🚀 Software Engineering Post-Mortem: Crown & Conquest 🏰⚔️

🎯 Project Overview

Crown & Conquest is a 4X strategy game built with Unreal Engine 5.5 for the Yogscast Games - Jingle Game Jam. Players step into the role of a ruler, striving to conquer neighboring kingdoms by acquiring their crowns. The gameplay revolves around the four key pillars of 4X:

• Explore: Navigate the fog of war to uncover new lands. 🗺️
• Expand: Grow your empire by crowning neighboring kingdoms. 🌍
• Exploit: Harness resources from conquered territories. ⚒️
• Exterminate: Subdue hostile kingdoms and bring them under your rule. 🛡️

Crown & Conquest delivers a thrilling blend of strategy, resource management, and medieval conquest. 🏆

---

🛠️ Initial Project Goals

The primary objectives were:

• Create a medieval 4X game using Unreal Engine. 🎯
• Complete and submit the game for the Jingle Game Jam. 🎄

---

✅ How We Met Our Goals

Using Agile methodology, I:

• Broke down features into User Stories. 📝
• Tracked progress with a Kanban Board in GitHub Projects. 📋

🎉 Result: The game successfully incorporated all 4X elements, included two playable scenarios, and featured a tutorial for new players.

---

✨ What Went Well

1. Level Design:
   • Designed two engaging scenarios for players to step into the shoes of an empire leader. 🗺️
2. Core Mechanics:
   • Successfully implemented the key 4X elements (Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate). ✅
3. Player Guidance:
   • Created a tutorial—a much-needed addition from my previous 4X game—to help new players ease into the mechanics. 📖

---

⚠️ What Went Wrong

1. Art Style:
   • Needed assets to capture a medieval atmosphere and immerse the player. 🖼️
2. Music:
   • Lacked an original soundtrack to enhance the gameplay experience. 🎵

---

🛠️ How Challenges Were Addressed

1. Art Style:
   • Purchased medieval-themed assets from the UE Fab Store, which added the visual flair I needed. 🏰
2. Music:
   • Acquired a soundtrack from the UE Fab Store to enrich the player’s experience. 🎶

---

💡 Lessons Learned

• Level Design: Gained valuable experience in creating scenarios tailored for 4X gameplay.
• Tutorial Design: Learned how to craft a player-friendly tutorial that simplifies complex mechanics. 🛠️

---

🔮 Future Recommendations

1. Combat Mechanics:
   • Add deeper battle and combat mechanics to enhance the "Exterminate" phase of 4X gameplay. ⚔️
2. Dynamic Systems:
   • Incorporate dynamic systems like diplomacy or trade to add more strategic depth. 🤝

---

🏆 Conclusion

Crown & Conquest was a rewarding project for the Yogscast Games - Jingle Game Jam. 🎉 It pushed my skills in 4X game development, from level design to tutorial creation, while challenging me to deliver a polished product under a deadline. I’m excited to evolve these mechanics and build even greater experiences in the future! 🚀