by 0xc24789c6f165329290ddd3fbeac3b6842a294003
Should the following Tier 2: up to $3,000 USD in MANA, one-time payment grant in the Gaming category be approved?
Abstract
I am seeking funding for further development of the parkour creation kit. This module currently provides all functions required for users to create their own parkour stages in Decentraland. Parkour stages can be made up of several different platform types (static, moving, rotating, and blinking) and can be separated across several different sets (allowing for different difficulties of the same stage).
The proposed expansion would add in-scene collectibles, death mechanics, and a checkpoint respawn system to the current list of features. Creators would be able to use these systems to gamify their stages by providing completion challenges and respawn locations for when the player reaches a failure point (e.g. falling in lava).
Grant size
3,000 USD
Beneficiary address
0xC24789C6f165329290Ddd3fBEac3b6842a294003
Email address
Description
Parkour is prevalent throughout the internet and gaming culture. It spans many genres of games and has become a staple activity in even some of the most popular games (Minecraft and Roblox to name a couple). Decentraland has the potential to become a new hub for parkour creators and enthusiasts; developing this module further would enhance the experience that can be created through this kit.
You can view the module here: Repo and Live Scene
The current set of features allows users to fully create their own parkour stages. The module’s implementation also massively reduces the level of programming knowledge required to create their own stages. However, the module currently lacks game elements associated with the parkour/platformer genre, such as collectible objects and death/respawn mechanics. These elements can be successfully reproduced in tandem with the module, but are not baked into the kit and many users will likely lack the required skills needed to craft these features on their own.
This proposal is meant to remedy those gaps by providing access to those systems in a similar manner to the platform creation interface. Users would be able to define and place collectibles (coins, relics) around their parkour courses, create traps/zones to kill players, and checkpoints for the player to respawn at when they are killed; all through the modification of simple files.
Specification
This module currently allows users to set up dynamic parkour courses made up of varying platform types. The relatively complex systems that make up these core utilities have been hidden from the user by providing them with simple interfaces to define and generate their platforms for the parkour stage. By providing the power of the SDK through interfaces, users can take advantage of its power without requiring advanced programming knowledge. Advanced users can also easily modify the module to fit their own needs by adding new platform visual styles or movement types.
The planned features for this expansion are:
Collectibles System: users will be able to define and place collectibles around their parkour stages. Collectibles can be defined in different tiers/types, allowing users to place higher tier collectibles in hard to reach locations. These will be placed in the game space and collected when a player touches them. The system will also provide a count of gathered and remaining collectibles on the player’s HUD, providing the player with feedback on how much of the course remains and when it has been successfully completed.
Death Mechanics and Respawn System: Users will be able to create deadly traps/death zones around their stages to defeat players and provide respawn locations for the player. Checkpoints can also be used to modify player respawn locations (allowing players to save their progress as they adventure through the parkour stage).
A scene will also be produced using the module to showcase these features and providing an example of how to create a parkour stage with the kit. The current theme of the scene is Jungle Temple, featuring 2 tiers of in-game collectibles and several trap types (e.g. spikes, blow darts). This scene will be hosted along-side the current example scene, through its own repository (the more content/examples the better).
Personnel
I’ll be working on this project individually. I’ve been programming for over a decade, with a primary focus on gaming, and I’m currently employed as a software engineer (working mainly with C and Java). Over the past year I’ve been developing open-source projects through the DCL SDK with the primary goal of creating baseline content and examples for the community so we can pro. I have a firm understanding of the development pipe-line and I have already completed several projects on the platform.
You can also play some of my previously developed projects here:
Roadmap and milestones
This project will be completed within 2 weeks of this proposal’s acceptance. The basic roadmap is as follows:
-Week 1: Implementation of core features, rough demo scene made available for feedback.
-Week 2: Scene/code polish, implementation of any additional suggested features within scope.
As with any project, there will likely be bugs/flaws in implementation; I’ll be maintaining the main repository and will work towards fixing these as they get flagged. There will also the possibility of additional work on expanding this module, by adding requested features that improve the module’s utility.