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  LiftAR is an Augmented Reality game experience for parents and children to engage together on educational lesson plans for 5th grade Mathematics. Our lesson plan aims to build a relationship between parent and child while learning and working together.

https://vimeo.com/262318706

The Verizon Connected Futures Prototyping and Talent Development program, in partnership with NYC Media Lab, supports development of new media and technology projects from universities across New York City, linking students and faculty with industry experts. My team was one of 12 selected.

On this team, I was one of the developers. I worked on interaction design, UI, and scripting interactions and animations in Unity using Apple ARKit and Vuforia.

LiftAR Team:

Sydney Adams, LaTricia Watford, Aaron Lee, Aimee Abalos, Karla Polo Garcia, University Affiliation: The New School, Parsons School of Design University Program: Design & Technology

    Prototyping:

We began with a paper prototype. The user interaction began to take form which allowed us to move into the technical phase. Once we began understanding technical limitations and struggles, we were able to adjust the interaction accordingly. In addition, we made sure to conduct several playtests, in order to gather information, and test if the app itself was effective.

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After the program, we had a functional prototype which we presented to the technical community at a Verizon Demo Day event. We gave a presentation about our project, findings, and future steps. I spoke about how the idea came about, and how we designed the interaction around our shared experiences.

Connected Futures Demo Day March 21, 2018:

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LiftAR LiftAR is an Augmented Reality game experience for parents and children to engage together on educational lesson plans for 5th grade Mathematics.

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Intensive Care Horror VR Experience

Intensive Care Horror VR Experience

You crashed your car just outside of route 13. You hurt all over and you know you need a doctor. Luckily you can see a hospital up ahead. You make it inside the hospital which appears to be abandoned, but you can hear voices. What happened here? Do you want to find out? https://vimeo.com/262308352   Technical: I worked on the itween path, creating textures and materials, and post processing. The…

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  Developed a web click book for artist LNZ, to accompany her narrative music video, which was accepted into the Athens International Film Festival. It was launched to the website “lnz.world” at the same time as her visual album release.

https://vimeo.com/262317910

The web version includes original sounds and photography created by lnz that encompasses her brand and message.

  Developed with HTML, CSS, and Javascript.

    LNZ World Developed a web click book for artist LNZ, to accompany her narrative music video, which was accepted into the Athens International Film Festival.

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The VR Storytelling Collaboration is the second iteration of the collaboration between the Parsons MFA Design and Technology program (The New School University) and the Learning Community Charter School. Together, we created immersive story driven experiences using games, animations, and virtual reality.

On my team I was a Developer for the Weeping Melody Team, and the Site Manager.  As Site Manager, I helped facilitate the collaboration between students and their teams, as well as designed the end of the year website and logo.

        Check out the VR Storytelling website: http://immersive.parsons.edu/vrstorytelling/

Check out the Game: https://weepingmelody.wixsite.com/vrnstorytelling

    VR Storytelling The VR Storytelling Collaboration is the second iteration of the collaboration between the Parsons MFA Design and Technology program (The New School University) and the Learning Community Charter School. 

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Recurrent

https://vimeo.com/259288784   Recurrent is an interactive tablet story game currently in development. It is about finding comfort and security in your own identity. It is important to me because accepting who you are, and coming to love that person is crucial to success and happiness. The game does not promise happiness, likely, it will make you feel quite the opposite, but it does explore a…

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There’s a common troupe in any magic girl transformation or ranger team up where all the characters coordinate seamlessly into one super entity.

With Magic Girl Mecha, so can you!

When the proximity alarm goes off, two of earth’s best pilots must fly the magic girl mecha into space to stop the threat.

This unique co-op, allows players to each control one half of the robot. By extending their arms and legs, they can shoot at and navigate around asteroids, eventually arriving towards the greater threat.

On this team, I designed the backgrounds in Photoshop and Illustrator, helped program the user interactions in Unity, and made the documentation videos.

This game will be featured at the BabyCastles “Cool Down” Game Expo from December 8th to the 15th,  in NYC.

  Magic Girl Mecha There’s a common troupe in any magic girl transformation or ranger team up where all the characters coordinate seamlessly into one super entity.

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First Contact First Contact is a physical computation game which is a throwback to classic carnival games. Using plushie blasters, players must defeat dangerous aliens before their "First Contact," is their last!

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Weeping Melody

  For this project, I was the Game Designer, Writer, and Sound Designer. With my team, I created an original score for the project, and used Unity to make it a reality. For more info on the process, go to the standalone website. To download and play, click HERE. Playtech 2017 LCCS Playtech 2017 Game Playthrough:  

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Ultimate Cake Ninja

I developed the game using Unity and the Fungus add on, so that the gameplay is a combination of a visual novel and a @D platformer. Since narrative heavy games are not usually applied to younger ages, it was important to work on including an audio component for children that cannot read the text.  It is in development along with D-pad controls. The original PC version was featured at Parsons Playtech 2017.

For process details, check out the blog.

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Ultimate Cake Ninja Ultimate Cake Ninja I developed the game using Unity and the Fungus add on, so that the gameplay is a combination of a visual novel and a @D platformer.

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Kitchen Disaster

You have been left home alone on a Saturday morning by your single working mother. She has breakfast and lunch all set up for you, all you have to do is eat, finish your homework, and don’t make a mess. You can do that right? CONCEPT: Kitchen Disaster is a first person interaction game where the player inhabits a thirteen year-old who has been left home alone. The…

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MEET THE NEW LINEUP!

MEET THE NEW LINEUP!

The Five have been redesigned by the talented Angie Guevara. I’m excited to reveal my newly designed characters! Sabwa of Holt: The Zealot Jez of Maru: The Arcana Mam of Gashia: The Obeah Sapphire of Raa: The Beserker Welf of Rica: The Radical Redesigned Villains coming soon!            

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Board

The game uses two 6-sided dice, but can use one.

The Character Cards give the Players abilities.

The Terra Cards help choose the planet of the adventure.

The Runes represent each character.

The Shield represents the order in which each Player will fight in the Battling System.

The Tokens represent the number of Health Points each character and villain character possesses.

Encounter Disks represent the possibility of encountering enemies in the dungeon.

Player Character Selection:

The game begins with a single dice roll. Highest roll gets to choose their character first. They will then select a face down Terra Card and roll the dice again. The number and the planet on the Terra Card will correspond to the adventure in the Story Booklet that the team will embark on. Then in order of highest roll to lowest, everyone else gets to choose their character. If a team is experienced, they may skip this part and select the character they are best at.

Interaction System:

The person who is a resident of the planet and thus a local is Team Leader.

(On Maru? Jez of Maru is Team Leader.)

When navigating the local area, the team will be prompted to choose between two options per interaction. Either the leader will be individually asked, or the team will have to decide. When they decide, they skip ahead in the Story Booklet to their choice and continue the interaction until their next choice.

Some choices lead to conflict which will activate the Battling System (see below).

Battling System:

Reconnaissance

If the Battling System is activated in reconnaissance, it will hinge on a success or failure system, and players are welcome to retry the encounter at their own risk.

Dungeon

First, all Players must roll for initiative. Highest roll gets initiative, and the players must put their corresponding runes on the battle shield, which maintains the order in which the group will fight for the entire encounter. You must roll for each initiative.

The Villain will always strike first with or without minions. The team will take damage, then go as a whole.  Weak attacks of through automatically, all other attacks require a +3 roll to go through.

A successful roll adds the roll to the attack of the Character and deals damage to the minion of the Player’s choice. The Boss cannot be directly attacked by anyone by Sabwa of Holt who possesses the ability Iron Skin. When all minions are defeated, all Players may attack the Boss.

If fighting a boss, the Players must take down the minions by the fourth turn or the Boss goes into a secondary power state. The Boss also goes into secondary state if health drops below ½.

Balancing the Stats

Initial Abilities and Stats:

1st Iteration

Basic Blocking Out of the Differences in Strength and Durability

STAT BALANCING CHART

1st Iteration 2nd Iteration Current Iteration (4th) Sabwa:

HP 50

Attack: 15+

Sabwa:

HP 50

Attack: 15+

Skills: Impenetrable & Absorb, 2nd Negotiate

Sabwa: HP 40

Light Armor: +10

W: Long-Sword Close Range

Weak Attack: 4

Skill Attack: +12

Rune: Justice, Leader, Authority

Jez:

HP 20

Attack: 18+

Jez:

HP 20

Attack: 18+

Skills: Spellbind & Seduce, 2nd Flirt

Jez: HP 30

Arcane Armor: +15

W: Fire Whip Long Range

Weak Attack: 4

Skill Attack: +5

Rune: Sexuality (Wild Ox)

Sapphire:

HP 40

Attack: 20+

Sapphire:

HP 40

Attack: 20+

Skills: Rage & Scathe, 2nd Intimidate

Sapphire

HP 40

Reinforced Fur: +10HP

W: Double Scythe Close Range

Weak Attack: 5

Skill Attack: +15

Rune: Disaster & Loss, Hailstone

Mam:

HP 80

Attack: 10+

Mam:

HP 80

Attack: 10+

Skills: Poision& Empower, 2nd Chase

Mam:

HP 30

Enchanted Shawl: +20HP

W: Staff Mid Range

Weak Attack: 3

Skill Attack: +7

Rune: Protection, Defense

Welf:

HP 60

Attack: 8+

Welf:

HP 60

Attack: 8+

Skills: Drain & Scapegoat, 2nd Sneak

Welf:

HP 30

Steel Breastplate

W: Throwing Daggers

Weak Attack: 3

Skill Attack: +9

Rune: Need

2nd Iteration:

Problems: Jez keeps dying too easily. The strategy has not yet been implemented in tactics unique to each character. The reconnaissance stage is not interactive aside from two choice decisions.

Solutions:

Created a skill set for each character and a secondary skill that would help the Reconnaissance stage feel less passive and more an active investment in the mission. Secondary skills are used to get information. Characters specialize in specific abilities and those abilities if used are automatic, but a one-shot only. All other characters have to roll +3 to do that specific skill. I let the stats be, but created abilities that would help the team shield the weaker players and stronger characters do more damage, dividing them into melee and arcane classes

3rd iteration:

Problems: No way to refill health in dungeons unless you’re Welf who has Drain.

–          No ability to attack multiple enemies. Jezebel keeps dying.

–           Welf has no cap on her drain.

–           Mam’s health never dips 65 HP.

–           Actions are overly dependent on +3 rolls.

–           Nothing happens after death.

Solutions:

Divided HP between standard Health Points and a New Armor class. The Armor is the first to take damage, but can be replaced with armor picked up in dungeons or fixed in local towns. Welf can now give the health she drains to other team members.

Jezebel’s skillset is updated and makes her primary Fever, which attacks multiple targets.

Welf’s drain cap is no longer necessary now that she can share, the Players are more likely to heal than horde the HP.

Mam’s health is dropped to 30HP, but her Armor is 20, giving her the highest durability, but a manageable amount. Redesigned Mam’s skillset to include Empower which sacrifices 5 HP to give an ally +10 attack or defense (on armor) permanently. This is helpful strategically, but also encourages Mam to lower her HP.

Weak Attack implemented which is an automatic attack, and all rolls are strong attacks, however the villain card interacts encourage strong attacks. This was players are still required to roll for the best outcomes.

After death, two states introduced: Dead Man’s grip (After 3 turns come alive with double your base attack to take one last swing at the enemy, rendered inactive at the end), and Resurrection, after 5 turns (return to the field with ½ revived HP). The decision of which state to enact is up to the deceased Player and cannot be discussed

4th iteration:

Problems:

Turn based system is weak

Characters need stronger identities

Secondary skills require little strategy and don’t relate to the character’s world’s and personalities

Solutions:

Each character is assigned a Rune which is a personal identifier to their personality and way of thinking. Runes are made playing pieces and mark using a shield the position of engagement, which resets each encounter. Each character also receives a personal quote, so Players get a snap shot of who they are.

Characters colors translate into a banner that is the same as their home world.

Secondary skills are translated into “Non-Battle Skills,” and instead of all characters having to roll +3 for a skill that is not their specialty, they now have varying degrees or ease and difficulty depending on their personality and strong suite with of the skills. Also, no skills are automatic, now the better you are at the skill, the lower your roll requirement. +1 is the lowest roll requirement. (Each character has +1 req for their “specialty”, then a +2,+3, or +4 stat for the other skills. Teams must now decide who should roll for what based on their character’s strengths.

EXTRA: Specified the weapon each character carries and the range in which they can act in confrontations that occur during the Reconnaissance stage.

–           Example: Welf has Long-range Throwing Daggers, which means she is more useful to attack a fleeing opponent than Sabwa who can only yield her Long Sword Close Range, (though she’s got great reach).

Current iterations:

Implementing Custom art. Artist Angie Guevara currently redesigning the Characters.

Raa Saga is being written.

Maru Saga is being converted to audio.

Stats remain the same for now (Maru is the easiest planet, Raa is the hardest, so after Raa missions I’ll have a good indication of the weaknesses and strengths of the current balancing system.

Current Abilities and Stats:

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Sabwa: HP 40

Light Armor: +10

W: Long-Sword Close Range

Weak Attack: 4

Skill Attack: +12

—

Jez: HP 30

Arcane Armor: +15

W: Fire Whip Long Range

Weak Attack: 4

Skill Attack: +5

—

Sapphire

HP 40

Reinforced Fur: +10HP

W: Double Scythe Close Range

Weak Attack: 5

Skill Attack: +15

—

Mam:

HP 30

Enchanted Shawl: +20HP

W: Staff Mid Range

Weak Attack: 3

Skill Attack: +7

—

Welf:

HP 30

Steel Breastplate

W: Throwing Daggers

Weak Attack: 3

Skill Attack: +9

All Iterations

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—

Rules/How to Play:

STEP ONE: SETUP

Shuffle the Terra Cards and place them face down, and spread out the Character Cards face up.

Begin your quest by rolling to determine who chooses their Character Card first, second, and so on. The player with the highest roll chooses their character first, then second highest goes next, then third, until all players have a Character card.

Once this is done, the Player who chose the first Character card must choose a face down Terra card. That will be the location of the adventure. Discard the rest of the Terra Cards.

TERRA CARDS NOTE: Terra Cards effect the player’s environment. You can only fight in one environment at a time, and each environment will have its own set of struggles, boss, and storyline.

Once the Terra card has been selected, select the Terra Mat that goes with your world. (Ex: If you selected Maru, use the Maru Terra Mat), then, open the Story Booklet to the corresponding adventure, and have either an additional player or an active player read the journey.

STEP TWO: Gameplay 

Standard:

Each character has a specific set of skills that are activated through dice rolls. The game is divided into three parts: Reconnaissance, Dungeon, and the Boss Battle.

The Reconnaissance stage details the events leading up to your team’s arrival on the planet, what your mission is, and forces you to make choices that will lead you to where the Boss is located. While some fighting may ensue, more likely skills like Negotiate, Sneak, Insight, Intimidate, and Chase will be used. Players will be promoted to roll to determine the success of their actions. Each character has a different requirement for a successful roll.

The Dungeon stage takes place in the lair or hideout of the Main Villain. In this stage players will work together to battle lesser enemies through the dungeon while trying to find the boss.

The Boss stage: takes place once the party has found the boss. Now the group must work together to defeat the all the boss’ minions and the boss themselves in order to win the game.

Accelerated: In accelerated mode, the players can skip the prologue and go straight for the confrontation with the dungeon and confrontation with the final boss.

  STEP THREE: How to Fight:

Acronyms:

HP: Health Points

How much health you have or additional health your armor gives you

Roll req: Roll requirements

For a successful attack you must roll over the roll requirements. Ex: +3 equals must roll over a three. 

Weak Attack: An attack that needs no roll.

Atk: Attack Points

W: Weapon

Useful for throwing and close range situations

Each player card will have an amount of health points, attack points, and a circle indicating which planet they are from. Their planet of origin will always be where they are strongest. In order to attack, the players will have to roll their dice and add the score to their attack points.

Non-battle SKILLS: Skills that can only be used in the prologue.

MAIN SKILLS:

WEAK ATTACK: Requires no roll, is an auto attack.

TO SKILL ATTACK: Players must roll a minimum 3, in order to have a successful hit on the enemy targets, and then roll again to determine the attack power. Attack power is calculated with a card attack plus the roll. If the roll is unsuccessful, the player must wait a full turn for their next opportunity, IF they survive the enemy’s attack.

TO CHARM:

To cast a charm, the player must roll a minimum 3. If successful, the charm goes through, but the player must specify how they will use it.

ON COMA:

If a player’s health drops below zero, they fall into a coma where they can do one of two moves. They cannot discuss their decision with their teammate.

  Dead Man’s Grip: After 3 turns. allows the character to use the the last of their strength to deal a blow to the enemy that is double their attack points, and then become inactive for the rest of the game.

  Resurrection: After 6 turns. She’s alive! Return from the dead with half your health points and all your attack points.

TO WIN:

The players must find the boss, defeat their minions, and defeat their boss. The game end when either the boss is dead, or all players are rendered in a coma or inactive.

—For more information about the Process please check out these links!

First Iterations:

Week 1, Week 2, Week 3,

Design:

Art and Character Design

Fabrication

User Testing:

Feedback

Academic Thoughts

Awards:

Parsons School of Design: Design and Technology,  Best in Show (2016)

Parsons Playtech: USB Key Recipient for “Funnest Game” (2016)

Game Mechanics Board The game uses two 6-sided dice, but can use one. The Character Cards give the Players abilities.

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Ruins

I created the soundtrack RUINS, as an audio story that takes the listener on a journey of nostalgia and acceptance of childhood landmarks being demolished. This was created to express my feelings about the old Long Island Medford Movie theater, the Kmart being abandoned, and Blockbuster closing, Watching those buildings stand there for years like a monument, and then watching it being rebuilt and…

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Current Projects

Cubetopia:   Five: Journey to the Truth: Inner City: For more, check out my portfolio page.

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Behance

For more projects, check out my behance portfolio! ^_^ https://www.behance.net/sadams01098e90  

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Sootballs

Sootballs is a 2d-platformer made in Unity, based on Hayao Miyazaki’s gorgeous movie “Spirited Away.” I’m a huge fan and currently working on this, though the final product will remain fan based since I have no rights to the music or imagines and this is mostly wish fulfillment. https://vimeo.com/196669835 *I do not own any music or image rights. Just to clarify. Thank you. Purple picture by…

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Gurlz: R.O.D.

  R.O.D. Definition: Ride or Die Third Installment of Gurlz