.
- Belt: This special device allows objects to be equipped either from the menu or from the main screen of the game (the belt is on the right hand side). Items such as potions can be use from the menu screen even if they have not been previously equipped.

As there are different kinds of belts, the number of objects that a ninja can equip depends on the number of slots that the equipped belt has. The maximum number of slots possible is six. The objects to be fitted can be of three types:
- Different sorts of healing potions.
- Throwable weapons.
- Potency of some characteristic (such as intelligence, defense, attack, etc.)

The game can only be saved in the map screen (not in cities). The position map is always available doesn’t matter whether the character is inside or outside the car. It shows the position of all elements (not just that of the main character).

The techniques used in 2D are the following:
- Principle of persistence of vision (for animations).
- Principle of relativity (for relative positioning objects).
- Map of inverse collisions (to delimit regions).
- Map of the position of relative objects (such as the car).
- System of randomness to start battles.
- Darkening FADINGS (direct and inverse).
- FADINGS of translation (forward and backward).
- Management of dynamic or static text to make it selectable or disable it.
- Management of games (on PC and XBOX 360) to save or overwrite.
- Ability to change player menu.